Dialogues. — Hi! I'm fine, thanks. And you?

1.

— Hello! How are you?

— Hi! I'm fine, thanks. And you?

— Oh, I have a problem. I need to prepare a report about the geographical position of the USA. Could you help me, please?

— OK. First of all, the USA is the fourth largest country in the world after Russia, Canada and China. It is situated in the central part of the North American continent excluding Alaska and Hawaii.

— And the USA is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the east and by the Pacific Ocean in the west. In the north it borders Canada" and in the south it borders Mexico. Is that so?

— Right. Besides, it also has a sea border with Russia.

— And what are the main mountains and rivers in the USA?

— The main rivers are the Mississippi, the Rio Grande, the Missouri, the Columbia and others. And the main mountains are the Appalachian Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada.

— And what about the climate of the USA?

— The climate in the USA varies greatly. There are four climatic? ones: arctic, continental, marine and subtropical. The climate
along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.

— OK, thank you for your help. Bye! -Bye!

 

2.

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

— As for me, I'd like to visit the USA.

— Why have you chosen this country?

— America is a great country with great history. But the main reason for my visit is that I'd like to listen to American speech! because it differs a lot from standard British English we are used to.. Besides, I'd like to visit Niagara Falls and Disneyland.

— I completely agree with you that the USA is a great country. It is the fourth largest country in the world so its territory varies greatly in climate and relief. If you travel across the country, you will go over mountain ranges and cross hundreds of rivers.

— Well, as far as American landscape is concerned, the USA greatly resembles a giant plate with Central Lowland and Great Plains in the middle. The plate's fringes rise gradually towards the Appalachians in the east, to the Cordillera in the west and to the Canadian Shield in the north.

— And what about the south? There are no mountain chains in the south, are there?

— No, there aren't. The plate opens to the Gulf Coastal Plain which connects with the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

— You describe it so vividly that I'll remember it for the rest of my life.

— I'm fond of geography, besides I'm really interested in the USA. I want to know everything about this wonderful country.

— Then you can tell me about the climate of this country, can't you?

— The climate of the United States is extremely diverse. While people go to the beach in Florida, California and Hawaii, others in Alaska, the midwest and the northeast are wearing thick coats and trying to keep warm.

— So the climate in the USA resembles Russia's. Is that so?

— Well, I wouldn't say that. Of course, the climate in Russia is also very diverse, but you shouldn't forget that Russia is one of world's coldest and most northern countries. So the climate in the USA is much warmer than that in Russia, so American crops yield more bountifully.

— That explains why America is one of the richest countries in the world.

— I think that the main reason is in the people. Americans are very hard-working and persistent. " If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" is their favourite saying.

— Oh, you know so much about America and its people that listening to you I feel like a traveller. Now I also want to visit this wonderful country.

 

3.

 

— What do you know about the political system of the USA?

— The US government is like a tree with a strong trunk and three brunches. The trunk is the people. It holds up the tree: without the support of the people there can be no government. People choose those who make American laws.

— And what is the first branch of American government?

— The first branch of American government is Congress. Congress is divided into two parts, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

— How many representatives does every state send to the House of Representatives and to the Senate?

— Every state sends two people to the Senate. Each state also sends people to the House of Representatives. The larger states have more congressmen than the smaller states.

— What are the next two branches of American government?

— The second branch is the President and his helpers and the third branch is the Supreme Court.

— What can you say about the Constitution of the USA?

— Americans are very proud of their Constitution. But the people of the United States can change the Constitution. Changes in the Constitution are called amendments. There are 26 amendments to the Constitution. The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights.

— Thank you very much for your help.

— You are welcome.

4.

 

— What do you think is the main trait of character of a true American?

— I think that their first value and belief is their sense of individual freedom.

— I completely agree with you. And they realize that individuals must rely on themselves, otherwise they risk losing their freedom.

— So, self-reliance is usually the second trait and moral value supposed to be obligatory to a true American. The third national value accounts for their confident and unaffected manners. It's the old belief that everyone in America has equal opportunity to succeed.

— But if everybody has a chance to better his living conditions, then everybody's duty is to try, which leads to the overall competition with one's another. So the fourth American value is competition.

— And what is the fifth national value then?

— I think that the fifth national value is material wealth. Most Americans believe wealth is a reward for hard work and that it is possible to have a good standard of living if a person works hard. Gaining wealth goes along with self-improvement of a person. " God helps those who help themselves, " says the proverb.

— And what about the great American Dream " from rag to riches"?

— Oh, it is still alive by far. It goes on attracting immigrants from all over the world.

— Have Americans got a sense of humour?

— Of course, they have. American humour confirms the importance of mating and the family, the high status of women and children, the pace and tension of life.

— So the main traits of a true American arc their sense of individual freedom and self-reliance as well as a great desire to succeed and to become rich.

— What's your personal opinion of Americans?

— I think they are open-hearted and tough people.