MEMAKNAI SUMPAH PEMUDA SECARA UTUH : IDENTITAS KAUM MUDA DI ZAMAN INI

MEMAKNAI SUMPAH PEMUDA SECARA UTUH : 

 IDENTITAS KAUM MUDA DI  ZAMAN INI 

                                                                                                                                                                   

(Ignatius Tuah Rino, S.Fil)

Menyambut perayaan delapan puluh sembilan tahun Sumpah Pemuda kita jadi teringat akan perjuangan para pemuda Indonesia kala itu. Delapan puluh sembilan tahun lalu, para pemuda meneriakkan sumpah setia; satu tanah air, satu bangsa, dan satu bahasa persatuan. Sumpah pemuda yang ditulis oleh Muhamad Yamin itu terlihat sederhana dari kata-katanya, tetapi dibalik itu memiliki kesakralan makna. Sumpah yang digaungkan oleh para pemuda kala itu kemudian terkenal dengan sebutan sumpah pemuda.

Sejarah Singkat

Menilik sebentar sejarah Sumpah Pemuda tentu saja perlu. Sumpah Pemuda yang dibacakan di Kongres Sumpah Pemuda yang digagas oleh Persatuan Pelajar Pelajar Indonesia (PPPI) pada tanggal 28 Oktober 1928 memiliki sebuah perjalanan unik karena rapat untuk mendapatkan rumusan dilakukan tiga kali dan di tiga gedung yang berbeda pula.

Rapat pertama, Sabtu, 27 Oktober 1928, di Gedung Katholieke Jongenlingen Bond (KJB), Waterlooplein (sekarang Lapangan Banteng). Dalam sambutannya, ketua PPPI Sugondo Djojopuspito berharap kongres ini dapat memperkuat semangat persatuan dalam sanubari para pemuda. Acara dilanjutkan dengan uraian Moehammad Yamin tentang arti dan hubungan persatuan dengan pemuda. Menurutnya, ada lima faktor yang bisa memperkuat persatuan Indonesia yaitu sejarah, bahasa, hukum adat, pendidikan, dan kemauan.

Rapat kedua, Minggu, 28 Oktober 1928, di Gedung Oost-Java Bioscoop, membahas masalah pendidikan. Kedua pembicara, Poernomowoelan dan Sarmidi Mangoensarkoro, berpendapat bahwa anak harus mendapat pendidikan kebangsaan, harus pula ada keseimbangan antara pendidikan di sekolah dan di rumah. Anak juga harus dididik secara demokratis.

Pada rapat penutup, di gedung Indonesische Clubgebouw di Jalan Kramat Raya 106, Sunario menjelaskan pentingnya nasionalisme dan demokrasi selain gerakan kepanduan. Sedangkan Ramelan mengemukakan, gerakan kepanduan tidak bisa dipisahkan dari pergerakan nasional. Gerakan kepanduan sejak dini mendidik anak-anak disiplin dan mandiri, hal-hal yang dibutuhkan dalam perjuangan.

Dan dalam peristiwa sumpah pemuda yang bersejarah tersebut diperdengarkan lagu kebangsaan Indonesia untuk yang pertama kali yang diciptakan oleh W.R. Soepratman. Lagu Indonesia Raya dipublikasikan pertama kali pada tahun 1928 pada media cetak surat kabar Sin Po dengan mencantumkan teks yang menegaskan bahwa lagu itu adalah lagu kebangsaan. Lagu itu sempat dilarang oleh pemerintah kolonial hindia belanda, namun para pemuda tetap terus menyanyikannya.

Memaknai Sumpah Pemuda Secara Utuh

Setelah delapan puluh sembilan tahun berlalu bagaimana kondisi bangsa Indonesia? Kita melihat perilaku manusia Indonesia disana sini tereduksi dengan sifat-sifat tercela yang merebak dalam kehidupan berbangsa dan bernegara.

Perlu diketahhui bahwa sumpah pemuda tentunya bukan sembarang sumpah yang hanya diteriakan sesaat kemudian dilupakan, namun lebih dari itu mampu mengobarkan semangat persaudaraan, persatuan, dan nasionalisme. Kala itu, sumpah pemuda berperan penting atas bangkit dan bersatunya seluruh rakyat Indonesia melawan penjajahan, niat muncul dari hati tanpa iming-iming, yang ada hanya harapan untuk merdeka dan mereka hanya punya pilihan MERDEKA atau MATI !

Kini kemerdekaan sudah diraih, negara ini sudah berkembang, walaupun masih kembang-kempis. Kita sebagai bangsa Indonesia tentunya harus memiliki satu tekad, meneruskan perjuangan para pendiri bangsa ini. Kemerdekaan yang mereka persembahkan harus diisi, dan tentunya semangat sumpah pemuda harus digelorakan dengan berlandaskan UUD 1945 dan Pancasila. Perjuangan untuk mengisi kemerdekaan saat ini tentunya tidak mudah, banyak hambatan yang didapatkan, mulai dari terganggunya stabilitas dalam negeri, ketersinggungan persoalan kedaulatan, pengklaiman budaya oleh negara lain, hingga pembangunan yang belum merata secara ekonomi, sosial, dan politik.

Saat ini di moment Sumpah Pemuda, tak salah jika semua warga negara kembali meneriakkan dan menggelorakan semangat sumpah itu. Hal itu wajib dilakukan sebagai pembakar semangat persaudaraan, persatuan, dan nasionalisme, seperti pemuda kala itu delapan puluh sembilan tahun lalu.

Semangat persaudaraan di negara ini harus terus dipelihara agar terciptanya stabilitas keamanan dan kedamaian. Kerukunan antar warga negara, antar umat beragama, dan antar suku wajib dibina dan dijaga dengan baik. Sebagai warga dari negara yang berlandaskan Pancasila, kita semua harus menjunjung tinggi semangat kebhinekaan.

