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Файл:Linguistic and Cultural Studies of English-speaking countries. Лингвострановедение. Англоязычные страны. Учебное пособие
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the United States uses this Constitution. The first election for President was held in
1788. George Washington was elected the President.
At that time New York was the nation’s capital. In 1801 Washington, D.C., was
a new capital. The United States grew rapidly. By 1820, ten new states had been
formed. The first half of the 19th century saw the rise of factories and thus the beginning of mass production, the growth of businesses and the inflow of immigrants. Immigrants, mostly the Europeans, kept moving to the new nation. The 1850s were
years for railroad building.
North and South grew apart in other ways. The North had more industry. The
South was mostly farms. In 1854 a new political party, called the Republican Party,
started the discussion that slavery must not be allowed. The Democrats wanted to allow slavery. In 1860, the Republicans Abraham Lincoln won the election.
Disputes between the agrarian South and the industrial North over the expansion
of the institution of slavery provoked the American Civil War of the 1860s. The
North's victory led to the end of legal slavery in the United States. For both North and
South, the Civil War was long and hard. More than half a million soldiers lost their
lives.
Five days after the war ended, Abraham Lincoln was shot in the theatre by an actor. The nation gained peace but has lost a great President.
The Civil War helped transform the nation’s economy and the way of life. The
years after the war are called Reconstruction. The most important effect of the war
was the end of slavery. Slavery was abolished everywhere in the United States.
Blacks were promised the same rights as whites. About four million black slaves had
been freed by the war. But the ex-slaves had no money to live and to buy a farm. By
the early twentieth century in the South states blacks and whites were separated in
schools, parks, trains, hospitals, and other public places.
The time from 1870 to 1890 was the time of the last Indian wars. Some Indian
leaders wanted to live at peace with the newcomers, and they signed treaties, agreeing
to stay on land set aside for them – in the so-called reservations. But the treaties were
ignored by settlers who wanted land or were looking for gold and silver.
At the end of the 19th century new businesses got started. More people had extra money to invest trying to make a profit. Giant corporations were formed. Companies sold stock and people invested in stock becoming stockholders. Thomas Edison
invented a practical light bulb. Edison formed an electric power company to sell his
inventions. It had a station that supplied electricity for homes, businesses, and street
lights. Soon one city after another started to put in electric power. Edison’s power
company later became General Electric.
By 1900 most of the steel used in the country was made in Andrew Carnegie’s steel
empire. John D. Rockefeller got control of most of the country’s oil business. In the
1920s America became a nation on wheels. Almost every family was buying a car. The
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most popular car was the model, made by Henry Ford. A new idea in American business
was the producing cars (and other goods) on the assembly line at Ford’s factories.
In 1867 the Senate approved buying Alaska from Russia. The price was a little
over seven million dollars. Alaska became an American state.
Theodore Roosevelt, who became the President in 1901, was one of the most
popular Presidents in American history. People called him Teddy or TR. A popular
toy, the Teddy Bear, was named for him. Theodore Roosevelt had an idea to build a
canal through the narrow land that connects North and South Americas for expanding
the US power. With such a canal, the United States Navy could move more easily between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The canal was planned across Panama. In
1914 the work was complete, and the Panama Canal was open to ship traffic.
The World War I confirmed the country's status as a military power. It emerged
from the World War II as the superpower with nuclear weapons. The United States
had lost 300,000 members of its armed services in the World War II, there had been
no fighting or bombing in North America. So, the United States was in much better
position than the Soviet Union and other countries fighting with Germany.
The country accounts for two-fifths of global military spending and is a leading
economic, political, and cultural force in the world.
Topics for discussion:
The Native Americans
The First Europeans who went to America
The Role of Slavery in the Development of the Nation
The War for Independence
A New Constitution
Political Parties
The Role of Immigration in the history of America
Task:
Prepare presentation about any American State.
LECTURE 21: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TODAY
Geographical Situation
The System of Government
The American Capital
New York, the country’s largest city
Public Holidays and Other Special Days
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The United States of America lies in the central part of the North American continent, where its forty-eight states are, with the Atlantic Ocean to the East,
the Pacific Ocean to the West, Canada to the North, and Mexico to the South.
The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent. The state of Hawaii is in the
mid-Pacific. The country’s total area is over 9 million sq. km.
The USA is washed by 3 oceans – the Arctic, the Pacific and the Atlantic.
There are many rivers in the country. The longest of them are the Mississippi
(called “the father of waters”), the Missouri and some others. The US also has
many lakes, with the Great Lakes included.
The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera. Due to the
large territory, the climate conditions are rather different.
The USA is rich in various mineral resources: oil, gas, coal, and different
metals.
The United States is one of the most highly developed industrial powers in
the world. Its main industrial branches comprise aircraft, rocket, automobile, radio-engineering, textile, electronics, chemical and others.
