American Paradox of Our Time in History

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter temples; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals; we have more food, but less appeasement; we build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology has brought this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or to just hit "Skip Ahead"...

The United States of America is the official name of the country; there are abbreviations U.S. or U.S.A. and America. The country is a federal republic of 50 states.

The U.S. is the fourth largest country in the world in area (after Russia, Canada, and China).

The national capital is Washington, which is coextensive with the District of Columbia, the federal capital region created in 1790.

The U.S. Flag is called the Stars and Stripes or Old Glory or the Starry Banner. It is comprised of a blue canton with 50 stars each symbolizing one American state and 13 red and white stripes that stand for the original 13 colonies.

White -freedom, purity and innocence. Blue –vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The first Great Seal appeared in 1782 after 6 years of efforts to design it. It is used to certify signatures and documents of the highest importance. The obverse of the Great Seal represents the coat-of-arms of the USA.

This bird is found only in North America. It symbolizes freedom and reliance of American nation on its own virtues.

The national anthem is The Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key, written in 1814. Music was introduced by John Stafford Smith in 1780. Other national abolitionist and patriotic tunes are The Battle Hymn of the Republic and America the Beautiful.

Uncle Sam is a popular U.S. symbol. He was probably named after “Uncle” Sam Wilson who examined army supplies for the U.S. government during the War of 1812. This fact is said to have led to the use of the nickname Uncle Sam for the United States.

The Liberty Bell, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a symbol of independence. It is considered an icon of liberty and justice.

U.S. Constitution nicknamed “Old Ironsides” is the most famous vessel in the history of US Navy.

It was named by George Washington. It is the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat in the world.

The United States of America covers an area of almost 9,400,000 square kilometers. It is twice as large as all the countries of Europe combined, exclusive of the U.S.S.R. It is two and a half times smaller than the Soviet Union.

The USA is advantageously placed in the middle of the North American continent, in the temperate zone between latitudes 25° and 49° N. It is washed by the Atlantic in the east and the Pacific in the west-and controls the Panama Canal connecting these two oceans. Thus placed between two oceans it has free access to the trade routes of the world. At the same time, these vast expanses of water have always served as reliable safeguards in time of war. Its land boundaries are on countries that are no danger in case of war. In the course of the last hundred years the USA has fought many a war, but ever on foreign soil. Its own land has always remained untouched. Modern means of warfare, however, have put an end to this advantage of the United States.

Alaska, the adjacent lands and the Aleutian Islands in the north-west (over 1,500,000 square kilometers) and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean also form part of the USA. The United States has possessions in the West Indies and in the Pacific.

Across the eastern part of the United States extend the Appalachians, a group of low and much denuded mountains. There is iron ore here and rich deposits of coal along the western slopes. Between the Appalachians and the Atlantic lie the coastal lowlands.

The north-eastern coastline is richly indented and contains many convenient bays. The lowlands continue southward into the Peninsula of Florida, which is rich in phosphor-rites. The climate of Eastern United States is temperate continental, with a heavy rainfall. It is colder, however, than that of Europe in the same latitudes. In New York (latitude 41° N) the average January temperature is 1°C below zero, the July temperature 23 °C above zero, while in Naples the January temperature is 8° C above zero, the July temperature 24° C above zero. The mixed and broad-leaved forests that once covered this part of the country have been cut down. Florida and the neighboring areas enjoy a wet sub-tropical climate, the average January temperature being 15° C above zero. Here there is evergreen vegetation, including magnolia, palm, and evergreen oak and different kinds of pine. In the central, boggy part of the peninsula there is cypress. In the most beautiful places there are resorts, but these can be afforded only by the rich. The centre of the country is a vast plain (called the Great Central Plain) that sinks towards the south and merges into the Mississippi Lowlands. It is drained by the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the deep Ohio flowing from the Appalachians and the long but shallow Missouri from the Cordilleras. The climate here is continental, with sharp weather changes. In the south, on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, it is subtropical. Westward the climate becomes drier gradually. The forests disappear and in their stead stretch forest-steppes and steppes (prairies). The soil almost everywhere is ploughed up and under cultivation. This is the so-called Prairie Plateau, or Great Plains.

