Fact File

The earliest known use of the name America for this particular landmass dates from April 25, 1507. America is the feminine form of Americus. Americus Vespucius is the Latinized version of the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci's name. Vespucci's role in the naming issue, like his exploratory activity, is unclear. Some sources say that he was unaware of the widespread use of his name to refer to the new land.

Total Area:42,549,000 square km

Population:910,720,588

Languages:Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, and many others

Motto: “In God We Trust” (Each of the 50 United States also has a motto)

National anthem:“The Star Spangled Banner”

Capital:Washington

Largest cities:New York City (8,3 mln), Los Angeles (3,8 mln), Chicago (2,9 mln)

Government:Presidential republic

States: fifty states and one independent district – the District of Columbia.

Head of state:President

Longest river:The Mississippi River (about 2,320 miles (3,730 km) long)

Highest mountain:Sierra Nevade. The highest point is Whitney at 14,494 ft. (4,418 meters).

Currency:American dollar

National holiday: Independence Day (July 4), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)

National symbols:The Statue of Liberty, Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, Great Seal of the United States, the U.S. flag, American Bald Eagle, the rose

Ex. 1. Practise the pronunciation of the following geographical names:

the United States [ju:'naɪtɪd'steɪts]

Russia

Canada

China ['tSainə]

Alaska

Hawaii [hə'waii:]

Mexico ['meksikəu]

Italy

Spain

North America

South America

the Pacific Ocean [pə'sifik 'əuS(ə)n]

the Atlantic Ocean

Washington ['wɔʃɪŋtən]

Southeast Asia ['sauθ'i:st 'eiSə]

the Rocky Mountains

the Cordillera ['kO:di'ljərə]

the Sierra Nevada [si'erə nə'vQ:də]

the Mississippi

the Missouri [mi'zuəri]

the Rio Grande ['ri:əu'grændi] the Grand Canyon [grænd] ['kænjən]

the Colorado River [kɔl(ə)'rɑːdəu]

the Potomac River [pə'təumæk]

the Anacostia River

Chicago [Si'kQ:gəu] Los Angeles [lɔs'ænʤɪliz]

Ex. 2. Read the following international words and guess their meanings. Check the words in bold type in the dictionary.

N	A	V
ocean million continent population mixture tradition phrase form idiom range flora reptile amphibian canyon tourist Congress Senate impeachment constitution party	Atlantic total different original standard geographic federal legislative natural electrical national traditional chocolate popular cultural caloric interesting characteristic	to present to document to declare to veto to interpret to standardize to associate to mix to locate to reserve to collect to migrate to determine to ratify

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On the Street	\|	Ex. 6. Choose the word that is similar or synonymous to the underlined word.

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