Discovering similarities and differences

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ БЕЛАРУСЬ

УО «Белорусский государственный экономический университет»

А.И. Савинова

The United States of America and the US Economy

США и американская экономика

Электронное учебно-методическое пособие по дисциплине «Иностранный язык (английский)»

Минск 2009

Рецензент: ст. преподаватель кафедры теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ Виршиц Н.И.

Рекомендовано кафедрой теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ

Савинова А.И.

The United States of America and the US Economy = США и американская экономика: электронное учеб.-метод. пособие / А.И. Савинова – Минск: БГЭУ, 2009. – 22 c.

Учебно-методическое пособие содержит лексический материал, тексты для чтения и комплекс упражнений и заданий для формирования англоязычных коммуникативных навыков студентов в рамках страноведческой темы, предусмотренной типовой программой по дисциплине «Иностранный язык». Предназначено для студентов БГЭУ дневной формы обучения.

PART I. THE USA TODAY

GETTING STARTED

1. Check how well you know the United States of America by choosing the correct variant from the alternatives below:

1. The capital of the USA is:

a) Philadelphia

b) New York

c) Washington D.C.

2. The United States of America is …

a) a constitutional republic

b) a monarchy

c) c) a federal republic

d) d) a commonwealth

3. The Independence Day is on the:

a) 4^th of February

b) 14^th of September

c) 4^th of July

4. The home of the President of the USA is:

a) the White House

b) the Capitol

c) the Pentagon

5. The national anthem of the USA is called:

a) “Long Lives the Queen”

b) “The Star-Spangled Banner”

c) “America the Beautiful”

6. The Statue of Liberty serves as a symbol of American:

a) foreign policy

b) independence

c) women rights

d) abolition of slavery

7. What is the longest river in the USA?

a) Rio Grande

b) Mississippi

c) Colorado

d) Missouri

USEFUL VOCABULARY

access (n) – доступ

adopt (v) – утверждать, принимать

amendment (n) – поправка

appoint (v) – назначать

bicameral (adj) – двухпалатный (о законодательной системе или о парламенте)

Commander-in-Chief – Главнокомандующий вооруженными силами

contest (v) – участвовать в выборах, добиваться выборного места

convention (n) – собрание, съезд

Department of Defense – министерство обороны

Department of Justice – министерство юстиции

Department of State – государственный департамент, министерство иностранных дел

descendant (n) – потомок

designate (v) – объявлять, называть

diversity (n) – разнообразие, несходство

earthquake (n) – землетрясение

elective (adj) – выборный, избирательный

employee (n) – сотрудник, работник

executive (adj) – исполнительный, принадлежащий к структурам исполнительной власти

foreign trade – международная торговля

hazard (n) – риск, опасность

House of Representatives – Палата представителей

inherit (v) – наследовать

judicial (adj) – судебный

legislative (adj) – законодательный

melting pot– “плавильный котёл”

mudslide (n) – обвал, оползень

prairie (n) – прерии

public holiday – официальный нерабочий день

Secretary of State – государственный секретарь, министр иностранных дел

Supreme Court – Верховный суд

valley (n) – долина

READING

1. Read the text and say:

ü What makes the USA the leader of the western world?

ü In what way do the geographical position and physical features of the USA influence the development of the country?

The USA is the most powerful and highly developed country in 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 western coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

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

The country consists of three separate parts. They are the Hawaiian Islands, Alaska and the rest major part of the USA. There are fifty states and District of Columbia. The states differ very much in size, population and economic development. The geographical position of the country is extremely favourable for its development. It makes the USA a sea power, provides easy access to the country and stimulates foreign trade.

The enormous size of the country influences the diversity of landscape, climate and people. The USA is the third largest country in the world in population (after China and India). The population of the United States is about 280 million people. They are the people of all races and nationalities, either descendants of immigrants or immigrants that have come to the United States from all the countries of the world in search of independence and self-realization.

The continental part of the USA consists of the highland regions and two lowland regions. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordilleras and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley (6193 m), which is located in Alaska. The central lowlands are called the prairie, the eastern lowlands are called the Mississippi valley.

The principle rivers of the USA are the Mississippi, the longest river in the world (7330 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. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. Among other natural hazards are tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic coast; tornadoes in the Midwest; mudslides in California and forest fires in the west.

The USA is a federal republic that is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia, a special area where the capital of the country, Washington, D.C., is situated. The capital was founded in 1790 and was named after the first President George Washington. The name of the capital always goes with the abbreviation D.C. (District of Columbia) not to be mixed with another Washington, one of the states. Washington, D.C. is the residence of the President and the Congress of the USA.

The basic law of the United States is the Constitution, adopted in 1787. By the Constitution the government of the nation is entrusted to three separate authorities: the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial.

