The USA
The United States of America stretches from the Atlantic Ocean across North America and far into the Pacific. Because of such a huge size of the country the climate differs from one part of the country to another. The coldest climate is in the northern part, where there is heavy snow in winter and the temperature may go down to 40 degrees below zero. The south has a subtropical climate, with temperature as high as 49 degrees in summer. The continental part of the USA consists of the highland regions and two lowland regions. The highland regions are the Appalachian mountains in the east and the Cordillera in the west. Between the Cordillera and the Appalachian mountains are the central lowlands which are called the prairie, and eastern lowlands called the Mississippi valley. There are many mountains especially in the west and southwest. The Rocky Mountains extend all the way from New Mexico to Alaska. Many rivers cross the country. The most important are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Colorado, and the Sacramento. The main lakes in the USA are the Great Lakes in the north. The nation's natural advantages and resources are probably greater than those of any other area of equal size. The land is as varied as it is huge. There are plains and mountains, grasslands and forests, sandy soil, clay and rich, dark loams. The mineral resources vary from precious gold and rare uranium to common lead and zinc. Coal, oil, iron, copper and other minerals are abundant. They form basis of modern industry. The history of the USA dates back only to the 15th century. In the 15th century there was no USA at all. The present territory of the USA was divided among some countries. In the 15th — 16th centuries some territory of the USA belonged to Great Britain (northern and western lands); southern parts (California, Florida, New Mexico, Texas) belonged to Spain, then — to Mexico; the central part, the territory was called Louisiana — to France; Alaska was possessed by Russia; some territories remained to be under Indians control. In 18th century there were only thirteen Britain's American colonies and they broke with Great Britain in 1776 and later were recognized as the new nation of the the United States of America, following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded their frontiers across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. There were three most dramatic experiences in the nation's history: the Civil War (1861-1865), the Great Depression of the 1930s and Vietnam War of the 1960s — 70s. After its victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the USA remains the world's most powerful state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and great advances in technology. Nowadays USA is world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India). The total territory of the USA is 9,630,000 sq km. It is about half the size of Russia or lightly larger than China or Brazil. The USA has borders with Canada, Mexico and Russian Federation. The lowest point is Death Valley — 86 m and the highest one is Mount McKinley 6,194 m. By July 2002, the population of the USA was about 280,565,000. The largest US river is the Mississippi River. It is a multicultural and multinational country. As to religion there are 56% of Protestants, 28% of Catholics and 2% of Jews. Ethnic groups include white 77%, black 13%, Asian 4.5%. It is a federal republic with strong democratic traditions. The capital of the US is Washington, DC. The country includes 50 states and 1 district plus dependent areas as: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, etc. Independence Day is celebrated on 4 July (from Great Britain). Constitution Day is 17 September, which was approved in 1787. The chief of state is President; note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government. There are three political parties in the USA. They are Democratic Party, Green Party and Republican Party. Do you know that among American people, the Democratic Party is associated with mother (mom) and Republican Party is associated with dad (father)? It is a very interesting fact. The currency of the USA is US dollar. Questions: 1. Is the USA the largest country in the world? 2.What is the total territory of the USA? 3.What is the lowest point of the USA? 4.What is the highest point of the USA? 5.How many people live in the USA today? 6.What city is the capital of the USA? 7.How many states are there in the USA? When do they celebrate their Independence Day? 8.Who is the chief of state? 9. How many political parties are there in the USA? 10.What is the currency of the USA? Vocabulary: The United Kingdom of Great Britain Соединенное Королевство Великобритании and Northern Ireland и Северной Ирландии the British Isles Британские острова to be situated быть расположенным to consist of состоять из total area общая площадь respectively соответственно to include включать at the head во главе parliament парламент chamber палата to separate разделять to wash омывать surface поверхность to vary менять(ся), разнообразить mountainous гористый valley долина vast огромный plain равнина deep глубокий to influence влиять climate климат mild мягкий, умеренный the whole year round круглый год population население urban городской highly developed высокоразвитый textile текстиль aircraft самолеты navigation судоходство equipment оборудование chief главный, основной shipbuilding кораблестроение constitutional monarchy конституционная монархия law закон in law по закону the head of the state глава государства queen королева in practice фактически, на практике to reign царствовать to rule править to elect выбирать government правительство Prime Minister премьер-министр to stretch, to extend простираться to consist состоять advantage преимущество equal равный clay глина precious драгоценный diverse разнообразный semiarid полупустынный coal уголь copper медь lead свинец timber древесина hazard риск, опасность mud грязь slide оползень earthquake землетрясение wet мокрый, сырой the Appalachians горы Аппалачи semidesert полупустыня desert пустыня severe суровый main land mass континентальная часть border граница shores побережье
Dialogue: - What kind of country is Great Britain? - Great Britain is a capitalist country. - What chambers does the British Parliament consist of? - It consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. - Whom do the chambers consists of? - The House of Lords has 850 members, composed of the lords. The House of Commons consists of 630 members, who are elected by ballot. - What political parties are there in Great Britain? - At present there are the following political parties in Great Britain: the Conservatives, the Labour Party, the Liberals and the Communist Party. - Which party is in power now? - At present the Labour is in power. - Whose interest does the Labour Party serve? - In reality the Labour party serves the interests of the English bourgeoisie. The only party that serves the interests of the English working people is the Communist Party. Translate into English: 1. Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии расположено на Британских островах, состоящих из двух больших и тысяч малых островов. 2. Британские острова омываются Атлантическим океаном, Ирландским морем, Северным морем и проливами Ла-Манш и Па-де-Кале. 3. На климат Великобритании оказывает влияние Гольфстрим. 4. Великобритания производит и экспортирует станки, электронику, текстиль, суда. 5. Великобритания - конституционная монархия. 6. Нынешняя территория США была разделена между несколькими государствами. 7. За 19-е и 20-е столетия было присоединено 37 новых штатов к первым 13, так как нация расширила свои границы по всему североамериканскому континенту. 8. После своих побед в Первой и Второй мировых войнах и по окончании холодной войны в 1991 году США остается самым сильным государством в мире. 9. В экономике наблюдается постоянный рост и большие достижения в технологии. 10. В настоящее время США — третья страна в мире по площади территории (после России и Канады) и населению (после Китая и Индии).
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