Text 3. Edinburgh

Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, is associated with science, law and administration. It is internationally famous too as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is popularly known as «the Athens of the North». Located on the seven hills, Edinburgh goes down to the bay Firth of Forth. The highest hill called «King Arthur's Chair», is 300 metres above sea level.

In the old town houses with narrow windows are climbing up by narrow streets towards the ancient Edinburgh Castle in the middle of the city. This famous fortress overlooking the town from the 150 metres high. Castle Rock is one thousand years old. From the streets in the centre of the city one can watch ships coming to Edinburgh from different countries of the world.

The modern district with straight and well-planned streets is in the valley, so that you can easily go about the town. As Scots say, St. Petersburg and Edinburgh are the only cities in the world with such a splendid layout. The main street, Princes Street, is a mile long with beautiful houses and a monument to Walter Scott. A new bridge over the river Forth was opened in 1966.

References:

Edinburgh - г. Эдинбург (столица Шотландии с населением около 500 тысяч человек)

«the Athens of the North» - «северные Афины»

Vocabulary:

layout — план, разбивка, планировка (сада, города и т. д.)

The United States of America

After 350 years of development the United States of America still holds the leading position in the western world. The USA is the most powerful and highly developed country of the world. A country that has inspired many names — “Land of Opportunity”, “Melting Pot”, ”God’s Country” is still referred to as land of superlatives — “the richest”, “the greatest”, “the most”.

The United States of America lies in the central part of North American continent. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean. Its eastern coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The USA consists of three separate parts. They are the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska and rest major part of the USA. There are fifty states and District of Columbia. The states differ very much in size, population and economical development. The population of the United States is about 250 million people.

In size the United States is not the biggest. What makes the USA the leader of the western world is its economic, political and military dominance over countries.

The United States is a federal republic. The Government is divided into three branches: legislative (the US Congress), executive (the President and Administration) and judicial (the US Supreme Court). The Supreme Court consists of Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices who are appointed for life. The Supreme Court is supposed to decide whether a law of the Congress or an executive order of the President is “Constitutional or not”.

There are two main political parties in the USA: the Democratic (symbolize by a “donkey”) and Republican (symbolized by an “elephant”).

The US president is both the head of State and government. He is elected for a 4-year term.

The flag of the USA is called “Stars and Stripes”. The 50 stars - white on a blue field represent the 50 states, 13 stripes represent 13 original English colonies, which in 1776 became independent of England.

The capital of the United States is Washington. It was named in honor of the first president whose name was George Washington. The biggest cities of the USA are New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles Chicago and others.

Vocabulary:

to hold — держать dominance — преобладание

leading — ведущий branch — ветвь, отрасль

powerful — могущественный, мощный to divide — разделять

coast — побережье legislative — законодательный

to consist — состоять executive — исполнительный

separate — отдельный judicial — судебный

to represent — представлять

1. Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующих слов и словосочетаний:

Соединённые Штаты Америки, развитие, занимать ведущую (лидирующую) позицию, могущественная и высокоразвитая страна, побережье, Тихий океан, Атлантический океан, Мексиканский залив, отдельный, главный (основной), штат, округ Колумбия, различаться, по размеру, преобладание, федеральная республика, законодательная (исполнительная, судебная) ветвь власти, глава государства, избираться на … срок, «Звёзды и полосы», представлять, стать независимым от …, быть названным в честь кого-либо.

2. Исправьте ошибки в следующих утверждениях:

1. The United States of America lies in the northern part of North American continent.

2. The USA consists of five separate parts.

3. There are fifty states and District of Columbia.

4. In size the United States is the biggest in the world.

5. The United States is a constitutional monarchy.

6. The flag of the USA is called “Union Jack”.

7. The capital of the United States is New York.

3. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Where is the US situated?

2. What are the major political parties?

3. Who is the US president now?

4. How many states are there in the country?

5. What is the US population?

6. What is the political structure in the country? How many branches is the Government divided on?

7. What is the capital of the USA?

8. What is name of the American flag?

9. Is the USA the biggest country in the world?

10. What makes the USA the leader of the western world?

11. How many people are there in the Supreme Court?

4. Это интересно:

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