Owning cars , large houses , or swimming pools mean different things in different cultures and may confuse a visitor to the United States . In many nations , only the rich have such things as cars and swimming pools ; the poor have very little.

　　　　By contrast, this is not true in the United States . The cost of certain things that only the rich can afford in other countries is relatively low. This means that laborers , farmers , and　people who are not usually regarded as rich nevertheless have many possessions tat only the rich have in other nations . Understandably a visitor may assume that all Americans who own cars are as rich as people in his own country　who own cars . Actually , this is not the cases　; secretaries, university students , factory workers or farmers can　and do buy cars and many other "expensive " things . Generally , they pay for these possessions gradually , during a period of many months , or even years , so that the cost each most is not too high　in relation to their monthly wages .


Excerpted　from " A Guide to U.S.A. ", edited by Li Yang, Li Yi, published by Foreign Language　Teaching and Research Press.

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