Учебнометодическое пособие Петрозаводск 2010 ббк 81. 2Англ удк 811. 11 Г 613 Рецензенты
 Скачать 3.75 Mb.
|
3.10 Why do the British drive on the left?1) How does driving in Britain differ from that in Europe? 2) Scan the text and name the paragraphs which give the following information: a) when many countries changed from the left to the right when driving, b) when driving on the left was general in Europe, c) why soldiers carried the shield on the left, d) the British law which had a “keep left” recommendation, e) how a horse is mounted. (1) Up to the late 18th century, driving on the left was general in Europe. So why should be all milestones and signs put to the right? In the late 50s people in Britain thought about changing to the right, like in Sweden. But they dismissed the thought, because of the costs (steering wheels in cars, signs etc.). And Britain is an island, so there was no need to change to the right. And the British kept a little of their “splendid isolation.” (2) In Roman times the shield was carried with the left hand and the sword with the right. The soldiers marched on the left, so they could protect their body with their shield and they were able to fight with their right hand. (3) A horse is mounted from the left. You swing the right leg over the horse’s back. To make it easier for smaller people to mount the horse, special stones (mounting stones) were provided. They were put on the left side of the roads. (4) Battles are fought via the left wing, like in soccer. Napoleon fought his battles via the right wing. It made him successful as his enemies didn’t expect this strategy. Napoleon ordered that people had to drive on the right. In countries where Napoleon did not invade, people still drove on the left. The drivers of old stagecoaches sat on the right. In 1967, the change from the left to the right side took place in Sweden, due to practical reasons. Iceland followed in 1968. The US after the War of Independence changed too, and so did Canada due to the French influence. Commonwealth countries and other ones, such as Japan, didn’t change the way. (5) One must point out that in those days logic dictated that when people passed each other on the road they should be in the best possible position to use their sword to protect them. As most people are right handed they therefore keep to their left. This practice was formalized in a Papal Edict by Pope Benedict around 1300AD who told all his pilgrims to keep to the left. Nothing much changed until 1773 when an increase in horse traffic forced the UK Government to introduce the General Highways Act of 1773 which contained a “keep left” recommendation. This became a law as part of the Highways Bill in 1835. 3) Use the Internet and find out about the history of the driving side in Russia. 3.11 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  1) What comes first to your mind when you hear “the United States of America”? Have you, your friends or relatives been to the United States? What was the most memorable impression of the country? The United States of America (the USA) is a large country stretching across the middle of North America. In 1620, a group of people left England for America. They had decided to make homes for themselves in the new land across the ocean. They hoped they would have a better life there. After a stormy voyage across the Atlantic, their small ship, the “Mayflower,” reached the shores of the new land. Those early settlers built their first colonies and began to explore the new country which they called New England. As their settlements were called “colonies,” the people were called “colonists.” Soon more and more European settlers came and more colonies were formed. The American colonies grew bigger and bigger, they prospered, but they were for a long time ruled by England, and all the riches of the new country belonged to England. In 1776 the thirteen young American colonies united and began a war against England for freedom and independence, which was called the War of Independence. They won and a new nation was born which became the United States of America. July 4, 1776 is still celebrated as “the birthday” of the American nation, and is called Independence Day. The leaders of the new state decided they would form a republic which would have no king but would have a President, who was to be chosen every four years. George Washington (1732 – 1799), who had led the Americans in the war, became the first President. He is now called “the Father of the United States.” The new country was explored. Endless plains, great mountains and deserts were discovered. Settlers from all the countries of Europe moved to the West until the nation reached from the Atlantic to the Pacific. One by one new states were added to the first thirteen. Today the USA consists of 50 states. The capital is Washington D.C. The citizens and many other residents of the United States refer to themselves and each other as Americans, and to their country as the United States or America. While to many foreigners “Yankees” is synonymous with the American people, Americans almost always use the term for the sports team, for New Englanders, New Yorkers, or with reference to those living in the northeastern U.S. in contrast to Southerners. “The US” (the “U.S.”) or “the USA” (“the U.S.A.”) or “the U. S. of A.” are casual, short-hand terms. The official name of the nation, the “United States of America,” is very formal and is most often used in formal government documents, pledges, or ceremonies, but not in colloquial conversations. It is more common to hear the shortened phrase “United States.” 