Английский язык. Ч. 2. Гималетдинова Г.К - 2 стр.

                                          3


                                     РАЗДЕЛ I
     Текст А. “Discovering the USA”
     Грамматика. Действительный и страдательный залог (Active and Passive Voice)
     Текст Б. “The Functions of Language”
     Словообразование. Суффиксы глаголов

                                    ТЕКСТ А
                               Discovering the USA
      North America includes several countries: the United States of America,
Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean states. The United States is the second larg-
est country in North America, after Canada.
      The geography and climate of the USA are extremely diverse, from the tropical
in Hawaii to the subarctic in Alaska. Year-long temperatures are lower in the northern
and north-eastern states and higher in the southern and western states. Humidity is
higher in the East than in the West. So, while the beaches in Florida, California, and
Hawaii are overcrowded with people, in other parts of the USA, like Alaska, the Mid-
west, and the Northeast people are wearing thick coats and trying to keep warm. It
was established that the Rocky Mountains in the West can reach over 4,270 meters
high, but the land of the Great Plains stretches flat for hundreds of miles.
      America’s largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande
and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest
and deepest in the USA.
      The United States is a federal union of 50 states, each having its own govern-
ment. Washington, the capital of the United States, is in the District of Columbia
(D.C.). This special district, which was named after Christopher Columbus, is not in
any state, because it is the home of the federal government. In the center of the city
there is the Capitol, where Congress meets. The president lives and works nearby
the White House. In and around Washington, D.C., there are many memorials to
honor important people in American history and soldiers who have died in wars.
      America’s largest city which has been the gateway to the United States for
many immigrants is New York. It has also been called ‘the city that never sleeps’ be-
cause it is alive at all hours of day and night. During the day the population grows to
over 20 million, as workers from the suburbs and nearby cities come to New York.
      Los Angeles is America’s second largest city. Approximately 3.5 million peo-
ple live in Los Angeles. It is a popular place because of its pleasant semi-tropical
climate and beautiful Pacific coast. Los Angeles has also been made a tourist at-
traction because of suburbs like Hollywood, which are called the center of movie
industry, and Beverly Hills, where the houses of famous actors are situated.
      A visitor or a newcomer to the USA is almost always struck by one thing. It
is ethnic diversity. Immigrants from many countries have helped to make the USA
a land where so many nationalities live and work side by side. Most of them leave
their homeland because they are poor and have few opportunities. Some are
forced to leave because of famines and civil war, others come for religious free-
dom. In any case, these people believe in the American Dream, the hope for a
better life in a new country. Ethnic and cultural identity is valued by the majority of
modern Americans, and their own traditions are practiced by them openly. They
keep their own language and cultural traditions even after they have lived in the
USA for a number of years.