Упр. 5. Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы.

Geography of the United States

The United States of America is located on the North American continent.

The western third of the country consists mainly of a high plateau broken by numerous mountain ranges, the chief of which are the Rocky Mountains. To the west of this region lie the Great Plains. This is a region of very flat ground extending from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico and eastward as far as the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachians are a range of low mountains and hills running parallel to the Atlantic Coast and about one to two hundred miles in land.

Along the center of the Great Plains, flowing south from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico is the Mississippi River. This river together with the Missouri which joins it from the west and the Ohio which joins it from the east, forms the central river system of the United States. In the north are the five Great Lakes —Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario which empty into the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence River. The Colorado River in the southwest and the Colombia in the northwest are the other principal rivers of the country.

The climate of the United States varies greatly from place to place. Average annual temperature range from 9°F (-13°C) Barnow, Alaska, to 78,2°F (25,7°C) in Death Valley, California. The Midwest, the Middle Atlantic States, and New England experience warm summers and cold, snowy winters. In the South, summers are long and hot, and winters are mild. Along the Pacific Coast the climate is mild all year. Mountains also affect the climate. In the West, for example, the mountainous areas are cooler and wetter than the neighbouring plains, parts of the West and Southwest have a desert climate.

Although the total population of the United States is large by world standards, its overall population density is relatively low; the country embraces some of the world's largest urban concentrations as well as some of the most extensive areas that are almost devoid of habitation.

The United States contains a highly diverse population. Probably no other country has a wider range of racial, ethnic and cultural types than does the United States.

1. Where is the U.S.A. located?

2. How can you describe the relief of the country?

3. What are the most important rivers and lakes in the country?

4. In what way does the U.S. climate vary?

5. Why is the population of the country so diverse?

Упр. 6. Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы.

Political system of the USA

The official name of the country is the United States of America. The U.S.A. is a federal republic of 50 states. The national capital is Washington, which is coextensive with the District of Columbia, the federal capital region created in 1790.

The government of the United States represents, serves, and protects the American people at home and in foreign countries. It consists of the three branches - executive, legislative, and judicial.

The executive branch of the United States government consists of the Executive Office of the President, the executive departments, and the independent agencies. The President of the United States is the nation's chief executive and chief of state. The President lives in the White House in Washington, D.C., and has offices there. As chief executive, the President has the responsibilities of enforcing federal laws and appointing and removing high federal officials. The President commands the armed forces, conducts foreign affairs, and recommends laws to Congress. Elected by the people to hold office for a four - year term, the President cannot be elected to more than two terms.

The legislative branch of the United States government includes Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 members. Each state, regardless of size or population, has two senators, who serve six-year terms. The Vice President of the United States presides over the Senate. The Senate alone can sit as a court of impeachment. It alone has the power to approve the President's nominations for major federal offices. Any treaty is subject to the Senate's approval. The House of Representatives consists of 435 members. A state's representation is based on population. Only the House can bring charges of impeachment against high federal officials. It alone can initiate tax bills.

The judicial branch is represented by the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts.

The United States has two major political parties, the Democratic and the Republican. Both parties receive support from individuals and groups in all parts of the country. Members of two parties hold almost all the offices in the national, state and local governments.

1. What is the official name of the country?

2. What branches does the U.S. government consist of?

3. Who is the chief of state?

4. Where does the President live?

5. What are the President’s responsibilities?

6. What executive departments conduct the administration of the national government?

7. How many members are there in the Senate?

8. Who presides over the Senate?

9. What bodies does the judicial branch include?

10. What are the main political parties in the U.S.A.?

Упр. 7. Укажите, являются ли следующие высказывания о политической системе США истинными или ложными:

1. The U.S.A. is a presidential republic.

2. The capital of the country is situated in the state of Main.

3. The Senate appoints high federal officials.

4. The Congress consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

5. The President cannot be elected to more than two terms.

6. The number of senators depends on the size of the state they are elected from and the density of its population.

7. The Senate is headed by the Vice President.

8. It is the Senate that brings charges of impeachment against high federal officials.

9. The Tories and the Whigs are the two major political parties in the U.S.A.