2) Look through the text and find: a) the date when the first people from Europe came to America, b) the name of their ship, c) the date when the war between England and the American colonies began, d) the date of Independence Day, e) the name of the first president of the USA, f) the number of states in the USA, g) the name of the capital, h) different names of the country. 3.12 WASHINGTON, D.C. 1) What is the capital of the USA? What kind of city is it? What do you know about it? What places of interest are there? The city of Washington, D. C. is the nation’s capital. D. C. means the District of Columbia. The district covers 67 square miles, and it does not belong to any state. It’s a favourite tourist place, and there is much to see. The White House is where the President works. His office is called the oval office. He often meets important visitors such as other presidents and ambassadors in his office. The President and his family also live in the White House, but the American people own the White House. They are the landlord and the President is a tenant. When the British invaded Washington in 1814, they burned the White House. The First Lady was Dolly Madison, and she managed to save many valuable documents before escaping. She also saved a historic portrait of George Washington. The Washington Monument was constructed after Washington died. It is a tribute to America’s first President. It is possible to climb to the top of the monument. The view from the top is wonderful. The Lincoln Memorial is a massive marble building. Inside is a statue of Lincoln, looking down at you. It is very impressive. The Vietnam Memorial was created by a young woman, Maya Lin. It is a huge slab of black granite that forms a wall. The names of all the American men and women who died in Vietnam are carved into the wall. It is a moving tribute to their sacrifice. 2) Say whether the following statements are true or false and justify your answer: a) New York is the capital of the USA. b) D.C. means the District of California. c) The President of the USA works in the Capitol. d) The American President and his family live in the White House. e) The capital of the USA in named after the first president of the USA. f) The statue of Lincoln is located in New York. 3) Make up an outline of the text in writing. 3.13 NEW YORK 1) Have you seen or heard of New York? Have you, your friends or relatives been to New York? What is the most memorable impression of New York? What tragic event occurred in New York on September 11, 2001? 2) Scan the text and name the ideas of each paragraph. (1) New York is the largest city in the United States. More than seven million people live there. New York has very tall buildings like the Empire State Building. The tall twin buildings of the World Trade Centre were unfortunately damaged during the September 11 attacks. (2) New York is the biggest port in the world. Thousands of ships come to the port of New York each year. It has Macy’s, one of the biggest stores in the world. New York also has the largest lady in the world – the Statue of Liberty. (3) New York is a cosmopolitan city. People from many countries come to live in New York. Three quarters, or 75% of the people in New York City come from five groups. The groups are: blacks, Jews, Italians, Puerto Ricans, and Irish. The other quarter, or 25% come from all over the world. (4) New York City is the centre for culture in the United States. It has the finest museums and best art galleries in the country. If you want to see a play, there are many theatres you can go to on Broadway. The street called Broadway is the centre for the theatre life in the United States. (5) People call New York City the “Big Apple”. Jazz musicians in the 1920s gave New York this name. When a musician says he is going to the Big Apple, it means he is the best. Today, New York is still the U.S. centre for art, business, and education. One of the most prestigious universities, Columbia University, is located there. 3) Make a list of proper names and be ready to explain what is what and who is who. 3.14 SYMBOLS OF THE USA 1) Read the heading and the following words from the text and say what the text is about: flag, patriotism, loyalty, anthem, founding documents, emblem, the eagle, the bald eagle. American patriotism is based more on belief in a certain set of ideals than on a geographical space. For most Americans, the spirit of their country is rooted in the concepts of freedom, and democracy. It has become customary to fly The Flag on national holidays, and many people now fly The Flag daily from their homes. This action demonstrates patriotism and loyalty to the country and honors the sacrifice of all who have made this Great Nation possible. The thirteen stripes of the flag represent the original thirteen colonies and the fifty stars represent the fifty states. The American National Anthem “The Star Spangled Banner” is a tribute to the American flag. In many American schools children begin their day by reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag. It has become customary to display replicas of the country’s founding documents including “The Declaration of Independence,” “The Bill of Rights” and “The Constitution” in libraries and offices, at home and at work. This is done in recognition of the important principles that are the basis for the establishment of American free society. The eagle represents Freedom. The bald eagle was chosen as the emblem of the United States of America because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on this continent. It has become a tradition to display the eagle, or the Seal of the United States which contains the eagle, in locations where the Federal Government has offices or conducts official business. The eagle is found on U.S. currency and coins and also forms the basis for many emblems of government agencies. Many families have an eagle with spread wings above their hearth or displayed on the external surfaces of their homes above doors, entries or garages. It is often used as an ornament for flagpoles. 