The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $14.3 trillion (a quarter of nominal global GDP).
The Americans are made up from nearly all nations and races of the world.
Due to immigrants its population is now over 300 million. The USA is one of
the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations.
Officially the country comprises 50 states and one District Columbia. The states
differ in size, population and economic development. Each state has its own capital.
The capital of the USA is Washington. There are many large cities in the country:
New York, Chicago, San-Francisco, Los-Angeles, Boston, Detroit and some others.
The official language of the state is English. More than eighty languages are now
spoken in the USA. Spanish is the second most common language, after English.
The main national symbol of the country is its flag called “Stars and Stripes”,
having 50 white stars on the dark blue field and 13 white and red stripes. The 13
stripes typify the original 13 States; the 50 stars represent the 50 States.
The USA is a federal state headed by the President. The legislative power belongs to the Congress consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate represents the states and the House of Representatives – the
population. The chairman of the House of Representatives, the Speaker, is elected by
the House. The executive power belongs to the President and his Administration – the
Vice President and the Cabinet of Ministers. The President (any natural-born citizen
over 34) is elected for a term of four years and can only be re-elected for one more
term. The President, the Cabinet cannot be members of Congress.
There are several political parties in the USA. The largest and most influential of
them are the Republican Party, symbolized by a donkey, and the Democratic Party,
symbolized by an elephant.
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Washington is the capital of the USA. It is situated in the
Federal District of Columbia on the banks of the Potomac River.
The city was named after its founder – the first American President George
Washington. It became the capital of the USA in 1800.
The USA capital is not very large. But it is the most important city of the country; its political, cultural and administrative centre.
Washington is one of the most unusual and beautiful cities in the country. There
are no skyscrapers in the US capital. The Capitol, where the Congress sits, is the
highest building in the city. There is a law against building structures higher than the
Capitol. The Capitol is the centre of the city. It is situated on Capitol Hill, the highest
point in the city. Not far from the Capitol there is the Congress Library – the largest
nation’s library. It includes three buildings.
The White House is the official residence of the US Presidents. Every President except Washington lived and worked there. The White House has now 132 rooms.
There are also many beautiful parks, squares, monuments and memorials in the
American capital. The most known of them are the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument. There are five Universities in it.
There are several museums and galleries in the city. The most attractive of them
is the Smithsonian Complex consisting of 18 museums, among them the Museum of
American History, the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery of Fine Arts,
the Air and Space Museum and others. The Smithsonian Institution was established
as a result of a gift from an Englishman James Smithson who never saw America in
his life and left his fortune to the USA.
The Arlington National Cemetery is the nation’s famous burial ground. It is the
site of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
New York, the country’s largest city, is popularly called
the “Big Apple”. New York City, the most populous city in the United States, is
known for its status as a financial, cultural, transportation, and manufacturing centre
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and for its history as a gateway for immigration to the United States. It is located on a
large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast.
New York was founded as a commercial trading post by the Dutch in 1624. The
settlement was called New Amsterdam until 1664 when the colony came under English control. New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until
1790. It has been the country's largest city since 1790.
The Statue of Liberty, standing at the entrance of New York harbour, greets everybody who comes to New York by sea.
The first skyscraper was put in 1888. It had only thirteen stories. The Empire
State Building has 102. It was opened in 1931.
The World Trade Centre had 110. Its crash in 2002, September 11, will forever
remain the symbol of tragedy for the country.
Rockefeller Centre is an architectural ensemble of a number of skyscrapers,
houses offices, theatres, music halls. The 39-storey skyscraper of the United Nations
Organization is situated on the bank of the East River.
Broadway, the longest street in the city, is a major center of the world's entertainment industry. The famous Wall Street is known for its banks, companies, big offices governing financial life of the nation and the world. The New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange are both in the Wall Street area.
New York City is the home for world-class Columbia University.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of financiers,
industrialists, and art collectors. The Museum’s collection of American art is the most
comprehensive in the world. The Central Park is considered New York’s greatest
piece of architecture. It was opened in 1876. The park is the green space within an
urban area.
Most of those who were born and live now in the USA are energetic, enterprising, pragmatic and too talkative. They are often simply fixed at making money and
career. Almost all of them adore various receptions and banquets. The Americans are
really interested only in their own country, and their own success. They are very
proud of their country.
Holidays commonly celebrated in America include the group of celebrations
known as the Big Six: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labour
Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas.
The first settlers came to America from various parts of the Globe and they
brought with them their national traditions and holidays.
New Year’s Day is one of the greatest national holidays. At midnight most
Americans go outside, ring bells or blow automobile horns and set off fireworks. At
home they exchange presents and good wishes. The Americans gather in homes or in
restaurants or other public places the night before to enjoy food and beverages and to
wish each other a happy and prosperous year ahead.
