Declaration of Independence deklә reiʃn әv

• Declaration of Independence [, deklә'reiʃn әv , indә’pendәns] Декларация независимости • Christopher Columbus [, kristәfә kә'lʌmbәs] Христофор Колумб • Leif Ericson [, leif `eriksәn] Лейф Эриксон • Viking [ `vaikiŋ] викинг • explorer [ik'splo: rә] исследователь

• to reach [ri: ʧ] доходить, достигать • for the rest of his life - всю жизнь, до конца своих дней • Amerigo Vespucci [ә 'merigou ves'pu: ʧi: ] Америго Веспуччи • slave [sleiv] раб • stripe [straip] полоса • bald eagle [, bo: ld i: gl] «лысый орел»

• The United States of America is called by several different names: the USA, the United States, the US, the States and America. • Americans also use informal names like the US of A and Stateside, especially when they are out of the country. • The official name, the United States of America, first appeared in the Declaration of Independence of 1776, when the country was called 'the thirteen united States of America’.

• Many people think that America was discovered by Christopher Columbus. • Scientists, however, believe that he was about 500 years too late. • They think that Leif Ericson, the Viking explorer, landed in North America first. • It happened in 999.

• When Christophen Columbus arrived in America in 1492, he thought that he had reached India. • That is why he called the Native Americans , ‘Indians’. • He continued to believe that it was India for the rest of his life.

• 'America' was named after an Italian explorer called Amerigo Vespucci, who sailed to South America between 1499 and 1502. • Vespucci believed that the land he had discovered was a new continent, not part of Asia as Columbus had thought.

The first settlers in America were from Spain.

• Other Europeans followed soon – from England, Ireland Germany and then from Italy, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Greece and other countries. • People from Africa were first brought to America as slaves. • Today the biggest number of immigrants to the USA came from Spanish speaking countries such as Mexico.

The United States' flag • The United States' flag is called the 'Stars and Stripes'. It has thirteen red and white stripes and fifty white stars on a blue square.

• One star is for each state of the United States now, and the stripes are for the first thirteen states of the union. • The Stars and Stripes stand by the president's desk. • The flag hangs in every classroom in America, and every day school children salute it before the school day begins.

• • Mc. Kinley [mә `kinli] гора Мак Кинли Missouri [mi 'zuәri] река Миссури populated [ `popjuleitid] населенный California [kæli`fo: niә] Калифорния Alaska [ә 'læskә] Аляска governor ['gʌvәnә] губернатор law [lo: ] закон • alcoholic [, ælkә 'holik] drink [driŋk] алкогольный напиток • Hawaii [hә 'waii: ] Гавайи • Honolulu [, honә 'lu: ] Гонолулу

• The bald eagle is the national bird and symbol of the USA. • It is also called ‘the American eagle’.

* There are fifty states in the USA. * Every state has its own governor, its own police, and its own laws. For example, in some states you can buy an alcoholic drink when you are 18. In others, you must wait until you are 21. * Schools, like the laws, are different from state to state, but in most places, everyone goes to school for about twelve years.

• The United States is the third most populated country in the world (after China and India). • Its population is over 313 million people. • The state with the highest population is California. • The state with the lowest population is Alaska.

The highest mountain in the USA is Mc. Kinley. It is 6, 194 m high.

The longest river in the US is Missouri. It's 4, 086 km long

Hawaii • Hawaii is the newest of all American states. It became the 50 th state in 1959. • Hawaii is also the only US stat made up of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. • Barack Obama, the 44 th president of the US, was born in Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii.

• Russian Empire [`empaiә] Российская империя • Rhode Island [, roud `ailәnd] Род Айленд • to declare [di'kleә] independence [, indi`pendәns] провозгласить независимость • empty [`empti] пустой

Alaska is the largest and coldest of all American states. It was bought from the Russian Empire in 1867 for $7. 2 million ($113 million in today's dollars).

Rhode Island is the smallest US state.

• It was the first the 13 original colonies to declare independence from British rule on the 4 th of May, 1776. • It is famous for Brown University, one of the best American universities. • Emma Watson, the actress who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series is a student there.

• national [ `næʃn park [pa: k] l] национальный парк (заповедник, охраняемый государством) • to allow [ 'lau] разрешать • Death Valley ['deθ , væli] Долина Смерти (межгорная впадина в пустыне Мохаве) • pioneer [, pai ‘ni пионер, ] первооткрыватель

• The USA has some of the biggest cities in the world, and more than three quarters of its people live in cities or towns. • This means that there also some very empty places, which have not changed much since the first Europeans arrived. • Some of them are kept as national parks, where people are not allowed to build houses or factories.

Death Valley • Death Valley is the hottest place in the USA. • In fact, it's one of the hottest places in the world, and many pioneers died trying to cross it.

• tornado [tә `neidәu] торнадо, смерч • to destroy [di`stroi] разрушать • Capitol [ `kæpitәl] Капитолий, здание Конгресса США • no matter what you’re interested in чем бы вы ни интересовались

Tornado • Most tornadoes the strongest of all storms happen in the USA. • They can destroy everything trees, cars and even buildings.

• • • skyscraper ['skaiskreipә] небоскреб Chicago [© i'ka: gәu] Чикаго sheet music - ноты item ['aitem] предмет Texas ['teksәs] Техас ranger ['reindʒә] полицейский (особенно e штате Техас) • сор - разг. коп, полицейский • constable [ `kʌnstәbl] констебль (низший полицейский чин в Великобритании и США)

Washington, the capital of the United States, was named after George Washington, the first American president. The city has wide streets, parks and beautiful buildings. The most famous building is the White House, the home of the president. Another important building is the Capitol. This is where Congress meets to make the laws of the country.

New York

• New York is the biggest city in the USA. • This is America’s cultural capital. No matter what you’re interested in, you’ll find it in New York – whether it’s art, theatre, music or museums. • It’s also a great place for shopping and restaurants.

The Willis Tower • Skyscrapers were invented in America. • They were first built in Chicago after the great fire of 1871. • Today, the Willis Tower (called Sears Tower until recently) in Chicago is the tallest building in the USA.

The Library of Congress • The Library of Congress in Washington is the largest library in the world. • The library doesn't just collect books, they also have a large collection of films, maps and sheet music. All in all, it has 147 million items in its collection. • You can find books in 470 languages there!

• patrol [pә 'troul] патрулирование, обход • self-service [, self 's : vis] самообслуживание • Statue of Liberty [ `stætju: әv `libәti] статуя Свободы • copper [`k pә] медь • Memphis ['memfis] Мемфис (город в США, штат Теннесси) • badge [bædʒ] значок • waist [weist] талия • pedestal [`pedistl] – основание, пьедестал (подножие)

TEXAS RANGERS

• The first state to have its own police force was Texas. This police force was called the Texas Rangers. They were organized in 1835. The name cop' is an American slang word for a police officer. • No one knows the exact origin of ’cop'. Perhaps this word came from the letters C. O. P. : 'Constable on Patrol’. Or perhaps ‘cop' is the short form of copper. The star shaped badges policemen wore were made of copper.

The Supermarket • The supermarket first appeared in America. The idea of a self service shop belongs to an American businessman named Clarence Saunders. His first self service shop opened in Memphis in 1916. Today, most supermarkets in the States are open 24 hours.

The Statue of Liberty

• The Statue of Liberty in New York has become a symbol of freedom. • It was the first American sight seen by many people who went to the US for a better life. • It was given to the US people by France in 1884. • The statue is 46 metres tall (93 m with the pedestal). • Its waist is 10. 6 m wide, its right arm is 12. 8 m long, its nose is 1. 48 m long.