Unit 3 1-1 The United States of America

Unit 3    1-1 The United States of America

The USA is the most powerful and highly developed country of the world. It is situated in the central part of the North American continent. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The USA is separated from Canada in the north by the 49th parallel and the Great Lakes, and from Mexico in the south by a line following the Rio Grande River and continuing across the highlands to the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the USA is over 9 million square kilometres.

The continental part of the USA consists of the highland regions and two lowland regions. The highland regions are the Appalachia mountains in the east and the Cordillera in the west.

Between the Cordillera and the Appalachian Mountains are the central lowlands which are called the prairie, and eastern lowlands called the Mississippi valley.  
The principal rivers of the USA are the Mississippi, the longest river in the world (7,330 km) and the Hudson river. The climate of the USA differs greatly from one part of the country to another. The coldest climate is in the northern part, where there is heavy snow in winter and the temperature may go down to 40 degrees below zero. The south has a subtropical climate, with temperature as high as 49 degrees in summer.

The population of the United States of America is about 250 million people, who are called Americans. Most of the people live in towns and the population of the countryside is becoming smaller and smaller.

For many decades the USA has been the place where lots of people sought refuge from persecution for political or religious beliefs. That's why in America there are representatives of practically all racial and national groups. There are about 25 million Negroes in the country and a little over half a million Indians.

The capital of the USA is Washington. It is situated in the District of Columbia. Washington is a beautiful administrative city with practically no industry. The USA is a highly developed industrial state. Its agriculture is also highly mechanized. There are coal-mines in the Cordillera Mountains, in the Kansas City region. Iron is mined near the Great Lakes. The USA has rich oil-fields in California, Texas and some other regions. It occupies one of the first places among the countries of the world for production of coal, iron and oil.

The USA has a highly developed motor-ear industry. It would be no exaggeration to say that cars have become the symbol of American way of life. The vehicles produced at such companies as Ford and the General Motors are known world-wide. The motor-car industry is concentrated in and around Detroit. Ship-building is developed along the Atlantic coast and in San Francisco. The textile industry is to be found in the north-east and in the south of the country.

The USA has a highly developed railway system. It also has the best network of roads in the world. They are called highways.

The USA is a federal country of 50 states and the District of Columbia. The political life of the country has always been dominated by the two major parties: the Democratic party and the Republican party. At an election time they contest presidency and the majority of seats in the Congress. The Congress is the highest legislative body of the country. It consists of two chambers — the House of Representatives and the Senate. The President, elected by the whole nation for four years, is head of the state and the Government.

Questions:

1. What kind of state is the USA?  
2. Where is it situated?  
3. What is the USA washed by in the east and in the west?  
4. What is the USA separated from Canada by?  
5. What is the total area of the country?  
6. What are the principal rivers of the USA?  
7. What is the population of the country?  
8. Where do most people live?  
9. What did many people seek in the USA?  
10. Why are there representatives of all racial and national groups in America?  
11. Where is the capital of the country situated?  
12. Is the agriculture in America highly mechanized?  
13. What raw materials is America rich in?  
14. What has become the symbol of American way of life?  
15. Where is the motor-car industry situated?  
16. Where is the textile industry to be found?  
17. Has the USA a highly developed railway system?  
18. How many states are there in the USA?  
19. By what party has the political life in America been dominated?  
20. What do the two parties contest at an election time?  
21. What is the highest legislative body of the country?  
Vocabulary:

powerful — мощный  
western — западный  
eastern — восточный  
highland regions — возвышенность  
lowland regions — низменность  
prairie — прерии  
to seek (sought, sought) refuge — искать убежище  
persecution — преследование  
political and religious beliefs — политические и религиозные убеждения  
rich oil fields — богатые месторождения нефти  
California — Калифорния  
It would be no exaggeration, o say — не будет преувеличением сказать, что  
symbol — символ  
textile — текстильная промышленность  
network of roads — сеть дорог  
to contest presidency — оспаривать, претендовать на пост президента  
the majority of seats in the Congress — большинство мест в конгрессе  
the highest legislative body — высший законодательный орган  
chamber — палата

Unit 3    1-2 The United States of America

The USA is composed of 50 states. It occupies the central part of North American continent. It borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south.

