For immigrants from all parts of the would，the United States has been a “melting pot” in which the foreigners have sometimes remained culturally and linguistically what they were in their native lands even as they move toward becoming citizens of the United States，a country whose people share a common cultural outlookoutlook n.景色，风光，观点，见解，展望，前景 and set of values. The melting pot does not melt away all recollections of another way of life in another place-nor should it. On the contrary，immigrants should maintain the languages，skills，religions，customs and arts of their own heritage，even while they are working towards entering the mainstreammainstream n.主流of American culture.
美国：移民之国
纵观美国历史，就可见这个国家经常被称为“一个熔炉”，在此，各种移民和种族团体学会了共同建设一个独特的民族。甚至那些“本土的”美国人——印第安人，也可能是几千年以前，从亚洲走过大陆桥来到北美洲的。所以，谁是真正的美国人？答案是他们中的任何一个人都是！无论你来自何处，如果你想成为美国人，就会成为美国人，你就会变成这个极其富有的“移民之国”的一个新分子。
美国现在正由主要是欧洲血统移民的国家变为世界上其他各洲，如亚洲、拉丁美洲移民的国家。最近移民的数字急剧增长。他们希望摆脱在本国的经济困难、政治压迫，并在美国这片“充满机遇的土地上”寻找更好的教育和更富裕的生活。尽管他们从“故国”带来的文化与美国文化之间往往会产生冲突，但是多数移民还是学会了适应并热爱他们所归化的土地。
美国人从移民的风俗和观念中也学到了很多东西，并且在极其细微和有趣的方面受到了它们的影响。移民们带来了他们本族的文化、政治以及社会模式和态度，不同的学术和宗教背景，以及他们种族的艺术、体育、节日和饮食。这些极大地丰富了美国人的生活。
对于世界各地的移民而言，美国已经是一个“熔炉”，在这个熔炉中，甚至当外国人快要成为美国（一个其人民有着共同的一套文化观和价值观的国家）公民时，他们从文化和语言上仍然是在他们本国的样子。这个熔炉没有、也不应该融掉对另一个地方的另一种生活方式的记忆。相反，即使移民们努力地要进人美国文化主流之中，他们也应保存自己遗产中的语言、技能、宗教和艺术。
Friendship of American Style
Steve and Yaser first met in their chemistrychemistry n.化学class at an American university. Yaser was an international student from Jordan. He was excited to get to know an American. He wanted to learn more about American culture. Yaser hoped that he and Steve would become good friends.
At first，Steve seemed very friendly. He always greeted Yaser warmly before class. Sometimes he offered to study with Yaser. He even invited Yaser to eat lunch with him. But after the semestersemester n.学期 was over，Steve seemed more distant. The two former classmates didn，t see each other very much at school. One day Yaser decided to call Steve. Steve didn，t seem very interested in talking to him. Yaser was hurt by Steve，s change of attitude. “Steve said we were friends，” Yaser complained. “And I thought friends were friends foreverforever adv.永远，永恒，永久，常常，始终.”
Yaser is a little confusedconfused adj.困惑的，烦恼的. He is an outsider to American culture. He doesn，t understand the way Americans view friendship. Americans use the word friend in a very general way. They may call both casualcasual adj.偶然的，不经意的，临时的 acquaintances and close companions “friends”. Americans have school friends，work friends，sports friends and neighborhood friends. These friendships are based on common interests. When the shared activity ends，the friendship may fade. Now Steve and Yaser are no longer classmates. Their friendship has changed.
In some cultures friendship means a strong lifelong bond between two people. In these cultures friendships develop slowly，since they are built to last. American society is one of rapid change. Studies show that one out of five American families moves every year. American friendships develop quickly，and they may change just as quickly.
People from the United States may at first seem friendly. Americans often chat easily with strangers. They exchange information about their families，hobbieshobby n.业余爱好 and work. They may smile warmly and say，“Have a nice day” or “See you later.” Schoolmates may say，“Let，s get together sometime.” But American friendliness is not always an offer of true friendship.
After an experience like Yaser，s，outsiders may consider Americans to be ficklefickle adj.(在感情等方面)变幻无常的，浮躁的，薄情的. Learning how Americans view friendship can help nonAmericans avoid misunderstandings. It can also help them make friends the American way.