There are rich deposits of iron ore along the shores of Lake Superior, to the north of the plain. In the central part of the Great Central Plain, south-west of Lake Michigan, there is coal and poly-metallic ore. The southern part, west of the lower course of the Mississippi, is a rich oil and gas district.

Across the western part of the United States extend the Cordilleras, a young mountain system consisting of a number of lofty ranges. Between the Rocky Mountains, on the one hand, and the Cascade Mountains and Sierra Nevada, on the other, there is a series of plateaus — the Great Basin and others. These are crossed by the Colorado and Columbia Rivers. On their way to the Pacific they cut deep canyons through the plateaus; the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River is 1,800 meters deep. These rivers are rich in water-power.

America; by many authorities believed to have been the original native inhabitants. The politically correct term today is "Native American".

Given that this site is based on extensive original historical documentation, we use the term "Indian" as a standard. This terminology is not meant to be disrespectful, but simply is the term that has been used in most of the historical documents which we present on this site.

These original Americans once inhabited the present United States from Coast to Coast. In manners, customs, and general features the difference between the Indians of the Gulf States and those of the shores of the Northern Lakes is scarcely perceptible; it is only by languages that they can be grouped into great families. East of the Mississippi there were not more than eight radically distinct languages, four of which are still in existence, while the others have disappeared.

Believing the earth to be a globe, Columbus expected to find India or Eastern Asia by sailing westward from Spain. The first land discovered by him—one of the Bahama Islands—he supposed to be a part of India, and he called the inhabitants Indians. This name was afterwards applied to all the nations of the adjacent islands and the continent.

Unity. —There seems to be a physical identity of race throughout most of the continent. Their skin is generally of a dark reddish-brown, or cinnamon, color; they have long, black, and straight hair, prominent cheek-bones, and broad faces; eyes deep-set, full and rounded lips, broad and prominent noses, scanty beard; their heads are generally square, and their stature about the same as that of other races of the same latitude. Their muscular development is not great, and their hands and feet are small; their skin is thinner, softer, and smoother than that of Europeans; the expression of the men is often noble, and many of the women are handsome.

Haughty in deportment, taciturn, stoical, cunning, persevering, brave and ferocious in war; cruel towards enemies and faithful towards friends; grateful for favors, hospitable and kind. Their mental temperament is poetic and imaginative in a high degree, and it is often expressed in great beauty and eloquence of language. The tribes south of California have always been noted for significant mental development.

Pursuits. —War, hunting, and fishing are the chief pursuits of the men of the warring tribes; agriculture of the more domesticated. Among the Indians found in North America by Europeans, the women performed almost all the manual labor and burden-bearing. They carried on their limited agriculture, which consisted in the production of maize or Indian corn, beans, squashes, potatoes, and tobacco. They manufactured the implements of war, and for hunting and fishing; made mats, and skin and feather clothing, canoes, ornaments of the teeth and claws of beasts, and of shells and porcupine-quills; performed all domestic drudgery, and constructed the lodges of the bark of trees or the hides of beasts. Rude figures of animate and inanimate objects carved in wood or stone, or molded in clay, and picture-writing on the inner bark of trees or the skins of beasts, or cut upon rocks, with rude ornamented pottery, were the extent of their accomplishments in the arts of design and of literature. The picture-writing was sometimes used in musical notation, and contained the burden of their songs.

Religion. —They believed in a good and Supreme Being, and in an Evil Spirit, and recognized the existence of inferior good and evil spirits. They believed in a future state of existence, and there were no infidels among them. Superstition among swayed them powerfully, and special men, called "medicine-men," were their physicians, priests, and prophets, who, on all occasions, used incantations. Christian missionaries have labored among them in many places, from the time the Spaniards and Frenchmen settled in America until now.

