What is common and what is different between Russian and

Unit 1. Country and People.

Unit 2. Historical Background.

Unit 3. Cities. Main Attractions.

Unit 4. American Homes.

Unit 5. American Traditions and Holidays.

Unit 6. American Lifestyle.

Unit 1.

Country and People.

The US Geography. Factfile.

There are fifty states in the United States of America. Two of these states, Alaska and Havaii, are not connected to the other states. The USA is washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west, by the Atlantic Ocean in the east, by the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in the south. In the north are Great Lakes.

The United States is a large country with different natural wonders. The USA has almost every kind of weather. It has also many kinds of land-rocky coasts, dry empty deserts, long and powerful rivers, wide plains and grassy lands, lakes of all sizes, high mountains, thick forests, sunny beaches and lands of endless winter.

More than 250 million people live in the US. But the country is so big that there is still a lot of open space and natural scenery outside the cities. Americans have tried to save many of the most beautiful areas, where you can enjoy the beauty of wild America.

Many rivers cross the United States. But the greatest is the Mississippi. Native Americans call it “the father of waters”. The Mississippi has been an important waterway since early times, when native Americans travelled on the river in canoes. Among other big rivers are the Colorado and Missouri. The Colorado River rises in the Rocky Mountains that stretch from Alaska down the south of the country. Another big mountain chain is the Appalachians in the east also running from north to south.

I. Read the geographical names and find the places on the map.

The Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, the Colorado, the Missouri, the Rocky Mountains, Alaska, the Appalachians.

II. Answer the questions.

1. How many states are there in the USA?

2. What is the USA washed by in the east and west?

3. What is the landscape of the country?

4. How many people live in the USA?

5. What great rivers of the USA do you know?

6. What big mountain chain can you name?

III. Work in pairs. Ask questions on the points below and answer them.

1) the kinds of land the USA has

2) the waters the USA is washed

3) the river which is called “ the father of waters”

4) the beauty of wild America

5) the mountain chains in the USA

IV. Get ready to speak about the following:

The USA geographical outlook;

The USA scenery and its wild beauty.

1. Read the text to get some new information about the USA:

The Text.

The United States of America is a young country. Its written history is only a few hundred years old. It is sometimes called the “New World”. Over the last four hundred years millions of people have come to start a new life in this “New World”.

Americans are not afraid of new ideas. They built the first skyscrapers and they put the first man on the Moon. They like to be modern. They like exciting, modern cities, new houses and new cars.

At the same time, Americans love old things. They like to visit historic houses and museums. They build old pioneer houses and remember the days of the “Wild West”. Americans are interested in old traditions, but they are good at making new traditions too.

The people of the United States are a mixture of many different nationalities. Every American schoolchild learns that the United States is the big “melting pot” of countries. In a “melting pot”, different metals are melted together to make a new metal. The United States is like a melting pot for people. In the past, people from many different European countries came to the USA and made one country out of many. In one city you can find people whose parents, grandparents or great- grandparents came from China, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia and every European country. These different people brought to their new land a wonderful mixture of customs and traditions. The Germans brought Christmas trees. The Irish brought St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The Scotts brought Hallowe’en.

2. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. The US written history is over 1000 years old.

2. The USA is often called the “New World”.

3. Americans don’t like to be modern, they are afraid of new ideas.

4. Americans remember the days of the “Wild West”.

5. The USA is a big “melting pot”.

6. In the past people from different European countries came to America

and made many countries out of one.

7. Different people brought to the USA a wonderful mixture of customs and traditions.

What is common and what is different between Russian and

American people? Read the text again and complete the table.

The Russians The Americans

Common
Different

4. What do you understand by the term “the melting pot”? Can you call our country “the melting pot”, too? Why or why not?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14