Контроль читання. Reading Test.

Read the text and decide if the statements below are true, false, or not mentioned.

Amish - аміші, християнська спільнота, засновником якої був — Якоб Амман, священик зі Швейцарії, що емігрував у Ельзас.

A visit to parts of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is like a trip back in time. People live in simple farmhouses. Family members, including small children, all work in the fields. Crops are planted and harvested without modern farm technology.

Most Amish are easy to recognize and they are known as the Plain People, who came to the United States from Germany and Switzerland in the 1700s-1800s. They were expelled or chose to leave because of religious oppression. Most of them settled in Pennsylvania, where they were promised religious freedom.

The Amish permit few differences among their own people and live much as their ancestors did. They believe that hard work is important and enjoyable. They do not believe in depending on the world outside their community. Modern technology and things like electricity, central heating, and indoor water pipes are not considered necessary; they heat their houses with wood stoves and get their water from wells. Instead of cars the Amish travel in buggies pulled by horses. Almost every Amish man can build a house, make furniture, and raise crops and animals. Almost every Amish woman can preserve food and make clothing or quilts.

The Amish pay taxes, but they do not really vote in elections and don’t accept help from the federal government. They live by rules explained in the Bible. They believe it is wrong to fight wars and such religious beliefs sometimes have brought the Amish into conflict with American law. Amish men refuse military service during wartime. Instead, they are permitted to perform some other kind of public service.

Most Amish families have seven or eight children but refuse to send them to public schools, so they attend their own community schools and only for 8 years. When boys and girls reach the age of 16, they have two years of rumspringa. During this period of time, they can live the “American” life; wear make-up and jewelry, go to parties, and have a job with the American people. They have to decide for themselves whether they want to stay Amish and return to the old-fashioned way of living or become American! A very difficult choice, which often leaves confused and depressed young people on their own.