CHAPTER 16
Practical Information
Hours of Business
Information about hours of business can be found posted on the door of the business, on business cards,
on the office or shop’s website, or sometimes even on restaurant menus. Offices are usually open from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with employees taking an hour for lunch sometime between noon
and 2 p.m. Banks are generally open to the public only until 4 pm, and only some may be open on
Saturdays, but most have automatic teller machines (ATMs) that dispense cash from your account or accept
deposits 24 hours per day.
Shops normally open at 9:00 am, though some may open earlier or later. They often remain open
continuously until 5:30 or 6 pm, or until 9 pm or later in the evening. All are open Monday through
Saturday, and many on Sundays, too. Most shops in suburban malls are open until 10 pm or later,
Monday through Saturday, and usually from noon to 5 pm on Sundays. Drugstores, supermarkets, and
smaller food shops usually remain open until late in the evening during the week and on weekends.
Climate
Because of its size and geographical diversity, the climate in different parts of the United States varies
widely. To a certain extent, Americans are insulated from weather extremes. Homes, offices, cars, and
buses are routinely air conditioned in the warmer parts of the country, and central heating is the rule
everywhere. Indoor temperatures are thus maintained at 20–22º C (68–72º F).
The Northeastern States or New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New
York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont): Winters can be very cold and long with lots of snow, and
the summers are warm. In the north, winters can be very severe. You are advised to keep warm during
winter and avoid spending extended time outside, especially on heavy snow days. Fall and spring are
usually cool and crisp.
Temperature Conversion
While most of the world uses centigrade (also called celsius) to measure the temperature, in the U.S. the
system used is Fahrenheit. To convert centigrade to degrees Fahrenheit, multiply the centigrade figure by
1.8 (or 9/5) and add 32. To convert Fahrenheit to centigrade, subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit figure and
divide by 0.556 (or 5/9). Occasionally you may see the outside temperature listed in centigrade and
Fahrenheit. Below are some temperatures to use as a guide.
The normal human body temperature is around 36.9 C or 98.6 F.
(freezing)
(boiling)
Degrees C
-17.8
0.0
10.0
15.6
21.1
26.7
32.3
100.0
Degrees F
0
32
50
60
70
80
90
212
Measurement Conversion
Length
1 inch
1 foot (12 inches)
1 yard (3 feet)
1 mile (5,280 feet)
1 centimeter
1 meter
1 kilometer
2.54 centimeters
30.48 centimeters
91.35 meters
1.61 kilometers
0.39 inches
39.37 inches, 1.1 yards
0.62 miles
Volume
1 quart (2 pints) dry
1 quart liquid
1 gallon (4 qts) dry
1 gallon liquid
1 liter
1.10 liters
0.95 liters
4.40 liters
3.80 liters
0.91 quarts dry; .06 quarts liquid
Weight
1 ounce
1 pound
1 kilogram
28.35 grams
0.45 kilograms
2.2 pounds
Women's Clothing Size Conversions
Dresses & Coats (Misses)
U.S.A.
2
4
British
4
6
Continental
34
36
6
8
38
8
10
40
10
12
42
Dresses & Coats (Womens)
U.S.A. & British
34
36
Continental
342
44
Dresses & Coats (Junior)
U.S.A. & British
7
Continental
34
Stockings
U.S.A. & British
Continental
8
0
9
36
8.5
1
9
2
12
14
44
14
16
46
16
18
48
38
46
40
48
42
50
44
52
11
38
13
40
15
42
17
44
9.5
3
10
4
10.5
5
18
20
50
11
6
Shoes
U.S.A.
British
Continental
5
3.5
35
5.5
4
35.5
6
4.5
36
6.5
5
37
Blouses, Sweaters, Slips
U.S.A. & British
30
Continental
38
Here are typical American sizes:
• Extra Small or ES (0 - 2)
• Small or S (4 - 6)
• Medium or M (8, 10 and 12)
• Large or L (14 and up)
• Extra Large or XL
• Extremely Large or XXL
7
5.5
38
32
40
7.5
6
38
34
42
8
6.5
39
36
44
8.5
7
39
38
46
9
7.5
40
40
48
9.5
8
41
42
50
10
8.5
42