American wedding

There are many different kinds of weddings in the United States, reflecting the different religious and ethnic backgrounds of the American people. Wedding may be large or small, religious or civil, formal or informal – it all depends on the wishes and personal situations of the man and woman who are getting married.

There are several customs Americans follow when a man and a woman have a traditional wedding. One of the oldest customs is for the bride to wear “something old, something new, and something borrowed and something blue.” When the bride enters the church everyone stands up. The professional music starts and the bride walks down the aisle, accompanied by her father. At the end of the aisle, she meets the groom and the priest who makes some introductory remarks on marriage. He asks if the couple marries freely, and they answer affirmatively. The bride and groom join hands and declare their vows. Then the groom puts the wedding ring on his bride’s finger and he kisses her. Then the priest gives the couple his blessings and they are now officially married. The bride and groom come back down the aisle, followed by their attendants and families. Outside the church the guests rush up to congratulate the couple and wish them well.

After the wedding ceremony, there is usually a reception at a hotel, restaurant, or private club. As with any other special occasion, there is food, drink, and music to make everyone relaxed and happy. If there is dancing at the wedding party, the first dance is reserved for the bride and groom. One of the wedding’s most precious and memorable moments is the cutting of the wedding cake.

FINANCIAL TIMES

World business newspaper

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Dry land farming: an art and a science

Before modern farming methods, farmers lost many crops to dry weather. Sometimes dry periods lasted for many years. In those days, a long dry period, or drought, often turned the land to dust. Then winds came along and blew the good land away. This happened year after year.

Farmers didn’t understand how to plant and so they made the situation worse. Each year they planted the same crops. They never gave the land a rest. The land became poor with too much use. They always planted in long, straight rows. They broke the land into fine dust. They never planted trees to break the strength of the wind.

The worst dry period was the drought of the 1930’s. Good farmland on the Western Plains became a Dust Bowl. Farmers had a very hard time until they started to use modern farming methods.

Now farmers plant a different crop every year. Some years they give part of their land to rest. The land stays healthy and rich. Modern farmers from rows in curving lines and plant trees to stop the wind. Modern crops are much larger and more dependable. Dry land farming is both a science and an art. From the air, the farms look like pieces of modern art.

From The Economist

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