|
Архитектура Аудит Военная наука Иностранные языки Медицина Металлургия Метрология Образование Политология Производство Психология Стандартизация Технологии |
|
|
Архитектура Аудит Военная наука Иностранные языки Медицина Металлургия Метрология Образование Политология Производство Психология Стандартизация Технологии |
The United States of America. ⇐ ПредыдущаяСтр 2 из 2
The United States of America covers the central part of North America. Besides, Alaska and Hawaii belong to the USA. Its territory is about 9, 328, 000 square kilometers. The population of the United States is about 265 million people. The climate is different from state to state due to the large size of the country. It is mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, and arctic in Alaska. The USA is washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico in the east. It borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. The most important rivers in the USA are the Mississippi, the Colorado, the Ohio, and the Hudson River. The main mountain chains are the Cordillera in the west and the Appalachian Mountains in the east. Between these two mountain chains lie the central lowlands, called the prairie. To the north of the country, on the border with Canada, the Great Lakes are situated. They include the Lake Superior, the Lake Ontario, the Lake Eire, the Lake Huron and the Lake Michigan. Natural resources include nickel, lead, silver, oil, natural gas, iron and others. Present-day American history began in 1607, when colonizers established the first permanent English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. Further on during the 17th century the settlers from Europe came to the new lands. They struggled Native Americans and drove them away from rich land to reservations. At first thirteen British colonies were established on the eastern coast. In 1775 the colonies began their struggle for independence and succeeded in 1783. This was how the United States came into being. In 1861 the Civil War broke out. It is usually referred to as the war between the South and the North. Its aim was to give freedom to black slaves who previously could be bought or sold. Slavery was abolished in 1865, but the discrimination of the black population remained until the 1960s. The influence of the USA was growing during the 19th—20th centuries until by the beginning of the 21st century it became the leading power. It dominates the economy and political life of the world. The United States is a democratic federal republic. It comprises fifty states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and the District of Columbia, where the capital of the country is situated. The largest state is Alaska, and the smallest is Rhode Island. Each state has its own legislature. Head of State is the President. Washington, DC (District of Columbia) is the capital of the country, the seat of the government. The President is elected every four years.
7.3. Find in the text the English equivalents of the following words and word combinations and use them in the sentences of your own:
Занимает центральную часть; отличается … из-за; умеренный; граничит с; основные горные цепи; называемые; современная история; начали борьбу за независимость; рабство было отменено; законодательство.
7.4. Answer the following questions:
1. Where is the USA situated? 2. What land area does it cover? 3. How large is the population of the USA? 4. Why is the climate of the USA so diverse? 5. What countries does the USA border on? 6. What seas and oceans is it washed by? 7. What are the most important rivers in the USA? 8. Where are the Great Lakes situated? 9. The USA is rich in natural resources, isn't it? 10. When did the present-day American history begin? 11. What was the purpose of the war between the North and the South? 12. Why is the USA called the leading world power? 13. How many states are there in the USA? 14. What is the capital of the USA? 15. Who is the President of the USA?
1. The USA covers … 2. The territory of the USA is … 3. The population of the USA is… 4. The climate in the United States … due to the large size of the country. 5. The USA is washed by … 6. The chain mountains are… 7. The Great Lakes are situated … 8. Present-day American history began in … 9. The Civil War broke out in … 10. The largest state is … 11. Head of State is … 12. The capital of the country is …