Kami Putra-Putri Indonesia mengaku bertanah air satu tanah air Indonesia

Kami Putra-Putri Indonesia mengaku berbangsa satu bangsa Indonesia

Kami Putra-Putri Indonesia menjunjung tinggi bahasa persatuan, bahasa Indonesia.

Kalau kita melihat dan memahami isi dari Sumpah Pemuda, Sumpah Pemuda itu memiliki tiga poin penting; Cinta tanah air, Cinta Bangsa, dan Menjunjung Bahasa Persatuan. Ketiga komponen tersebut delapan puluh sembilan tahun lalu dapat mempersatukan seluruh bangsa, bangkit melawan penjajahan, dan kini hingga nanti, ketiga komponen itu harus tetap digaungkan untuk menjaga dan merekatkan persaudaraan, persatuan, dan nasionalisme semua warga negara.

Identitas Kaum Muda di Zaman ini

Apakah yang dapat dilakukan oleh kaum muda di zaman ini?

Dimanakah kaum muda di zaman ini?

Pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut selalu menjadi sorotan banyak orang terhadap kaum muda di zaman ini.

Sesuai dengan namanya, Sumpah Pemuda dirumuskan oleh para pemuda. Mereka lalu menjadikannya selaku dasar untuk membangkitkan rasa nasionalisme. Para pemuda tidak lagi berjuang sendiri, melainkan bersama-sama. Banyak perihal yang melandasi para pemuda bertekad untuk bersatu. Mereka berpikir tidak hendak dapat membuat Indonesia merdeka kalau berjuang di kelompok sendiri.

“Berikan aku 1000 orang muda, niscaya akan kucabut semeru dari akarnya.

Berikan aku 1 orang muda, niscaya akan kuguncang dunia”. (Ir. Soekarno)

            Dari perkataan Soekarno di atas dan melihat situasi negara kita saat ini yang nota bene sudah banyak diterpa masalah apakah jutaan para pemuda Indonesia di zaman ini berani menjadi satu menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang dialami negara kita sekarang ini?

Ingat kepemudaan berarti spirit. Ia adalah personalisasi dari sosok bersemangat baja; si pantang menyerah, si pekerja keras, si cerdas, dan memiliki penguasaan terhadap sejumlah keterampilan yang diperlukan. Bila pemuda bangsa tahun 1928 menjawab tantangan penjajahan dengan persatuan, maka pemuda Indonesia masa kini bisa menjawab tantangan krisis multidimensi dengan tampil sebagai pionir-pionir penuh prestasi di bidang keahlian dan bidang kecakapannya masing-masing. Para pemuda Indonesia yang memilih dunia olahraga sebagai atlet jadilah atlet yang mendalami dunia keatletannya sehingga berprestasi di pentas dunia. Begitu pula, para pemuda yang berkiprah di bidang kesenian dan kebudayaan, apakah itu sebagai penari, penyanyi, pelukis, penulis, dan sebagainya, jadilah seniman dan budayawan yang mendalami secara utuh bidangnya masing-masing sehingga diakui dunia. Juga, para pemuda yang berprofesi sebagai peneliti, ilmuwan, politisi, birokrat dan sebagainya, hendaknya menekuni profesinya secara utuh, tulus, dan ikhlas demi kemajuan bangsa dan negara.

Epilog

Kita mesti yakin bahwa dengan semangat patriotisme yang harus ditanam di dalam jiwa para pemuda tentu badai pasti berlalu, semua masalah dapat terselesaikan seiring datangnya harapan akan majunya bangsa dan negara ini. Semua komponen harus tetap menjaga UUD 1945 dan Pancasila, jangan ada yang berani menggoyangkan atau ingin mengubahnya dan anak-anak ibu pertiwi akan menjadi garda terdepan untuk menjaga UUD 1945 dan Pancasila sebagai dasar falsafah bangsa ini, dan tentunya dengan semangat Sumpah Pemuda yang akan terus berkobar di dada setiap warga negara Indonesia.

Inilah redefinisi partriotisme pemuda Indonesia masa kini, yang tidak kalah agung dari patriotisme pemuda Indonesia tahun 1928 ketika mencetuskan Sumpah Pemuda. Melalui redefinisi tersebut Indonesia akan selangkah lebih dekat mewujudkan impian menjadi bangsa yang besar.

Satu tanah air, satu bangsa, satu bahasa persatuan. Selamat Hari Sumpah Pemuda.

Prioritas Guru: Pahlawan Tanpa Tanda Jasa

(Ignatius Tuah Rino, S.Fil)

            Dunia pendidikan nasional kita sampai saat ini belum mendapatkan perhatian yang pantas dari pemerintah. Seakan-akan sektor pendidikan terpinggirkan oleh semaraknya sektor ekonomi. Pada masa pemerintahan Orde Baru dunia pendidikan telah terkooptasi oleh kekuasaan untuk kemapaman rezim. Harus diakui bahwa persoalan dalam pendidikan memiliki keterkaitan dengan banyak sektor termasuk pergumulan dengan krisis ekonomi yang masih berkepanjangan.

            Saat ini energi yang digunakan begitu besar tercurah untuk usaha pemulihan krisis ekonomi. Biaya rekapitulasi perbankan, pengadaan dana-dana, dianggap lebih krusial dan kritis untuk ditangani. Akibatnya sekali lagi sektor pendidikan belum mendapat perhatian yang utama. Ekonomi masih menjadi yang terutama. Pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang muncul kemudian adalah dengan dana yang sangat minim apakah bisa meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan? Bagaimana dengan kesenjangan pendidikan antara pulau dengan pulau-pulau yang lainnya? Bagaimana dengan usaha perbaikan kesejahteraan nasib guru? Begitu kompleksnya persoalan sehingga dibutuhkan suatu kajian yang komprehensif mengenai masalah pendidikan. Kali ini yang akan dibedah adalah persoalan seputar tenaga pendidik (guru) yang boleh dikatakan Pahlawan Tanpa Tanda Jasa.

