The United States of America

History. America is a young, but powerful and rich country. More than 300 years old is not much for the country. First settlers came to America seeking religious freedom. They were called the Pilgrim Fathers. They arrived from England and established Plymouth colony, the first settlement in New England (the first name of the USA was New England). Declaration of Independence started the American Revolution. Leaders of the 13 original colonies proclaimed the historic Declaration of Independence from British rule in 1776, but young American republic had to fight for its independence. At the head of this struggle was George Washington who later became the first president of the USA.

From 1861-1865 America was torn in the civil war between northern and southern states. People from northern states wanted to abolish slavery, while people from the southern states wanted to keep it. President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, defeated the Southern Confederacy and kept the Union.

Great drama surrounded the taming of the West when white Americans fought against the Indians – Native Americans. The first transcontinental railroad was made in the 19^th century. Thomas Edison produced the first electric light bulb in 1880, and the growth of science and technology began.

After the WW II American scientists used the ideas of Albert Einstein and discovered the power of the atom. In 1961, 43-year-old John Kennedy became the president of the USA. He introduced the program known for equal rights for blacks and whites. John Kennedy started Project Apollo which promised to land an American on the moon before 1970. Astronaut Neil Armstrong made the first step on the moon in July 20, 1969. As you can see, the USA has a glorious history.

Geography. Language. Nationalities. Symbols. The geographical position of the country is also very remarkable. It is a country of contrasts in landscape and climate. There are elevated and lowland regions. It has every kind of climate – from that of the tropic to that of Arctic regions and Alaska. There are also very long rivers (the Colorado, the Alabama, the Mississippi) and very large lakes in the country.

American English is different from British English. Americans say “last name”, British say “surname”; Americans say “fall”, British say “autumn”, etc. To say the truth, 30 mln Americans speak a language other than English at home. They speak Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese, etc. It happens because America is a nation of immigrants. It was founded by immigrants and nowadays it continues to take in more immigrants than any other country in the world. In the second half of the 20^th century it took in more people from Asian countries, but before it took in mainly people from Europe. There are many nationalities nowadays, that’s why it is very important in America to be “politically correct”. For example, you should say “black person”, “native American”.

The USA is an urban nation. 2/3 (two thirds) of the population live in urban areas. There are many big cities such as New York (NY), Los Angeles (LA), Philadelphia (PA), Detroit, San Francisco and others.

The flag of the USA is called “the Stars and Stripes”. The 50 stars in the US flag stand for the 50 states; the 13 stripes (7 red and 8 white) stand for the 13 original states. The red in the flag means courage, the blue justice, the white innocence.

The government of the United States represents, serves, and protects the American people at home and in foreign countries. From the nation's capital in Washington, D.C, the U.S. government's activities and influence reach every part of the world.

The three branches of the United States government - executive, legislative, and judicial - are usually represented by the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Generally speaking, the President enforces the laws that Congress passes and the Supreme Court interprets these laws if any question arises.

Answer the questions:

1. When and why did the first settlers come to America? 2. What are the American well-known discoveries? 3. What is the geographical position of the USA? 4. What is the difference between American English and British English? 5. Why do they usually call America a “melting pot”? 6. What are the biggest cities of the USA? 7. Why is the name of the American flag “the Stars and Stripes”?

2. Граматичний матеріал: Теперішній подовжений час. Present Continuous Tense.

Ex. 1. Make up the negative sentences. Model: She is reading now (to write a letter). – She is not reading. She is writing a letter.

1. Helen is skating now.(to ski) 2. They are playing chess (football). 3. The students are going home (to the library). 4. Mother is making dinner (to wash dishes in the kitchen). 5. Father is working in the garden (to take a rest). 6. Ann and John are swimming there (to lie in the sun). 7. I am asking you questions (to answer your questions).

Ex. 2. Use the Present Continuous or the Present Simple Tense.

1. I (to read) a very interesting book now. 2. My friend usually (to read) a lot. 3. He (to swim) very fast. 4. Look! Somebody (to swim) over there. 5. What (to do) in the evening? Let's go to the cinema. 6. What they usually (to do) at the week-end? 7. Where is Alec? He is in the garden. I think he (to do) his morning exercises. 8. He always (to do) his morning exercises with the window open. 9. Mrs.Grey seldom (to cook meals) at home. 10. Is mother in the kitchen? Yes, she is. She (to cook) something.

Ex. 3. Make up the questions to the words underlined.

1. Lucy is taking her examination now. 2. Tom is playing chess with his friendin the dining-room. 3. Many students are going to the cafefor lunch. 4. She is 1ooking at the picture. 5. He is answering the teacher’s questions. 6. They are speaking about their work.

Ex. 4. Translate into English using the verbs in Present Continuous or Present Simple.

1. Мері зараз виконує вправи. Вона завжди виконує вправи після двох годин. 2. Зараз студенти грають у баскетбол в спортзалі. Вони грають у баскетбол 3 рази на тиждень. 3. Мы читаємо цікавий текст про Великобританію. Мы читаємо такі тексти понеділками. 4. Мама ходить за покупками по суботах. Зараз вона виходить з дому. 5. Мері пише контрольну роботу? – Так, вона виконує контрольні вправи.

3. Робота над текстом за профілем спрямування: текст “ SOLUTION”

Any chemically and physically homogeneous mixture of two more substances is said to be a solution. It is possible to have solution of solids in liquids, liquids in liquids, gases in liquids, solids in solids, etc. Depending upon the size of the dispersed particles we recognize true solutions, colloidal solutions and suspensions.

If sugar is dissolved in water and the ultimate sugar particle is of molecular dimensions, then a true solution is formed. On the other hand, if very fine sand is mixed with water, consisting of many molecules, then a colloidal solution is formed.

From the pharmaceutical point of view solutions of solids in liquids are of the greatest importance. The extent of solubility of different substances varies, but it has a constant value at constant temperature.

1) solution — раствор

2) solid — твердое тело

3) liquid — жидкость

4) dimension — размер, величина

5) extent — степень

6) dispersed — рассеянные, распространенные

7) ultimate — элементарный

Ex 1 Translate into English:

рассеянные частицы (взвешенные частицы), растворяться в воде, элементарная частица, молекулярного размера, истинный раствор, коллоидный раствор, взвесь, с другой стороны, с фармацевтической точки зрения, степень растворимости, постоянная температура.

Ex 2 Answer the questions:

1) What is said to be a solution?

2) What solutions is it possible to have?

3) What solutions do we recognize?

4) How is a true solution formed?

5) How is a colloidal solution formed?

6) What can you say about the extent of solubility of different substances?

Література:

1. Барановська Т.В. Граматика англійської мови. Збірник вправ: Навч. посібник. Видання друге, виправлене та доповненею – Мова англ., укр. – Київ: ТОВ “ВП Логос-М», 2007. – 384с.

2. Л.В. Мисик, А.Л. Арцишевська, Л.Р. Кузнєцова, Л.Л. Поплавська. Англійська мова. Комунікативний аспект. / За ред. доц. Мисик Л.В. – Підручник. – К.: Атіка, 2000. – 368с.

3. Гужва Т. М. Англійська мова: Розмовні теми: Навч. посіб. Для студентів фак. Інозем. Філології, університетів, ліцеїв, гімназій та коледжів. – Харків: Фоліо, 2005. – 414с.

4. Бессонова І. В. Англійська мова (за професійним спрямуванням). Навчальний посібник для дистанційного навчання. – К.: Університет «Україна», 2005. – 263с.