I. Read the following text using a dictionary

 

Washington, D.C. - capital of the USA

    Washington was created to be the seat of governement of the USA. You know that the flag of the USA, the Stars and Stripes, has fifty-one stars on a blue background. Each of these stars represents one of the fifty-one states.But the City of Washington doesn't belong to any state but to all states.It occupies the District of Columbia, abbreviated into D.C., and the name of the capital always goes with this abbreviation not to be mixed up with another Washington, which is a state on the Pacific Coast. The District of Columbia is on the Potomac River not far from the Atlantic Ocean. The population of Washington, D.C., is about 638000 without suburbs (1990).

    Washington is like no other city of the USA. New York is a centre of finance,of shipping,of fun; New Orleans deals in cotton;Chicago will sell you wheat and a hundred heads of cattle. But Washington's only industry is government. The White House, where the US President lives and works, the Capitol, the home of the US Congress, and the Supreme Court are all in Washington, D.C.

    It is said that some three-quaters of the adult population in Washington, D.C., are holly or indirectly involved in the administrative machine and the general process of government: they are either politicians, or civil servants, or suppliers of goods and services of such people. The city lacks a sufficiently large and self-sustaining life of its own apart from politics.

    Washington, D.C., has always been the scene of mass demonstrations "hunger marches", of the early 1930's, civil-rights and antiwar rallies of the 1960's and 1970's.The people of the USA come to Washington, D.C., to hand over their protests against the inflation, unemployment and poverty.

    Washington, D.C., is one of the few capitals in the world that was simply ordered to exist to house the nation's government.President George Washington,in whose honour the city was named, picked out the spot. The city belongs neither to the North nor to the South.It is too far north to escape the snows and too far south ever to be prepared for them, a neutral, inbetween place of mixed styles and uncertain tastes, where the magnolias bloom in the slush.Washington is humid all year round because it sits between two rivers,the Potomac and the Anacostia. During summer hot spells, the combination of heat and humidity can occasionally be almost overpowering. By contrast, Washington's winters are not severe,although they can be dample chill. Washington shares the sweaty summers of Louisiana and the windy cold of the Northwest.

    One season, however, has to be seen - Washington's cherryblossom time.Several thousand of these cherry-trees were given to Washington in 1912 by the City of Tokyo. When they flower -

- in early April - the whole city draws its breath and drinks them in for almost exactly 12 days: give or take a day,that is how long cherry - blossom time lasts. It is the one Washington thing that owes nothing to protocol to press conference nor to power.It is indeed Washington's wonderful season, possibly because it is the one occasion in the natural cycle of this city that has nothing to do with its politics and politicians.

    The Capitol Building is the city's central point. From this centre the city is divided into four sections, or quadrants: North West, North East, South West and South East. The Capitol is also the point from which the city's streets are numbered or lettered. The streets east or west of the Capitol are numbered 1-st Street,2nd Street and so on. Similarly,the streets to the north and to the south are named for letters of the alphabet -G Street, K Street, etc.

    Almost every public building, art gallery or government office is in the North West quadrant; the other quadrants are largerly residential.

    The Capitol is the seat of the US Congress.The Capitol consists of a central building crowned by a great dome and connected at each end by galleries with a large wing,one of which co-

ntains the Senate Chamber,and the other - the Hall of Representatives.

    The White House is the official residence of the presidents of the USA. It is located at Pennsylvania Avenue.The public is admitted during specified hours to a portion of the first floor: the Green Room; the Blue Room, where ambassadors and ministers of foreign countries are received and diplomatic functions held; the State Dining Room,where as many as 54 persons can sit at a table; and the East Room, used for public receptions.

    The Oval Office - the President's Office - is in the west wing of the White House. It is also used figuratively,meaning the "US Presidency"

    The Capitol is connected with the White House by Pennsylvania Avenue. This is the route of the President's inauguration procession every four years, of official funerals and of parades to mark state visits. Hence its nickname - the "Processional Street of America".

    The library of Congress - "the biggest existing library",- contains more than 13 million books in various languages. The Library serves the Congress, the entire government establishment and the public at large. The law of 1870 makes it obligatory to send to the Library two copies of every American book, newspaper or any other published item.

    The Pentagon is headquarters of the Department of Defence ("the world's largest office building"). Its shape is five-sided (hence the name Pentagon). The Pentagon is often used as a symbolic reference for the armed forces high command. The Pentagon is the heart of the US military-industrial complex.It is the most important department in the US federal government both

in the number of employees and the amounts of money spent.

    From miles around can be seen a tall structure in the hill behind the White House.It is the Washington Monument which is 500 feet (about 152 m) high. From this level the whole panorama of the District of Columbia and even parts of Maryland and Virginia can be seen. Its shape is that of an obelisk,a white marble shaft with an aluminium tip. (Hence its nickname – the "Pencil").

    No visit to Washington,D.C.,is complete without an excursion to the home of George Washington at Mount Vernon.The estate is on the Virginia shore of the Potomac River,fifteen miles south of the capital.Mount Vernon is important to see because it has been preserved restored as a typical 18-th century plantation home.

 

II. Translate the following word-combinations (see the text):

to be the seat of government, together with the suburbs, antiwar rallies, to house the nation's government, winters are not severe,has nothing to do with its politics,crowned by a great dome, contains more than 13 million books, its shape is five-sided, from this level,in various languages, fifteen miles south of the capital,deals in cotton,neither to the North nor to the South, it sits between two rivers, the city's streets are numbered or lettered, for public receptions, the estate.

 

 

III. Find in the text English equivalents for these words and phrases:

     Был создан, как никакой другой город, торгует хлопком,единственная промышленность Вашингтона, взрослое население, заявить протест против, одна из нескольких столиц, в чью честь был назван город, расположен между двух рек, центральная точка города, к западу или востоку от Капитолия, Капитолий состоит из, город разделен на четыре части,официальная резиденция президентов,на мили вокруг, где принимают послов и министров.

 

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