The executive power is vested in the President, who holds his office during the term of four years, and is elected together with the Vice-President. Other than succeeding a President who is unable to finish his term, the Vice-President’s only official duty is to preside over the Senate. The Vice-President rather tends to be the forgotten man of American politics, because of his lack of power. The President is the head of the state and the Government; he is also the Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces and has a wide range of responsibilities, from external affairs, such as negotiation of treaties, to internal affairs, such as preparation of an annual executive budget and economic report. The President may also veto any bill passed by the Congress.

The administrative business of the nation is conducted by secretaries who form the Cabinet. Cabinet secretaries are heads of different departments (the Department of State, the Department of Defense or the Pentagon, the Department of Justice, the Department of Commerce, etc.) and are responsible to the President who appoints them for an indefinite time.

Legislative authority is exercised by the Congress of the United States which has two elective houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 senators, two for each state regardless of population, serving six-year terms. Senators’ terms are staggered, so that one third of the Senate stands for election every two years. Members of the House of Representatives are elected for two-year terms. The House has 435 members, apportioned among the states on the basis of population. The most populous states are allowed more representatives than the smaller ones, some of which have only one. The main task of the Congress is to make laws. The US Constitution also gives the Congress the power to control the nation’s currency, to impose taxes, to distribute funding to every government organization, to make rules for trade with other countries and between states, to put foreign treaties into effect, to organize the Armed Forces, to declare war, etc. Another power possessed by the Congress is the right to propose amendments to the Constitution whenever two thirds of both Houses consider it necessary.

The judicial power is the third branch of the US Federal Government. It consists of a system of federal courts and is headed by the Supreme Court of the United States.

In the United States there exist two major political parties: the Democratic and the Republican. The present-day Democratic Party was founded in 1828, representing Southern slave owners and part of Northern bourgeoisie. The Republican Party, established in 1854, united those who opposed the expansion of slavery. The Democratic Party is considered to be more liberal, and the Republican is more conservative.

At an election time parties contest presidency and the majority of seats in the Congress. Every four years the American parties come together as national bodies in the Presidential nominating conventions and make up the party programs. But once a President is chosen, the parties again become amorphous bodies. One of the reasons of the stability of the two-party system is family tradition. Each new generation of Americans inherits its politics and party loyalty from their fathers.

There are other, smaller parties in the United States besides the two major ones. None of these smaller parties has enough popular support to win a presidential election.

There are some federal holidays in the United States. In addition, each of the 50 states has jurisdiction over its own holidays. In practice, however, most states observe the federal public holidays. Ten holidays per year are proclaimed by the federal government. They are as follows: New Year’s Day (January 1), Martin Luther King’s Day (third Monday in January), George Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Independence Day (July 4), Labour Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veteran’s Day (November 11), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), Christmas (December 25). There are also traditional holidays, observed by a large number of Americans, which are neither legal nor official. Among these are St. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Halloween (the last day of October).

The United States of America has inspired many names – ‘Land of Opportunity’, ‘Melting Pot’, ‘God’s Country’ where economic and social pressures have forced non-English speaking immigrants to drop their native tongue and habits and to assimilate into the American way of life.

1. Complete the sentences using information from the text:

1. The US shares borders on ….

2. The geographical position of the USA ….

3. The USA is the third largest country in the world in ….

4. The climate of the USA ….

5. The capital of the USA ….

6. The basic law of the country is ….

7. The Government is divided into three branches: …

8. The President is ….

9. The Congress of the United States has two elective houses: ….

10. There are traditional holidays in the country, observed by a large number of Americans, which are ….

3. Scan the text about the USA one more time and answer the questions below:

1. Where is the US situated?

2. What is the USA washed by in the east and in the west?

3. What is the USA separated from Canada by?

4. What natural hazards are common in the USA?

5. What are the principal rivers of the country?

6. Does the climate differ from one part of the country to another? What are the climatic conditions of the country determined by?

7. Are there many mountains in the USA?

8. Where is the capital situated?

9. How many states are there in the USA?

10. How many branches is the Government divided into?

11. Who is the executive power in the USA? What duties and powers of the President are listed by the Constitution?

12. Who forms the Cabinet?

13. What is the Congress? What houses are there in the Congress?

14. What power is called the third branch of the US Federal Government?

15. How many political parties are there in the country?

DEVELOPING VOCABULARY

1. Complete the table with missing words, the first has been done for you:

Noun	Verb	Adjective
stability	stabilize	stable
	socialize
population
		governmental
	stabilize
executive
		authoritarian, authoritative
access
		responsible
	elect

2. Find the words in the text with similar meanings to these:

1. be located

2. reserves

3. chief, main

4. language

5. power

6. adapt, become similar

7. home, headquarters

8. greater part, more than half

3. Match the verbs on the left with a suitable object on the right to make correct word-combinations. Say in what connection these collocations are mentioned in the text.