The waters of the Atlantic Ocean wash the USA in the east and the waters of the Pacific Ocean wash the country in the west. The Hawaiian Islands are in the Pacific Ocean. They became the 50th state of the USA in 1958. The total area of the country is 9000 square kilometers. The population is more then 200 million people.

Washington is the capital of USA. English is the official language. The flag of the USA known as the “Stars and Stripes”.

The Rocky Mountains extend from Alaska through the USA to Mexico, but greater part of the country is a plain. Where are many rivers in USA and the longest is Mississippi. The country has every variety of climates: from climate of the tropics to that of the Atlantic regions. The USA economy grew greatly during the world wars. When big American monopolists got great profits.

The country is rich in mineral resources, heavy industry prevails in the USA economy, including mining metallurgical, machine building, chemical industries. Light and food industries are wheel developed too.

The USA is the federate republic. The president is the heard of the state. He is also commander –in –chief of army and navy. The highest legislative organ in the country is the congress, which consists of the senate and House of Representatives.

Unit 3    2-1 Washington

Washington, the capital of the United States of America, is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The district is a piece of land ten miles square and it does not belong to any separate state but to all the states. The district is named in honour of Columbus, the discoverer of America. The capital owes much to the first President of the USA -George Washington. It was G. Washington, who chose the place for the District and laid in 1790 the corner-stone of the Capitol, where Congress sits.

Washington is not the largest city in the USA. It has a population of 900 000 people. Washington is a one-industry town. That industry is government. It does not produce anything except very much scrap paper. Every day 25 railway cars leave Washington loaded with scrap paper.

Washington has many historical places. The largest and tallest among the buildings is the Capitol with its great House of Representatives and the Senate chamber. There are no skyscrapers in Washington because no other building must be taller than the Capitol. The White House is the President's residence. All American presidents except George Washington (the White House was not yet built in his time), have lived in the White House. It was built in 1799. It is a two-storied, white building.

Not far from the Capitol is the Washington Monument, which looks like a very big pencil. It rises 160 metres and is hollow inside. A special lift brings visitors to the top in 70 seconds from where they can enjoy a wonderful view of the whole city.

The Jefferson Memorial was built in memory of the third President of the USA, Thomas Jefferson, who was also the author of the Declaration of Independence. The memorial is surrounded by cherry-trees. The Lincoln Memorial devoted to the memory of the 16th President of the US, the author of the Emancipation Proclamation, which gave freedom to Negro slaves in America. On the other bank of the Potomac lies the Arlington National Cemetery where President Kennedy was buried. American soldiers and officers, who died in World Wars I and II are buried there too.

Questions:

1. What city is the capital of the USA? 
2. Where is Washington situated? 
3. To which state does the city of Washington belong? 
4. In whose honour is the district of Columbia named? 
5. Who was the first President of the USA? 
6. Who chose the place for the District? 
7. Is Washington the largest city in the USA? 
8. What is the population of Washington? 
9. What industries are situated in the city?  
10. What do 25 railway cars leave Washington loaded with? 
11. Why are there no sky-scrapers in Washington? 
12. Where is the President's residence? 
13. When was the White House built? 
14. In whose memory was the Jefferson Memorial built? 
15. Who is the author of the Declaration of Independence? 
16. Which document gave freedom to Negro slaves in America?

17. Who was buried at the Arlington National Cemetery? 
Vocabulary:

separate - отдельный 
to be named in honour - быть названным в честь  
except - кроме, за исключением  
scrap paper - макулатура  
hollow - полый, пустой 
to enjoy a wonderful view of - любоваться прекрасным видом 
cherry-trees - вишневые деревья 
on the other bank - на другом берегу

Unit 3     2-2 Washington

The beautiful city of Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States and the centre of its government. The capital was named after the first president George Washington and was founded in 1790. It is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. Washington is not the largest city in the USA. It has about 900 000 inhabitants.

Washington D.C. has nothing characteristically American in it, as its conception is purely French. It has long wide avenues, gardens, beautiful parks and no skyscrapers at all.

Washington is the residence of the President and the Congress of the USA. The White House is the President's residence, the Capitol — the seat of the American Congress. The largest and the tallest among the buildings is the Capitol with its great House of Representatives and Senate Chamber. There are no skyscrapers because no other building must be taller than the Capitol.

