IX. Прочитайте текст, переведите его письменно и ответьте на вопросы.

The United States of America.

The USA is the 4ⁿ largest country in the world after Russia, Canada and China. The country consists of 3

parts: the continental part is in the center of the North American continent. The outlying territories are

Hawaii and Alaska. The total area of the USA is over 9 mln sq. km. The country borders on Canada in the

north and Mexico in the south. It also has a sea-border with Russia.

Three oceans wash the country: the Arctic, the Atlantic and the Pacific. The country has many lakes,

including the Great Lakes and many rivers, the longest of which are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the

Columbia and others. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Appalachian, the Cordillera and

the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak, Mount McKinley, is in Alaska.

The climate conditions are rather various. The country is rich in natural and mineral resources: oil, gas,

iron, ore, coal and various metals.

The USA is a highly developed industrial and agricultural country. The main industrial branches arc

aircraft, rocket, automobile, electronics, radio engineering and others.

Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations. The country population is over 260 mln. The

official language of the state is English. The national symbol of the USA is the national flag "Stars and

Stripes", having 50 white stars and 13 white and red stripes on its field, symbolizing the number of the

original and present day states.

Officially the country comprises 50 states and 1 District of Columbia. The states differ in size, population

and economic development. Each state has its own capital. The capital of the USA is Washington. It is

situated in the District of Columbia on the banks of the Potomac River and is named after the 1^st US

President - George Washington. There are many large cities in the country: New York, Los Angeles.

Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, Boston and some others.

The USA is a federal state, headed by the President. According to the US Constitution the powers of the

Government are divided into 3 branches: legislative, executive and judicial.

The legislative power belongs to the Congress consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Senate represents the states while the House of Representatives - population. The executive power

belongs to the President and his Administration (Vice-President and Cabinet of Ministers). The judicial

power belongs to the Supreme Court and the system of federal courts.

There are several political parties in the USA. The largest of them are the Republican (symbolized by a

donkey) and the Democratic (symbolized by an elephant).

Nowadays the USA is one of the leading powers of the world due to its economic, political and military

influence.

Questions

1. What power is the USA? 2. On what countries does it border? 3. The USA is a highly developed country, isn't it? 4. What is the population of the country? 5. What kind of state is the USA? 6. What are the main branches of industry?

Контрольная работа № 1. Вариант № 4.

I. Вместо точек употребите нужную форму глагола «to be» или «to have».

I. They ... six lessons today. 2. What... your sister? 3. We ... a little child. 4. We ... well. 5. She ... a nice flat. 6. The metro station ... far from my house.

II. Вставьте артикль, где необходимо.

1. It is ... nice day. 2. ... Volga is ... fabulous river. 3. She gave me ... coffee and ... cake. 4. Do you like ... ice cream? 5.... Canada is ... English-speaking country. 6. He is ... first to answer.