II. Reading and Comprehension

Read the text without a dictionary (time limit is 10 minutes). Do the test.

Big cities of the United States of America

The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the world. There are many big cities and towns in it. New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles are the biggest ones.

Washington, the capital of the United States of America, is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The district is a piece of land ten miles square and it does not belong to any separate state but to all states. The district was named in honour of Columbus, the discoverer of America.

The city was created for a definite purpose – to provide a permanent seat of national government. The capital owes much to the first President of the USA – George Washington, who chose the place for the District and founded the Capitol, where Congress sits. Now the Capitol building dominates all Washington, it consists of the great House of Representatives and the Senate chamber.

The White House, the President residence, is another remarkable place in Washington. All American presidents except George Washington (the White House was not yet built at that time) have lived there. It was built in 1799. Washington is not the largest city in the USA. It has a population of 900, 000 and its only industry is government.

New York is a city of islands consisting of two islands (Manhatten and Staten), part of the third island (Long Islands) and part of the mainland. The total area of New York City is 319.8 square miles. For hundred years New York has been the nation`s leading financial and commercial centre, the centre of fashion, theatre, music and culture. It consists of five boroughs: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhatten, Queens and Richmond. The most important industries are manufacturing, printing, publishing, food, chemical and metal industries. New York is a city of banks. Wall Street is the financial heart of the city. The New York Stock exchange is located at Wall Street,11. The new cultural centre in the city is the Lincoln Centre for the performing Arts, which was built in the 1960s. New Yorkers traditionally call their native city “Big Apple”.

Los Angeles in the state of California the largest city on the west coast with a population of three million and an area of 480 square miles. It was created in 1781 by the Gokecnor in Spanish – The Town of Lady, the Queen of Angels – Los Angelоs. The suburbs of this fabulous city is the home of legendary Hollywood – the “factory of dreams”.

San Francisco is situated on the Pacific coast and is a centre of ship-building. Detroit is a centre of motor-car industry, which is highly developed in the USA.

Americans are very proud of their cities. Each of these cities has its own specifics, legends and history and is attractive in its own way.

Notes:

purpose – мета, призначення;

permanent – постійний;

House of Representatives – палата представників;

Stock exchange – фондова біржа.

borough – невелике місто.

Exercise 5. Find the right ending of the sentences.

1. Washington, the capital of the United States of America, is situated…

a). in the District of Columbia;

b). on the Pacific coast;

c). in the state of Virginia.

2. The seat of the Congress in Washington is…

a). the White House;

b). the Capitol;

c). the Lincoln Centre.

3. Wall Street is…

a). a scientific centre of New York;

b). New York cultural centre;

c). New York financial centre.

4. Los Angeles is…

a). the largest city in the east coast with a population of four million;

b). the largest city on the west coast with a population of three million;

c). the largest city in the centre of the USA.

5. San Francisco is a centre of...

a). chemical industry;

b). car-motor industry;

c). ship-building.

Exercise 6. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. The District Columbia belongs to all states, not to a particular state.

2. George Washington was the first president in the USA who lived in the White House.

3. New York consists of two boroughs.

Exercise 7. Find the right answer to the following questions:

1.) What place is the President residence?

a) Білий дім;

b) Капітолій;

c) Букенгемський палац

2). What does the Capitol building consist of?

a) Палата Представників і Сенат

b) Палата Лордів і Палата Общин

c) Сенат

3). What city do Americans call “the factory of dreams”?

a) Лос Анжелес;

b) Голівуд;

c) Нью-Йорк

* Exercise 8. Answer the questions in your native language.

1. What purpose was Washington created for?

2. Why is the district in which Washington is situated called Columbia? What is special about this district?

3. How do New Yorkers call their native city? What do you think why?