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Архитектура Аудит Военная наука Иностранные языки Медицина Металлургия Метрология Образование Политология Производство Психология Стандартизация Технологии |
Unit 1. Discovering AmericaСтр 1 из 5Следующая ⇒
Unit 1. Discovering America How much do you know? 1.What does the name “The United States of America” mean? 2.If you could take a trip to the United States which part would you like to visit? Why? 3.What is the capital of the USA? What do you know about it? 4.What American English words, expressions do you know? Why do you think they are American? Where did you learn them-from films, songs, or books? 5.Do you think it is better to go straight to college after high school, or to work or travel first? Explain your answer.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
America's largest rivers are the Mississippi with its tributary Missouri, the Rio Grande, the Ohio and the Columbia. The broad Mississippi River system runs 5,969 kilometers from Canada into the Gulf of Mexico and is the world's third longest river after the Nile and the Amazon. The USA is famous for its five Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and the Michigan. The first four lakes are on Mount McKinley the border with Canada and are the largest and deepest in the USA. There are also a lot of small lakes and the northern state of Minnesota, for example, is known as the land of 10,000 lakes.
The USA is rich in mineral resources; their wealth provides a solid base for American industry. It has major deposits of oil and gas in Texas and Alaska, coal in Virginia and Ohio, gold in Alaska and California, silver in Nevada, non-ferrous metals in Arkansas and Colorado.
The United States is a democracy. It means that the Constitution, laws and traditions of the USA give the people the right to decide who will be the leader of their nation, who will make the laws and what the laws will be. The Constitution guarantees individual freedom to all. According to the Constitution of the USA, the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive Congress meets in the Capitol. heated by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress and the judicial. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Washington, the capital of the United States, is in the District of Columbia (D.C.). This special district, named after Christopher Columbus, is not in any state, because it is the home of the federal government.
Creating Versailles from a marsh was no easy task. Building went slowly, and people were reluctant to move to the new capital. For years, pigs roamed through unpaved streets. There was said to be good hunting right near the White House! Matters were not helped when, during the War of 1812, the British burned parts of Washington. This episode did, however, give the White House its name. The president's house was one of the buildings burned, and after the war it was painted white to cover up the marks. Washington is the most important and most beautiful city of the country. It differs from the other cities as there are no skyscrapers: any building of the city can't be more than 40 metres tall not to hide the city's many monuments from view.
In Washington museums you can see different things: the original of the Declaration of Independence, the largest blue diamond in the world and even the dresses of Presidents' wives. Washington, D.C. today Washington is an important scientific and cultural center. There are five universities there (the most famous are Georgetown University, George Washington University and Howard University), the National Academy of Science and the famous Library of Congress, one of the largest libraries in the world. Every book, magazine on newspaper produced in the USA have to give a copy to the Library to keep. It is paid for by the government and is open to the public. The Library contains more than 13 million books and newspaper and 19 million manuscripts, including the personal papers of the US presidents. In Washington, D.C. there are memorials to the most famous American Presidents. The Lincoln memorial is built in the style of a classic Greek Temple. It has 36 columns. Each column represents the state in the Union of Lincoln's time. Inside the Memorial there is the statue of Abraham Lincoln. In Potomac Park the 555-feet monument of George Washington was erected in 1888. It’s called the “pencil” because of its shape. Outside the city there is the Arlington National Cemetery. John F. Kennedy, the 35th American President was buried here. Americans remember and honor their national heroes. Universities and colleges Forty-one percent of high school graduates go to college. Students pay tuition to study at public and private universities but fee is higher for those who come from outside the state. Some of them have scholarships to help with the cost of tuition. Even with a scholarship, higher education is very expensive; many families take out loans to pay for their children's college education.
as business, education, or art in their third year of college or after they have completed half of their course work.