All american presidents except George Washington (the White House was not yet built in his time) have lived in the White House. It was built in 1799. Washington is a large scientific and cultural centre, where there are many research institutes, five universities, the National Academy of Science and the Library of Congress.

There is one more well-known building in Washington — Pentagon, the residence of the US Military department. It is situated in the suburbs to the south of the Potomac.

Questions:

1. What is the capital of the USA?  
2. Who was the first President of the USA?  
3. Is White House situated there?  
4. Did George Washington live in the White House?  
5. Name the famous buildings in Washington.  
6. Is there any industry in Washington?  
Vocabulary:

to be founded — быть основанным  
conception — понятия, замысел  
skyscraper — небоскреб  
except — за исключением  
suburb — пригород

Unit 3     2-3 Washington

Washington sprang out of a marshy wilderness. It's named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. Washington is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia is outside the jurisdiction of any state and subjects only to the control of the Federal Congress.

Washington is the seat of the Federal Government of the United States. It has been the capital of the USA since 1800. It has about 900 000 inhabitants.

Washington is one of the least industrialized metropolises in the world. However, in many ways it's a typical American city. Washington often rates as "dangerous" on the scale of air pollution. The air is periodically toxic from exhaust fumes. The water in Potomac is polluted. There are traffic jams in rush hours in its streets. Washington is often called the city of underprivileged and poor blacks.

In spite of all its problems, Washington has another nickname — the American Paris. The major attractions for tourists are in the heart of Washington. Among them the National Museum of History, the National Museum of Natural History. The National Gallery of Art exhibits thousands of the world's finest canvases. The Library of Congress is the younger rival of the London Library of the British Museum. It contains a lot of books, prints and photos.

There's hardly a park, a square or a open area in the capital without monument or a memorial. The most impressive and best-known of them are the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument is the highest structure of the city. The oldest building in Washington is the White House, the official residence of the President.

Washington's broad and long streets add to the poise of the city. Most of them are called after states — Pennsylvania Avenue, Connecticut Avenue. The capital is also proud of its two universities — Georgetown University and George Washington University.  
  

Questions:

1. What is the capital of the USA?  
2. What is another Washington's name?  
3. Is Washington a typical American city?  
4. What kind of interesting places are there in the city?  
5. Name the most famous monuments in the city.

 
Vocabulary:

marshy wilderness — болотная пустошь  
jurisdiction — юрисдикция  
exhaust fumes — выхлопные газы

Unit 3     3-1 New York

New York is the largest city in the USA and the biggest seaport. It is the business centre of the United States. New York is situated in the mouth of the Hudson river. In comparison with such ancient historical cities as, say, Rome, London, Moscow or Paris, New York is quite young. It was founded in 1613 by Dutch settlers.

There are five districts in the city: Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Richmond. Manhattan is the central and the oldest part of the city. It is the district of business and finance. It is here in Wall Street that many business offices, banks and the world famous New York stock exchange are situated. The New York stock exchange dominates business life of many countries.

The total area of New York is 365 square miles or 900 square kilometres. Its population together with the population of its suburbs amounts to 16 million people. Among the inhabitants of New York one can meet people of almost all nationalities. They settled here during the immigration in the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century.

A traveller who visits New York for the first time wonders at the modern architecture. The Statue of Liberty, which is on Liberty Island, was a present from France in 1876 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of American independence. This statue and a few 18th and 19th century churches, hospitals, newspaper offices and other buildings are the only examples of "old" architecture in New York. Wherever your eyes travel, everywhere you can see sky-scrapers.

New York, one of the USA leading manufacturing cities, is the home of great firms and banks. The most important branches of industry are those producing vehicles, glass, chemicals and all kinds of machinery. The city has very busy traffic. Its streets and highways are full of cars and buses. The mouth of the Hudson river makes an excellent harbour for numerous passengers and cargo ships from all over the world. Speaking about New York one can't but mention the outstanding role, the city plays, in the cultural life of the country.

New York has many museums and art galleries which have collected works of art of many peoples and of all times. Many of them are on constant display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of Art. Most of the theatres and cinemas are in or near Broadway, the longest street and the biggest shopping district in New York. The Metropolitan and Modern Arts Museums attract many visitors.  

