The United States of America
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The UK occupies most of the territory of the British Isles. It consists of 4 main parts which are: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
The UK is an island state. The two main islands are Great Britain (in which are England, Wales and Scotland) to the east and Ireland (in which are Northern Ireland and the independent Irish Republic) to the west. They are separated by the Irish Sea.
The UK is a small country (it is twice smaller than France or Spain), with an area of some 244,100 sq. km. Its population is over 57 million people. The climate of the country is mild and humid. There is much rain and fog here. The weather is so changeable that the English often say that they have no climate but only weather.
The UK is a highly developed industrial country with very few mineral resources. English is the official language. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official name of the state which is sometimes referred to as Great Britain or Britain (after its major isle), England (after its major historic part) or the British Isles.
Of the four parts which make up Great Britain England is the largest industrial and most densely populated country. Over 46 million people live in England. The coasts of England are washed by the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover.
There are many rivers in England. The longest is the Severn, the most important is the Thames. The rivers are of great importance for communication and especially for carrying goods.
England is known for the wool industry of Leeds and Bradford, the cotton industry of Manchester, metal goods of Birmingham, heavy machinery and shipbuilding industries of Newcastle and other cities.
Each part of England is different. There are upland regions in the north and the southwest, but the rest of England is almost flat.
The Lake District in Northern England with its lakes, mountains and valleys is a favourite holiday area.
The Midland plain makes good farm land.
In Southern England are found some of the oldest British settlements and traces of ancient monuments such as Stonehenge.
London, the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, is in Southern England.
The red rose is the national emblem of England.
London
Modern London, the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, is not one city that has steadily become larger through the centuries. It is a number of cities, towns, and villages that have grown together to make one vast urban area.
London is situated upon both banks of the River Thames, it is the largest city in Britain and one of the largest in the world. Its population is about 7 million people.
London dominates the life of Britain. It is a big port and most important commercial, manufacturing and cultural centre. There is little heavy industry in London, but there is a wide range of light industry in Greater London.
The City extends over an area of about 2,6 sq.km. in the heart of London. About half a million people work in the City but only less than 6 000 live here. It is the financial centre of the UK with many banks, offices and the Stock Exchange. But the City is also a market for goods of almost every kind, from all parts of the world.
The West End can be called the centre of London. Here are the historical palaces as well as the famous parks. Hyde Park with its Speaker’s Corner is also here. Among other parks are Kensington Gardens, St.Tames’s Park. In the West End there is Buckingham Palace, which is the Queen’s residence, and the Palace of Westminster which is the seat of Parliament.
The best-known streets here are Whitehall with important Government offices, Downing Street, the London residence of Prime Minister and the Place where the Cabinet meets, Fleet Street where most newspapers have their offices, Harley Street where the highest paid doctors live, and some others.
Trafalgar Square is so-named in commemoration of Nelson’s great Victory. The Nelson Column 170 feet high stands in the geographical centre of the city.
The «musts» for the sightseer are the Houses of Parliament, facing the Thames, on one side, and Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey, on the other. The House of Commons sits to the side of the Clock Tower (Big Ben), the House of Lords - to the Victoria Tower side.
Westminster Abbey is the crowning and burial Place of British monarchs. It has the Poet’s Corner with memorials to Chancer, Shakespeare, Milton, Tennyson, Longfellow, Dickens, Kipling and other leading writers. Only a few, however, are actually buried here.
There is also the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, a touching symbol of the nation’s grief.
The name «West End» came to be associated with wealth, luxury and goods of high quality. It is the area of the largest department stores, cinemas and hotels. There are about 40 theatres, several concert halls, many museums including the British Museum, and the best art galleries. Tourists are likely to pass most of their time in the West End.
It is in the West End where the University of London is centred with Bloomsbury as London’s student quarter.
The port of London is to the east of the City. Here were kilometres and kilometres of docks, and the great industrial areas that depended upon shipping. Formerly unattractive in appearance, the East End of London is now changing because of the introduction of new industries and very expensive housing.
The United States of America
(The USA)
The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada and China). The USA lies in the central part of North America. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean. Its eastern coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It has a sea-boarder with Russia.
