The United States of America

The Unites States of America are situated in the central part of the North American continent. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast - by the Atlantic Ocean.

The total area of the USA is over nine million square kilometers. The population of the USA is about 250 million people, most of the population lives in towns and cities.

The USA is a very large country, so it has several different climatic regions. The coldest regions are in the north and north-east. The south has a subtropical climate.

The United States is a land of rivers and lakes. The northern state of Minnesota is a land of 10 000 lakes. The longest rivers in the USA are the Mississippi, the Missouri and the Rio Grande. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada.

The United States is rich in natural and mineral resources. It produces copper, oil, iron ore and coal. It is a highly-developed industrial and agricultural country.

There are many big cities in the USA, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and others. The national capital is Washington, D.C. Its population is about 3,4 million. Washington was built in the late eighteenth century as the centre of government. It was named after George Washington.

The USA became the world leading country at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Topical Vocabulary

to be situated in - находиться в

tobe washed by – омываться (чем-либо)

the total area – общая площадь

population - население

aclimatic region – климатический регион

subtropical –субтропический

aland of rivers and lakes – страна рек и озер

to be rich in smth. – иметь большие запасы чего-либо

natural and mineral resources – природные ресурсы и полезные ископаемые

to produce smth. – производить что-либо

copper - медь

oil - нефть

iron ore - железная руда

coal - уголь

a highly-developed industrial and agricultural country – страна с высокоразвитой промышленностью и сельским хозяйством

the national capital – столица страны

the centre of government – правительственный центр

to be named after smb. – быть названным в честь кого-либо

the world leading country – ведущая мировая держава

Answer the questions:

1. What can you say about the geographical position of the United States of America?

2. What is the total area and the population of the United States?

3. What is the climate of the United States like?

4. Why is the United States called a land of rivers and lakes?

5. How can you characterize the natural and mineral resources of the country?

6. What are the major cities of the United States?

Translate into English:

1. Соединенные Штаты Америки расположены в центральной части

материка Северная Америка и омываются Тихим и Атлантическим океанами.

2. Население США, составляющее более 300 миллионов человек, жи­вет, в основном (mostly), в городах.

3. США - высокоразвитая промышленная и аграрная страна с бога­тыми природными ресурсами.

4. США богаты полезными ископаемыми: медью, нефтью, железной рудой и углем.

5. Столица страны, Вашингтон, получила название в честь Джорджа Вашингтона.

6. США - одна из ведущих стран мира.

US Government

The USA is a presidential republic.

The legislative branch of the US Government, or the Congress, represents all of the American states. It consists of two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each state has two senators, who are elected every 6 years. A senator must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for 9 years, and live in the state she or he will represent. A representative must be at least 25 years old, a citizen for 7 years, and live in the state.

The job of the Congress is to make laws. The President can veto a bill. The Congress can pass the law anyway if it gets a two-thirds majority vote. The Congress can also declare war. The House of Representatives can also impeach the President. This means that the House can charge the President with a crime. In this case, the Senate will put the President on trial. The Senate votes to approve the justices that the President appoints to the Supreme Court.

The executive branch of the government puts the country's laws into effect. The President of the United States is a member of the executive branch. The President must be at least 35 years old, and be a natural citizen of the USA. In addition, he must have lived in the US for at least 14 years, and be a civilian. The President is elected every four years and cannot serve more than two terms. The Vice-President of the USA is the president of the Senate. When the President receives a bill from the Congress, he must sign it, and then the bill becomes a law. However, if he disagrees with the law, he can veto it. The President can also ask the Congress to declare war. He also appoints the justices to the Supreme Court. He must do his job according to the Constitution, or he may be impeached.

The judicial branch of the government is the system of courts in the United States. Its job is to enforce laws. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. It consists of 9 justices: one Chief Justice and 8 associate justices. The President appoints the justices, but the Senate must approve them. The justices are appointed for life. The Supreme Court makes sure that people obey the laws. The Supreme Court can also decide if a law is constitutional, that is, if it is in agreement with the Constitution. The judicial branch works together with the legislative and executive branches to protect the Constitution and the rights of people.

