The United States of America

The United States is the world’s fourth largest nation in both area and population. It consists of 50 states and a “federal district", the site of the capital, Washington D.C. Like West Germany, the U.S. is a federal republic. In contrast to countries like Britain - where the head of state (the king or queen) and the head of government (the prime minister) are two different people - the United States has a president who is both the head of government and the head of state.
Politically and economically the U.S. is the most powerful country in the world. It is also the most conspicuous country in the sense that America's fashions and poli¬cies, goods and weapons, executives and soldiers have shaped today's world to a much greater extent than those of any other nation.
Considering its prominent position in the world, it is perhaps not surprising that the United States is both liked and disliked more intensely than any other country. Sometimes a difference is made between the American people, who are seen as warm, friendly and open, and the U.S. government, whose policies are disapproved of.
“America is so vast that almost everything said about it is likely to be true, and the opposite is probably equally true," said the American writer James T. Farrell. The United States is a country of rain forests and deserts, mountains and prairies. On one and the same November day the temperature may be 28 degrees in Texas and -7 degrees in Alaska. Its citizens may be “old-stock" Americans or the de-scendants of immigrants from European, Asian and Latin American countries, they may be American Indians or the descendants of African slaves, or they may be foreigners who have become naturalized. Though they are all Americans, some of them are still underprivileged minority groups, who live in neighbourhoods of their own and have their own character, customs, religion, and sometimes language. “The worst country to be poor in is America," said the English historian Arnold Toynbee. While U.S. wages are among the highest in the world and the majority of Americans are extremely well off, about 15 per cent of the population live “below the poverty line”. The poverty rate is highest in Mississippi (25 per cent) and lowest in Wyoming (8 per cent). Nationwide the poverty rate is 11 per cent for whites, 30 per cent for Hispanics, and a shocking 35 per cent for blacks - every third black person lives in poverty.
What would the world be like if there was no America, if there were no Americans? Would there be another superpower to take America's place? Would international business be as lively as it is? Would we Europeans be as prosperous as we are? Would there be jeans and T-shirts, Coca-Cola and hamburgers, soap operas and supermarkets? Would there be cheap cars if Henry Ford hadn't started mass- producing them? Would we have telephones and washing machines, ballpoint pens and personal computers if Americans hadn't invented or perfected them? We don't know the answers to these questions, but most people would probably agree that life in our time owes a great deal of its vitality, colour, and material comforts to the people of the United States of America.

Задание:

1. Дайте ответы.

a) How many states does the U.S. consist of? b) What’s the capital of the United States? c) Is Washington only a city? d) Is the U.S. president only the head of state? e) Is the British prime minister the head of state? f) Why is America’s position such a prominent one in today’s world? g) Give examples to show that the U.S. is a country of great contrasts, h) Talk about the weather in the United States, i) Talk about the population of the United States, j) Talk about poverty in the United States, k) What would the world be like if there was no America? i) Talk about things in this country that have come from America.

2. Употребите прилагательные в превосходной степени.

a) The United States is the fourth (large) nation in the world. b) The U.S. president is one of the (powerful) men in the world. c) The queen is the (prominent) person in Britain. d) The U.S. is one of the (prosperous) countries in the world. e) The Big Sleep was one of the (good) films based on a novel by Chandler. f) This is one of the (difficult) crosswords I’ve ever tried. g) It was one of the (hot) days of the year. h) He’s the (strong) man I ever saw. i) It was one of the (frightening) bushfires we ever had. j) This must be the (bad) hotel in town. k) It’s the (reliable) car I ever had. l)This is the (strange) film I’ve ever seen.

3. Притяжательный падеж с's или конструкция с of? (В примере возможны обе конструкции, но в большинстве предложений это невозможно).

The Lees have a store on (Manhattan / [the?] Upper East Side).
The Lees have a store on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
The Lees have a store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

a) Washington is (the United States /[the?] capital). b) London is (Britain/ [the?] most important city). c) (The fire / [the?] speed) was frightening. d) (Eric / [the?| birthday) is on the fourth of February. e) (This flight/[the?] departure) will be delayed. f) When the police arrived, (the shop/[the?] door) was wide open. g) (Raymond Chandler / [the?] novels) are still very popular. h) (Dave / [the?] passport) has to be extended. i) We're looking after (our neighbour /[the?l dog) while she’s away. j) He’s now one of (the company/ [the?] directors). k) President Calvin Coolidge said in 1925: “(America/ (the?) business) is business.”

4. Вставьте who, whose или which.

a) The United States is a federal republic … consists of 50 states. b) Raymond Chandler was a thriller writer      books are still popular today. c) People … are afraid of flying should remember that flying is much safer than travelling by car. d) A   fund has been set up to         help people … homes were destroyed by the fires. e) … of Chandler's novels do you like best? i) A president … policies are disapproved of can still be personally popular. g) Bogart was an actor … could be tough without a gun. h) We apologize for the excessive delays last night, …were caused by ice falling in Balcombe Tunnel. i)… bag is this here? - Roy’s, 1 think. j) Bushfires, 90 per cent of … are caused by humans, have always been common in Australia.

5. Переведите.

a) США - федеративная республика. b) Президент США является как главой правительства, так и главой государства. с) В политическом и в экономическом отношении США являются одной из самых сильных стран мира.
d) Большинству американцев живется очень хорошо (extremely well of), но меньшинство, около 15% населения, живет в бедности. е) Если бы не было Америки, мир был бы другим (different).
f) Если бы автомобили не производились серийно (mass- produce), то они не были такими де¬шевыми. g) Если бы у нас не было компьютеров, нам бы понадобился больший персонал.