COMPREHENSION Answer the questions. 1.Where is the USA situated and how large is it? 2How many states is the USA made up? 3Why do the most of Americans live in the eastern half of the country? 4.What are the largest rivers? 5.What are the most important industries in the USA? 6.What do Americans mean when they say that their country is a democracy? 7.Why was the capital of the USA named “Washington, D.C.”? 8.Why does it look different from other cities? 9.What are the most famous buildings of the city? 10.If you could spend only one day in Washington which place of interest would you choose to see and why? 11.Do Americans and Englishmen really speak the same language? 12.From what countries have the words been absorbed into Americans English? 13.How many basic levels in the educational system of the USA and what are they? 14.What must a student do, if he wants to go to college? 15.Why do only 41% of high school graduates go to college? Quiz 1.What is the smallest state of the USA? 2.Two of the states of the USA are separated from the others. Which of them? 3.The word “HOMES” helps American children to learn the names of the Great Lakes. Try to guess how. 4.The most popular letter in the names of the USA states is “M”. Name at least 5 states beginning with this letter. 5.Who designed Washington? 6.In 1814 Admiral Sir George Cockburn was ordered by the US President to burn the Capitol and the White House. Can you guess why? 7.Minnessota is a Dakota Sioux word. What does it mean “place of the big hill” or “sky-colored water”? 8.Today “Levi’s” can be used to mean “blue jeans”. English has other words that like Levi’s, began as names of specific products, but now are used in a more general way. Do you know these words? 9.What is the classification of students who are studying at high school? 10. “The Valentine State” and “The Mother of Presidents” are the nicknames of two American states. Name them and explain why they were named so. Discussion points 1.Doyou know anyone who has emigrated to the USA or wants to live there? What do they hope to find there? 2.If you visit some new place do you prefer to see it from the bus or car window or to explore it on foot? Explain your answer. 3.Approximately one out of eight people in the United States speaks a language other than English at home. Why do you think this happens? 4. Do people in your country speak other language than Ukraine at home? 5.What are some differences between the educational systems of the USA and Ukraine? 6.Would you like to study abroad? Why? TEST YOURSELF WHICH STATE? THE MELTING POT
1. living in the United States are… 2. The smallest ethnic group is … . 3. … form 12.6 percent of the population. 4. There are more … than people of Asian and Pacific Island origin.
THE NATION’S CAPITAL LANGUAGES IN THE USA Column B.
EDUCATION IN THE USA Across 1. Someone who studies at college or university 2. Student gets it after finishing each classing subject 3. A subject that deals with the past 4. A qualification you get by finishing a course of study 5. It is used for writing on the blackboard 6. A mathematical science concerned with the measurement of lines, angles, curves and shapes 7. Someone who is aged between 13 and 19 Down 8. The first-year student 9. It is paid to study at college or university 10. The control of knowledge 11. Someone who has successfully completed a college or university 12. Period of time when students don’t have classes and go home (vacation time)
AMERICAN VALUES How much do you know? 1.If you had to move your house where would you like to live? Would you prefer to live in a house or in an apartment? Why? 2. What do you know about American houseowners? 3.Have you ever tasted American food? Was it a snack, a main course, or a dessert? Describe what you ate. 4.Which sports are you interested in? Do you play or do you watch? 5. Do you know how Americans spend their free time? 6.Have you ever celebrated a holiday in another country? Which one was it? Describe what happened.
SWEET HOME
Owning your own home is a part of the American Dream and about two-thirds of Americans are homeowners. Traditional American houses are two stories high and made of wood. The yard or garden often has a white picket fence around. But most of Americans save for years, then make a down payment and take a mortgage or loan for the rest of the money. Approximately 66 percent of Americans live in a one-family house, 27 percent in an apartment, and 7 percent in a mobile home, located in mobile-home parks, which are becoming more popular, because they are comfortable, inexpensive, and easy to take care of.
Some people never own a house or an apartment because they can't save enough money for a down payment, or because they prefer to rent. If prices are high near where people work, they have to commute long distances by car, bus, or train every day. In the city, home may be in an apartment building called a condominium (often shortened to condo) or a co-op. Some buildings have door attendants (usually) doormen) for security. An apartment in a building without an elevator is called a walk-up. Out in the suburbs and in the country, home is more likely to be a one- or two-family house. Older people often do not live with their grown-up children. Many live in old people's homes, where there are no young children and the atmosphere is quiet. Americans are frequently on the move, and some families change their homes every few years. Every year, 20% of Americans move house. A married couple could start life in an apartment in New York, go on to a white painted wooden home in New Eng]|and, with small windows to keep out the cold in winter, and end their life in a sunny house in California, where oranges grow in the garden, and big windows give a wonderful view of the swimming pool and the ocean.