1. to be washed	a. states
2. to provide	b. a President
3. to be made up of	c. by the oceans
4. to be entrusted to	d. two elective houses
5. to succeed	e. easy access to
6. to have	f. separate authorities
7. to control	g. presidency
8. to contest	h. the nation’s currency

4. Read the text and use the suggested words to fill in each of the blanks. Make up a summary of the text.

supreme; federation; bicameral; plurality; the House of Representatives; judges; the Senate; approval; democracy; the Cabinet

The United States is the world's oldest surviving … (1). It is a constitutional republic and representative … (2).The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances (система сдержек и противовесов) defined by the U.S. Constitution, which serves as the country's … (3) legal document. In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government, federal, state, and local; the local government's duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a … (4) vote of citizens by district. There is no proportional representation at the federal level, and it is very rare at lower levels.

The federal government is composed of three branches:

Legislative: The … (5) Congress, made up of … (6) and … (7), makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse, and has the power of impeachment, by which it can remove sitting members of the government.
Executive: The president is the commander-in-chief of the military, can veto legislative bills before they become law, and appoints the members of … (8) (subject to Senate approval) and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.
Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose … (9) are appointed by the president with Senate …(10), interpret laws and overturn those they find unconstitutional.

DISCOVERING LANGUAGE

Modal Verbs

1. Here is some information for visitors to New York City. Fill in the missing words. Use one word only in each space. In some gaps you will have to use “be allowed to” and “be supposed to”.

Before you travel to the USA, you must find out what documents you need. British people do not (1) … to get visa, but there are different rules for different nationalities. For example, you (2) … need to show that you have enough money with you. But there’s one rule you can be sure about: everyone (3) … to show their passport. The roads in New York are very busy, but don’t worry – you (4) … get around cheaply and easily by subway. Remember that you are not (5) … to smoke on public transport or in shops. And don’t forget either that you are (6) … to tip taxi drivers and waiters. New York is not the most dangerous city in the US, but you really (7) … not walk along empty streets at night. And it is safer if you are (8) … to travel in a group.

2. Write a second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Use the word in brackets.

Perhaps Susan knows the address. (may)

2. I managed to finish all my work. (able)

3. The report must be on my desk tomorrow morning. (has)

4. It is possible that Joanne did not receive my message. (might)

It was not necessary for Nancy to fill in this form. (didn't)

6. The best thing for you to do is to check all the figures. (better)

7. I’m sure she discussed this problem with the manager. (must)

8. It’s not necessary for you to promise – I know I can trust you. (need)

9. Persuading Adrian to order these goods was a bad thing to do. (should)

10. We should consult an expert before we make a decision. (better)

FOCUS ON FUNCTION

Discovering similarities and differences

Comparison and contrast are ways of looking at objects and thinking about how they are alike and different. In comparison and contrast, transition words show that a speaker is changing from talking about one item to the other.

1. Study the language of comparing information:

ü ... compared to ...

ü Similarly / moreover / likewise / on the contrary / conversely / however

ü On the one hand / on the other hand …

ü Both … and …

ü If you compare ... and ...

ü ... I consider it to be greatly inferior / superior to ...

ü I don’t consider ... to be in any way more complicated / attractive than ...

ü All in all, ... / By and large, ...

ü On the whole, ...

ü I don’t see how you can talk about ... and ... in the same way.

ü You just can’t compare ... and ...

ü There’s absolutely no comparison between ... and ...

ü ... is incomparably more interesting than ...

ü ... is less valuable than ...

2. Study the tables containing the results of the survey of mobile phones (models A and B). Then compare the models using expressions from task I.

E. g. Both models have a colour display screen.

Model A Model B

	good	satisfactory	poor		good	satisfactory	poor
Price / quality ratio		V		Price / quality ratio			V
WAP service	V			WAP service			V
Voice mail service		V		Voice mail service	V
Battery life			V	Battery life		V
Colour display screen		V		Colour display screen		V
Digital camera	V			Digital camera			V
Voice recorder		V		Voice recorder	V
Text messages		V		Text messages		V

3. Perform a comparative analysis of the state structure of the USA, the UK and Belarus, make use of the functional vocabulary.

LISTENING

“Washington, D.C.”

1. You are going to watch the videoabout the capital of the USA, Washington. Here are some words that might seem unfamiliar to you:

assassination (n) – убийство

attic (n) – чердак

cemetery (n) – кладбище

faith (n) – вера

marble (n) – мрамор

refugee(n) – беженец

storage and retrieval of information – хранение и поиск информации

2. Washington has many historical places. As you watch the video film for the first time, complete the following table. There are some places of interest which are not mentioned in the chart. Note that some boxes will not be filled.

	…is situated …	… is associated with the name of …	…is a gift from …	…symbolizes…	…contains…	additional information
the Capitol
the Washington Monument
Memorials: -the Lincoln Memorial -the Jefferson Memorial -the Vietnam Memorial
the White House
the cherry trees
the Air and Space Museum
the National Museum of Natural History
the National Cathedral
the National Archive
…