Go international or stay at home? / Путешествовать или остаться дома?
The airplane has become a major factor in mass transportation in America. In the last twenty years the number of airplanes and the amount of flying has grown considerably. Flying in the United States is now very common for any American
One reason is the great distances that Americans have to cover in order to get from one corner of the country to the other. Another reason, flying in America is less expensive, than in Europe or anywhere else. There is a certain competition between the several hundred interstate and international American airlines. Today, the U.S. airlines account for over one-fifth of all the civilian aircraft in the world.
According to the International Civic Aviation Organization (Montreal), there are over 4,000 civilian passenger planes in the U.S. Canada and the UK occupy second and third places with less than 800 airplanes each. Of the total distances flown in the world by civilian aircraft, the United States accounts for 60 per cent. In the number of passengers, America leads with 75 % of the world's total. Finally, eight of the world's ten busiest airports are in the United States of America.
However, despite the well-developed civic and international aviation, there is a popular saying in America: "Go international or stay at home?" In reality, it means that people in America may be divided into two broad categories:
- those who go international — visit other countries, learn more about various cultures of the world and meet different, non- American people;
- and those who stay at home — never leave their country, visit their relatives and friends in other American states, and feel comfortable in their own whereabouts.
Unfortunately, there are no official procedures to prove or deny the truth of the popular American saying.
Словарь
mass transportation — средство массового передвижения
interstate — междуштатный
to account for — давать отчет
civilian aircraft — гражданская авиация
the world's ten busiest airports — 10 самых загруженных (переполненных, постоянно работающих) аэропортов мира
in one's whereabouts — в местонахождении кого-либо, в окружении кого-либо
official procedures — официальные процедуры или мероприятия
to deny smth — опровергать что-либо