            Dalam persoalan pendidikan di Indonesia bila ditelaah lebih lanjut ternyata ada banyak faktor yang membelenggunya. Awalnya adalah pengorbanan yang telah guru berikan kurang diberi penghargaan yang sepantasnya atau jarang sekali sekarang kita mengatakan bahwa guru itu pahlawan tanpa tanda jasa. Sampai saat ini masih banyak para guru yang digaji dengan gaji sangat minim, sehingga hidup mereka masih berada di bawah standar hidup minimum. Belum lagi ‘pengebirian’ gaji yang sering terjadi. Kurangnya perhatian dari pemerintah dan swasta terhadap kesejahteraan guru ini mengakibatkan semakin berkurangnya minat kaum muda potensial untuk berprofesi sebagai guru. Kesejahteraan guru yang kurang memadai menciptakan image di mata masyarakat, nasib guru tak seindah lagu himne guru.

            Persoalan selanjutnya adalah kebutuhan akan guru selalu meningkat atau ada kesan bahwa kita selalu kekurangan guru. Akhirnya hal ini bermuara pada proses penyeleksian untuk merekrut tenaga pendidik tidak melewati proses yang ketat yang mengutamakan aspek kualitatif seperti pada bidang profesi yang lain, tetapi sepertinya (jika tidak) hanya berprinsip ‘asal ada guru untuk mengajar’ tanpa penilaian lebih jauh pada aspek kelayakannya. Kemudian hal lain yang bisa ditebak, kecerdasan seorang tenaga pengajar untuk mentransformasikan atau menterjemahkan kurikulum pendidikan ke dalam bentuk-bentuk atau teknis pengajaran yang varitatif kurang tampak.

            Jadi kemiskinan seorang guru bukan hanya kemiskinan secara material tetapi juga dalam bentuk yang lain yaitu kemiskinan intelektual. Kemiskinan materiil memaksa guru untuk berusaha mencari sumber-sumber ekonomi yang lain. Sehingga dengan terbaginya konsentrasi dari bidang keprofesionalannya ke bidang yang lain kadangkala membuat sang guru lupa akan profesi utamanya.

Pada bagian ini kasusnya sangat spesifik dan minor namun riil terjadi. Kadangkala juga guru kewalahan di depan kelas bahkan absent karena tidak ada persiapan materi dan mental secara memadai. Sedangkan kemiskinan intelektual membuat sang guru terpasung dalam pola pikir lama. Hal ini bisa dilihat dari cara atau teknis penyampaian materi yang monoton, monolog (satu arah), membosankan dan kurang adaptif terhadap kurikulum.

Jadi untuk melahirkan bangsa yang cerdas terlebih dahulu gurunya harus berkompeten dan cerdas. Dialah yang harus berubah terlebih dahulu. Dialah pahlawan tanpa tanda jasa. Gelar tersebut patut kita hargai kepada sang guru. “Seorang murid tidak akan pandai jika tidak ada gurunya !” demikianlah kata Pahlawan Pendidikan Ki Hajar Dewantara. Bagaimana para guru akan melahirkan manusia-manusia cerdas jika dia sendiri belum cerdas? Pertanyaan seperti ini akan terus relevan dengan dunia pendidikan kita selama pemerintah sendiri belum memprioritaskan bidang pendidikan sebagai bidang yang sangat penting. Selama belum ada political will untuk mencerahkan dunia pendidikan kita.

     

DESEMBER KELABU

DESEMBER KELABU

Ignaz Tuah Rino, S.FIL

            25 Desember 2013 terlalu mencekam diriku ketika kuingat kembali.

            Di samping jendela kayu kududuk di atas kursi tua sambil menatap cahaya sang surya yang menyinari penghuni alam semesta ini. Burung-burung dan pepohonan merasakan kebahagian itu. Pohon memberikan cabang dan rantingnya untuk beberapa ekor burung yang datang menghinggapinya. Burung-burung pun terus berkicauan di antara mereka.

            Terdengar alunan musik syahdu dan merdu yang tertangkap oleh telingaku. Tiba-tiba saja tak disadari air mataku jatuh berlinang ketika aku mendengarkan alunan musik tersebut. “Oh Tuhan..........Kenapa ini bisa terjadi dan kenapa memoriku terulang kembali ??” Aku tak bisa menahan perasaan dan air mataku. Jika satu tahun lalu tidak terjadi mungkin aku tidak seperti sekarang ini.

            Sebenarnya kejadian itu telah hilang dalam memoriku. Namun aku tak bisa menghapus kejadian itu dalam pikiranku. “Bapak......Mama......maafkan aku seandainya kalian masih hidup tentu aku tidak mengalami kesedihan yang berkelanjut” seruku.

            25 Desember 2013 tercatat dalam catatan harianku. Bulan kelabu, bulan yang penuh duka bagiku dan keluargaku. Orang lain mengalami kebahagian karena bisa merayakan atau bisa menyambut kedatangan bayi Yesus yang lahir ke dunia. Tetapi aku....??

25 Desember 2013 kukatakan bulan kelabu dan bulan penuh duka. Saat itulah aku seperti tersambar badai besar yang menghancurkan diriku. 25 Desember 2013 adalah pembunuh kedua orangtuaku. Aku benci dengan tanggal, bulan, dan tahun itu.

