The way Macs do it may seem off to newer users, but OS X does allow both copy/paste, and cut/paste actions for files.
First to copy/paste is by selecting the file and using Command+C to copy
then Command+V to paste where you want the copy to be.
Second to cut/paste
Hold down the command key and drag the file with the mouse (to external drive or flash drive)
http://lifehacker.com/5812127/how-to-copy-and-paste-in-the-mac-os-x-finder