Comprehension

Answer the questions:

1.Where is the USA situated and how large is it?

2How many states is the USA made up?

3Why do the most of Americans live in the eastern half of the country?

4.What are the largest rivers?

5.What are the most important industries in the USA?

6.What do Americans mean when they say that their country is a democracy?

7.Why was the capital of the USA named “Washington, D.C.”?

8.Why does it look different from other cities?

9.What are the most famous buildings of the city?

10.If you could spend only one day in Washington which place of interest would you choose to see and why?

11.Do Americans and Englishmen really speak the same language?

12.From what countries have the words been absorbed into Americans English?

13.How many basic levels in the educational system of the USA and what are they?

14.What must a student do, if he wants to go to college?

15.Why do only 41% of high school graduates go to college?

Quiz

1.What is the smallest state of the USA?

2.Two of the states of the USA are separated from the others. Which of them?

3.The word “HOMES” helps American children to learn the names of the Great Lakes. Try to guess how.

4.The most popular letter in the names of the USA states is “M”. Name at least 5 states beginning with this letter.

5.Who designed Washington?

6.In 1814 Admiral Sir George Cockburn was ordered by the US President to burn the Capitol and the White House. Can you guess why?

7.Minnessota is a Dakota Sioux word. What does it mean “place of the big hill” or “sky-colored water”?

8.Today “Levi’s” can be used to mean “blue jeans”. English has other words that like Levi’s, began as names of specific products, but now are used in a more general way. Do you know these words?

9.What is the classification of students who are studying at high school?

10. “The Valentine State” and “The Mother of Presidents” are the nicknames of two American states. Name them and explain why they were named so.

Decide whether these statements are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F)

1.The territory of the USA is larger than those of Ukraine and Great Britain taken together.

2.The USA borders on three countries.

3.The western part of the country is more populated than the eastern one.

4.The White House was named after the architect who designed it.

5.Native Indians made their own contribution into American English.

6.Most of American children study in private school rather than in public one.

7.Students must have only a high school diploma to go to college.

8.A full-time undergraduate degree usually takes four years.

Discussion points

1.Do you know anyone who has immigrated to the USA or wants to live there? What do they hope to find there?

2.If you visit some new place do you prefer to see it from the bus or car window or to explore it on foot? Explain your answer.

3.Approximately one out of eight people in the United States speaks a language other than English at home. Why do you think this happens?

4. Do people in your country speak other language than Ukraine at home?

5.What are some differences between the educational systems of the USA and Ukraine?

6.Would you like to study abroad? Why?

TEST YOURSELF

WHICH STATE?