Condition of the Indians. —According to official reports, the Indian population in 1904 was, approximately, about 270,000, nearly all of whom were partially or absolutely under the control of the national government. There were 180,000 Indians on reservations, or at schools under control of the Indian Bureau, leaving about 90,000 in the five civilized tribes of Indian Territory and in New York State, the former numbering about 84,500, and the latter, 5,232. Besides these, there were 32,567 taxable and self-sustaining Indians who had become citizens of the United States. The expensive and complicated machinery for the management of Indian

affairs has been much in the way of the elevation of the race in the scale of civilization, and has produced much evil by creating irritation, jealousy, and universal lack of faith in the white race. These irritations for a long time kept a large portion of the Indians in a state of chronic hostility, and whole tribes utterly refused all overtures of the government to accept its protection and fostering care. In 1880 it was estimated that the number of potentially hostile Indians was fully 60,000. In 1891 the condition of affairs had been much improved. Among many tribes the introduction of agriculture, schools, and churches had been attended with the happiest results. There were 24,357 pupils enrolled in the reservation, non-reservation, and day schools, besides 3,506 in institutes and public schools, and these schools were supported at an expense of $3.522,950. There is a tendency in most of the tribes to engage in settled pursuits and accept citizenship. See also names of various tribes.

As you study the resources on this site, I invite you to keep the following in mind. The Indians, or Native Americans were here first. This land was their land; they lived on it, lived off it, and respected it. The Westward Expansion of the United States effectively destroyed their territory, and their way of life. Perhaps most disturbing... we destroyed their way of life, without welcoming them into our way of life. We isolated them on Indian Reservations, and did not effectively invite them them into our culture. The scars of these mistakes are still painfully visible today in the Indian culture.

Columbus's journal of his first voyage to America has been lost. However, we do have an accurate abstract of the journal written by Bartolome de las Casas in the 1530s. Las Casas was an historian and Columbus's biographer who had access to the original journal of the voyage. We join Columbus's account as his expedition approaches the islands of the Bahamas. Throughout the account, Columbus refers to himself in the third person as the "Admiral":"Thursday October 11 The course was W.S.W., and there was more sea than Christopher Columbus Discovers America, 1492 Columbus led his three ships - the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria - out of the Spanish port of Palos on August 3, 1492. His objective was to sail west until he reached Asia (the Indies) where the riches of gold, pearls and spice awaited. His first stop was the Canary Islands where the lack of wind left his expedition becalmed until September 6. Once underway, Columbus benefited from calm seas and steady winds that pushed him steadily westward (Columbus had discovered the southern "Trades" that in the future would fuel the sailing ships carrying goods to the New World). However, the trip was long, longer than anticipated by either Columbus or his crew. In order to mollify his crew's apprehensions, Columbus kept two sets of logs: one showing the true distance traveled each day and one showing a lesser distance. The first log was kept secret. The latter log quieted the crew's anxiety by under-reporting the true distance they had traveled from their homeland. This deception had only a temporary effect; by October 10 the crew's apprehension had increased to the point of near mutiny. Columbus headed off disaster by promising his crew that if land was not sighted in two days, they would return home. The next day land was discovered. A New World is Revealed there had been during the whole of the voyage. They saw sand-pipers, and a green reed near the ship. Those of the caravel Pinta saw a cane and a pole, and they took up another small pole which appeared to have been worked with iron; also another bit of cane, a land-plant, and a small board. The crew of the caravel Niсa also saw signs of land, and a small branch covered with berries. Everyone breathed afresh and rejoiced at these signs. The run until sunset was 27

leagues.After sunset the Admiral returned to his original west course, and they went along at the rate of 12 miles an hour. Up to two hours after midnight they had gone 90 miles, equal to 22 1/2 leagues. As the caravel Pinta was a better sailer, and went ahead of the Admiral, she found the land, and made the signals ordered by the Admiral. The land was first seen by a sailor named Rodrigo de Triana. But the Admiral, at ten o'clock, being on the castle of the poop, saw a light, though it was so uncertain that he could not affirm it was land. He called Pero Gutierrez, a gentleman of the King's bedchamber, and said that there seemed to be a light, and that he should look at it. He did so, and saw it. The Admiral said the same to Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, whom the King and Queen had sent with the fleet as inspector, but he could see nothing, because he was not in a place whence anything could be seen.

After the Admiral had spoken he saw the light once or twice, and it was like a wax candle rising and failing. It seemed to few to be an indication of land; but the Admiral made certain that land was close. When they said the Salve, (Salve Regina) which all the sailors were accustomed to sing in their way, the Admiral asked and admonished the men to keep a good look-out on the forecastle, and to watch well for land; and to him who should first cry out that he saw land, he would give a silk doublet, besides the other rewards promised by the Sovereigns, which were 10,000 maravedis to him who should first saw it. At two hours after midnight the land was sighted at a distance of two leagues."