7.6. Say what these figures refer to in the text.
9, 328, 000 265 1607 1775 1783 1861 1865
7.7. Speak about the geographic position of the USA using the map.
7.8. Retell the text.
Практическая работа № 8 Political System of the USA. 7.1. Learn the words:
The Political System of the USA The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states. Each state has its own government («state government»). In some ways the United States is like 50 small countries. The government of the USA act according to the Constitution which was signed by the first thirteen representatives of thirteen original American states in 1787. The document was written in 1787 and since that time twenty six Amendments have been added. The first ten Amendments were simply rights or the Bill of rights. According to the Constitution the USA is a republic. So, the officials of any rank are elected by US citizens. Every citizen has rights which can not be violated. The Constitution proclaims a federal system of government which keeps both the states and the federal power from getting too much power. It means that the federal government is given certain powers, for example, to make peace or war, to issue money and to regulate the trade and so on. The federal power is located in Washington, D.C. It is based on legislative, executive and juridical branches of power. The legislative power is vested in Congress, which consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives, There are 435 members in the House of Representatives and 100 senators in Congress. Each state elects two members for the Senate. The executive branch is headed by the President who is assisted by the Vice President. The President enforces federal laws, serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The President can veto a bill unless Congress by a two-thirds vote shall overrule him. The Vice President, elected from the same political party as the President, acts as chairman of the Senate, and in the event of the death of the President, assumes the Presidency. The President of the USA is chosen in nationwide elections every four years together with the Vice.-President. The President can not be elected for more than two terms. The Cabinet is made up of Department Secretaries. The most important of them is the Secretary of State, who deals with foreign affairs. The judicial branch is made up of Federal District Courts, 11 Federal Courts and the Supreme Court. Federal judges are appointed by the President for life. Federal courts decide cases involving federal law, conflicts between citizens of different states. Constitution has been amended twenty six times. The Bill of Rights guarantees individual liberties: freedom of word, religion and so on. Later amendments abolished slavery, granted the vote to women and colour people and allowed citizens to vote at the age of 18. Практическая работа № 9 Canada, Australia, New Zealand.
9.1. Read and translate the text.
Canada, Australia, New Zealand Canada
Canada is located in North America. It is the second largest country in the world, but the population of the country is only about 30 million people. Most of the population is concentrated along the southern border, in the cities such as Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. Canada is an independent country, though formally Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, is recognized as Head of State. The country consists of two territories and ten provinces. There are two official languages in Canada — English, which is the language of about 60% of the population, and French. The majority of French-speaking population is concentrated in the province of Quebec. The country is mainly agricultural. It is well known as an exporter of wheat and oats. It is also rich in natural resources. It is one of the main producers of electric power.
Australia
The continent of Australia is situated between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. The country's official name is Commonwealth of Australia. It is unique, because it is at the same time a continent, the smallest one in the world. Australia is a very young country. The explorers from Europe unanimously called it a wonderful continent. There are really a lot of wonders: strange animals and wildlife, unusually mild weather, warm winters, etc. Even the sun rises there in the west, which is strange for Europeans. Besides, there is great stock of mineral resources: gold, oil, coal and much more. The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states: South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and Western Australia. The central part of the country is scarcely populated. The majority of the inhabitants live along the seashore or on the islands surrounding the continent: Tasmania is probably the most famous of them. There are not very many cities in Australia. Agriculture is very well developed there. It is the world's leading manufacturer of wool. The largest and the most famous city is Sydney. It was the capital of the Olympic Games in 2000. The capital of the country is Canberra, which is a remarkable city, with lakes, parks and skyscrapers. New Zealand New Zealand is a country in the Pacific Ocean, situated to the southeast from Australia. The country consists of two main islands and a number of smaller ones. All of them belong to the large group of Polynesian Islands. As one of the former colonies of Great Britain, now New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth. It is formally the constitutional monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II being Head of State. The Queen appoints the governor who rules in her name. But, as well as in the UK, the Queen and her representatives have little or no power. In fact, the Prime Minister is the ruler. New Zealand is a rich country, most of its wealth being due to agricultural activities. The rate of life in New Zealand is really high. Auckland is the largest city in the country. The capital of New Zealand is Wellington. English is the official language in the country, though in some schools Maori, which is the language of the native population, is taught as well.
9.2. Learn the words.
9.3. Answer the questions about Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
1. Where is the country situated? 2. What is the size of the country? 3. What are its main cities? What is the capital of the country? 4. Where is the majority of the population concentrated? 5. What is the most important sphere of economy of the country? 6. Is the country rich in natural resources? What are they? 7. Who is formally recognized as Head of State in Canada? 8. What is the official language of the country?
9.4. Think of the beginning of the following sentences:
1. … is located in North America. 2. … between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. 3. … of two territories and ten provinces. 4. … is concentrated in the province of Quebec. 5. … belong to Polynesian Islands. 6. … an exporter of wheat and oats. 7. … a wonderful continent. 8. … due to agricultural activities.
9.5. Compare the countries. Use the following adjectives and adverbs:
the largest; the smallest; the most densely populated; the coldest; the youngest; the most wonderful
9.6. Choose one country to speak on the following:
1. The country’s territory 2. The country’s population. 3. Head of State. 4. The country’s main cities. 5. The country’s economy and resources.
Практическая работа № 10 Популярное: |
Последнее изменение этой страницы: 2016-04-11; Просмотров: 5179; Нарушение авторского права страницы