1. The Declaration of Independence:

to compare with, to hold in minds and hearts, key ideas, free people, to form the government, natural responsibilities, liberty, to sustain;

2. The Bill of Rights:

to lay foundations, the Articles of Confederation, to devise, to amend, to inspire, to adopt, the Bill of Rights, to state fundamental rights, freedom of speech, to right of trial by jury, to protect against unreasonable searches, arrest, seizures of property.

3. The Constitution:

striking feature, the president, a system of checks and balances, the oldest in force, “The Supreme law of the land“, to belong to the people, to foresee every problem, to adapt to new conditions, democratic nature, to abolish slavery, to widen suffrage, to make elections direct.

Grammar Practice Articles

Ex. 1. Use the articles a/an, the, or.

1. … Countries often have … national symbols or … emblems.

2. … Britain is usually shown as ... lion or … bulldog.

3. … USA has … eagle as its symbol. Australia has … kangaroo.

4. … Countries have their own national colours, too. These are usually … colours of … national flag.

5. … patriotic colours in … Britain and … USA are red, white and blue.

6. … Companies and … political parties often use these colours to create … feeling of … national pride.

7. … flag of … U.S., popularly called … Stars and Stripes and … Old Glory, was adopted in 1777.

8. It consists of … thirteen horizontal stripes alternately red and white equal to … number of … original states with … blue union marked with … white stars equal in number to … 50 states today.

9. … red stripes proclaim courage, … white stripes proclaim … liberty, … field of blue stands for … loyalty.

10. … Coat-of-Arms of … U.S. represents … eagle with … wings outspread, holding … bundle of …rods – a symbol of administering - in … left claw, and … olive twig - … emblem of … love – in … right claw.

11. … motto on … coat-of-arms is “E Pluribus Unum” (One out of many).

12. … President of … USA is perhaps … most powerful person in … world.

13. In 1977 Jimmy Carter, … President of … United States, said, “ Because we are free we can never be indifferent to …fate of … freedom elsewhere.”

The Passive Voice

Ex.2. Use the verb in brackets in the Passive Voice

1. The federal government of the USA (divide) into three main branches: the legislative, the executive and the judicial.

2. The legislative branch of the U.S. government (vest) in Congress.

3. Congress of the USA (compose) of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

4. Members of the Senate (elect) to six-year terms.

5. Although the great bulk of committee work (do) in the standing committees, other kinds of committees (create).

6. After the final passage by both houses, the bill (send) to the President.

7. According to the written sagas of Norsemen, America (discover) about 1,000 years ago.

8. Leif Ericson, an Icelandic Viking, succeeded in reaching the American continent around the year 1,000, but his discovery (not, map) and didn’t become widely known.

9. Everybody knows that America (discover) by Christopher Columbus in 1492, who was trying to find a sea route to India.

10. The immigrants from Britain who wanted to colonise the new territory (pack) like sardines on the ships and (send) to the New World.

11. The immigrants (encourage) to settle there and (promise) land and work.

12. The early English settlements in America (found) by small groups of people, like the Mayflower immigrants. Many settlers (kill) by the Indians or died of poverty and disease.

13. The word “money” comes from the name of the Roman Godness Moneta in whose temple silver coins (made).

14. The ancient Olympic Games (hold) every four years on the island of Pelops in southern Greece.

15. In 1814, during the war with England, the White House (burn) down.

16. After the war the remains of the building (whitewash).

17. Since that time the residence of the American Presidents always (paint) white.

Ex.3. Use the verb in the proper form in the Active or Passive Voice

1. The Capitol (be) the seat of the government of the USA for two centuries.

2. The cornerstone of the Capitol (lay) by George Washington.

3. The Capitol (build) to the plans of William Thornton, an amateur architect, whose design (select) by competition.

4. The Capitol (locate) on Capitol Hill, the highest point of the city.

5. The Capitol (be) the seat of Congress. Congress first (meet) in the north wing, the Senate Chamber, which first (complete) on November 21, 1800.

6. The south wing for the House of Representatives (finish) in 1807.

7. In August 1814 the unfinished Capitol Building partly (destroy) by the fire set by invading British troops.

8. In 1827 the building of the Capitol (complete).

9. Thirty years later the building (decorate) with marble.

10. The Capitol Building (contain) 540 rooms. It is easy to get (lose) in a huge building, full of paintings and statues.

11. President George Washington (decide) that the President of the USA must have official residence.

12. It was Washington who (select) the site for the residence and (lay) the cornerstone in October 1793.

13. The building (base) on the design by Gemes Haben.

14. George Washington (die) in 1799, before the house (complete).

Ex.4. Open the brackets. Retell the text

The United States (begin) as nation of 13 states. There (be) thirteen colonies which in 1776 (declare) themselves free and independent of Great Britain and (fight) an eight-year War for Independence. On the 14^th of June in 1777 the Americans (adopt) their own flag. The first American flag (have) 13 red and white stripes and 13 white stars (a star and a stripe for each one of the former 13 colonies). The new country (begin) to grow, and more states (join) to it. It (decide) that the Flag must always (have) 13 stripes. Every time a new state (join) the Union, a new star (add) to the national flag.

The flag (call) also the “Star-Spangled Banner”. The first documentary reference to the appearance of “Star and Stripes” (date) by March 10, 1774. Actually stripes (use) earlier in colonial flags. Today the original Star-Spangled Banner (keep) in the National Museum of American History.

Ex. 5. Change the sentences using the Passive Voice:

1. The Declaration of Independence laid the foundations for the Articles of Confederation (1781) – the United States’ first Constitution.

2. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as Bill of Rights (1791), stated fundamental rights of any American.

3. The executive, legislative and judicial branches of power compose the government of the USA.

4. A Federal Court of Appeals serves each judicial circuit.

5. Two members from each state elected for a term of six years compose the Senate.

6. The so-called «Lobbyists» play an important role in the American legislation.

7. The district courts try most of the criminal and civil cases.

8. Electors from each state elect the President of the United States for a term of 4 years.

9. The President recommends much of the legislation to Congress.

10. The President appoints Federal Judges, ambassadors to other countries.

11. During the election campaign the candidates for presidency and their parties spent much money in order to become the President of the USA.

12. Every year, on July 4 the American citizens celebrate one of their greatest national holidays – Independence Day.