EATING AMERICAN STYLE As American as apple pie The expression "as American as apple pie" means something that is typically American, but even apple pie came from somewhere else. The only true American foods are those that the Native Americans gave the first settlers, including corn, squash, pumpkin, turkey, and buffalo. Roast turkey, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie are still eaten at Thanksgiving.
blackberry, raspberry, or blueberry. A piece of pie is often served with ice cream. What’s for breakfast? The average American eats three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. The day starts with breakfast. During the week this might be something quick: cereal with milk, a muffin or toast with coffee, tea, milk, or juice to drink. On the weekends when people have more time, breakfast might be pancakes, waffles, an omelet, or bacon and eggs. Lunch at work or school is usually between 12 and 1 p.m. Some people prefer to bring their lunch from home. Tuna fish, sliced meat called cold cuts, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are kids' favorites. Most schools and some businesses have cafeterias that serve lunch. Dinner, the biggest meal of the day, is generally at 6 or 7 p.m. A typical dinner includes a hot vegetable, a salad, meat or some kind of vegetable protein, and a potato or pasta dish. Stew (meat cooked with vegetables) and soup are also favorite dinner foods. Fast food People on the go because of busy work or social schedules don't have much time for cooking at home. Takeout meals from restaurants, pizza parlors, and delicatessens (also called delis) have become a regular part of everyday life. Food can be picked up at a restaurant, or people call in orders by phone and the takeout meal is delivered to their homes. Ready-to-eat and instant processed foods that are quick to prepare are very popular. TV dinners are complete dinners on a tray that you take from the freezer and heat up in the oven or microwave. Snacks and junk food like doughnuts, popcorn, cookies, or potato chips are also easy to eat.
SPORTS CRAZY Spectator sports in America are an obsession. Many people attend sporting events, listen to sports on the radio, and watch games on television. People of every age, race, and class buy sports magazines; the most widely sold is Sports Illustrated. Almost every major newspaper has a sports section. Sports are often a topic of conversation. People talk about game scores, what happened during the game, or predictions about the strategy and success of specific teams and players.
Sports are important in college. Students who show talent in a sport like tennis, track and field, swimming, football, or basketball can apply for sports scholarships. College football still attracts big crowds today. The best college players are selected by professional teams.
Professional sports in the United States are big business. Team owners pay football, baseball, and basketball stars salaries in the millions, so the teams will keep winning games and the owners can sell more tickets. Companies that sell sportswear and equipment pay large sums of money to famous players to advertise their products on radio or television, or in magazines and newspapers. Sports are so important that some cities compete to attract a major professional team away from another city. Many city governments think that having a successful team can make their city important, too. Sometimes, the city offers to build a new stadium. This is expensive, but people can find work at the new stadium, and in restaurants, hotels, and stores in the surrounding community. Some people are against this because they say that the money should be used for building schools and roads.
TIME OUT Social life Having a social life is important to most Americans. After school and on the weekends, children play with other kids who live on their block or in their neighborhood. They may play ball or ride their bikes together near home or at the park. Teenagers usually spend a lot of time with their friends just talking, or doing nothing special – just hanging out. They also like listening to music, and going to the movies, concerts, or dances. At the age of fifteen or sixteen, many teenagers have a boyfriend or girlfriend that they are going out with (in other words, dating exclusively). Teenage couples spend a lot of time hanging out together or with their friends. Young adults, both single and married, enjoy going out on the weekends for a break in their routine. They might go with friends to a restaurant or bar, or go to each other's houses for dinner. They also enjoy going to the movies, theater, and concerts with their friends, or playing games like tennis or golf. Family time The hectic lifestyle of Americans does not stop the average family from doing things together. They enjoy playing table games like cards and checkers, and taking part in sports activities like tennis, baseball, or bowling. On the weekends, members of a family may go to a museum or movie together. Going to see a baseball, basketball, football, or tennis game is a great American pastime. Americans also love watching television together. Sitcoms – half-hour or one-hour comedy shows in the evening – are very popular. On the weekend there is usually some kind of sports game on TV, and friends and relatives go over to each other's houses to watch it together. While they are watching TV, they like to snack on junk food like potato chips or cookies. People who watch a lot of TV are called couch potatoes. There is so much to see in the United States that only 5 percent of Americans (about thirteen million) vacation outside the country. People who go to beach resorts on the east or west coasts stay in hotels and motels, or rent apartments or houses. Going on a cruise or flying to Florida, or an island in the Caribbean is popular during the winter months.
