The U S A

Share with your group mates three facts, you know, about the USA.

3. What is the USA famous for?

4. Read and learn the new words:

to occupy [ ) ΄k ј u p a ı] займати, заповнювати

to stretch [΄s t r e t ∫] тягтися, простягатися

to include [ı n΄k l u:d] включати, мати у своєму складі

to border [΄b ):d ə] межувати

lowland(s) [΄l ə u l ə n d] низина, оболонь, долина

to vary [΄v e ə r ı ] змінюватися

copper [΄k ) p ə ] мідь

ore [ ): ] руда

weapon [΄w e p ə n ] зброя

origin [΄ ) r i d ʒ i n ] походження

the executive [ı g ΄z e k j u t ı v] виконавча влада

the legislative [΄l e d z i s l ə t ı v] законодавча влада

the judiciary [d z u: ΄d ı ∫ ı e r ı ] судова влада

Reading Activities

Read the text paying attention to the words in bold:

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). It occupies the central part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a seaboarder with Russia.

The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is about 250 million.

If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley, which is located in Alaska.

America’s largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande, and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.

The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the Central Part of the country is continental. The south has subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.

The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It is the leading producer of copper and oil and the world’s second producer of iron ore and coal. In the industrial enterprises of the country they produce aircrafts, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, weapon, furniture and paper.

Though mainly European and African in origin, the Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations, including the Chinese and the native Americans – Indians.

The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco and others.

The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, each of which has its own government. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, D.C. According to the Constitution of the USA, the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive, headed by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress, and the judiciary. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic.

Post-reading Activities

1. Choose one of the words to make the sentences complete (use the correct form of the word):

1. The United States of America … the central part of North America.

2. The country … from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

3. America … Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.

4. The USA … on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south.

5. There are … and mountains in the USA.

6. The fourth largest country is the leading producer of … and oil.

7. Coal and … are mined in the south of the country.

8. Industrial enterprises produce aircrafts, cars, textiles, radio and TV sets, …, and furniture.

9. The President is the head of … branch.

10. … branch consists of the Congress that is divided into two houses: The Senate and the House of Representatives.

2. Match the word and its definition:

1. ore a) a starting point, parents and conditions of early life;

2. origin b) a soft reddish metal which can be beaten into shape easily and which conducts heat and electricity well;

3. weapon c) to be, make or become different;

4. lowland d) a tool for harming or killing in attack or defence;

5. copper e) the branch of the government that carries out the laws;

6. to occupy f) rock, earth or sand from which metal may be extracted, as iron ore;

7. to include g) an area of land lower than the land surrounding it;

8. to stretch h) to be in (a place), to fill (a certain position, space or time);

9. to vary i) to have as a part; to contain in addition to other parts; to put in with something else;

10. the executive j) the branch of government that administers justice;

11. the legislative k) to spread out;

12. the judiciary l) to be next to, to have a common border with;

13. to border m) the branch of the government that makes laws.

Дата добавления: 2014-11-29