Questions:

1. What is the largest city in the USA? 
   2. Where is New York situated? 
   3. When was the city founded? 
   4. How many districts are there in New York? 
   5. What is the central and the oldest part of New York? 
   6. In which district are many offices situated? 
   7. What is the population of New York? 
   8. People of how many nationalities live in the city? 
   9. What does a traveler who comes to New York for the first time wonder at? 
   10. How and when did the Statue of Liberty appear in New York? 
   11. Which industries are situated in New York? 
   12. What is situated in the mouth of the Hudson river? 
   13. What are the names of art museums situated in New York? 
   14. In what street are most of the theatres and cinemas situated?

Vocabulary:

to be founded - быть основанным 
Dutch settlers - датские поселенцы 
stock exchange - биржа  
the total area - общая площадь  
suburbs - пригороды  
to amount to - составлять  
to settle - поселиться 
to wonder at smth. - любоваться чем-либо  
sky-scrapers - небоскребы  
vehicle - автомобиль, средство передвижения 
highway - автострада 
harbor - пристань 
cargo ships - грузовые корабли 
to be on constant display - постоянно экспонироваться

Unit 3     3-2 New York

New York is one of the largest cities in the world and the biggest seaport. It's the financial capital of the country. It's the business centre of the United States. The city is situated in New York State, at the mouth of the Hudson river. It's population is over eight million. In early times the New York area was populated by Indians. It is here in Wall Street many business offices, banks and world famous New York stock exchange are situated.

New York is an industrial and cultural centre of the country. The most important branches of industry are those producing vehicles, glass, chemicals. New York is also a great cultural centre. It has many museums, art galleries, theatres. There are two world-famous streets in New York — Broadway and Fifth Avenue.

Broadway is the centre of the theatres and night life. Fifth Avenue is the great shopping, hotel and club avenue.  
The Empire State Building is at Fifth Avenue. It's a 102-storeyed building, was built in 1931. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is at Fifth Avenue. It includes hundreds of world famous masterpieces and attracts many visitors.

The Statue of Liberty is the symbol of American democracy. It stands on Liberty Island in New York port. Liberty carries the torch of freedom in her right hand. In her left hand she is holding a tablet with the inscription "July 4,1776" — American Independence Day.

Today New York City is informally called "The Big Apple". The origin of this name is unknown, but it is popular all over the world.

Questions:

1. Is New York a capital of the USA?  
2. Where is New York situated?  
3. Is New York an industrial centre?  
4. What are the two world — famous streets in New York?  
5. What is the nickname of New York?  
6. Would you like to visit New York?  
Vocabulary:

stock exchange — биржа  
vehicles — средство передвижения  
include — включать  
masterpiece — шедевр  
torch — факел

Unit 3     3-3 New York

New York is the biggest city in the USA and one of the largest cities of the World* The population of this city is near 12 million people. It is the capital of New York State.

There are 5 boroughs in New York — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island or Richmond. Brooklyn alone has so many people that if it were a separate city, it would be the fourth largest city in the United States.

Some call New York a poem in stone and steel, others a soulless monster. It is unlike any other city in the world.

At the beginning of the 17th century only the wigwams of the Iroquois stood where the sky-scrapers of New York now reach to the clouds. In 1626 the Dutch Governor, Peter Minuit, concluded with them what American business experts call «the most profitable commercial deal in the U.S. history». With several bottles of gin and a handful of trinkets that cost twenty-four dollars, he bought a large island from the simple-hearted, trusting Indians. Later the Indians named the island Manhatta (present-day Manhattan, the main borough of New York, which in Iroquois means: «They cheated us».

It seems that at the dawn of private enterprise, too, it was hard to understand the difference between «a commercial deal» and cheating, between «a miracle of enterprise» and robbery.

It was not until the end of the 18th century that the city's real growth began. Situated as it is at the mouth of the Hudson River, which is open to ocean-going ships the year round, New York quickly became one of the largest ports in the world.

At the turn of the twentieth century millions of people driven by poverty emigrated to the United States from various countries, of Europe. They entered the New World through New York, the «Gateway of America.»

New York attracts people from all over the world. If you are crossing New York City by subway, look at the newspapers other people around read. One person is reading a newspaper in Spanish, another in Chinese, others in Arabic, Russian, Italian and French and so on.

Hundreds of thousands of them settled down in that city. That is what makes people call it the «Modern Babylon.»