Airplane travel is also common in America. At holiday time, many people fly to other cities to visit friends and relatives. During the winter, many people take short vacations to places with warm climates, like Florida and the island of the Caribbean.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Americans usually have only two to three weeks' paid vacation a year, so they make the most of public holidays. Often public holidays fall on a Monday so people have only a minimum of extra time off. Public holidays are the same throughout the country, although some states like Massachussetts and Maine have an extra holiday. They celebrate Patriot's Day on the third Monday in April to remember the first battle of the American Revolution. Many people spend New Year's Day resting. That's because they've stayed up most of the night, greeting the New Year! Some went to parties at friends' homes or at nightclubs. Others were out on the streets, throwing confetti and blowing noisemakers. Many people make New Year's resolutions (to eat less, to work more, etc.). Few people keep their resolutions. Martin Luther King, fr. Day, which falls in January, around King's birthday, is a time to celebrate the life and achievements of this great American, who struggled for equal rights for black Americans. Two other Americans are honored on Presidents’ Day. George Washington was the country’s first president. Abraham Lincoln brought the country through the Civil War. Their birthdays were both in February and are celebrated together. Memorial Day, honors American soldiers who have died in wars. It marks the beginning of the summer. Many people take short vacations over the long holiday weekends. Others enjoy picnics or barbecues. Labor Day is a holiday to honor working people all over America. It falls on the first Monday in September, marks the end of summer. For many students, the school year starts the day after Labor Day. Columbus Day, which falls on the second Monday in October, celebrates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492. As Columbus was Italian, working for Spain, Columbus Day is an especially important holiday for many Italian-Americans and Hispanic-Americans. Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, comes in the middle of summer. It is another time to celebrate with barbecues and picnics, and many towns and cities across the nation have exciting fireworks displays in the evening. The Fourth of July is the day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed and Americans started to fight for independence from the British.
In 1620 one of the first British settlements in America was established in Massachusetts. These settlers, known as Pilgrims, had come to America to freely practice their religion. They arrived in November, when it was too late to plant crops. Although many people died, the Pilgrim settlement survived the winter because of help from Indians who lived nearby. The Indians taught the Pilgrims about corn and showed them where to fish. The next November, after the crops were harvested, the Pilgrims gave thanks to God at a feast to which they invited the Indians. Every year, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. Families and friends get together for a big feast. The meal usually includes roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, a sweet sauce made from cranberries, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie. What a meal! It's not surprising that a recent Thanksgiving tradition is to sit after dinner in front of the TV watching a professional football game. After Thanksgiving, preparations for the winter holiday season begin. Christians celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas, and families and friends exchange cards and gifts. In fact, people start buying gifts right after Thanksgiving, although Christmas is a month away. Houses are decorated with Christmas trees and colored lights. On Christmas Day, children find presents from Santa Claus under the Christmas tree. Their parents tell them that Santa lives in the North Pole and, on the night before Christmas, he travels the world in a sled pulled by reindeer. He goes down the chimneys of houses to leave gifts for children who have been good. Naturally, children are the first to get out of bed on Christmas morning! Comprehension Answer the questions. 1.What does “traditional American home” mean? 2.Why do not older people often not live with their grown up children? 3.Why do some people never own a house or an apartment? 4.What are the only true American food? 5.Why is fast food very popular in the USA? 6.What are the most popular sports in the USA? 7. Why do some cities compete to attract a major professional team? 8. Where do Americans go on vacation? 9. What public holidays do you know? 10. What does the Fourth of July celebrate? 11. When will you see many jack-o-lanterns? 12. What was the reason for the first Thanksgiving?
Quiz. 1. How is an apartment without an elevator called? 2. This type of home is becoming more popular, because it easy to take care of. What is it? 3. Cannelloni is pasta stuffed with meat or other filling and baked in a sauce. Which country do you think it comes from? 4. What is the big prize in professional football? 5. What kinds of sport are American in origin? 6. Who was Columbus? What do you think Columbus Day celebrates? 7. What day of the week is Thanksgiving celebrated on? How is this different from many other public holidays? True or false. 1. Most Americans prefer to live in apartments. 2. Old people usually live with their children and grandchildren. 3. Many American families move every few years. 4. Apple pie is typically American dish. 5. Americans prefer fast food because they are very busy. 6. In most of American colleges sports activities are not very important. 7. The most popular sport is golf. 8. Famous players are paid by sportswear and equipment companies to advertise their products. 9. Americans like watching TV. 10. Americans prefer to go on vacation outside the country. 11. Public holidays usually fall on Sunday.
Discussion points. 1. Make up an ad for your ideal apartment. What special features would you include? 2. Which is the most important meal of the day for you? Explain at what time you eat it and why? 3. Do you have a favorite meal that is typical of your country or area? Write a recipe for that meal. List the ingredients needed and the instructions for preparation. 4. Most people understand the importance of sports in people’s life but not all people go in for sports. Can you explain why? 5. Some people say, that because sportsmen earn so much and because children admire them, sportsmen should be good role models – that is, set a good example by their behavior. Do you think sportsmen have this obligation? 6. A few years ago going to the cinema was more popular than it is now. Can you explain why many people prefer to watch films on TV? 7. Which of the following vacations would you prefer to take? (1) a seaside vacation (2) a camping and hiking vacation (3) a skiing vacation Explain the reason for your choice. 8. Which of holidays would you like to share with an American family? Explain your answer.