Columbus ordered the three ships to halt and wait for daylight before venturing further. His journal continues:

The vessels were hove to, waiting for daylight; and on Friday they arrived at a small island of the Lucayos, called, in the language of the Indians, Guanahani. Presently they saw naked people. The Admiral went on shore in the armed boat, and Martin Alonso Pinzon, and Vicente Yanez,

his brother, who was captain of the Niсa. The Admiral took the royal standard, and the captains went with two banners of the

green cross, which the Admiral took in all the ships as a sign, with an F and a Y and a crown over each letter, one on one side of the cross and the other on the other.

Having landed, they saw trees very green, and much water, and fruits of diverse kinds. The Admiral called to the two captains, and to the others who leaped on shore, and to Rodrigo Escovedo, secretary of the whole fleet, and to Rodrigo Sanchez of Segovia, and said that they should bear faithful testimony that he, in presence of all, had taken, as he now took, possession of the said island for the King and for the Queen his Lords, making the declarations that are required, as is now largely set forth in the testimonies which were then made in writing."Shortly after landing, many of the island's inhabitants assembled on the beach and Columbus gave them gifts of red hats and beads. The natives reciprocated with gifts of parrots, cotton and other goods. In describing the natives, Columbus wrote: "They go as naked as when their mothers bore them, and so do the women, although I did not see more than one girl. They are very well made, with very handsome bodies, and very good countenances."References:
Columbus's journal appears in Olson, Julius, The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503 (1926); Dyson, John, Columbus: for Gold, God, and Glory (1991); Morrison, Samuel Eliot, Admiral of the Ocean Sea (1942);

He was born in ________ but lived in _______ for a long time. He was _________and made many _________. In 1492 the King and the Queen of Spain gave him money to go to _______. He decided ________ west as he was sure that our planet was round. And after sailing 4000 miles (6400 kilometres), he _________ some land. Columbus _________ that it must be India but it was not. It was a new land-a new ___________. It was America-Central America in fact. People called ____________ “the New World”.

Then Columbus _______ some more voyages to the New World. He discovered some more ________ in Central America.

The second great voyage of Christopher Columbus _______ in September in 1493. He had seventeen ______ with him. On this voyage he reached Cuba but didn’t _______ it was an island. Columbus made four ______ to the New World but he never _______ on the mainland of North America.

England became _________in the New World too. The first English settlements __________ in America at the beginning of the seventeenth century. On the 6th of September in 1620 a group of people ______ England for the New World. They ______ from the English city on board the ship “Mayflower”. They wanted _______ a new life.

After three months’ voyage these _______ landed in the Northeast of America. There were 74 ____and 28 ______ on “Mayflower”. They set up ______ and called that part of the ______ “New England”.

As Northerners decried slavery and called for its abolition, southern political and religious leaders found an easy ally for their pro-slavery cause in the Bible and Christian history. In 1856 Reverend Thomas Stringfellow, a Baptist minister from Culpepper County in Virginia, put the pro-slavery Christian message succinctly in his "A Scriptural View of Slavery:"...Jesus Christ recognized this institution as one that was lawful among men, and regulated its relative duties... I affirm then, first (and no man denies) that Jesus Christ has not abolished slavery by a prohibitory command; and second, I affirm, he has introduced no new moral principle which can work its destruction... Of course, Christians in the North disagreed - and some denominations, like Quakers, appear to have never been afflicted by slavery. Interestingly, most abolitionist attacks were based on the premise that the nature of Hebrew slavery differed in significant ways from the nature of slavery in the American South. Although this was meant to argue that the American form of slavery did not enjoy Biblical support, it nevertheless tacitly admitted that the institution of slavery did, in principle, have divine sanction and approval so long as conducted in an appropriate manner.

In the end, the North won on the question of slavery. Although the Southern Baptist Convention was formed in an effort to preserve the Christian basis for slavery before the start of the Civil War, they did not feel it necessary to bother apologizing until June 1995. The reason was that even though the question of slavery had been settled, the question of race still burned.

 U.S. politics are shaped by two major political parties: Democrats and Republicans.

 Citizens have competing interests that differ based on their different backgrounds—the types of jobs they have, their race or age, whether they have children, etc.