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Memorial Day, celebrated on the 30th of May, is a great national holiday. On
this day the Americans honour all those who gave their lives in the past wars, holding
memorial services in churches and cemeteries. This holiday is also marked with parades and sports competitions.
One of the greatest holidays in the USA is Independence Day celebrated on the
4th of July. On this day, in 1776, the declaration of Independence was signed and the
country became an independent state. The holiday is usually marked with parades and
fireworks. Most people go to picnics to the countryside.
Labour Day is a holiday of recreation. It is marked on the first Monday in September to honour all the working people of the country.
Thanksgiving Day is a favourite national holiday, celebrated on the last Thursday in November, to honour the first settlers. It is a great family holiday when the
Americans have their traditional dinner with a fried turkey.
Christmas Day is the most important religious holiday celebrated on the 25th of
December to glory the birth of Jesus Christ. It is also a joyful family holiday; people
exchange presents and enjoy themselves. Because it is a religious day, it is not an official holiday. But most businesses are closed and most workers have the day off.
They attend special church services.
At Christmas time for most stores there is a sharp increase in sales. Christmas
shopping is a major activity of many Americans in December. Gifts are given to children, members of the family and close friends. Some people bake cookies or other
special food treats for friends and neighbors. Many businesses give their workers a
Christmas “bonus” – gifts of extra money – to show appreciation for their work. The
decorating of homes for Christmas is very common. Most Americans who observe
the holiday have a Christmas tree in their homes. This may be a real evergreen tree or
an artificial one. The tree is decorated.
Easter is a religious holiday marked in memory of the Resurrection of Jesus
Christ. The Americans attend the church services on this day. They exchange gifts
and give chocolate eggs, rabbits and chicks to children. Many households organise
Easter egg hunts, in which children look for dyed eggs hidden around the house or
yard. The President of the United States even has an annual Easter egg hunt on the
lawn of the White House the day after Easter, known as “Easter Monday”.
The federal holiday Veteran's Day is celebrated on the 11th of November to honour all the nation’s veterans, both living and dead.
Lincoln’s Birthday is marked on the 12th of February to honour the 16th President of the US, Abraham Lincoln, who managed to keep the nation together and free
the slaves.
Washington’s Birthday is marked on the 22d of February to commemorate the
first President of the USA, George Washington, who led the American Army to victory in the War for Independence and who was called “the Father of the Nation”.
Some other US holidays are not national holidays; they include St. Valentine's
Day, Halloween and April Fools’ Day. St. Valentine’s Day is marked on the 14th of
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February as a holiday of love and friendship in honour of St. Valentine, all sweethearts’ patron. Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October, on the eve of All
Saints’ Day. On this day most Americans just have a good time and make merry.
Topics for discussion:
Geographical Survey of the USA
The Main Parties
The Capital of the Country
Sightseeing in New York
Traditions
Task:
Prepare presentation about: a) the outstanding historical figures; b) famous American writers.
Video (DVD): New York (Chill Culture) («Нью-Йорк»)
LECTURE 22: INTRODUCING CANADA
The Discovery of Canada
The Union of Canada
Canada Today
People and Languages
The Main Cities
Culture and Traditions
Canada is the world’s second largest country that occupies the northern part
of the North American continent.
Originally the country was inhabited by the Aboriginal people, who are
known in Canada as “the First Nation” (10 000 years ago). The word “Canada”
originated from “Kanata” that means “a settlement or a village”.
A thousand years ago men from Norway called Norsemen, voyaged to the
other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and when they returned home they told of visiting the land. It may have been the United States or Canada, but one thing is ce rtain – they discovered America five centuries before Columbus.
500 years later John Cabot, Italian explorer, living in England, sailed from
England to the shores of Canada, seeking a new way to China. Cabot was disappointed with the rocky coast which he found and returned to En gland. In the late
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15th century, British and French expeditions explored, and settled, along the Atlantic coast.
In the first half of the 18th century fighting between the British and French
colonies in North America was started. France ceded nearly all of its colonies in
North America in 1763 after the Seven Years’ War. Britain became dominant in
Canada.
In 1867 the three colonies were united under the British North America
Act as the dominion of Canada. This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. This widening autonomy was culminated in the Canada Act of 1982, which severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament.
Canada’s land territory is 9, 9 million sq. km. Its coasts are washed by the
Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. There are many plains and mountains on its
territory. It is also a country of lakes and rivers. The Niagara River and the fall at
Niagara are well-known all over the world.
The population of Canada is about 33 million. The capital of the country is
Ottawa. The country consists of ten provinces and two territories.
