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Для работы дома / Меркулова Т.К / Physical Geography –Student’s Book (2013-2014) - Kharkiv.docx
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  1. TASK 28. You are going to read some information about the geographical features of the USA.

  2. Step 1. Read the text below and decide if the statements after it are true or false.

  3. The united states of america

  4. The United States of America is a federal republic. It consists of 50statesand afederal districtofWashington, D.C.(District of Columbia). 48 continental states extend from latitude 25° N to 50° N and longitude 125° W to 67° W, within four time zones, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. The other two states, Hawaii and Alaska, are situated respectively in the tropical part of the Pacific Ocean (3,200 km from the mainland) and near the Arctic Circle. The 50 states form an area of 3,615,122 square miles, making the United States the fourth largest country in the world, after Russia, Canada, and China.

  5. The country naturally presents a tremendous variety in physical features, ranging from moist rain forest to arid desert and bald mountain peaks. Mount McKinley in Alaska at 20,320 feet is the highest point in the United States, while part of Death Valley in California is 282 feet below sea level.

  6. The eastern coast of the United States is a long, gently rolling ['rqVlIN] (холмистая) lowland area known as the coastal plains (береговая прибрежная равнина). These coastal plains, which stretch from Maine to Texas, are very flat and often swampy. In general, the soil is very poor, except in the fertile southern part, where the plain reaches many miles inland ['Inlqnd] (территория, удалённая от моря или границ страны).

  7. At the western edge of the Atlantic coastal plain, there is a chain of low mountains, stretching from the northern part of Maine southwest into Alabama, called the Appalachian Mountains. These mountains contain enormous quantities of easily accessible coal and iron, which helps explain the huge concentration of heavy industry along the lower region of the Great Lakes. Lakes Superior,Michigan,Huron,Erie, andOntarioform the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth, containing 21% of the world's surface fresh water.

  8. The heart of the United States is a vast plain, broken by the Superior Upland and Black Hills in the north and the Ozark Plateau ['qVzQ:k'plxtqV] (Плато Озарк) in the south, which extends from Central Canada southwards to Mexico and from the Appalachian Mountains westwards to the Cordillera ["kO:dI'ljeqrq]. These interior plains, which rise gradually like a saucer to higher land on all sides, are divided into two major parts: the wetter, eastern portion is called the Central Plains and the western portion the Greater Plains.

  9. To the west of the Great Plains is the Cordillera, which accounts for one-third of the United States. It is a region of tremendous variety, which can be subdivided into various other regions. On its eastern border, the Rocky Mountains, a high, discontinuous chain of mountains stretching from mountainous Alaska down to Mexico, rise sharply from the Great Plains. These rugged mountains (скалистые горы) contain many important metals such as lead, uranium and gold.

  10. The western edge of the Cordillera is characterized by a coastal chain of high mountains, among which there are broad, fertile valleys. The most important ranges are the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades (= Cascade Range [kx'skeId'reIndZ] (Каскадные горы) in the eastern part and the Coastal Ranges along the western coast. There is no Pacific coastal plain, and between these two sets of mountains, there is a large plateau region, with steep cliffs and canyons, basins (тектоническими бассейнами; котловинами) and isolated ranges. Many basins are rich in resources such as oil and natural gas.

  11. Hawaii is a chain of twenty islands, only seven of which are inhabited. The mountainous islands were formed by volcanic activity and there are still a number of active volcanoes.

  12. The United States has several immensely long rivers. There are a large number of rivers in the eastern part of the nation, most of which empty into the Gulf of Mexico. The longest of these rivers is the Missouri (3,942 km), a tributary of the Mississippi (3,760 km). Two other tributaries of the Mississippi – the Ohio and the Tennessee – are more than 1,250 km long. In the west, the largest river is Rio Grande, which stretches from southwestern Colorado for 3,016 km and flows into the Gulf of Mexico. However, there are some river systems that reach the Pacific Ocean, for example, the Colorado River, the Columbia and the Sacramento.

  13. Statements

  1. The territory of the USA stretches continuously from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast and has four time zones.

