The United States of America
READING AND DISCUSSION
TEXT 10A
The USA
The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the world. Its territory stretches from the Atlantic seaboard, across the central plains, over the Rocky Mountains to the densely populated west coast and then to the island state of Hawaii.
2. America is a land of physical contrasts including the weather. It possesses every variety of climates, from that of the tropics, to that of the Arctic regions. The United States is also a land of rivers and lakes. The Northern state of Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes. The broad Mississippi River is the world’s third river after the Nile and the Amazon.
3. American farmers plant wheat on the western plains. They raise corn, wheat and fine beef cattle in the midwest. Florida and California are famous for their vegetables and fruit production, and the Northern States are known for apples, pears, berries and vegetables.
4. A wealth of minerals provides a solid base for American industry.
5. The United States of America was founded in 1776. The Constitution was adopted in 1787. 26 amendments have been introduced since then. The Constitution operates today and sets the basic forms for the US government. The United States of America is a federation of 50 states.
6. The USA is largely an urban nation. Approximately two-thirds of the population live in urban areas.
7. At present the population of the USA is about two hundred and thirty nine million. The USA is called "the nation of immigrants". The country was settled, built and developed by generations of immigrants and their children.
8. The language of Americans is somewhat different from English spoken in Great Britain. Its grammar and structure are the same but there are new meanings in its vocabulary. There is also marked difference in pronunciation.
9. There are a lot of big cities in the USA, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, San Francisco and others.
10. New York is the largest city in the United States. It is in the south eastern New York State at the mouth of the Hudson River. It is a financial centre of the country, the headquarters of the clothing industry and the publishing business. It has a lot of schools and libraries, and some of the finest art galleries and museums in the world.
11. Two hundred miles south of New York is the city of Washington, the capital of the United States of America. It is the largest metropolitan area in the country. Laid out by the French architect in the late eighteenth century, it was the world's first city especially planned as a centre of government.
12. Chicago is the second largest city in the United States. It was built on the shore of Lake Michigan and is a busy inland port. Chicago is the centre of the meat packing industry. The city is famous for its stores and museums. It is a gigantic industrial and economic centre.
13. San Francisco, on the Pacific Coast in California, is considered to be the most beautiful city in the United States. It has a fine natural harbor; it carries on the trade with other countries.
14. Los Angeles in southwestern California is famous for Hollywood, where both movie and TV shows are produced, and its world-famous Disneyland in the nearby suburb (Anaheim).
15. Philadelphia is the centre of culture, education and science as well as business and industry.
16. The United States of America became the world leading country at the beginning of the twentieth century.
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