TEST YOURSELF AT HOME WHICH IS BETTER FOR YOU? II. Health-conscious Americans eat snacks that are low in fat. Compare the regular tortilla chips with the reduced-fat kind. Fill in the blanks.
1. The reduced-fat chips have …calories … the regular chip. 2. The regular chips contain … fat … the reduced-fat chips. 3. The regular chips have … servings … the reduced-fat chips. 4. The weight of the reduced-fat chips is … the regular chips.
SPORTS EQUIPMENT
A. Football ______ B. Basketball _______ C. Golf_______ D. Tennis ________ E. Baseball _________ ON VACATION IV. What do you want to do on vacation? Are there some things you don't like? Look at the list and talk about what you like to do or don't enjoy doing. Example I enjoy / don't enjoy taking long walks. I like / I don't like to take pictures. I like / I don't like taking pictures.
TELEVISION IN MODERN LIFE NATIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYS VI. Make a time chart for public holidays.
Unit 1. Discovering America How much do you know? 1.What does the name “The United States of America” mean? 2.If you could take a trip to the United States which part would you like to visit? Why? 3.What is the capital of the USA? What do you know about it? 4.What American English words, expressions do you know? Why do you think they are American? Where did you learn them-from films, songs, or books? 5.Do you think it is better to go straight to college after high school, or to work or travel first? Explain your answer.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
America's largest rivers are the Mississippi with its tributary Missouri, the Rio Grande, the Ohio and the Columbia. The broad Mississippi River system runs 5,969 kilometers from Canada into the Gulf of Mexico and is the world's third longest river after the Nile and the Amazon. The USA is famous for its five Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and the Michigan. The first four lakes are on Mount McKinley the border with Canada and are the largest and deepest in the USA. There are also a lot of small lakes and the northern state of Minnesota, for example, is known as the land of 10,000 lakes.
The USA is rich in mineral resources; their wealth provides a solid base for American industry. It has major deposits of oil and gas in Texas and Alaska, coal in Virginia and Ohio, gold in Alaska and California, silver in Nevada, non-ferrous metals in Arkansas and Colorado.
The United States is a democracy. It means that the Constitution, laws and traditions of the USA give the people the right to decide who will be the leader of their nation, who will make the laws and what the laws will be. The Constitution guarantees individual freedom to all. According to the Constitution of the USA, the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive Congress meets in the Capitol. heated by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress and the judicial. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Washington, the capital of the United States, is in the District of Columbia (D.C.). This special district, named after Christopher Columbus, is not in any state, because it is the home of the federal government.
Creating Versailles from a marsh was no easy task. Building went slowly, and people were reluctant to move to the new capital. For years, pigs roamed through unpaved streets. There was said to be good hunting right near the White House! Matters were not helped when, during the War of 1812, the British burned parts of Washington. This episode did, however, give the White House its name. The president's house was one of the buildings burned, and after the war it was painted white to cover up the marks. Washington is the most important and most beautiful city of the country. It differs from the other cities as there are no skyscrapers: any building of the city can't be more than 40 metres tall not to hide the city's many monuments from view.