  2. Mount McKinley in Alaska and Death Valley in California are the highest territories in the USA.

  3. Due to its geographical position the eastern coast of the United States is not very favourable for agriculture.

  4. The mineral resources mined in the Appalachian Mountains, which stretch along the eastern coast of the USA, contributed to the rise of many industrial enterprises in that area.

  5. Black Hills extend from Central Canada southwards to Mexico and from the Appalachian Mountains westwards to the Cordillera.

  6. The interior plains are divided into two major parts: the Central Plains in the east and the Greater Plains in the west.

  7. The American Cordillera takes up most of the territory of the USA.

  8. The Rocky Mountains, which stretch from the north of the USA to its southern border, are rich in mineral resources.

  9. The most important ranges are the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades, which are situated on the Pacific coastal plain.

  10. Not all Hawaiian Islands are populated.

  11. The longest river in the USA is the Missouri with its tributary, the Mississippi.

  12. Most long rivers in the USA flow into the Pacific Ocean.

  1. Step 2. What do these figures stand for?

  1. 50

  2. 3,200

  3. 4,500

  4. 3,615,122

  5. 20,320

  6. 282

  7. 3,942

  8. 3,760

  9. 1,250

  1. Step 3. Answer the questions below.

    1. What is the highest mountain in the USA?

    2. Which mountain range is the longest in the USA?

    3. What is the lowest point?

    4. What are the flattest areas?

    5. What is the longest river?

    6. What is the most northerly state?

    7. What is the most westerly state?

  1. TASK 29. Study the information about the administrative division of the USA given below.

  2. Step 1. Fill in the gaps in the text below with a word or phrase from the box.

    1. territory

    1. war or purchase

    1. American Civil War

    1. federal union

    1. statehood

    1. republic

    1. unilaterally 

    1. 13 colonies

    1. integral

    1. states

  3. The United States is a _______ (1) of 50 states. The original 13 states were the successors of the _______ (2) that rebelled against British rule. Early in the country's history, three new states were organized on _______ (3) separated from the claims of the existing states: Kentucky from Virginia; Tennessee from North Carolina; and Maine from Massachusetts. Most of the other _______ (4) have been carved from territories obtained through _______ (5) by the U.S. government. One set of exceptions includes Vermont, Texas, and Hawaii: each was an independent _______ (6) before joining the union. During the _______ (7), West Virginia broke away from Virginia. The most recent state, Hawaii, achieved _______ (8) on August 21, 1959. The states do not have the right to _______ (9) secede from the union.

  4. The states compose the vast bulk of the U.S. land mass; the two other areas considered _______ (10) parts of the country are the District of Columbia, the federal district where the capital, Washington, is located; and Palmyra Atoll, an uninhabited but incorporated territory in the Pacific Ocean. 

  5. Step 2. Learn at least 10 names of the USA states by heart. Be sure you know how they are pronounced.

    1. Alabama

    2. Alaska,

    3. Arizona,

    4. Arkansas,

    5. California,

    6. Colorado,

    7. Connecticut,

    8. Delaware,

    9. Florida,

    10. Georgia,

    11. Hawaii,

    12. Idaho,

    13. Illinois,

    14. Indiana,

    15. Iowa,

    16. Kansas,

    17. Kentucky,

    18. Louisiana,

    19. Maine,

    20. Maryland,

    21. Massachusetts,

    22. Michigan,

    23. Minnesota,

    24. Mississippi,

    25. Missouri,

    26. Montana,

    27. Nebraska,

    28. Nevada,

    29. New Hampshire,

    30. New Jersey,

    31. New Mexico,

    32. New York,

    33. North Carolina,

    34. North Dakota,

    35. Ohio,

    36. Oklahoma,

    37. Oregon,

    38. Pennsylvania,

    39. Rhode Island,

    40. South Carolina,

    41. South Dakota,

    42. Tennessee,

    43. Texas,

    44. Utah,

    45. Vermont,

    46. Virginia,

    47. Washington,

    48. West Virginia,

    49. Wisconsin,

    50. Wyoming