 Politics are also shaped by special interest groups, lobbyists, and the media.
The United States of America is a federal union, consisting of fifty states, with the District of Columbia as the seat of the national government (1). Each state has its own government and the state governments follow much the same pattern (2) as the federal government. The present constitution was proclaimed (3) in 1787 in Philadelphia. Since then, the basic document has not been changed.
The president is the head of state, of the federal government and he chooses its ministers, called ‘cabinet leaders’. He is chosen in a national election for a four-year term of office (4). The president must be a native-born (5) citizen at least 35 years old. Congress consists of two houses, the House of Representatives (6) and the Senate (7). Elections to the House of Representatives take place every two years. The house has 435 members. A member must be an American citizen for more than seven years and at least 25 years old. Each of the 50 states elects two Senators to the Senate. There are 100 members in the Senate. They are elected to serve (8) for a period of six years, but every two years elections (9) to the senate take place when one third of its members may be changed or re-elected (10).
A Senator must be over 30 years old and a citizen of the USA for at least nine years.
Election day is always in the month of November, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday.
In the USA there are two main political parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is the oldest of the two. Its history began back in the 1820s. The Republican Party was organized in the 1850s.
The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—whose powers are vested by the U.S. Constitution in the Congress, the President, and the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, respectively.

The United States is a representative democracy. Citizens elect representatives to national, state, and local government; those representatives create the laws that govern U.S. society. Although nothing in U.S. law requires it, in practice, the political system is dominated by political parties. With rare exceptions, elections are decided between the two major parties: Democrats and Republicans. Although citizens vote for individual candidates, most candidates are affiliated with one part or another. Therefore, much of U.S. politics boils down to party politics. The United States is also a diverse society, and citizens' competing interests are reflected in politics. Citizens may have different voting preferences depending on their family backgrounds, the types of jobs they have, their race or age, whether they have children, and so on. To understand the electoral process, we must understand how different interests come into play.

Individual citizens are not the only players in U.S. politics. Although individual citizens are the only ones who can cast votes, special interest groups and lobbyists may influence elections and law-making with money and other resources. At times, this influence has grown so noticeable that some have called into question whether the U.S. is truly a democracy of the people or something more like an oligarchy of special interest groups. The media also play an important role in politics by influencing public sentiment and acting as an information filter.

1.What kind of state is the USA?
a) a parliamentary monarchy b) a federal republic c) a monarchy
2. When and where was the present constitution of the USA proclaimed?
a) 1820 New York b) 1763 Boston c) 1777 Philadelphia
3. Who is the head of the US government?
a) the Prime minister b) the President c) the secretary of state.
4. How many houses does the US congress consist of?

a) 1 b) 2 c) 3
5. How many members are there in the house of Representatives?
a) 435 b)335 c) 535

7. Who is the head of the UK?
a) the President b) the Queen c) the Prime minister

9. What is the Prime minister of G.B. responsible for?
a ) the Allocation of functions among ministers
b) meetings in the Parliament c) foreign visits

10. Which country hasn't got a written constitution
с) Canada a) the USA b) the UK

11. Who signs the laws in the UK?
a) the Prime minister b) the Queen c) Democratic Party Republican Party

12. The main political parties of the UK?
a) the Conservative b) the Labour c)the Liberal

13. What Kind of state is the UK?
a) a monarchy b) a parliamentary monarchy c) a federal republic
14. 650 members of the House of Commons are elected every years
a) 2 b)3 c)4 d)5

16. The Constitution of the USA was written in...
a) New York b) Washington c) Philadelphia

17. The US Government has …… branches
a) three b) four c) five 18. People who work in the senate are called senators and people who work in the
House of Representatives are called...
a) housemen b) congressmen c) members of Parliament

20. There are …….judges in the US Supreme Court
a) nine b) eleven c) thirteen

21. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are called
a) the Bill of citizens b) the Bill of Freedom c) the Bill of Rights

9. The legislative and the executive branches of government are involved in the system of …

http://powerpt.ru/prezentacii-po-angliyskomu/1932-the-political-system-of-the-usa.html

