The United States of America
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The USA is one of the largest countries in the world. It is situated in the central part of the North American continent. The area of the USA is over nine million square kilometres. It is washed by the Pacific Ocean and by the Atlantic Ocean. The most northern part of the USA is Alaska,, the largest state, separated from the rest of the country by Canada. The population of the United States is nearly 250 million people, most of the people live in towns. People of different nationalities live in the USA. The official language of the country is English. The capital of the country is Washington. It was named in honour of the first President, George Washington.
As the USA is a large country, the climate is different in different regions. For example, the Pacific coast is a region of mild winters and warm, dry summers, but the eastern continental region is watered with rainfall. The region around the Great Lakes has changeable weather. There are many mountains in the USA. For example, the highest peaks of the Cordilliers in the USA are 6,193 and 4,418 metres. The main river of the country is the Mississippi. But there are many other great rivers in the USA: the Colorado in the south and the Columbia in the northwest. There are five Great Lakes between the USA and Canada.
The USA produces more than 52 per cent of the world's corn, wheat, cotton, tobacco. There are many big cities in the country. They are Washington (the capital of the country). New York (the city of contrasts, financial and business centre of the USA), Boston (there are many colleges and universities in it), Chicago (one of the biggest industrial cities in the USA), San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Detroit (one of the biggest centres of the automobile industry).
The USA has an Academy of Sciences. There are many scientific institutions, museums, libraries, theatres and other interesting places in the country.
The USA is a highly developed industrial country. The USA is rich in mineral resources, such as aluminium, salt, zinc, coppers, and others. The country is rich in coal, natural gas, gold and silver, too. It holds one of the first places in the world for the production of coal, iron, oil, natural gas. Such industries as machine-building, ship-building are highly developed in the country. American agriculture produces a lot of food products: grain, fruit, vegetables.
The USA is a federal republic, consisting of fifty states. Congress is the American Parliament which consists of two Chambers. The president is the head of the state and the government. He is elected for four years
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WASHINGTON, DC
When the thirteen colonies became states and decided to join in a Union, there was much discussion about the capital. The decision was to carve out a hundred square miles from the States of Maryland and Virginia and build a model capital on that side. It was only reasonable that the capital should bear the name of the General who had done so much to effect American Independence, and became its 1st President-Washington.
The hundred square miles are known as the District of Columbia. This area is not a state, but Federal Land.
President Washington took an active part in selecting the area of the District of Columbia, and decided that the city should be built on the north bank of the Potomac River. A famous French engineer I'Enfant designed the city.
The centre of the city is the Capitol Building. From the Capital to the Executive Mansion runs broad Pennsylvania Avenue, about a mile and a half in length; and flanked with trees.
The diagonal avenues are named after States of the Union, and the longest and straightest of them all is Massachusetts Avenue, which virtually cuts the city in half.
Fortunately for sightseers, all the main buildings that make Washington so interesting are to be found in groups. The Capital Hill group is perhaps the most important, since it contains the seat of Government. It is the highest building in Washington.
Washington's only big business has been the business of Government. That business has enjoyed an enviable growth rate, especially since the turn of the century.
Power is what Washington is all about. Washington has many yardsticks with which to measure a man's power. Two of these yardsticks are men and money. The more money a man "owns" the more people he bosses in his bureaucratic empire, and the more money he spends - the more powerful he is thought to be.
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1. When was there much discussion about the capital? Why?
2. What was the decision?
3. Why was it reasonable that the capital should bear the name of Washington?
4. What can you say about the District of Columbia?
5. What do you know about President Washington?
6. Who designed the city?
7. In what way are all the main buildings situated? What is the most important group?
| 3. Прочитайте тексты и ответьте на вопросы Hobbies in UK and the USA Hobbies are & great British and American tradition. A hobby is a special interest or activity that you do in your time off. A "hobby" is usually something that a person does alone. But American (and British) families sometimes like to do things together too. Some American families have quite a lot of money to spend on their recreation. They can all enjoy their holiday home or their boat somewhere in the country away from it. Americans love to get out of town into the wild and many go for holidays or long weekends into the thirty five fabulous national parks. Some people have animals as hobbies. They keep rabbits or go fishing. They train dogs to do tricks or keep pigeons to race and carry messages. Some are crazy about plants. Others are mad about their car or their motorbike. They spend their Saturdays and Sundays washing them and painting them. But Americans do not only spend their free time having fun. Children and teenagers are great collectors. Millions take part-time courses in writing, painting and music and at the weekends the museums, art galleries and concert halls are full. Everyone in these countries is very interested in culture. Questions: 1. What is hobby? 2. Do American families spend their free time together? 3. Some people have animals as hobbies, haven't they? 4. What do the teenagers do? 5. Is everyone in these countries very interested in culture? Vocabulary: recreation — развлечение wild — глушь pigeon — голубь |
| Fashion in the USA and Britain Many British people don't think about clothes very much. In Britain, as well as in the USA, men in offices usually wear suits and ties and women wear dresses or skirts (not trousers). Doctors, lawyers and business people wear quite formal clothes. And in some hotels and restaurants men have to wear ties and women wear smart dresses. Jeans and open shirts are sometimes not allowed. It is difficult to say exactly what people wear in Britain and the States because everyone is different. It you are not sure what to wear watch what other people do and then do the same. Or ask the advice of a friend or your host. You'll fell relaxed if you don't look too different from everyone else. British people just like to be comfortable. When they go out to enjoy themselves, they can wear almost everything. At theaters, cinemas and concerts you can put on what you wish — from elegant suits and dresses to jeans and sweaters. In many ways, Americans are more relaxed than British people, but they are more careful with their clothes. At home or on holiday most Americans wear informal or sporty clothes. But when they go out in the evening, they like to look elegant. In good hotels and restaurants men have to wear jackets and ties and women wear pretty clothes and smart hairstyles. But these days most people in Britain and the USA do not wear very formal clothes. But sometimes it is important to wear the right thing. Questions: 1. British people don't think about clothes very much, do they? 2. What do British people wear to restaurant? 3. What clothes do Americans wear on holidays? 4. Do people in these countries often wear formal clothes? 5. What is the difference between British and American fashion? Vocabulary: formal — официальный trousers - брюки smart — изящный to allow — разрешать hairstyle — прическа |
NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION
In Britain and the USA, it's traditional to make a New Year's Resolution which is a firm decision on 1 January to change one's life and to do things differently. It comes from a superstition that the New Year must begin happily and after a clean break with the past. It's equally traditional to break these
resolutions a few days later.
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