25.Climate and weather of us.

• Due to the immense size and spread of topology in the US the climate is incredibly varied. If there is a "general" climate then it is temperate, but it is also tropical in Florida and Hawaii, arctic in Alaska, arid in the Great Basin of the southwest and semi-arid in the Great Plains to the west of the Mississippi River.

• The temperature range runs between the extremes of 57 degrees C during the summer months in California's Death Valley to -62 degrees C in Alaska, with every other shade in between.

• The northern states are the coldest, with bitter, freezing winters - especially in the plains, Midwest and Northeast. Low temperatures in January and February in the Northwest are occasionally tempered by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

• In contrast, the southern states are known as the Sunbelt, where it rarely drops below freezing.

• Hot summers are the norm throughout the US, except in New England, Oregon and Washington state, all of which are rainier and less predictable than the rest of the country.

• Temperate states are concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, while humidity is characteristic of the south, east coast and Midwest (smog levels rise accordingly and can make visiting some cities uncomfortable for those with respiratory problems), and heatwaves common in the Southwest.

• Spring and autumn (fall) conditions are generally mild, warm and sunny - but also wet in some areas, particularly the Pacific Northwest.

• Tornado season arrives in the Midwest between April and June, and hurricanes are common in early summer along the southern East Coast and Gulf of Mexico coast - TV and radio will broadcast warnings for both, but the chances of encountering one on a short visit are remote.

26.The Early days of American History.

27.The Formation of American nation.

28.The Civil War.

• Civil War, in U.S. history, conflict (1861–65) between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states that seceded from the Union and formed the Confederacy. It is generally known in the South as the War between the States and is also called the War of the Rebellion (the official Union designation), the War of Secession, and the War for Southern Independence. The name Civil War, although much criticized as inexact, is most widely accepted

• The purpose of the Civil War was to restore the Union of the Individual states and to preserve the Constitution. However, Congress was determined to make emancipation (freeing of the slaves) the primary issue of the war.

• Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, two issues faced the nation. The first was the freeing of the slaves, which the Southerners believed was a loss of property.

• The second issue was the right of secession (the withdrawal of a state from the Union). The Constitution was an agreement between the states, so therefore each state had the right to leave the Union when they pleased. These issues divided the nation.

• In February of 1861, the Confederation states of America was formed. It consisted of South Caroline, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arcansas and Texas.

• On the 1st of January, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the freedom of slaves. However, the actual end of slavery did not come until 1865. The Civil War came to an end on the 1st of April, 1865.

• With the end of the war came the concept that the United States is not a group of states but rather one nation. With the emancipation of the slaves, new issues, such as civil rights, appeared.

29.The US in the second part of the 20^th century.

30.New York.

• New York is the largest city in the USA and the biggest seaport. It is the business centre of the United States. New York is situated in the mouth of the Hudson river. In comparison with such ancient historical cities as, say, Rome, London, Moscow or Paris, New York is quite young. It was founded in 1613 by Dutch settlers.

• There are five districts in the city: Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Richmond. Manhattan is the central and the oldest part of the city. It is the district of business and finance. It is here in Wall Street that many business offices, banks and the world famous New York stock exchange are situated. The New York stock exchange dominates business life of many countries.

• The total area of New York is 365 square miles or 900 square kilometres. Its population together with the population of its suburbs amounts to 16 million people. Among the inhabitants of New York one can meet people of almost all nationalities. They settled here during the immigration in the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century.

• A traveller who visits New York for the first time wonders at the modern architecture. The Statue of Liberty, which is on Liberty Island, was a present from France in 1876 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of American independence. This statue and a few 18th and 19th century churches, hospitals, newspaper offices and other buildings are the only examples of "old" architecture in New York. Wherever your eyes travel, everywhere you can see sky-scrapers.

• New York, one of the USA leading manufacturing cities, is the home of great firms and banks. The most important branches of industry are those producing vehicles, glass, chemicals and all kinds of machinery. The city has very busy traffic. Its streets and highways are full of cars and buses. The mouth of the Hudson river makes an excellent harbour for numerous passengers and cargo ships from all over the world. Speaking about New York one can't but mention the outstanding role, the city plays, in the cultural life of the country.

• New York has many museums and art galleries which have collected works of art of many peoples and of all times. Many of them are on constant display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of Art. Most of the theatres and cinemas are in or near Broadway, the longest street and the biggest shopping district in New York. The Metropolitan and Modern Arts Museums attract many visitors.