Task V. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements relating to the text?
1. Alaska and the island state of Hawaii are separated from the main mid-continental group of 50 states.
2. It’s impossible to generalize about the weather, the landscape and the way of living as the USA occupies most of the South American continent.
3. As a result of massive immigration the United States today has one of the world’s most varied populations.
4. American Indians and Afro-Americans have long been subjected to racial discrimination and this process still continues.
5. The seat of the Federal Government is Washington, D.C., one of the largest cities in the USA.
6. The White House is the seat of the American Congress, while the Capitol is the President’s residence.
7. Together with the Secretary of State, the President manages all official contacts with foreign governments, concludes treaties with other countries.
8. Under the Constitution the power is divided among legislative (the President), executive (the Congress) and judicial (the Supreme Court) branches of the national government.
9. Both the Republican and the Democratic parties emerged to reflect the interests of the same social groups.
10. Independence Day is a national holiday in the USA. It commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1778.
Task VI. Check your comprehension of the text by completing the suggested sentences:
1. The United States of America is …
2. The US population combines people of different races and nationalities including …
3. The climate of the country …
4. The name of the US capital always goes with …
5. The American Constitution, drawn up in Philadelphia in 1787, is …
6. According to the Constitution, the President of the United States …
7. Executive power in the USA is vested in …
8. The Congress is the only branch of the US Government that …
9. The Republican and the Democratic parties become most active …
10. The USA is often called ‘a melting pot’ …
Task VII. Look for specific detail to answer the questions below:
11. How does the United States rank among the countries of the world in area and population?
12. Why are the physical features (surface, climate, etc.) of the United States considered to be diverse?
13. Can you explain what a federal system is?
14. Why does the Constitution divide power into three branches?
15. Whose interests did the US Constitution reflect from the very beginning?
16. To whom are all legislative powers of the Federal Government granted by the Constitution of the US?
17. Do the chief American political parties have clear political platforms?
18. In what way are the presidential elections held?
19. Who is in line of succession to the Presidency, if a President dies or is unable to carry on his duties?
20. Why is the US flag called the ‘Stars and Stripes’? Explain the symbolism of the stars and the stripes on it. What other names of the American flag do you know?
Task VIII. Check how well you know the United States of America. Complete the statements choosing the right variant:
1. The United states of America is …
a. a constitutional republic c. a federal republic
b. a monarchy d. a commonwealth
2. How many time zones is the continental part of the USA divided into?
a. four b. five c. six d. three
3. What is the most widely known natural wonder in America?
a. the Colorado River c. Niagara Falls
b. the Rocky Mountains d. sequoias
4. What is America’s largest state?
a. Texas b. Alaska c. Montana d. New York
5. What is the longest river in the USA?
a. Rio Grande b. Mississippi c. Colorado d. Missouri
6. What is the largest lake in the USA?
a. LakeOntario b. Lake Superior c. Lake Michigan d. Lake Huron
7. Native Americans are …
a. the Spaniards c. the Indians
b. the English d. the Afro-Americans
8. The largest city in the USA is …
a. Boston b. New York c. Washington d. Miami
9. The ‘Big Apple’ is a popular nickname for …
a. Los Angeles b. Washington c. Chicago d. New York
10. Washington, the federal capital, is located in …
a. the State of Washington c. the State of New York
b. the District of Columbia d. the District of California
11. Washington, D.C. stands on the river …
a. Mississippi b. Missouri c. Potomac d. Ohio
12. Which of these cannot be found in Washington, D.C.?
a. the Pentagon c. the Department of Justice
b. the National Archives d. the Statue of Liberty
13. The first President to live in the White House was …
a. John Adams c. Thomas Jefferson
b. George Washington d. Abraham Lincoln
14. Who is called ‘The Father of the American Constitution’?
a. James Madison c. Thomas Jefferson
b. George Washington d. Andrew Jackson
15. The Bill of Rights is …
a. the Constitution c. the amendments to the Constitution
b. the articles of the Constitution d. the Preamble to the Constitution
16. How many amendments have been made to the original text of the Constitution?
a. 25 b. 27 c. 28 d. 26
17. The 22nd amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1951, limited the Presidency to no more than …
a. one term b. two terms c. three terms d. four terms
18. How often do American people choose a new President?
a. every four years b. every five years c. every three years d. every six years
19. Barack H. Obama II is … President of the USA.
a. the 42nd b. the 43rd c. the 44th d. the 45th
20. “White House Office” is …
a. the house where the President lives
b. the office where the President works
c. the President’s assistants and advisors
d. the Cabinet secretaries
21. What chambers does the American Congress consist of?
a. the House of Lords and the House of Commons
b. the Senate and the House of Commons
c. the House of Lords and the House of Representatives
d. the Senate and the House of Representatives
22. The nickname for the American Government is …
a. Uncle Sam b. Uncle George c. Uncle Ben d. Uncle James
23. To provide continuity one third of the Senate is renewed every …
a. 2 years b. 4 years c. 3 years d. 5 years
24. The Constitution provides, that if no candidate has a majority, the decision should be made by …
a. the Senate c.the President
b. the House of Representatives c. both Houses
25. What are the two leading American parties?
a. the Labour Party and the Republican Party
b. the Conservative Party and the Democratic Party
c. the Democratic Party and the Labour Party
d. the Republican Party and the Democratic Party
26. At every level of political life the two main political parties struggle for …
a. dominating position c.people’s loyalty
b. popular support d. public office
27. What animal represents the Democratic Party?
a. a monkey b. a donkey c. a tiger d. an elephant
28. The motto of the United States which is written on a dollar bill is …
a. “America the Beautiful”
b. “God save the USA”
c. “In God we trust”
d. “Liberty Enlightening the World”
29. The national emblem of the United States of America is …
a. the turkey c. the bald eagle
b. the Statue of Liberty d. the Flag
30. Which famous event happened in California in 1849?
a. The Gold Rush c. The War of Independence
b. The Great Plague d. The Civil War
Task IX. Try to give an adequate translation of the sentences that follow:
1. США – государство в Северной Америке, раскинувшееся от берегов Тихого океана до побережья Атлантики. На юге граничит с Мексикой, на севере – с Канадой, на северо-западе – с Россией, на юго-востоке – с Кубой.
2. США – сильное современное государство, становление которого проходило под влиянием культурных, моральных и национальных устоев сотен тысяч переселенцев из многих стран мира, приехавших в Новый Свет в поисках лучшей жизни.
3. В США есть немало уникальных природных творений, к которым можно отнести Большой Каньон, Великие Озера, Ниагарский водопад, многочисленные национальные парки. Одним из самых известных парков является Йеллоустонский с долиной гейзеров и большим количеством редких животных.
4. США – ведущая экономическая и военная держава, занимающая третье место в мире по численности населения и четвертое по площади.
5. Включенные в Конституцию поправки направлены, главным образом, на защиту прав человека, расширение избирательных прав, развитие полномочий федерального правительства.
6. Конституция распределила полномочия между центральной властью и властями штатов, создав федеральную систему государственного управления.
7. В соответствии с принципом разделения властей, каждая из трех ветвей (исполнительная, законодательная и судебная) функционирует относительно независимо от остальных. Вместе с тем, система сдержек и противовесов наделяет каждую ветвь способностью контролировать действия других.
8. Исполнительную власть осуществляет президент, являющийся главой государства и главнокомандующим вооруженными силами, а также министры, назначаемые президентом и подотчетные только ему.
9. Законодательный орган власти – Конгресс, состоит из двух палат – Сената и Палаты представителей. Сенат формируется из 100 сенаторов, представляющих штаты. Палата представителей формируется пропорционально количеству жителей штата.
10. Соединенные Штаты являются членом ООН, ЮНЕСКО, ВОЗ, МВФ, НАТО, Организации экономического сотрудничества и развития и др.
C. Follow-up Activities
Task X. Share your opinions on the following:
1. In what way do the geographical position and physical features of the USA influence the development of the country?
2. Explain how the federal and state governments divide powers.
3. Can a country be governed without political parties, in your opinion? Why? Why not?
4. What was the basis for the formation of the American variant of the English language?
5. Perform a comparative analysis of the state structure of the USA, Britain and Belarus.
D. Optional Reading