The climate of the country varies greatly from arctic in Alaska through continental in the central part to subtropical in the south.
The USA is a federal republic. It consists of fifty states and the District of Columbia. The capital of the country is Washington, D. C. The population of the USA is about 250 million people. Each state has its own government. The seat of the federal government is Washington, D. C. According to the US Constitution the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive, the legislative and the judicial. The executive branch is headed by the President and his Administration. The legislative power is exercised by the US Congress. The judicial one is headed by the US Supreme Court. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic.
The flag of the USA is called "Stars and Stripes." There are three colours on the flag of the USA. They are red, white and blue. As there are fifty states in the USA, there are fifty stars on the American flag: one star for each state. The American flag has thirteen stripes. The stripes are red and white. The flag has seven red stripes and six white stripes. There is one stripe for each of the first thirteen colonies which in 1776 became independent of England.
The eagle became the official national symbol of the country in 1782. It holds an olive branch (a symbol of peace) and arrows (symbols of strength) in its paws.
The USA has an official song. It is called The Star Spangled Banner.
The USA is one of the greatest industrial and leading agricultural nations in the world. The USA produces around 25% of the world's industrial products, agricultural goods and services.
The USA is rich in coal, iron and oil. Many rivers cross the country. The most important are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Colorado, and the Sacramento. The main lakes are the Great Lakes in the north.
The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, Washington and others. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada.
The USA is one of the most powerful and highly developed countries in the world.
Washington D. C.
Washington is the capital of the United States of America. It is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The population of the city is 900,000 people. Washington was named after the first US President George Washington. He selected the place for the capital. It was founded in 1790. Since 1800 Washington D. C. has been the federal capital. The French engineer, Pierre L’enfant, designed the city. Washington D. C. isn't like other cities of the USA. It has long wide avenues, gardens, beautiful parks and no skyscrapers at all, because no other building must be taller then the Capitol.
The Capitol is the seat of the American Congress. The 535 members of the Congress meet here to discuss the nation's affairs. It is situated in the centre of the city. The Capitol has a big white dome standing on a circle of pillars. It is a huge building, full of paintings and statues.
The White House is the official residence of the US President. It was built in 1799. The US President works and lives there.
Washington is a large scientific and cultural centre. There are many museums, theatres, research institutes, five universities, the National Academy of Science and the Library of Congress there.
The Library of Congress is situated not far from the Capitol. It is the largest library in the States. It contains more than 13 million books, more than 19 million manuscripts, including the personal papers of the US presidents.
There is one more well-known building in Washington — Pentagon. It is the residence of the US Military Department. It is situated in the suburbs to the south of the Potomac.
There are many monuments in the city. The most impressive and the best-known ones are the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. Thousands of tourists visit Washington every day. Washington D.C. is the city where you think about the glorious history of the USA.
Travelling on business
Nowadays businessmen go on business trips by train, by plane, by boat and by car. All means of travel have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans and destinations. Most businessmen are interested in speed, comfort and safety.
When I go on business I decide what kind of transport to choose and make all travel arrangement. It's rather difficult to get tickets on the day of departure and I book a ticket at least a week in advance. As I prefer travelling by train I get to Moscow railway terminal.
There are crowds of people there: at the timetable, at the inquiry-office, at the booking-office, waiting for trains at the platforms, having a snack at a cafeteria, seeing off their friends and relatives. They are in a hurry not to miss theirs trains.
I get all the necessary information at the inquiry office before buying or booking tickets. Usually I prefer a return ticket (round-trip ticket) to a single one (one-way ticket), a lower berth to an upper one. I like to travel by an express train as it's more comfortable than a passenger train. There's a buffet-car and a carriage hostess brings me tea and bedclothes. The fares are reasonable and the trains are always in time. They leave and arrive without delay.
When I get on the train I go to my compartment. Here I put my luggage on the luggage rack (roof rack) and make myself comfortable. I prefer a corner seat facing the engine in a smoker. My carriage is near the dining-car and I can order lunch when the attendant comes along. I'm very glad to have one or two other passengers in the compartment of my carriage for it's very pleasant to travel in a good company. Sometimes I read a book to while away the time during the journey. I always have a nice trip by train.
