Amish families
People say that they are different because of their plain style of dress, limited use of
technology and their simple way of life. If you visit an Amish area, you’ll see women in long
dresses and people travelling in buggies (= A light, small vehicle pulled by a horse) drawn by
horses. If you pass their farms, you’ll notice equipment being pulled by horses too. At homes
you’ll find no televisions, no telephones, no kitchen appliances (= a machine or a piece of
equipment that you have at home) run by electricity. The Amish are different and they want
to separated themselves from mainstream society. They do not join the military, pay social
security or accept financial assistance from the government. The Amish value simplicity and
self-sufficiency (= being able to provide for yourself everything you need), but are no
inefficient (= not working in the best effective way). The conveniences (= all things and
conditions that make your life easier) that we take for granted (= to expect something to
always be and exist there) such as cars or electricity are thought to create inequality (= a
situation in which people are not equal) and can lead the Amish away from their close knit
(=consisting of people who look after one another and are very close) community. They live
in a separate world, with its own values, the most important of which is a mistrust (= a
feeling that you shouldn’t trust sb) of anything modern. They do not compromise with the
modern world as they believe that many outside gadgets bring an intrusion (= sth that
interrupts a peaceful or a private event) into their privacy. The man is the primary
breadwinner of the Amish family. In the past the Amish family income was produced on
the farm. For nearly 300 years the Amish man has tilled (= to prepare land for crops) the soil
to produce crops and livestock for a living. Most Amish still prefer this lifestyle today.
But in recent decades, the scarcity (= a situation in which the supply of sth is not enough) of
affordable farmland has forced many Amish men to seek alternative means of producing
income. In some areas, less than half the men farm for a living. The best alternative to
farming is a cottage industry that allows the man to work at home. Businesses such as:
bakery
· cabinet shop
· furniture manufacturing shop
· engine repair shop
· greenhouse Bookstore
· dry goods store
· harness (= a set of strong leather bands used for fastening around an animal) and
leather goods shop
· clock and watch repair shop
· sawmill (= a building in which wood is cut)
EXERCISE 1
Answer the questions after reading the text:
1.Why do people say that the Amish are different?
2.Do the Amish ever use modern technology?
3.Why do they live in such an old-fashioned way?
4. What do you think of the Amish’s attitude to modern appliances?
5.What is the role of a man in the family?
A Few Facts About the Amish...
The Amish frequently refer to themselves as plain. The Plain People, as they're often called,
believe that dressing in anything other than plain modest clothing is prideful, and pride is a
sin. Amish families live simple, but hardworking and fulfilling lives. Many speculate that the
Amish don't know how to have fun. I beg to differ. I've been witness on more than one
occasion to a group of Amish teenagers in a heated game of volleyball, and I can attest to
the fact that fun was had by all. The picnic that followed came complete with joking, teasing,
flirting and the hearty consuming of lots of delicious food.
Amish families do shelter their children, but that doesn't mean that influences outside their
communities don't filter through. It's not at all unusual to observe Amish teenagers in
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania talking on cell phones. While the Old Order Amish strictly
forbid such worldly ways, many New Order Amish communities allow for a few modern
innovations.
The Amish are Anabaptists. They believe that a person should make their own decision to
become baptized and join the church as adults, rather than through infant baptism as is
practiced in some religions. Amish men and women typically commit to baptism around age
18, and many are married shortly thereafter.
As of 2005, more than 80% of Amish teens tired of the fast paced life in the "English" world
and returned to be baptized and join the Amish church. More than 90% of that group will
remain in the Amish community for life.
plain - simple in design
prideful – full of pride
hearty – friendly and enthusiastic
shelter – a place where people are protected
infant – a baby
baptism – a ceremony in which sb is welcome into the christian religion
fast-paced – fast -going