In Washington museums you can see different things: the original of the Declaration of Independence, the largest blue diamond in the world and even the dresses of Presidents' wives. Washington, D.C. today Washington is an important scientific and cultural center. There are five universities there (the most famous are Georgetown University, George Washington University and Howard University), the National Academy of Science and the famous Library of Congress, one of the largest libraries in the world. Every book, magazine on newspaper produced in the USA have to give a copy to the Library to keep. It is paid for by the government and is open to the public. The Library contains more than 13 million books and newspaper and 19 million manuscripts, including the personal papers of the US presidents. In Washington, D.C. there are memorials to the most famous American Presidents. The Lincoln memorial is built in the style of a classic Greek Temple. It has 36 columns. Each column represents the state in the Union of Lincoln's time. Inside the Memorial there is the statue of Abraham Lincoln. In Potomac Park the 555-feet monument of George Washington was erected in 1888. It’s called the “pencil” because of its shape. Outside the city there is the Arlington National Cemetery. John F. Kennedy, the 35th American President was buried here. Americans remember and honor their national heroes. |
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The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world after Russia, China and Canada. 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. Alaska is the largest of America's 50 states and it is 400 times the size of Rhode Island which is the smallest. The country is so large that a coast-to-coast trip by plane will take five and a half hours, by train three days and by car from five to six days. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. The south-eastern coast of the country is washed by the Gulf of Mexico and the US also has coasts on the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The USA has a seaborder 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 people. Some states are more densely populated than the others, for example, Alaska has half of the Rhode Island's population. More citizens of the USA live in rural areas. It is not surprising that most of the people of the United States live in the eastern half of the country although California on the West Coast is the most populous state. It is to the East Coast the first settlers from Europe came when they crossed the Atlantic. They were attracted by the fertile lands of the Atlantic coast in the southeast and inland beyond the eastern Appalachian mountains. This part of the country gets enough rainfall for crops, has valuable forests and most of the country's riches in iron and coal deposits. As America expanded westward, so did its farmers and ranchers, cultivating the grasslands of the Great Plains and finally the fertile valleys of the Pacific Coast. Today American farmers plant spring wheat on the cold western plains, raise corn, wheat and fine beef cattle in the Midwest, and rice in the damp heat of Louisiana. Florida and California are famous for their vegetable and fruit production, and the cool, -rainy northwest states are known for apples, berries and vegetables. Cowboys at work on a ranch
The land varies from heavy forests covering 2,104 mln hectares, to barren deserts, from high-peaked mountains (the highest peak is Mount McKinley in Alaska) to deep canyons (Death Valley in California is 1,064 meters below sea level). The highest mountains in the USA are the Cordilleras that run the length of the west coast and include the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada.
The territory of the USA is so large that it lies in different climatic zones. The greater portion of the country is situated between 30 and 49 degrees Northern Latitude and its climate is moderate continental.
The largest cities of the USA are New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago Philadelphia, Detroit and some others.
When it was decided that the new country needed a new city for its capital, President George Washington himself helped pick the spot—a marshy area where the Potomac and Anacostia rivers come together. French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant created a design based on Versailles, a palace built for King Louis XIV in the 17th century. The capital city would be crisscrossed by broad avenues, which would meet in spacious squares and circles.
The Capitol is the tallest building of the city and the seat of Congress. The White House is another well-known building, where the current president of the USA lives during his term and works in the Oval Office which is located there. The White House is open for tours and tourists visit it almost any day of the year.
A full-time undergraduate degree (a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) usually takes four years. A Master of Arts or Master of Science degree may be 1 obtained in one or two additional years. The highest academic degree is the Doctor of Philosophy. It may take any number of years to complete the original research work necessary to obtain this degree. Many students study part-time, so it may take them much longer to finish. Some students take an associate's degree at a community college, where the tuition fees are lower and study two more years at a four-year college to complete their bachelor's degree.
The majority of the people
Immigrants have brought all kinds of dishes with them from their home countries. People enjoy tasting new dishes and often exchange recipes with friends. A typical family may eat tacos (originally from Mexico), pizza (from Italy), or apple pie (from England). Steaks and hamburger are popular, although for health reasons many people eat less red meat than they used to. Fried chicken is also a favorite, especially in the southern states.
Children are encouraged to participate in sports at an early age. There are children's baseball, soccer, football, and basketball teams in almost every community. The rivalry between high schools and colleges in sporting events goes right through the school year from football in September to track and field in June. Cheerleaders and bands lead the supporters in rooting for their home team.
Football is the most popular sport, followed by baseball and basketball. In general, football is played in the fall, basketball in the winter and early spring, and baseball from early spring through early fall. The big prize in professional football is to win the Super Bowl. For basketball teams, it is the NBA (National Basketball Association) Championship, and in baseball, the World Series.
Going on vacation
Since traveling in the United States is so expensive, many Americans save on lodging and transportation by traveling in cars or vans and camping out in tents. There are campgrounds at popular vacation sites all over America. In the West, it is common to see families camping out in RVs (recreational vehicles), as they tour national parks like Yosemite in California and Yellowstone.
On Halloween (October 31) children wear costumes and go trick-or-treating. At each house they visit, they shout "Trick or treat?" Usually, people give the children candy, because they don't want to have a trick played on them. The windows of many houses have Halloween decorations and jack-o’-lanterns (pumpkins that have been carved with strange faces and have a candle inside).
III. 1) You need equipment to play most sports. Look at the list of sports and decide what equipment is needed for each sport.