Very often I go on business to London by air as it is the fastest way of travelling. I ask my secretary to check flights to London as I want to take the earliest flight I can. She finds out the time of flights to London and reserves me a seat. Usually it's a direct non-stop flight, business class, non-smoking.
The secretary arranges everything for me (makes all necessary reservations for the flight) and I go home to pack a bag. I can't waste my time because passengers must arrive at the airport two hours before departure time on international flights and an hour on domestic flights. There must be enough time for them to complete all necessary airport formalities.
Passengers must check in for flights: register tickets, weigh and register their luggage. If your luggage is overweigh you have to pay extra, if it’s underweight you needn’t pay anything. My secretary arranges for a car to take me to the Airport Terminal and phones me to inform about the latest check-in time. At the check-in desk I put my luggage on the scales and pay an extra charge if it's necessary. Together with other passengers I wait at the department lounge and on hearing the announcement about the flight I collect my hand luggage and go to gate 1. I show my boarding pass to the stewardess and get on the plane.
Planes to London leave and land there without delay and when I get off the plane in London Mr. Smith meets me at Heathrow-Airport.
Going through the customs
Customs regulations are on the whole similar in any country of the world and a businessman should know them. When you get off the plane you go through passport control, where an immigration officer asks you to show your passport. He asks you about the purpose of your visit to the country and the length of your stay there. You may answer that you have arrived on a business trip for a week. If your passport is in order and you go through the customs.
It's not difficult to get through the customs but you’ll have to fill in an entry form (customs declaration) and then produce it to the customs officer, who checks the declaration. The customs officer inspects your bags (luggage) and asks if you have things liable to duty, any presents, things for your personal use or money about you. He informs you about what items are liable to duty and what things you may have duty free. As a rule personal things may be brought in duty free. The customs officer also asks you to put your suitcases (my luggage) on the scales, and if there's some extra weight you’ll have to pay extra taxes.
Two special signs are sometimes used to show passengers which way to go through the customs hall: «Nothing to declare» and «Goods to declare». In some countries they have the system of red and green doors. If the visitor has nothing to declare he walks through the green door, if he has goods to declare – through the red one.
In some cases the customs inspector may ask passengers to open their bags for inspection. It sometimes happens that a passenger's luggage is carefully gone through (examined) in order to prevent smuggling. The formalities at the customs house usually take some time. After you are through with all customs formalities the inspector will put a stamp on each piece of your luggage and wish your to have a good stay in the country.
Staying at a hotel
As I’m the manager of our company I often go on business trips to visit our trade partner's manufacturing plant London. When the plane lands at Heathrow airport I go through passport control and check my luggage at the Customs house. A representative of our Trade Delegation meets me at the airport and takes me to the Embassy Hotel. I often put up at this hotel. It's a comfortable hotel in the center of London near the Hyde Park. Prices for the rooms are reasonable and the hotel is usually full (booked out), so the rooms are reserved in advance.
It takes us about half an hour to get to the hotel. At the reception desk we address the receptionist and say that we have reserved hotel accommodation for Mr. Petrov at the hotel. The receptionist checks the reservation and informs us that one single room with private bath is reserved for Mr. Petrov from this day. The room is on the third floor, number 301. We thank the receptionist and I fill in the following form:
| Surname | First name |
| Nationality | Date of birth |
| Occupation | Place of birth |
| Date of arrival in London | Address |
| Length of stay |
The receptionist thanks us and gives me the key to my room. He calls the porter and asks him to take (show) me up to my room in the lift. My room is large and very light. There is a lot of sunshine in it. There is a big window faces a side street. To the right of the window there is a sofa and a standard lamp. To the left of the window there is a television-set. The wardrobe is in the left-hand corner of the room. Near it there are two easy-chairs and a little table with newspapers and magazines on it. The walls of the room are blue. The ceiling is white. The floor is brown. I like my room because it’s very comfortable and there is a hospitality tray.
The receptionist asks me not to miss breakfast served from 7.30 to 8.30. He also warns me that the hotel charges include breakfast and maid-service and I don't have to give any tips to the maids. I ask him to make a wake-up call because I set up an appointment. The receptionist wishes me to enjoy, my stay at the hotel.