Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The Vietnam War was the longest in the history of the USA: the first casualty was July, 1959 and the last in May, 1975.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in 1982. Its black granite walls contain the names of over 58,000 men and women who lost their lives or who are missing or unaccounted for in the war.

Symbolic is the "V" shape, with one wall pointing toward the Lincoln Memorial and the other toward the Washington Monument. The concept of Architect was that "the names would be the memorial"; no other words are used here.

Commentary:

Test Yourself

1. Answer the questions:

1. What is the popular name for the United States of America?

2. When was the North American continent settled?

3. Who were the original natives? The first white settlers?

4. What proofs are there of the Oriental origin of American Indians?

5. Who were the first white men to see American shores?

6. Who received credit for discovering America and why?

7. Who led the victorious forces of the colonists against the British?

8. What is a republic?

9. - What are some American coasts towns with .Spanish names?

10. Which is the longest river in the USA?

11. Who was the President when the American Civil War broke out?

12. What is the national capital of the USA?

13. What river is the capital situated on?

14. What is the national emblem of the USA?

15. The national flag of the USA is called "the Stars and Stripes". What is its other name?

16. The US has a federal system. What does it mean?

17. What branches is power divided into within the national government?

18. The United States has two main parties - the Democratic and

Republican parties. Which of them tends to be more conservative? Among what

classes - upper or working - does it have more support?

19. When does the Inauguration ceremony take place?

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20. How is the ceremony held?

21. What are the duties of the president?

22. How many presidents were there in the US?

23. What are the departments of the Government of the USA?

24. Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the USA. When is it held? What does it honour?

25. What other American national holidays do you know?

26. What are the American coins?

//. Is it true or false?

1. The city of Washington was designed by George Washington himself.

2. The White House is named after the architect who designed it. (Charles White)

3. George Washington did not liye in the White House.

4. John Adams was the first president to live in the White House.

5. The president and his family live on the first floor.

6. There are 132 rooms in the White House.

7. Visitors can tour all of the rooms in the White House, t

8. The current president lives and works in the White House.

9. The White House is located in the state of Washington.

10. The US Constitution, written in 1787, established the country's political system and is the basis for its laws.

11. If you visit Capitol Hill, you might be able to see public galleries of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

12. Washington has one major business, and that business is government.

13. James Smithson was an Englishman who had often visited the United States.

///. Compare what you know about the government system of the US to what you know about the systems of Russia and Great Britain. What features are the same? Which are different in which countries? Is the British or the Russian system more similar to the American one?