Family Album USA 16 — Full of Surprises

• What do the letters RFD mean in an address?
• What do American farms produce?

YOUR TURN

• Is it easy to receive mail in all parts of your country?
• Have you ever worked on a farm or visited one?

advertising: letters or other papers calling attention to products or services in order to sell them; advertisements

bills: statements of charges, or costs

RFD: rural free delivery. This is a mail delivery service for rural areas, places that are far from big cities.

roommate: a person with whom you share a room or an apartment

reunion: a meeting after a long separation. High school and college reunions are common. Students from the same class often plan these gatherings, or social meetings, many years after graduation.

How come he never got married? = Why didn’t he ever get married? How come is an informal way to ask why. After How come, do not use an auxiliary before the subject, as in other questions. Compare these: Why did he write to you? How come he wrote you?

He must have loved her. = It is clear that he loved her. Use must nave + a past participle to show that you have a present reason to believe that something was true in the past. Here, Robbie believes that Grandpa’s friend loved the young woman because he hasn’t married anyone else. (In Episode 21, you will study more about the use of this grammar.)

quarterback: the football player who calls the signals

I wish I could go. After the verb wish, use a past verb or auxiliary (could) to express a present wish. The verb wish refers to something that is not really true. Here is another example: Grandpa wishes that Pete lived nearby. The verb wish followed by the past form lived shows that Pete doesn’t really live nearby. (In Episode 25, you will study more about the use of this grammar.)

You never know. = It is impossible to guess the future.

sleep over: to sleep at someone’s house for one or more nights

reading (my) mind: understanding (my) thoughts

U.S. LIFE
Rural free delivery (RFD) is a mail service for people who live in rural, or farm, areas of the United States. As part of this service, letter carriers (mailmen) use automobiles to deliver the mail. Each letter carrier travels a certain route, and each route has a number. Rural free delivery began in the U.S. in 1896. This service was important to the development of farm areas. For the first time, the farmer could receive the newspaper each day. Today, more than 16 million families receive this service.

YOUR TURN
Is it easy to receive mail in all parts of your country?

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
In the U.S., the average number of letters mailed by each person is 635 a year.

Activities

A REUNION
Grandpa is going to visit his friend Pete Waters. What do you know about Pete? Read each fact below. Put a check next to the number if the sentence about Pete is true. You may reread the script for Act I to check your answers.

___ 1. He lives on a farm.
___ 2. He last saw Grandpa fifty years ago.
___ 3. He went to college with Grandpa.
___ 4. He wants Grandpa to visit him.
___ 5. He wants other college friends to visit him
___ 6. He loved a girl named Lillian.
___ 7. He was the quarterback on the college football team.
___ 8. He has grandchildren.
___ 9. He married Lillian a few years ago.

HOW COME?
How come is an informal way to ask why. However, after how come, do not use an auxiliary, such as is, did or doesn’t, before the subject. Compare the following pairs of questions:

• Why is Grandpa so happy? How come Grandpa is so happy?
• Why did Pete write to Grandpa? How come Pete wrote to Grandpa?
• Why doesn’t Grandpa see Pete very often? How come Grandpa doesn’t see Pete very often?

Now rewrite each of the following questions by using How come instead of Why. Write the new questions on the blank lines. The first answer is given.

1. Why did Lillian marry Donald? How come Lillian married Donald?
2. Why didn’t she marry Pete? ______________________
3. Why is Grandpa going to visit Pete? ____________________
4. Why does Robbie want to go with Grandpa? _________________
5. Why can’t Robbie go to the reunion? ___________________

No charge. =  It’s on the house. = There is no cost; it’s free.

over yonder: over there. This informal phrase is used in some parts of the U.S.

Make yourself at home. = Feel comfortable here.

Use this friendly expression to show that you want a

guest to feel comfortable in your home.

U.S. LIFE
There are about 2.5 million farms in the United States. Today, most farms produce only one or two commercial products, such as corn, eggs, or milk. More than 200 commercial crops are grown on U.S. farms. These crops include wheat, wine grapes, citrus fruit, tomatoes, and potatoes.

YOUR TURN

• Have you ever worked on a farm or visited one?
• Which farm products are common in your country?

Activities

RECALLING DIRECTIONS
In Act II, Grandpa gets directions to Pete’s farm from the gas station attendant and the farm worker. Look back at the script to read those directions. Draw a line on the map below to show the fastest way for Grandpa to drive to Pete Waters’ house.

TRAVELING WORDS
For each sentence below, choose the correct reason to say it. Circle the letter of each correct answer.

• «Fill ‘er up.»
• «Check the hood.»
• «There’s a shortcut.»
• «Make a right.»
• «It’s on the house.»
• «Make yourself at home.»

• a. Your car needs gas.
• a. Your car needs gas.
• a. You know a faster way to go.
• a. You know a faster way to go.
• a. You want a guest to feel comfortable.
• a. You want a guest to feel comfortable.

• b. Your car needs oil.
• b. Your car needs oil.
• b. You want someone to turn.
• b. You want someone to turn.
• b. You want to give something to someone without charge.
• b. You want to give something to someone without charge

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The world’s largest chicken ranch is the Croton Egg Farm in the state of Ohio. There, about 4.8 million hens lay approximately 3.7 million eggs each day.

passed away: died

Oh, my gosh! = Oh, my God! This expression shows surprise.

I would not have missed (this get-together) for the world! = Nothing could stop me from coming to (this get-together). Use this expression when you appreciate participating in an event.

have the honor: to do or say something that makes you feel proud

For goodness’ sake! = I can’t believe this!

toast: to raise a glass and say a few words before drinking. You toast a bride and groom to wish them health and happiness.

Detroit: a city in the state of Michigan

Activities

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

At their reunion. Grandpa and his friends talked about their lives. Complete each sentence below with the correct name or names. You may use a name more than once.

1. ______ didn’t use to have a beard.
2. ______ is always full of surprises.
3. ______’s wife passed away.
4. _____’s husband passed away.
5. _____ and ______ are the first people to arrive together.
6. _____ and _____ acted in plays together.
7. _____ and _____  recently got married.

FULL OF SURPRISES
Several things surprised Grandpa in this episode. Show the correct order of the events listed in the box below. Write each sentence on the line next to the correct number. Be sure to put the sentences in the correct sequence from 1  to 5.

1. ___________________
2. ___________________
3. ___________________
4. ___________________
5. ___________________