Aku mencoba menjauh dari suara alunan musik tersebut dan pergi ke kamarku. Jendela dan pintu kamar kututup rapat-rapat agar suara musik tersebut  tidak membuka memoriku kembali. Tak bisa kusembunyikan perasaan ini. Air mataku terus berlinang membasahi wajahku. Aku tak bisa menghentikan air mata ini.

Di atas meja belajar, aku menemukan beberapa lembar foto kedua orangtuaku. Foto-foto itu membuat aku menangis histeris. Tak tahan aku memandang foto-foto mereka. Pada salah satu foto itu tepatnya di belakang foto itu aku menemukan beberapa kalimat yang ditulis oleh ibuku, ia menulis:

“Tuhan......Engkau telah mempersatukan diriku dengan suamiku. Aku bangga mempunyai suami seperti dia. Berikanlah dia pekerjaan yang baik untuk kami. Tuhan sebentar lagi bayi mungil yang ada di dalam kandunganku ini akan hadir di dalam kehidupan kami. Jadikanlah dia sebagai anak yang baik dan berbakti kepada kami dan keluarga. Melalui perantaraan Santo Yosep kuserahkan keluargaku.”

Foto-foto tersebut kuletakan di atas meja tempat aku berdoa. Di dalam doa kusebut nama mereka.

            Tok......tok.....tok.......

tiba-tiba saja aku mendengar suara dari balik pintu. Aku menghampiri pintu itu dan mulai membukanya. Ternyata paman dan bibi ku sekeluarga bersilahturahmi ke rumahku. Kusambut kedatangan mereka dengan senyum walaupun senyuman itu menyelimuti kesedihanku. Kedatangan mereka ingin mengajak diriku berlibur di kampung tempat dimana ayahku dilahirkan, dibesarkan, dan disemayamkan. Dengan besar hati aku pun menerima ajakan mereka. Sebenarnya mereka tahu apa yang aku rasakan sekarang ini.

            Sebuah mobil kecil berwarna silver mengantar kami ke sebuah desa. Desa itu terlalu sejuk dan sunyi. Seorang lelaki tua dengan tongkat ditangannya berdiri menyambut kedatangan kami.  Lelaki tua yang kukenal itu adalah kakekku. Tujuh puluh tiga tahun umur lelaki tua itu. Kakekku merasa senang dengan kedatangan kami.

            Ayahku adalah anak kelima (anak bungsu). Ayahku walaupun sebagai anak bungsu dia sangat disayang, dipuji dan dikagumi oleh saudara-saudarinya. Paman dan bibiku pernah mengatakan bahwa ayahku adalah anak yang paling pintar di sekolah. Beberapa penghargaan pernah diraihnya.

            Di ruang tengah, sambil mengelilingi meja bundar yang terbuat dari kaca kami duduk bercerita. Sementara kami bercerita, seorang gadis cantik datang menghampiri kami dengan membawa beberapa cangkir kopi dan teh hangat dan sebungkus kue. Piring kaca mungil sebagai alas cangkir berbunyi nyaring saat bersentuhan dengan meja kaca itu. Senyuman manis gadis itu menambah kebahagiaanku.

            Silahkan minum dan kuenya dimakan. Maaf jika kurang manis bisa ditambah sendiri kopinya sesuai selera kalian. Jawab gadis itu dengan senyumannya. Gadis itu sederhana tetapi anggun. Pandanganku lekat pada gadis manis itu sebelum akhirnya ia tersenyum lagi, lalu pergi meninggalkan kami. Sejenak kuberpikir mungkin gadis itu sebagai kembang desa yang diidam-idamkan oleh kaum muda desa itu.

            Aku sempat bertanya kepada kakekku mengenai gadis itu. Ternyata kakekku mengatakan bahwa kedua orang tua gadis itu sudah meninggal satu tahun yang lalu. Peristiwa kematian kedua orangtua gadis itu pun sama dengan kedua orangtuaku, hanya berbeda tanggal; kedua orangtuaku 25 Desember 2013 sedangkan kedua orangtua gadis itu 31 Desember 2013. Aku sangat terkejut mendengarnya. Kenapa bulan Desember 2013 menjadi bulan kelabu untuk kami.

            Kala malam purnama datang, disekeliling halaman rumah kakekku terdengar suara jangkrik. Di teras depan rumah kakekku kami saling berdiskusi tentang hari-hari hidup kami. Perasaan sedih yang kualami seolah-olah pergi begitu saja. Malam itu semuanya begitu indah.

            Hingga sang surya terbit dan burung-burung mulai menampakkan diri.......

            Aku segera bangun dari tempat tidurku seolah-olah bagaikan api menyambar tempat tidurku. Aku segera berlari menemui pamanku dan mengajak mereka pergi ke tempat orangtuaku disemayamkan.

            Beberapa cahaya lilin menerangi makam kedua orangtuaku dan wangi-wangian bunga memberikan keharuman pada makam tersebut.

           

            “Maafkan aku Ayah ibu,” rasanya dadaku terlalu sesak untuk mengungkapkan apa yang ingin kuungkapkan dan aku tak dapat menahan atau menghentikan air mataku ini. Air mataku jatuh membasahi batu nisan mereka. Bagiku itu adalah tanda bahwa aku tak pernah melupakan mereka. Bayangkanlah tak satupun dari kami yang tidak menangis melihat penderitaan yang kualami. Betapa menyedihkan..........

            Tak terasa sinar dan panas mentari sudah berada di atas kepala kami. Paman menepuk pundakku tiga kali. Itu adalah isyarat untuk mengajakku pulang. Berat rasanya kaki ini untuk melangkah. Orangtua itu tampaknya maklum dengan penderitaanku ini. Di depan kedua makam kedua orangtuaku aku hanya bisa mengatakan: “Ayah dan ibu semoga kalian merasa bahagia di sana walaupun aku di sini terus sedih saat kalian pergi meninggalkanku satu tahun lalu”. Aku tertunduk penuh penyesalan. Aku ingin jujur kepada orangtuaku, bahwa sesungguhnya aku membenci 25 Desember 2013. Itulah Desember kelabu bagiku.