At present more Irish live in New York than in Dublin, more Icelanders than in Reykjavik, more Italians than in Rome. Emigrants from seventy countries and all the continents of the world, all speaking their own languages, make up this «Modern Babylon.»

Questions:

1. What is the population of New York? 
2. How many boroughs are there in New York? What are their names? 
3. Why would Brooklyn be the fourth largest city in the United States if it-were a separate city? 
4. How do people call New York? 
5. What stood in the place of the sky-scrapers at the beginning of the 17th century in New York? 
6. What do American business experts call «the most profitable commercial deal in the U.S. history"? 
7. When did the city's real growth begin? 
8. Why did New York quickly become one of the largest ports in the world? 
9. Why did people emigrate to the United States from various countries at the turn of the twentieth century? 
10. What makes people call New York the « Modern Babylon » ? 
Vocabulary:

population — население 
borough — амер. один из пяти районов Нью-Йорка 
separate — отдельный; обособленный 
stone — камень, булыжник 
steel — сталь 
soulless — бездушный, жестокий, бессердечный 
unlike — в отличие от 
sky-scraper — небоскреб 
to reach — достигать, доходить; доезжать до; добираться до 
cloud — облако 
to conclude — прийти к соглашению, заключать (сделку, договор, соглашение) 
profitable — прибыльный, выгодный, доходный, рентабельный 
deal — сделка, соглашение, договор 
handful — пригоршня; горсть 
trinket — безделушка, брелок 
simple-hearted — простодушный, простой, бесхитростный 
trusting — доверчивый 
to cheat — выманивать обманом или мошенничеством; мошенничать, ловчить; надувать 
dawn — начало, исток; начальная стадия 
enterprise — предприятие; предприимчивость, находчивость 
difference — разница; несходство; отличие, различие; несовпадение 
miracle — чудо 
robbery — грабеж, обирание 
growth — развитие, рост 
mouth — устье 
poverty — бедность, нищета, нужда, скудость 
various — различный, разный, разнообразный 
to attract — привлекать, притягивать 
to cross — пересекать 
subway — метро, метрополитен 
to settle down — устраиваться, обосновываться

Unit 3     3-4 New York city

City and port located at the mouth of the Hudson River, southeastern New York state, northeastern U.S. New York City is the centre of the largest urban agglomeration in the United States. It occupies Manhattan and Staten islands, the western end of Long Island, a portion of the mainland, and various islands in New York Harbor and Long Island Sound. Its urban area extends into neighbouring parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

New York City is an ethnic melting pot where the most dramatic cultural contrasts are commonplace. It is among the most geographically and demographically complex of world cities, its economy one of the most diverse, and its cultural scene among the richest and most variegated.

A brief treatment of New York City follows. For full treatment, see New York City.

The city consists of five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island [formerly Richmond]), which correspond to five counties of New York state (New York, Kings, Queens, Bronx, and Richmond, respectively). All are located near the point where the Hudson River empties into Upper New York Bay of the Atlantic Ocean. The city's only land boundaries are Westchester county on the north and Nassau county on Long Island to the east. The city's waterfront is used for shipping and recreation.

The city may be described as a collection of many neighbourhoods, each with its own character and life-style. Manhattan is the economic and cultural heart of 
the city and is often considered to be "the city." Administration and services, however, have become increasingly decentralized as community planning boards have assumed more power in areas such as education, health, housing, and public works. Manhattan, the magnet for tourists and businessmen, is at first glance a city of skyscrapers, glaring lights, and frenetic pace. The shopping promenade of Fifth Avenue, the financial institutions of Wall Street, the residential mansions of Park Avenue, or the bohemian life in the East Village and SoHo give typical impressions. Only Brooklyn of the other boroughs has a similar ethnic heterogeneity and a similar range of social life, with commercial and industrial districts and residential areas ranging from the wealth of Brooklyn Heights to the most abject poverty of parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Queens is mainly residential and middle class, and Staten Island is partly suburban but still rural in some areas. In the Bronx luxurious residences and solid middle-class apartments prevail in some sections, but other areas, especially the South Bronx, are the scene of severe urban blight.