Here are a few tips on making friends with Americans：
1. Visit places Americans enjoy： parties，churches，Western restaurants，parks，sports clubs.
2. Be willing to take the first step. Don，t wait for them to approachapproach vt.接近，动手处理 vi.靠近you. Americans in China may not know you speak English. They may be embarrassed if they can，t speak your language.
3. Use small talk to open the conversation. Ask them where they，re from，why they came to China，etc.. Remember： Be careful to avoid personal questions about age，salary，maritalmarital adj.婚姻的 status and appearance.
4. Show an interest in their culture，their country or their job. (Americans like to talk about themselves！)
5. Invite them to join you for dinner or just for coffee or tea. Try to set a specific time. Americans sometimes make general invitations like “Let，s get together sometime.” Often this is just a way to be friendly. It is not always a real invitation.
6. Don，t expect too much at first. Maybe they，re just being friendly. But maybe they do want to be your good friends. It will take time to tell.
People like Yaser shouldn，t give up trying to make American friends. Americans do value strong，lifelong friendships，even with nonAmericans. When making friends，it helps to have a good dose of cultural understanding.
美式友谊
史帝夫和亚瑟最初是在一所美国大学的化学课上认识的。亚瑟是从约旦来的国际学生。他很兴奋能够认识美国人，他要更多学习美国文化；亚瑟希望他和史帝夫会成为好朋友。
刚开始史帝夫似乎非常友善，上课前他总是热情地和亚瑟打招呼，有时他和亚瑟一起读书；他甚至邀请亚瑟一起共进午餐。但是学期结束后，史帝夫似乎较冷淡了，这两个以前的同学在学校不常碰面了。有一天，亚瑟决定打电话给史帝夫，史帝夫似乎没有兴趣和他讲话，对于史帝夫态度的改变，亚瑟感到受伤害。“史帝夫曾说我们是朋友，”亚瑟抱怨，“而且我认为一朝是朋友就永远是朋友。”
亚瑟有点困惑了，对于美国文化，他是个局外人（外行）。他不了解美国人对友谊的看法。美国人把“朋友”这个字用得非常广泛，一般的泛泛之交和亲密伙伴都算是朋友。美国人的朋友包含有学校的朋友、工作的朋友、运动的朋友或是街坊邻居。这些友谊都是建立在共同的兴趣上，当共同从事的活动结束时，友谊也可能跟着消失了。现在，史帝夫和亚瑟不再是同学，他们的“友谊”也就改变了。
在一些文化里，友谊意即两人之间一种强烈的，一世之久的情感。在这些文化里，友谊发展得慢，因为要持久。但美国是个急速变化的社会，有些研究发现每年每五个美国家庭之中，就有一个家庭搬家。美国人的友谊建立得快，但也可能改变得快。
从美国来的人可能刚开始看起来很亲切。美国人常能很容易地和陌生人聊天，他们交换关于自己的家庭、兴趣和工作的个人资料，他们可能热情地微笑说“祝你有愉快的一天”或是“待会儿见”，而同学也许会说“我们找一天聚聚”，但是美国人的友善并不意味真正的友谊。
经过像亚瑟的经历之后，局外人也许会视美国人为善变的。了解美国人如何看待友谊，能够帮助非美国人士避免误会，也能帮助他们以美国人的方式交朋友。
以下是一些和美国人交朋友的秘诀：
1. 到一些美国人喜欢去的地方：宴会、教会、西餐厅、公园和健身房。
2. 乐意跨出第一步，不要等他们来接近你。在中国的美国人不知道你会不会讲英语。如果他们不会讲你的语言，他们可能觉得不好意思。
3. 以闲聊来展开话题，问他们来自哪里，为什么到中国等等。切记：注意避免非常私人的问题，例如年龄、薪水、婚姻状况和长相。
4. 对他们的文化、国家或者工作表示兴趣。（美国人喜欢谈论自己）
5. 邀请他们和你一起吃饭或喝茶。要讲定时间，否则，美国人有时会用一些一般性的邀请，像“找个时间聚聚吧！”，但这只是表示友善的方法而非真正的邀请。