           

             

           

short text

MEALS

I.Table Manners

1.The ABC of Table Manners

1.                  Do not attract undue attention to yourself in public.

2.                  When eating take as much as you want, but eat as much as you take.

3.                  Do not eat  too fast or too slowly, cut as you eat.

4.                  Take a little of every dish that is offered to you.

5.                  Sit up straight and face the table, do not put your elbows on the table while eating.

6.                  Do not reach across the table - simply say "Would you please pass the salt", etc.

7.                  At a small party do not start eating until all are served. At a large party it is not necessa­ry to wait for all. The hostess gives a signal to her guests by saying: "Start eating, please (your food will get cold)".

8.                  There is no rule about eating everything on your plate, to indicate that you have had enough, place knife and fork together not  criss-cross.

9.                  When refusing a dish simply say: "No, thank you" when accepting, - "Yes, please".

10.              Do not leave the spoon in your cup, when drink­ing tea or coffee.

11.              Do not empty your glass quickly - it will be promptly refilled and you will find you have drunk more than you intended.

      Answer the following questions:

l. What is the correct way to sit at table? 2. Should you use your fork or your knife for taking a slice of bread from the bread-plate? 3. How should you get a slice of bread from the plate standing on the far end of the table? 4. What is the correct way of using spoon, fork and knife? 5. How should you cut your meat? 6. What are the dishes for which knife shouldn't be used? 7. What is the way to eat chicken? 8. What is one supposed to do with the stones while eating stewed fruit? 9. What should you do with the spoon after stirring your tea? 10. What should you do if your food is too hot?  11. What should you say to refuse a second helping? 12. What should you say if you like the dish very much? 13. What should you say if you dislike the dish? 14. What shouldn't one do while eating? 15. Where should one keep the newspaper or the book during a meal, on the table or on one's lap?

2. Watch the video “Table Manners Across Cultures by Norine Dresser”  on http://mariavocationaltraining.blogspot.com/2011/12/table-manners-accross-cultures-by.html

• Before watching study the following vocabulary:

Odd: Strange

Chopsticks: the equivalent of our fork for Asian people

UCLA:  University of California  Los Angeles

To push food on him: To force somebody to eat

To slurp: to ingest (food or drink) with loud sucking noises

Belching or burping:  (also known as eructation) It involves the release of gas from the digestive tract.

Deceased: A person who died

Dressing: Sauce for salad such as oil, vineger, nuts and spices

• Questions for the Talk

1. Make a list of the facts Norine Dresser  gives her expert  advice on. Would you like to add anything to this list?

2. What table manners in your country/region might be surprising for an outsider?

3. Out of the table manners Ms. Dresser mentions, which ones are the most surprising? Explain why.

4. Have you ever faced or witnessed misunderstandings due to cross-cultural differences, whether related to table manner or other cultural dissimilarities?

5. What would have been your reaction in front of any of the cultural differences that Ms. Dresser mentions?

II. Eating habits

English Food and Eating Habits

The English usually have four meals a day: breakfast, dinner (lunch), tea (five o'clock) and supper (dinner). Some people have din­ner at one o'clock and some have dinner in the evening (instead of supper) and the midday meal is then called lunch. The traditional English breakfast is a meal of bacon and eggs, hot buttered toast or bread, or rolls, marmalade or jam, tea or coffee. In Scotland and north­ern parts of England people sometimes have a plate of porridge or cornflakes for breakfast.

The second meal (lunch or dinner) is served at one o'clock. It consists of two courses if it is lunch and three courses if .it is din­ner. First comes soup (sometimes juice or a piece of melon). The sec­ond course is a meat or fish course. Beefsteak is the most popular meat dish. It is usually accompanied by roast potatoes or potatoes done in their jackets, a second vegetable (probably cabbage or carrots) and Yorkshire pudding.

Then comes a sweet. Apple pie (with hot custard) is a favourite sweet. There are also various types of pudding. Lunch is very similar to dinner but it is a lighter meal and as a rule people do not have soup for lunch.

The next meal is five o'clock tea. In most families it is served at half past four or five o'clock. Sometimes people may have some sand­wiches or biscuits with five o'clock tea but generally very little food. Tea is taken with milk. Tea with lemon is called Russian tea and is served only in some cafes and restaurants. Guests are often invited to five o'clock tea. The hostess welcomes them at the door and invites them to the drawing-room where tea is served. Then she brings in the tea-service (cups, saucers, plates, a tea-pot, a sugar bowl) on a tea-waggon (tea-trolley) or on a tray. The tea-party usually lasts not more than an hour.

The most known and popular food in Britain is fish and chips which anyone can get in cafes and restaurants or in special  Fish and Chips shops open at certain  times of the day ( from 12 till 3 p.m. and from 7.30 till 11 p.m.).

When you come in and ask for fish and chips, the shop-assistant  puts chips into a paper bag, puts a piece of fish on the top, sprinkles  everything  with salt  and   vinegar  and  then wraps everything in an old newspaper to keep them warm.

Answer the following questions:

1. How many meals a day do the English have? 2. What is the name of the first meal in the morning? 3. When is breakfast served? 4. What is the traditional English breakfast like? 5. What do people in the northern parts of England have for breakfast? 6. What do you have for breakfast? 7. What is the traditional English second meal? 8 When is it served? 9. What do the English usually have for dinner? 10. What is the most popular meat dish? 11. What is the favour­ite sweet of the English? 12. Is lunch lighter than dinner? 15 What is a five o'clock tea? 16. Are guests usually invited to five o'clock tea? 17. What is the most known and popular food on the British Isles? 18. Where is fish and chips served in Great Britain?