Topical Vocabulary

a presidential republic – президентская республика

the legislative branch of the government - законодательная власть

the Congress - конгресс

to represent smb., smth. – представлять кого-либо, что-либо

the House of Representatives - палата представителей

the Senate - сенат

asenator - сенатор

to be elected - быть избранным

to be a citizen of – быть гражданином (какой-либо страны)

arepresentative - представитель

to make a law - создавать закон

to veto a bill – наложить вето на законопроект

to pass the law – провести закон

to get a two-thirds majority vote – получить большинство голосов в 2/3

to declare war – объявить войну

to charge the President with a crime – обвинить президента в совершении преступления

to put the President on trial - судить президента

to vote - голосовать

to approve the justices - утвердить судей

to appoint a justice to the Supreme Court – назначит судью верховного суда

the executive branch of the govern­ment – исполнительная власть

to put the country's laws into effect – приводить в исполнение законы страны

to be a natural citizen of the USA – родиться в США и быть гражданином США

to be a civilian – быть штатским

to serve - служить

a term – срок службы

the Vice-President – вице-президент

to sign smth. – подписать что-либо

the judicial branch of the government - судебная власть

a system of courts - система судов

to enforce laws - проводить законы в жизнь

a justice - судья

Chief Justice - верховный судья

an associate justice - судья (помощник судьи)

to be appointed for life – назначаться пожизненно

to obey a law - подчиниться закону

constitutional - конституционный

to protect the Constitution and the rights of people - защищать конституцию и права граждан

Answer the questions:

1. What is the legislative branch of the US government?

2. Who can be elected a senator?

3. Who can be elected a representative?

4. What are the jobs of the Congress?

5. What are the jobs of each chamber?

6. What does the executive branch do?

7. Who can be elected the President of the USA?

8. What is the President's term of office?

9. What can and must the President do?

10. What is the judicial branch and what is its job?

11. How are the justices of the Supreme Court appointed?

Translate into English:

1. Законодательная власть США, или конгресс, состоит из палаты пред­ставителей и сената.

2. Конгресс может объявить войну или провести закон, на который президент наложил вето.

3. Для этого конгресс должен получить большинство в две трети голосов.

4. Конгресс может также подвергнуть президента импичменту.

5. Исполнительная власть состоит из президента, вице-президента и кабинета министров.

6. Исполнительная власть претворяет в жизнь законы.

7. Президент подписывает законопроект и может наложить на него вето.

8. Президент может обратиться к конгрессу с просьбой объявить войну, назначает судей в Верховный суд.

9. Вице-президент является президентом сената.

10. Судебная власть следит за соблюдением законов и представляет собой систему судов.

11. Верховный суд может решить, является ли закон конституцион­ным.

12. Цель правительства - защита конституции и прав человека в США.

Washington D.C.

The United States is a federal union which is made up of fifty states and one independent district - the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia is the territory of the national capital of the USA, Washington, with its own laws and regulations. Washington, D.C. is situated on both banks of the Potomac River, between the two states, Maryland and Virginia.

This place was chosen by the first American President George Washington. The plot of land of a hundred square miles was bought from private owners by the state. In 1790 George Washington laid the corner-stone of the Capitol where the Congress sits. The place was called the District of Columbia in honor of Columbus, the discoverer of America. The capital got the name of Washington after the name of its founder. Washington has been the federal capital since 1800.

Washington is sometimes called the heart of America. It is the place where the federal government works and where each President of the United States lives. Washington is smaller in size than the largest cities of the USA, such as New York, Chicago, Detroit or Los Angeles. The population of Washington is about 11 million people. The buildings in Washington are not very tall because no building must be taller than the Capitol. But in political sense Washington is the centre of the country and the most important city of the United States.

Topical Vocabulary

to be made upof smth. – состоять из чего-либо

independent - независимый

the District of Columbia – округ Колумбия

with its own laws and regulations – со своими собственными законами и установлениями

to be situated on both banks of the river – быть расположенным по обеим берегам реки

a plot of land - участок земли

the state - государство

to lay the corner-stone – заложить (о городе)

the Capitol - Капитолий

the Congress - конгресс

in honor of smb. – в честь кого-либо

adiscoverer - первооткрыватель

after the name of smb. – по имени кого-либо

afounder - основатель

the federal capital – федеральная столица

to be smaller in size than - быть меньше по размеру, чем

in political sense – в политическом смысле

Answer the questions:

1. How many parts is the USA made up of?

2. What is the District of Columbia?

3. How was Washington, D.C. founded?

4. What is Washington famous for?

5. In what sense is Washington the most important city in the USA?

Translate into English:

1. США состоят из 50 штатов и независимого округа Колумбия.

2. Округ Колумбия имеет собственные законы и установления.

3. Место для Вашингтона, расположенного по обoим берегам реки Потомак, было выбрано Джорджем Вашингтоном.

4. Город получил свое название в честь Джорджа Вашингтона.

5. В Вашингтоне работает правительство США и живут американ­ские президенты.

6. С 1800 года Вашингтон является федеральной столицей.

7. Вашингтон - политический центр США.

II. Education