Ethnic pockets abound throughout Manhattan, from black and Spanish Harlem in the north, to the various enclaves of the Lower East Side such as Little Italy and Chinatown. New York City also has large numbers of Italians, Irish, Puerto Ricans, and West Indians, as well as the largest Jewish population of any city in the world. This ethnic and racial mix is the result of the waves of immigration that the city has absorbed during its history. The Statue of Liberty, located on Liberty Island off Manhattan, has long stood as a symbol of refuge and opportunity.

New York City is a centre of world trade and finance, communications, art and entertainment, and fashion. The city is the financial capital of the United States and holds the headquarters of many of the world's largest corporations. Wall Street in Manhattan is home to the nation's largest stock exchange and is the headquarters of the country's largest brokerage firms. With the headquarters of the nation's television and radio networks and the main offices of the largest advertising agencies, New York City is the heart of the mass media in the United States. Printing and publishing are also of great importance, and most of the nation's major publishing houses are based in midtown Manhattan. The city's economic life also depends on the great diversity of its numerous small businesses and manufacturing establishments.

Wearing apparel, symbolized by its famous garment district, continues to be New York City's major manufacturing industry. White-collar jobs, however, are far more numerous. The main nonmanufacturing employers include service businesses; wholesale and retail trades; finance, insurance, and real estate; transport and public utilities; government; and construction.

Automation and mergers have resulted in the loss of many jobs in the city. In addition, escalating rents and taxes and high crime rates have caused many firms to leave. Steps have been taken by the city government, however, to alleviate these problems and to provide incentives for remaining.

The artists of New York City exhibit in a wide variety of forms, ranging from traditional crafts to the most avant-garde work, flavoured by complex blends of ethnic and national influences. Theatrical arts and entertainment are also widespread: Broadway is the synonym for musical comedies and legitimate drama; Carnegie Hall is one of the most famous concert halls in the world; and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is the home of the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the New York City Ballet. Though the importance of Broadway has declined, theatre is very much alive in the more venturesome Off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions. The city has numerous motion-picture theatres, among which are many revival and foreign-film houses.

The New York Public Library is one of the best research libraries in the world. Most famous among the city's many museums are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the American Museum of Natural History. Many lesser known museums house special collections. The city's extensive system of public parks includes Central Park in Manhattan.

New York City has an extensive public university system. Outstanding private colleges and universities in the city include Columbia, New York, Rockefeller, and Fordham universities, numerous medical schools, the New School for Social Research, and the Juilliard School.

New York City's subway system carries more than one-third of all mass-transit passengers in the metropolitan area, with the balance provided by commuter rail lines and buses. The once-famous docks of Hell's Kitchen along the Hudson River in Manhattan have disappeared, and considerable shipping has shifted to the New Jersey side of the harbour. Rail lines radiate in all directions. International and domestic air service is provided by Kennedy, La Guardia, and Newark (New Jersey) international airports. Area city, 304 square miles (787 square km); metropolitan area, 1,384 square miles (3,585 square km). Pop. (1990) city, 7,322,564; New York PMSA, 8,546,846; New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island CMSA, 18,087,251.

Unit 3    3-5 The US Government

After its 200th birthday the United States of America still holds the leading position in the western world. A country that has inspired many names - "Land of Opportunity", "Meeting Pot", "God's Country" is still referred to as land of superlatives - "the richest", "the greatest", "the most".

In size the United States is not the biggest. What makes the USA the leader of the western world is its economic, political and military dominance over other countries. The United States is a parliamentary republic. The Government is divided into 3 branches: legislative (the US Congress), executive (the President and his Administration) and judicial (the US Supreme Court).

There are two main political parties in the USA the Democratic (symbolize by a "donkey") and the Republican (symbolized by an "elephant"). The US president is both head of State and of government. He is elected for a 4-year term. The Supreme Court consists of Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices who are appointed for life.

The Supreme Court is supposed to decide whether a law of the Congress or an executive order of the President is "Constitutional or not".

Questions:

1. Is the USA the biggest country in the world? 
2. What makes the USA the leader of the western world? 
3. Is the USA a parliamentary republic? 
4. How many branches is the Government divided on? 
5. How many main parties are there? 
6. How many people are there in the Supreme Court? 
Vocabulary:

leading position - ведущая позиция  
to inspire - вдохновлять  
to refer - объяснять 
size - размер 
dominance - превосходство  
to divide - разделять  
to consist - состоять  
to decide – решать

Unit 3     3-6 White House

White House official name of the executive mansion of the President of the United States. It is on the south side of Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C., facing Lafayette Square. The building, constructed of Virginia freestone, is of simple and stately design. The porte-cochere on the north front, which forms the main entrance, is a portico of high Ionic columns reaching from the ground to the roof pediment; it is balanced by a semicircular colonnaded balcony on the south with a second-floor porch, completed in 1948.