2. Read and act out the dialogues. Make up the diologues by analogy.

Waiter: Good evening, sir ... madam. Shall I take your coats?

Mr. Adams: Thank yon. Where shall we sit, Barbara?

Waiter: Oh, would you like to sit over here, sir? Near the window.

Mr. Adams: Ah, yes ... Could we see the menu?

Waiter: Certainly. Here it is.

Mr. Adams: Do you fancy a starter?

Mrs. Adams: Mm ... I think I'll have the prawn cocktail. I'm very fond of prawns. What about you?

Mr. Adams: I'm not sure... I can't decide.

Mrs. Adams: Oh, I'd have the trout, if I were you. You always say that you like trout, and you haven't had it for a long time.

Waiter: Are you ready to order yet, sir?

Mr. Adams: Yes ... a prawn cocktail for my wife and the trout for me.

Waiter: And the main course, sir?

Mr. Adams: Veal for my wife. I can't decide between the veal and the chicken. What do you recommend?

Waiter: Oh, if I were you, I'd have the – veal. It's the specialty of the house.

Waiter: What would you like with the veal?

Mr. Adams: Two mixed salads, please.

Waiter: ... any vegetables, sir?

Mr. Adams: Yes. Some cauliflower, some courgettes and some boiled potatoes, please.

Waiter: Anything to follow?

Mr. Adams: Can we order that later?

Waiter: Of course, sir.

Waiter: Would you like to see the wine list?

Mr. Adams: Yes ... we'd like a bottle of dry white wine.

Waiter: May I suggest something?

Mr. Adams: Of course.

Waiter: Why don't you try a bottle of English wine?

Mr. Adams: English wine?

Waiter: Yes, it isn't very well-known, but it's being produced in the south of England now. You'll be surprised … it's very good.

AMERICAN FOOD AND EATING HABITS

Speaking about typically American food, well, we have a phrase "as American as apple pie," so that's the first thing that comes to mind. I suppose that a hamburger is rather American and pan­cakes with maple syrup. Pumpkin pie, of course. Hot dogs, I guess, would be another American thing. We've had people from all over the world come into America throughout its history and so we've rather absorbed all the world's cooking. You know, pizza is a very American thing now. I am not positive, but I be­lieve it really comes from Italy.

Now, for main dishes — especially for dinner — Americans eat a lot of red meat, but more and more people are eating fish and poultry. Beef is the most popular red meat, followed by pork, and, least popular, lamb. In general, Americans like thick steaks. There are three ways to cook the meat: rare (not cooked very much), medium and well-done (cooked a lot).

The favorite American vegetable is the potato. It is served in many ways, but the most common are: baked potato, mashed potato, and french fries. Corn, too, is a truly American vegetable. It is especially popular to eat the whole ear (cob) holding the ends with your fingers. This is called "corn on the cob."

Eating out is popular in the USA. Some restaurants are open even for breakfast, many restaurants, especially the better ones, opens at about 11.30 am., others are open twenty-four hours a day. It is often necessary to make a reservation. Otherwise the restaurant you chose may be filled up. By the way, do not expect to share a table with other parties. It just isn't done. If you want to ask for a bill, which is usually called the check, signal the waiter with a raised hand. If that doesn't work, you can say: "Excuse me, may we have the check, please."

As the charge for service is not included in your restaurant check, everyone from waiters to porters anticipate tips. The amount you give should take into account the quality of service you receive. You should give 15 percent for good service, 20 per­cent for outstanding service and 10 percent for less than adequate service. Figure the tip on the total of the bill (excluding tax). Don't tip the headwaiter, though. Now, many restaurants post menus in the window so you can see the prices before you enter. If they do not, it is acceptable to enter the restaurant and ask for a menu before you sit down. If it is too expensive, it is OK to leave. If you do not eat all your food, you may ask for a "doggie bag." The waiter will put your uneaten food in a paper or plastic bag and you can take it home. You should not do it at an expen­sive first class restaurant, of course.

Study the text and try to find answers to the following questions:

1. Why is it difficult to speak about typically American foods? 2. What is usually served for the main dish? 3. What vegetables are the most popular in the US? 4. Why is it advisable to reserve a table in a restaurant? 5. What can be done if the portion of food you ordered appears to be too large for you? 6. Do you know now who and how much you should tip? 7. What new facts can you get having read this text?

AT THE RESTAURANT

S:  Let's study, the menu and see what's on it tonight.

W:  Good evening, gentlemen. Are you ready to order now?

B:  I'm afraid I don't understand the names of all dishes on the menu, Mr. Stanley. Could you help me and recommend what to take?

S:  With pleasure, Mr. Borisov. H-m-m, would you like mushroom soup?

B:  No, thank you. I seldom eat soup in the evening.

S:  Then you can order roast-beef with fried potatoes. It's a traditional English dish and it’s usually delicious.

B:  Fine.

W: How about you, sir?

S: Well, I'm pretty hungry. I'll start with chicken soup, then I'd like a steak with green salad. And bring us a bottle of red wine, please.

W:  Would you like to order dessert now? There is a choice of fruit or ice-cream.

B:  I prefer fruit, Mr. Stanley.

S:  So do I. What about some cheese?

B:  No cheese for me, thank you.

S:  I think I'll have some. And we'll finish with black coffee, if you don't mind.

B: That sounds nice.

       W: Thank you, gentlemen. I hope you'll enjoy yourselves.

