Text A Geographical Outline of the USA

 

The United States of America (may also be called the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic. The country is situated mostly in central North America. At 9.83 million square km and with over 312 million people the United States is the world's third largest country in population and in area. It consists of 50 states and a federal district. The United States stretches across central North America from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and from Canada in the north to Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico in the south. The state of Alaska is located in extreme North America between the Arctic and Pacific oceans and shares borders with Canada on the eastern side and Russia on the western side, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean. The conterminous United States may be divided into several regions: New England[4], the Middle Atlantic[5], the Southeast[6], the Midwest[7], the Great Plains[8], the Mountain States[9], the Southwest[10], and the Far West[11].

Alaska is the largest state in area and Rhode Island is the smallest. California has the largest population, while Wyoming has the fewest people. The largest U.S. cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia. Among the other major cities are Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, D.C.(the capital), Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis, New Orleans, and Austin. The country encompasses mountains, plains, lowlands, and deserts. Mountain ranges include the Appalachians, Rockies, Cascades, Sierra Nevada. The lowest point is Death Valley in California. The highest point is Alaska's Mount McKinley. Chief rivers are the Mississippi, the Colorado, the Columbia, and the Rio Grande. The Great Lakes and the Great Salt Lake are the largest lakes.

The United States includes most climate types. The climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south. Extreme weather is not uncommon as the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico are prone to hurricanes, and most of the world's tornadoes occur within the country, mainly in the Midwest's Tornado Alley.

It must be interesting to note that the U.S. is among the world's leading producers of several minerals, including copper, silver, zinc, gold, coal, petroleum, and natural gas; it is the chief exporter of food. Its manufactures include iron and steel, chemicals, electronic equipment, and textiles. Other important industries are tourism, dairy, livestock raising, fishing, and lumbering. More than 79% of the United States population is urban, and the great majority of the inhabitants are of European descent. According to the U.S. census, in 2000 the largest minority were Hispanics (12.5% of the population); African-American (12.3%) Asian (3.6%). About 82% of the people can speak English and about 11% speak Spanish as their first language.

5. What are the English equivalents to the following word-combinations:

третья крупнейшая страна в мире; самый большой штат; наименьшее количество людей; наивысшая точка; крупнейшие озера; большинство смерчей, происходящих в мире; наибольшее меньшинство.

6. Read the text and answer the following questions:

What is the official name of the country?

Why is it considered to be the third largest country in the world?

What oceans is it bordered by?

What countries does the USA border on?

Is there any maritime border in the USA?

What regions may be the country divided into?

What can you say about the country’s climate?

What minerals is the USA rich in?

What branches of industry are highly developed?

What are the peculiarities of the United States population?

7. Study the mapof the United States and be ready to comment on the country’s geographical outline.

8. The USA has its symbols, mottoes and nicknames. What are they?

9. Read the text B “Sightseeing in the USA ” and tell what place of interest you would like to visit. Explain your choice. Make a presentation.

 

Text B Sightseeing in the USA

 

The Golden Gate Bridge Casino in Las Vegas Niagara Falls Walk of Fame

The magical charm and glory of the USA attract people from all over the world. It is a land of ancient and modern cities, lakes, beautiful beaches and vast stretches of deserts. There are many museums, art galleries and cathedrals, which speak about the history and culture of the country. The country of USA boasts of places of tourist attraction. The main and most popular ones are:

New York. With its skyscrapers, this city stands high in style and sophistication. Times Square, which is one of the most famous places for sightseeing in the USA is located there. The place is always crowded with tourists and is known for cinema halls, Broadway theaters and various other means of entertainment. Nearly 2000 tourists visit the city on an average from various parts of the world.

Los Angeles. The glamour and rich beauty of this place is highly appealing. The most visited places are: Universal Studios in Hollywood, California Science Center, Pacific Aquarium, Wild Rivers Water Park and more.

Las Vegas. It is an important entertainment arena if you want to party and have unlimited fun. The city has innumerable casinos, clubs, pubs, discos where you can eat and have fun. Las Vegas is an internationally celebrated resort city. You will find various spas and casino resorts, which are visited by tourists from all over the world.

San Francisco. This city has a pristine beauty with a very modern outlook. The Golden Gate Bridge is certainly not to be missed out.

Boston. The elegance of Boston with its museums, historic sites attract a huge amount of tourists every year. Faneuil Hall Market Place is a unique market place, because it includes four historic places of interest. They are: Faneuil Hall, South Market, Quincy Market and North Market. It is a shopper’s paradise as there are more than 100 shops in this arena. You can choose from different varieties of goods, which are sold at these shops. If you feel bored, then you can have a look at the old promenade, where magicians, jugglers and musicians, entertain the shoppers. You can enjoy the shows, by munching your favorite delicacy from the restaurants.

Chicago. This place is famous for its huge range of museums like Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, Children's Museum, Swedish American Museum, and more.

Niagara Falls need no special mentioning. It is one of the most famous and popular sightseeing in the USA. It is located on the border between the US and Canada. If you love adventure and want to have a real feel of the waterfalls, then you can enjoy the boat ride, which is full of fun and is thrilling.

10. Read the text C “ Mardi Gras in New Orleans” and explain

a) the origin of the holiday;

b) the meaning of the holiday colors and other symbols;

c) the parade details;

d) the Americans’ attitude to Mardi Gras.