Canada is a federative state within the British Commonwealth of Nations. It
is governed as a parliamentary democracy and the formal head of the state is
Queen of the UK Elizabeth II. The Federal Parliament consists of the Senate and
the House of Commons. The Prime Minister, the leader of the party holding the
majority in the House of Commons, is responsible for the policy conducted by
the Canadian Government.
One of the world’s highly developed countries, Canada has a diversified
economy that is reliant upon its abundant natural resources and upon trade. The
country is known for its rich resources of metal ores, oil and gas. Forests are the
greatest wealth of Canada. The major industries of the country include machine building, hydro-electric, automobile and ship-building. The country agriculture is
highly mechanized. It produces wheat, meat and dairy products. Fishing industry
occupies an important place in the country economy.
The population consists of either Anglo-Canadian or French-Canadian descendants with about 34% of the population of British origin, about 26% of
French origin and also about 26% of other European origin. Canada is a bilin-
gual nation, there are two official languages: English and French. 61% of the
population speak English as their native, 24% speak French. Quebec, Canada’s
largest province, its first settlers were French, and now French language is spoken most often here.
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Ottawa, the capital of the country, is situated on the hills
along the Ottawa River in the Western Ontario. Ottawa is an important political and
cultural centre of the country. In 1854 Ottawa was chosen as the seat of government
because it stood at the crossroads of French and English-speaking Canada.
The neo-Gothic Parliament buildings look like the Houses of Parliament in London. Ottawa has a green-belt within the city that provides recreation areas for walking, bicycling and for skiing in winter. Every spring, millions of tulips bloom, a gift
from Queen Juliana of the Netherlands to the people of Canada for sheltering her and
her family during World War II.
The largest Canadian cities are Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec and some
others.
Canada’s largest city is Montreal, which is built around a mountain on a green
island. It is a seaport, one of the most important in Canada. Montreal is a beautiful
city with its parks, avenues and streets. You may visit old Notre Basilica, the Olympic Stadium and Botanical Gardens.
Toronto is the capital of the province of Ontario and the second city in Canada.
The University of Toronto is the largest in Canada and is noted for its high academic
learning.
Canada has become a cultural mosaic in which immigrant groups have been
able to retain much of their ethnic culture. But in general, the way of life, family
structure, cuisine, and dress of the Canadian people are closer to those of the United
States than to those of Britain or France.
The Canadians enjoy sports and other recreational activities. Winter sports are
widely enjoyed by the Canadians, including ice hockey, ice skating, and downhill skiing. From spring recreational activities include fishing, hunting, hiking, golf, and water sports.
Canada’s national holiday is Canada Day marked on July 1. It commemorates
the formation of the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. It is celebrated with parades, fireworks, and the singing of the national anthem, O Canada.
Topics for discussion:
Sketches on History
Geographical Survey of Canada
A Bilingual Nation
Video (DVD): Canada («Канада 1000 мест, которые стоит посетить»)
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LECTURE 23: INTRODUCING AUSTRALIA
Geographical Survey
Sketches on History
Australian Population
Modern Australia
The City of Sydney
The Isle of Beauty
Australia is the only country in the world which occupies the territory of an en-
tire continent. Australia is an island that separates the Indian and the Pacific Oceans.
The territory of the country comprises the continent of Australia, the island of Tasmania and some smaller islands. The country’s official name is Commonwealth of
Australia. The total area is about 8 million square kilometres.
The country consists of six states and two territories. The largest state is Western
Australia. The major cities are Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra.
The word “Australia” means “southern land”. The continent is south of the Equator, so the seasons are opposite: summer is from December to February, winter from
June to August.
There are several rivers in the country but they are not large. Australia is rich in
energy and mineral resources such as iron, coal, zinc, copper, oil, nickel, gold and
natural gas. It is the world’s largest exporter of coal and diamonds.
The isolation of the country from the rest of the world for many centuries has resulted in the development of Australian flora and fauna, found nowhere else. The
symbols of Australia are its native animals: the kangaroo and the emu.
The first landing by Europeans took place in 1606. More than a century and a
half later an expedition headed by the British explorer James Cook added the land to
the possessions of the British Crown.
Due to the War of Independence, the convicts could no longer be transported to
the American colonies and penal settlements were established in Australia. So in
1788 over thousand English convicts and guards arrived there. For the following half
century the deportation of convicts to Australia continued.
The discovery of gold in 1851 marked the increasing of the population as a result
of immigration. The transportation of convicts stopped. The economic and political
effects of the gold rush were considerable. New settlers demanded a distribution of
lands. The struggle between squatters and small farmers started. Development of
trade unions began and they gained considerable rights. In 1870s the Australian
workers were the first in the world to gain an eight-hour working day.
The natural conditions of the country encouraged the development of sheep
breeding and grain growing.
A great number of sheep stations were established there.
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