The United States of America in Our Days

The United States of America (USA) is one of the largest countries in the world. The population of the USA is about 250 million people. The USA has 50 states. Its capital is Washington, D. C. (the District of Columbia). It is the highly developed country. People of very many nationalities live in the USA.

The flag of the USA has 13 red and white stripes representing the original 13 states and 50 stars — for each of the 50 states of the country in our days. Each state has its symbol.

In the north the USA borders on Canada and in the south it borders on Mexico. It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the east and by the Pacific Ocean in the west. Hawaii, which became the 50th state in 1959, is situated in the Pacific Ocean. Alaska is separated from Russia by the Bering Strait. It is the biggest state of the country. The area of the USA is over nine million square kilometres. The official language of the country is English.

Some of the biggest cities are New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and others.

New York is not a very old city. It was founded some three hundred years ago. New York is the largest city in the USA, it is situated in the mouth of the Hudson River. The centre of New York is Manhattan Island. New York, one of the leading American manufacturing cities, is the home of great firms and banks. There are many sky-scrapers of fifty and more storeys in it. Washington, the capital of the country was named in honour of the first president, George Washington. It is located on the north bank of the Potomac River. Washington is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in the USA. It has little industry. Washington looks different from other cities. No building in the city may be more than 40 meters tall. The Capitol is the tallest building in Washington. This is where laws are made. The White House is home of every president of the United States.

Boston is located on the bank of the Atlantic Ocean. There are three universities in this city. The oldest university in the USA, Harvard University, was founded in Boston in 1636. Boston is one of the America's oldest cities. It was founded in 1630.

There are seven towns called Paris in the United States and six called Moscow, but only four called London. There are two Stockholms, an Oslo and a Copenhagen.

Many places are named after American presidents. Washington is the most popular. Washington is the name of the capital, twenty-one towns, cities, a lake, an island, a river, a mountain and a whole state.

The United States are called a 'melting pot', or a salad bowl mixed salad because people from all over the world have mixed together to create modern American society. A typical American family lives in a house outside a big city. Their ancestors came from Europe, but they also have some African, Asian and a little Indian blood. If you ask Mr. Typical American where his family has come from, he will probably say something like, "I'm English-Irish-German-Swedish American." But no one has ever seen a family quite like this.

Exercises

I. Answer the questions, please

1. What is the population of the USA?

2. How many states does America have?

3. What is the capital of the United States?

4. What countries do the United States border on?

5. What two oceans is the United States washed by?

6. Each state has its symbol, hasn't it?

7. What state of the USA is situated in the Pacific Ocean?

8. What American state is situated 50 miles from Russia?

9. What strait separates Russia from America?

10. Do you know the largest city of the USA? Where is it located?

11. What kind of houses are there in New York?

II. Ask the questions in English

1. Почему, глядя на американский флаг, можно сказать о количестве штатов в Америке?

2. Можете ли вы описать географическое положение США?

3. Как можно доказать, что Нью-Йорк — город бизнесменов?

4. Какие здания находятся в Вашингтоне?

Задание 22

Студент должен:

• Прочитать и инсценировать диалог «США» («The USA»)

The USA

— If you have a chance to visit an English-speaking country which would you go to?

— Have I a chance to visit an English-speaking country I'd start to the USA.

— Why would you?

— I'd like to listen to the modern American speech because it differs so much from English we are used to. Most of all I'd like to visit Niagara Falls, Disneyland and rodeo. I look forward to visit two American cities, New York and Washington, District Columbia.

— Why do you want to visit just these two cities?

— New York is considered to be one of the most densely populated and bustling cities and, on the contrary, Washington is the most quiet city of the USA. Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States.

— Is the sea close to your city?

— No, it is very far from my city and I like the sea so much. That is why I want to see New York: the sea encircles many of the city areas. It's hard to imagine.

— What is in the centre of New York?

— Manhattan Island is.

— /f it is an island how can people get to it?

— Over one of the bridges. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, for exam­ple. This bridge carries the first European explorer's name who saw Manhattan. He was an Italian merchant who was in the service of the French king.

— Is the bridge so impressive?

— They say it is one of the city's most impressive sights. It is the longest suspension bridge in the world.

— We are used to go sightseeing to know history of the country better. In a sense. New York is now one of the least historic cities of the world. Is it interesting to visit it?

— I see. Practically nothing remained of Dutch New Amsterdam. Today's New York is the greatest contrast possible to the island settled by the Dutch in 1624.

— What the contrast is?

— In 1811 a "city plan" was adopted under which straight lines cut through the woods and fields of Manhattan, flattening its hills, burying under the surface its countless little rivers.

— Is it a quiet city?

— No, it isn't. Very few people live in Manhattan, although the majority work here.

— New York is called a city of contrasts. Do you like contrasts?

— I'm a young person so I enjoy contrasts and strong impressions. I want to see the whole world. And it's possible to cross continents within New York. New York is inhabited by people of almost all nationalities. It is even called "Modern Babylon". Washington, District Columbia, is a great contrast to the city of New York.

— What attracts you in Washington?

— There are impressive government buildings, magnificent monuments, important historical landmarks, fine museums and broads, tree-shaded avenues and malls. I am eager to see famous cherry trees in blossom in the streets of Washington. I realize that the USA is not only New York and Washington. So I'd like to have a long journey about the USA.

Задание 23

Студент должен:

• Прочитать и перевести текст «2 города Америки» («Two American Сities»), составить план к тексту и пересказать его

Words to know

avenue — проспект, широкая улица to differ —отличаться

bustling — бурлящий, шумящий on the contrary — наоборот

to be used to smth — привыкнуть к чему-л . solely — исключительно

densely populated — густонаселенный mall — место для гуляний

to look forward — ожидать с нетерпением

site — место, местонахождение