The main building (four stories high) is about 170 ft (52 m) long by 85 ft (26 m) wide. The east and west terraces, the executive office (1902), the east wing (1942), and a penthouse and a bomb shelter (1952) have been added. The colonnade at the east end is the public entrance. The executive office is approached by an esplanade. Large receptions are usually held in the East Room, which is 40 ft (12 m) by 82 ft (25 m). The elliptical Blue Room is the scene of many social, diplomatic, and official receptions. The Red Room and the Green Room are used for private and quasi-official gatherings. The White House, designated "the Palace" in the original plans, was designed by James Hoban on a site chosen by George Washington. It is the oldest public building in Washington, its cornerstone having been laid in 1792.

John Adams was the first President to live there (1800). The building was restored after being burned (1814) by British troops, and the smoke-stained gray stone walls were painted white. Despite popular myth the cognomen "White House" was applied to the building some time before it was painted. The name became official when President Theodore Roosevelt had it engraved upon his stationery. Part of the house was rebuilt (1949-52) on a steel-supporting frame. The grounds, which cover about 18 acres (7 hectares), are attractive with broad lawns, fountains, trees, and gardens. They were planned by Andrew Jackson Downing.

Pennsylvania Ave. between the White House and Lafayette Square was closed to vehicular traffic in 1995 for security reasons.

Unit 3     3-7 The Political System of the USA

The USA is a federal union of 50 states. The basic law is the constitution, adopted in 1787, which prescribes the structure of national government and lists its rights and fields of authority. Each state has its government and all of them have the dual character of both Federal and State government. The political system of the USA is divided into three branches: judicial, legislative and executive. Each branch holds a certain degree of power over the others, and all take part in the governmental process.

The flag. It is called the stars and the stripes and old glory. It was adopted in 1777. The red stripes proclaim courage, the white - liberty, and the field of blue stands for loyalty.

The coat of arms. The coat of arms of the US represents an eagle with wings outspread, holding a bangle of rods (the symbol of administer) in the left claw and olive twig (the emblem of love) in the right claw. The motto of the coat of arms is 'one out of many" (aplinibus nun).

The nick name. It was in 1812 when the nickname of the US government "Uncle Sam" appeared. 'Uncle' Samuel Wilson supplied beef to the American army, during the war of 1812, standing his barrels with the letters 'U. S.’ The army as ‘Uncle Sam’s’ knew this beef, and later on this familiar name became associated with the US government.

The constitution of the USA. Although the American system of government is based on Great Britain's, it differs in having a written constitution, that is the bases of all government and law. The constitution of the US was adopted after the War of Independence on the 17th of September 1787. It lists the set of rules, law regulations, which provide the practical norms, regulating the work of the government. The document imbodied the practical theories of man of property. The main principle underline the constitution was as follows: "Private property is the backbone of liberty". It was put forward by a rich plantation owner from Virginia James Madison, who is known to be a father of the constitution.

The constitution consists of Preamble and seven articles. 27 amendments have so far been added to its original text. The first 10 amendments, known as "the Bill of Rights', were added in a group in 1791. These amendments establish the individual rights and freedoms to all people of the states, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship etc. Americans fill that of all freedoms, proclaimed in the constitution, there is only one freedom - the freedom of enterprise. But it means freedom of the wealthy people only. The 21st amendment limited the President's ruling by maximum two terms.

The legislative branch. Supreme legislative power in the American government lies with Congress: the Senate, the upper house; and the House of the Representatives - the Lower House. Each state has its own government - State Assemblies or, Legislatures with two houses. According to the constitution of the USA, all citizens of both sexes over 18 years of age has a right of voting, but in reality the number of voters is much smaller. The main task of Congress is to make federal laws, to levy federal taxes, to make rules for trade, to corn money, to organise Armed forces, to declare war, to make amendments to the constitution or put foreign treaties into effect.

