TEXT The United States of America

The official name of the country is the United States of America (the USA, America). The flag is called "The Stars and the Stripes". It has 13 stripes: 7 red and 6 white. They represent 13 original colonies. In the upper left corner there are 50 white stars on a blue field. They represent the present states. The flag as adopted in 1777 on June, 14. So it is Flag Day. In American schools the day begins with the ceremony of hoisting the flag. Currency: dollar. The USA occupies a large territory. It is the 4^th in the world (Russia, Canada, China). The USA lies in the central part of the North American continent with the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, Canada to the North and Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to the South. As the USA is a large country it has several different climate regions. The coldest climate is in the North. There is heavy snow in winter. The south has a subtropical climate. The region around Great Lakes is known for its changeable weather. The greatest part has a continental climate.

The population of the United States is more than 250 million people. People of different nationalities live in the USA. There are a lot of black people and about one million indians, many of whom live in reservations.

There are many mountains in the USA.

The main rivers of the USA are the Mississippi, the Colorado and the Colambia, the Saint Lawrence River and the Hudson River, the Ohio, the Missouri, the Arkansas. The longest river in the USA is the Mississipi. In the north - east, between the USA and Canada there are five Great Lakes.

The USA is a highly developed industrial country. The USA is rich in natural resources. Coal is found in many parts of the country. The USA has rich oil-fields in California, Texas, Alaska. The country is rich in gold and silver.

Such industries as machine-building, ship-building are highly developed in the country.

There are many big cities in the country. They are Washington, New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angelos, Hollywood and others. The capital of the USA is Washington. It is situated in the District of Colambia.

The USA is a federal republic, consisting of fifty states. Each of these states has its own government. Alaska is the largest state in America.

The national emblem of America is the Bald Eagle. It symbolizes each individual’s independence and strength. On the 4-th of July America celebrates Independence Day that gave birth to the American nation.

Congress is the American parliament which consists of two Houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The President is the head of the state and the government. He is elected for four years.

The Capitol is the seat of the USA Congress in Washington, D.C. The White House is the official residence of the USA president in Washington, D.C.

There are two main political parties in the USA. They are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Words and word combinations:

stripe – полоса;

to represent - представлять;

to occupy – занимать;

region – район;

changeable – изменчивый;

oil-field – нефтяные месторождения;

to elect – выбирать;

the District of Colambia – округ Колумбия;

reservation – резервация (территория,отведенная для индейцев в США);

Capitol – Капитолий, здание конгресса США;

national emblem – герб;

Bald Eagle – орел без оперения;

to symbolize – символизировать;

independence – независимость;

to celebrate -праздновать;

original –первоначальный.

ASSIGMENT

1. Phonetic difficulties. Practise the following:

She sells sea shells on the sea shore.
The shells that she sells are sea shore shells, I’m sure.

2. Give Russian equivalents to the following words:

Stars and stripes, occupies, the ceremony of hoisting the flag, subtropical climate, heavy snow, several, highly developed industrial country, oil-field, especially, ship-building, House of Representatives.

3. Ask questions of 4 types:

1. The USA lies in the central part of the North American continent.

2. The flag was adopted in 1777.

3. The greatest part has a continental climate.

4. There are two main political parties.

4. Answer the questions according to the text:

1. What is the official name of the country?

2. How many stripes and stars has the American flag got?

3. When was the flag adopted?

4. The USA occupies a small territory, doesn’t it?

5. Where is America situated?

6. Where is the coldest climate in the USA?