Listening

“Washington, D.C.”

1. You are going to watch the video about 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
…

2. Watch the video film again and answer the questions:

1. Which of the presidential memorials is the newest one?

2. Who is the author of the Declaration of Independence?

3. Who was buried at the Arlington National Cemetery?

4. Where is the President’s residence situated?

5. Is the National Cathedral the church for all faiths?

6. What museum is often called ‘the Nation’s Attic’ and why?

SPEAKING

1. Share your opinions with a partner or a group on the following:

1. What do many people seek in the USA?

2. What makes the USA the leader of the western world?

3. What do you know about the most popular holidays in the USA?

4. What do you consider to be the symbol of American way of life?

2. Role-play the situations:

- A Belarusian journalist interviews an American politician about the state structure of the USA.

- An American student exchanges information about national holidays with his Belarusian friend.

WRITING

Write an essay in which you discuss your ideas about America. Use examples to support your opinion. Here are possible titles:

• America is so vast that almost everything said about it is likely to be true, and the opposite is probably equally true.  (James T. Farrell)

• This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.  (Theodore Roosevelt)

PART II. THE ECONOMY OF THE USA

GETTING STARTED

1. Discuss the following in pairs or small groups:

• How does the geographical position of the USA influence economy?

• Is the USA rich in natural resources?

• What can you say about the US economy today?

USEFUL VOCABULARY

consumer (n) - потребитель

consumption (n) – потребление

copper (n) – медь

costs (n) – затраты, издержки

crude oil – неочищенная нефть

depreciate (v) – обесцениваться, падать в цене

discourage (v) – препятствовать, мешать

downturn (n) – уменьшение, спад

enterprise (n) – предпринимательство, промышленное предприятие, предприимчивость

entrepreneurship (n) – предпринимательство

erode (v) – разъедать, разрушать

extraction (n) – добывание, извлечение

grain (n) – зерно, хлебные злаки

layoff (n) – приостановка или прекращение производства; увольнение из-за отсутствия работы; приостановка производства

lead (n) – свинец

leasing service – лизинговая услуга

lumber (n) – (Am.) пиломатериалы, бревна

maize (n) – кукуруза, маис

mining (n) – горное дело

overlap (v) – частично совпадать

overtake (v) – догонять, перегонять

petroleum (n) – нефть, бензин

pork (n) – свинина

poultry (n) – домашняя птица

profit (n) – польза, выгода; прибыль, доход

rapid (adj) – быстрый, скорый

soybeans (n) – соевые бобы

stagnation (n) – застой, застойность

threefold (adj) – утроенный, тройной

timber (n) – лесоматериалы, строевой лес

warehousing (n) – хранение, размещение на складе

wheat (n) – пшеница