Under the constitution the US Senate has some special powers, not given to the House of representatives. It approves or disapproves the main presidential appointments: Ambassadors. Cabinet Members and federal judges; also ratify by a 2/3 vote treatments between the USA and foreign countries. The House of Representatives has a special power of its own - to invent a bill to raise money.

The Senate is composed of 100 members - two from each of 50 states, who are elected for a term of * years. Although congressional elections take place every two years, only 1/3 of the Senate is reelected. A Senator must be at least 30ty years old, a citizen of the USA for 9 years and a resident of the state from which he is elected. Democrats sit in the western part of the chamber - on Vice-president right. Republicans sit on his left. Vice-president presides over the Senate and conducts debates. The Senate is stable and more conservative than the House of Representatives and many Senators are more experienced politicians.

The House of representatives has 450 members. The number of Representatives depends on the population of each state. A Representative must be at least 25 years age, a US citizen for 7 years and live in the state from which he is elected. Democrats sit on the Speakers right, republicans - on his left. The Speaker presides over the House and conducts debates. The Speaker, like Vice-president, may vote. Most of the Congressmen are layers, businessman and bankers. The American press as an unrepresentative institution sometimes criticises the US Congress.

The Congress in work. A new Congress session begins on the 3rd of January each odd number year and continues for two years. A Congressman must work long and hard. But most of their work is done in committee meetings. Here bills are studied, experts are consulted, and recommendations are made to the whole House of Senate. During a two year term of a Congress, as many as 20000 bills are introduced. There are 16 'standing' or permanent committees in the Senate, and 22 in the House. They accept and improve some bills, but reject most of them. For a bill becomes a law it must be read, studied in committees, commented on and amended in the Senate or House chamber in which it was introduced. It is then voted upon. If it passes, it is sent to the other house where a similar procedure occurs. Members of both houses work together in "conference committees" if the chambers have passed different versions of the same bill. Groups who try to persuade Congressmen to vote for or against a bill are known as "lobbies". When both houses of Congress pass a bill on which they agree, it is sent to the president for his signature. If President is disapproves, he vetoes and refusing to sign it, and sends it back to Congress. President’s objection are read and debated. To overcome the President's veto, the bill must get a 2/3 majority in each chamber.

Lobbyists. Often discussing Congress of the USA, the third chamber is mentioned. It's a specific American phenomena called lobbies. Today ifs big corporations, social organisations, foreign diplomats, who try to influence lawmaking process in their favour. This is done with the help of lobbyists. Practically lobbyism (backstage influence in legislation) has become legal, it means, that the passing of a bill can be prevented, if it doesn’t suit the interests of a definite group of big business. Lobbyists make all themselves legislative councils. More and more people realise that legislation is shaped as much by the hidden influences, as by the public debates.

The executive branch. The executive power in the USA belongs to the President and his Administration. The Presidency in the USA is the highest governmental office. President in the USA is the head of the state and the government, and also the commander-in-chief of the US Armed Forces.

Vice-resident and the Cabinet assist president. The President and Vice-president are elected for a term of four years and can be reelected. President must be a natural-born citizen of the USA and at least 35 years old, and for at least 14 years resident of the USA. The term of office of the President begins on the 2nd of January. Presidential elections are head in two stages - in November and December. Before the elections the candidates for Presidency tour the country, meeting people and delivering speeches.

The president, as the chief formulator of public policy, often proposes legislation to Congress. The president can also veto (forbid) any bill passed by Congress. The veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and House of Representatives. As head of his political party, with ready access to the news media, the president can easily influence public opinion regarding issues and legislation that he deems vital. President conducts foreign affairs, signed documents, appoints diplomats, Cabinet Members, federal judges with the consent and advice of the Senate. He outlines the course of his administration threw Congress.

Vice-president presides over the Senate, his other duties are indefinite. He takes the president's office, if the president is unable to finish his term. So Vice-president is 'a forgotten man of the American politics'. A Cabinet of 12 members assists the US President. Cabinet secretaries correspond to European ministers. They are heads of different departments and are responsible to President. Today these 13 departments are State, Treasury, Defence, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labour, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy and Education. The State Department ranks ahead of others. The political power of the Secretary of the State is the second only to that of the president. He must maintains peace and negotiates economic and political treatness.