III. Eating out

1. Imagine that you and your partner are sitting in a restaurant. Read this menu and decide what you want to order.
2. Imagine that you see some friends sitting at another table. Join them and sit together. Explain what you have decided to order.
3. Now you have noticed the “two-for-one” offer at the menu (Two people ordering exactly the same items pay for just ONE meal!). Decide whether you want to change your  minds about your orders.
4. Suggest some dishes from the menu for someone who:
• can’t eat meat
• loves fried food
• hopes to lose weight
• is extremely hungry
• keeps to a healthy diet

EATING OUT IN NEW YORK CITY

A wide variety of dining pleasures awaits a visitor to New York City, from luxuriating in the fanciest of French restaurants to grabbing a hot dog. With cuisines from every corner of the globe, New York City will feed you very well regardless of your budget.

The least costly alternatives are those used by many natives at lunch time: street vendors, fast food places and delis.

Street vendors' offerings — hot dogs for $ 2.00 or less — are fast, inexpensive and very "New York." Hot dogs (also called "franks" or "frankfurters") are a kind of sausage placed inside a bun. They are often made from pork and can be steamed, boiled, or grilled.

The fast food places, such as McDonald's and Burger King are much the same everywhere in the United States. They offer a pretty standard fare: hamburgers, french fries, and coke (Coca-Cola), at a pretty standard price. A meal will rarely exceed $ 4.00 per person. Hamburgers are made from beef, not ham, and served in a round bun. They are often eaten with tomato, or lettuce, or onion, mustard, and ketchup. A hamburger with melted cheese is called a cheeseburger. There are also some other kinds of burgers with other names, such as the jumbo burger (very big), mush­room burger, or bacon burger, depending on the extra ingredients added.

With so many people traveling in cars, fast food places can be found all along the highways. If you are in a hurry, you can drive round to a "drive through" window and pick up your food packed in a paper bag without leaving your car. Likewise, other fast food places may have "drive-in" facilities. A waiter will meet you in the restaurant's parking lot, take your order and deliver the food to your car, where you can eat in the relative comfort of the parking area.

Along highways and in town, "diners" give you a fine oppor­tunity to have a quick snack. They are small-size restaurants, traditionally shaped like a railroad car.

Another option, the delis — short for delicatessen — offer sandwiches and assorted salads. Americans eat a lot of sand­wiches, especially for lunch. They are made with two pieces of bread and a filling. Some, common fillings arc: tuna fish, eggs, ham, chicken, turkey, roast beef, cheese, and peanut butter and jelly. Some sandwiches are served hot, for example, a hot roast beef sandwich. Another special type is the "club sandwich" which is made with three pieces of bread and two fillings between them. One common sandwich is called a BLT, which means ba­con, lettuce, and tomato. Although the bill in delis may run as high as $ 8.00 per person, their advantage is quick service, and of course, as the name implies, the food is delicious.

Another relatively inexpensive alternative is the gourmet take-out shop, stocked with foods for home or picnic. Some places call themselves “family restaurants". This usually means home style cooking.  The food is almost as reasonably priced as in delis or better cafeterias.

In a cafeteria you walk through a line, choose your food, put it on a tray, pay at the end of the line, and carry your food to a table.

         Turning to foreign cuisine New York City's excellent and inexpensive offerings include pizza and a wide choice of Chinese and Mexican food. Pizza comes in two varieties — thin-crust "Neapolitan" and thick-crust "Sicilian" — and is served by the slice or by the pie. The best Chinese food, of course, is in China­town. To snatch a quick taste of Mexican cooking one may go to Taco Bell or Taco-Time, where you will be offered tacos, chunks of marinated and broiled meat rolled in tortillas (flat bread made from wheat or corn), or chili, a spiced ("hot")  seasoned dish of beef, beans, chili peppers, and tomatoes.

Answer the following questions:

1. What new information about eating habits in the USA, if any, have you gathered?

2. Where can one have lunch in the USA?

3. What fast food chains are spread all over the USA? What do they offer?

4. What two kinds of fast food places can one dis­cover while traveling in the USA by car? How     

    are you served there?

5. What kind of food is one offered at delis?

6. What for­eign dishes have become popular in the United States?

IV. How do you cook that?

1.Fill out the chart about your favourite foods. Then compare it with a partner. Tell each other why you like the things you do.

What is your favourite…	main dish
	vegetable
	desert
	ethnic food
	snack
What do you like to cook?
What is your specialty?
What is your favourite restaurant?

2. Join another pair. Compare your answers. Then discuss these questions.

• What is your least in each category of the chart?
• What food brings back your best memories?

3.      Circle the words below that you don’t know and ask your group to explain them. Use a dictionary to look up any that none of you knows. Then add two more items to each list.

• Ways of preparing food: peel, slice, stir, beat, whip, marinate, …
• Ways of cooking: fry, dee-fry, broil, grill, bake, steam, melt, roast, …
• Equipment: frying pan, skillet, roasting pan, pot, oven, burner, steamer, …

  

  Cook up a quick-fix gourmet  treat for one

Chicken joints are a blessing for the single cook, especially     as chicken   shops are open late and can be used in an emergency. Serve     grilled chicken      with steamed vegetables, a salad and jacket potatoes (done in the microwave) or creamy mashed potatoes.

1-2 chicken joints

l ¹/₂ tablespoons flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

¹/₂   teaspoon ground paprika

I5g butter, melted

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Watercress or parsley to garnish

Wash and wipe joints with paper towels. Dust lightly with seasoned flour and paprika.

Heat grill and lightly oil grilling rack, place chicken skin side down, brush with melted butter and grill 5 minutes. Turn chicken over, brush with more butter and continue to grill 20-25 minutes or until tender. Transfer to heated serving plate Add lemon juice and any remaining butter to pan juices, pour over chicken and garnish with watercress or parsley.

PUZZLE

Which of these people are the healthiest? Put them in order. Explain the reasons for your decision.