2) Name the statements which are true: a) the eagle forms the basis for many emblems of government agencies, b) the eagle represents democracy, c) the concepts of freedom and democracy are very important in the United States, d) the replicas of the founding documents are displayed everywhere, e) the American National Anthem “God , save the Queen” is known all over the country, f) it is a custom to fly the flag daily from homes, g) every day in offices begins with the “Pledge of Allegiance”. 3.15 The system of government in the USA 1) Look at the phrases from the text: to vote for, a representative democracy, a branch of government, to abide by the constitution, the legislative branch, the Congress, the House of Representatives, the Senate, a bill becomes a law, the executive branch, the President, the Vice-president, the judicial branch, political parties, the Democratic party, the Republican party. What do they mean? The Form of the Government of the USA. The United States is a representative democracy. It means that people, who vote for government representatives, direct the country policy and have all the governmental power. The constitution of the US describes the powers of national and state governments, the functions and framework of each branch of the government, and the rights of the individual citizens. All public officials of the national and state governments must swear to abide by the Constitution, which was written to protect the democratic interests of the people and the government. The Legislative Branch of the USA. The function of the legislative branch is to make laws. The legislative branch consists of the representatives who are elected to Congress. Congress consists of two groups which are called houses: the House of Representatives (the House, for short) and the Senate. Lawmakers from all of the states are elected to work in the House of Representatives. It is important to know that each state has a different number of districts; the number of districts in each state depends on the population. So, each district elects only one representative to the House of Representatives. The representatives are elected for a two-year term. There are 435 representatives in the House currently. The Senate is smaller than the House. Each state, regardless of the population, has two senators. The senatorial term is six years. How a Bill Becomes a Law. Each house of Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives) makes laws. A law first begins as a ‘bill’. When a bill is introduced, it is sent to the appropriate committee. Each house of Congress has committees which specialize in a particular area of legislation, for example foreign affairs, defense, banking and agriculture. The committee members study the bill and then send it to the Senate or House chamber where it was first introduced. After a debate, the bill is voted on. If the bill passes, it is sent to the other house where it goes through a similar process. The Senate may reject a bill proposed in the House of Representatives, or add amendments. If this happens, “a conference committee” is organized. The members of the Senate and the House of Representatives take part in the work of this committee, and they try to work out a compromise. If both sides agree on the new version, the bill is sent to the president for his signature. At this point, the bill becomes a law. The Executive Branch of the USA. The executive branch of government administrates the laws passed by Congress. The President of the US presides over the executive branch. He is elected to a four-year term and he can be re-elected to a second term. The vice-president, who is elected with the president, has only two constitutional duties. The first duty is to preside over the Senate, but the vice-president may vote only in the event of a tie. The second duty is to take the presidency if the president dies, becomes disabled, or is removed from the office. The Judicial Branch of the USA. The third branch of the government is the judicial branch, which is headed by the Supreme Court. Under the Supreme Court, there are many state and federal courts. An important function of the judicial branch is to check whether the laws of Congress or the actions of the president violate the Constitution. So, the Court can declare presidential acts and Congress laws unconstitutional. The President appoints judges to the Supreme Court. The Congress can impeach and remove judges from the offices. Chief Justice (the chief judge) presides over impeachment of the president. The Political Parties of the US. The US has had only two major parties throughout its history. When the nation was founded, there were two political groupings – the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Since then, two major parties have changed in power. For over one hundred years, America’s two-party system has been dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties. Neither party, however, has ever completely dominated American politics. On the national level, the majority party in Congress has not always been the same as the party of the president. Even in years, when one party dominated national politics, the other party still had much support at state or local levels. So, the balance changes between the Democrats and Republicans. There are also minor or “third” parties in the US but they cannot attract enough voters to get power. Some minor parties of the US at present are the American Independent Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Peace and Freedom Party. |