Jim. Job: computer programmer (sits at a desk all day)

Exercise: playing football for one and a half hours every Saturday afternoon

Smoking/drinking: drinks forty cans of beer a week

Diet: eats a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables

Diana. Job: manager in advertising (has a lot of stress)

Exercise: plays squash every lunchtime

Smoking/drinking: drinks half a bottle of wine per day

Diet: fast food: sandwiches, beefburgers or pizza

Nigel. Job: works in a shoe shop (standing all day, walking around the shop)

Exercise:   none

Smoking/drinking: drinks ten cans of beer a week

Diet: has beefburgers or chips at lunch, salad in the evening

Anne. Job: air stewardess (on her feet most of the day, but quite often can't sleep at night - in strange hotels around the world)

Exercise: three hours jogging every week

Smoking/drinking: drinks half a bottle of wine per week

Diet: not too bad, but eats quite a lot of rich, spicy foods when staying abroad; loves cake and eats two bars of chocolate per week.

V. Healthy food

1. Have you ever heard of superfoods? What is you idea of superfoods? Do you agree with the author of the following list?

•         Cabbage — for beta carotene and minerals.

•         Nectarines and peaches — rich in beta carotene like all yellow-orange fruit. Skin is full of fiber, so clean but don't peel.

•         Salmon, sardines and tuna - nutritious and rich in protective oils.

•     Sesame seeds- — rich in protein, iron, zinc and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are good for the heart.

•     Sweet peppers — excellent source of vitamin C, which aids the absorption of iron and potassium.

2. Read the text about the food pyramid and explain how your food pyramid looks like. Should you make any changes in it?

Released in 1992, the food pyramid is a nutrition guide suggesting how much of each food category one should eat each day for a healthy diet.

     In general terms the food guide pyramid recommends the following intake of different food groups each day

     The pyramid allowed individuals to consume the foods within a certain range of servings, but in the original version released in 1992 gave no hint on how to interpret that choice. Later on, The United States Department of Agriculture released a new version of the 1992 food pyramid called MyPyramid which gives a hint about what a serving should contain:

·   Grains, recommending that at least half of grains consumed be as whole grains;

·   Vegetables, emphasizing dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas;

·   Fruits, emphasizing variety and deemphasizing fruit juices;

·   Oils, recommending fish, nut and vegetables sources;

·   Milk, a category that includes other dairy products;

·   Meat and beans, emphasizing low-fat and lean meats such as fish as well as more beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.

1. Render the text into English:

WHAT IS A HEALTHY DIET?

Let's begin with the most basic questions of all… What is it in food which our minds and bodies need? Well, the answer comes in six parts: — Carbohydrate — Protein — Fat — Vitamins — Minerals —   Fibre.

Naturally. different foods contain different amounts and combinations of these six. Some are high in protein or carbohy­drates, for example, while others are low in fibre or fat. It can all seem very confusing, but it isn't reallv. All you need to know are a few simple facts, then it's easy to:

(a] avoid what is bad for you.

(b) choose a balanced, healthy diet

ADVICE FILE

Fibre

Adults need 30 grammes of fibre per day. Why? Because it helps the diges­tive system to work properly and pro­tects it against diseases like cancer. Here's a list of foods which have a high fibre content (notice that they're all grown either directly or originally in the ground): — Vegetables — Nuts — Cereals — Beans — Fruit — Wholemeal bread — Pasta.

Fat

There are two kinds of fat — satu­rated and unsaturated. The healthy kind is unsaturated and youcan find this in fish which contain a lot of oil (e.g. trout and mackerel), nuts, soya oil and some-kinds of margarine. Saturated fat, on the other hand, is found in meat, dairy products, crisps, cakes, biscuits and chocolate. Too much of this variety can cause your body serious problems.

Here's how:

(a)    Fat contains a lot of calories, and much of these can make you overweight. Seriously overweight people often suffer from a long list of health problems.

(b)    fat also contains cholesterol. Too much of this can gradually start to block your arteries. This means that your heart has to work harder than usual to pump blood around your body. The result? Heart disease and in some severe cases, heart attacks.

To reduce the saturated fat in your diet: (1) Grill food, don't fry it; (2) Choose low-fat products (cheeses, milk, etc.) whenever possible.

Sugar

Sugar contains energy (in the form of calories), but that's all. Very sweet foods don't give you any vitamins, min­erals, fibre, fat or protein. So, although sweets, cakes, cola drinks and chocolate are delicious, they're not very healthy — they cause obesity and they're also bad for your teeth. If you'd like to re­duce the amount of sugar in your diet, here are some rips to help you.

o   Eat more fruit (it contains all the sug­ar your body needs) – and fewer cakes, biscuits and chocolate.

o   Reduce (or preferably cut out complete­ly) the sugar you take in tea/coffee.

o   Choose breakfast cereals which are less ‘sugary’.

Salt

On average we eat about 10 grammes of salt per day. Twenty-five per cent of this consists of the salt we add to food ourselves. Twenty-five per cent occurs naturally in our diet. Fifty per cent is added to products by food manufactur­ers.

How much salt do we actually need? The answer is one gramme per day. Too much salt causes high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Here are some ways to reduce the amount of salt in your diet:

•    When you buy tinned vegetables, look for ones with 'No added salt' on the label.

•    Eat fewer crisps, salted peanuts, etc.

•    Don't add salt to food (a) while you're cooking it, (b) at the table.

•    Add lemon juice, herbs or spices in­stead.

General Advice

1.            Eat less salt, sugar and saturated fat.

2.  Eat more raw fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and other foods rich in fibre.

3.  Check the 'Contents' labels on pack­ets and tins to see what they actually contain.

4.  If you want to lose weight, do it grad­ually. People who lose weight quick­ly usually put it back on quickly, too.

5.  Eat regularly — your body needs a steady flow of energy.

6.  Drink five or six glasses of water per day.

7.  Get plenty of variety in your diet.

8.  Enjoy your food!

9.