The general pattern of education in the USA is an eight-year elementary school, followed by a four-year high school. This has been called 8 – 4 plan organization. It is proceeded, in many localities, by nursery schools and kindergartens. It is followed by a four-year college and professional schools. This traditional patterns, however, has been varied in many different ways. The 6 — 3 – 3 plan consists of a six-year elementary school, a three-year junior high school, and a three-year senior high school. Another variation is 6 – 6 plan organization, with a six-year elementary school followed by a six-year secondary school. American education provides a program for children, beginning at the age of 6 and continuing up to the age of 16 in some of the states, and to 18 in others.
The elementary school in the United States is generally considered to include the first six or eight grades of the common-school system, depending upon the organization that has been accepted for the secondary school. It has been called the “grade school” or the “grammar school”. There is no single governmental agency to prescribe for the American school system, different types of organization and of curriculum are tried out.
The length of the school year varies among the states. Wide variations exists also in the length of the school day. A common practice is to have school in session from 9:00 to 12:00 in the morning and from 1:00 to 3:30 in the afternoon, Monday through Friday. The school day for the lower grades is often from 30 minutes to an hour shorter. Most schools require some homework to be done by elementary pupils.
Questions:

1. What is the general pattern of education in the USA?
2. What are the variations of the traditional 8 – 4 plan?
3. When do children begin to go to school?
4. What is the length of the school year in the USA?
5. Which days of the week is school in session?

From Hawaii to Delaware, from Alaska to Louisiana, each of the 50 states in the USA has its own laws regulating education. From state to state some laws are similar, others are not. For example, all states require young people to attend school (the age limits vary: seven to sixteen, six to eighteen, etc.). Though there is no national curriculum in the united States, certain subjects are taught across the country. Almost every elementary school provides instruction in these subjects: mathematics, language arts(a subject that includes reading, grammar, composition and literature), penmanship, science, social studies (a subject that includes history, geography, citizenship and economics), music, art and physical education. In many elementary schools courses in the use of computers have been introduced. And in some cases, a foreign language is offered in the upper elementary school. Not all schools offer any foreign languages, if they do, if they do, it usually lasts for no longer than half a year. In general, it is not necessary to study a foreign language to get a high school diploma. But if one plans to enter a college or university, one should study a foreign language for no less than two years.

1. Are the laws regulating education the same across the USA?
2. What are the subjects offered in elementary schools?
3. What courses have been introduced in elementary schools?
4. Is it necessary to study a foreign language to get a high school diploma in the USA?

5. How long should a student study a foreign language at high school before entering a college?

Washington D.C. is located on the north bank of the Potomac River. It is home of the federal government. Most important government institutions are situated in the District:

New York City or “The Big Apple” or “The city that never sleeps” or “Gotham” is the most populous U.S. city situated at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York State. Its population is more than 8 mln people. It is best known for the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Times Square, Central Park, The Empire State Building, the United Nations building and Brooklyn Bridge. The city consists of five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. It is also famous for its ethnic centers, e.g. Harlem (African-American), Little Italy, Chinatown, Brighton Beach and Lower East Side (Jewish), etc.

Los Angeles or “L.A.” or “The City of Angels” is the second largest U.S. city situated on the Pacific Coast in California. Its population is about 4 mln people. Its main landmarks are Hollywood sign, Hollywood Bowl, Beverly Hills, Little Tokyo, etc.

third largest U.S. city located in Illinois on the shore of Lake Michigan. Its population is about 3 mln people. It is the financial and industrial center of the Midwest. Willis Tower aka Sears Tower is a skyscraper office building. Its height is 527.3 m. It is the tallest freestanding structure in the U.S.A.

The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Island, New York City harbour). This statue is a woman holding the torch of liberty, and its official name is the “Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World”. It has become a symbol of freedom and was the first American sight seen by many people who went to the U.S. for a better life.

The Washington Monument (Washington, D.C.). This four-sided stone structure (obelisk) honors the “Father of our Country,” General, Founding Father, and the first president of the United States, George Washington.

The Jefferson Memorial (Washington, D.C.). It honors the author of the Declaration of Independence, first Secretary of State, and third President of the United States.

The Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.). It honors Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, and “the virtues of tolerance, honesty, and constancy in the human spirit.”

Independence Hall (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). At this building, colonial leaders met to plan the future of the new nation. The Declaration of Independence was adopted here on July 4, 1776.

The National flag of Canada was officially adopted and inaugurated in the year 1965 after several years of political debate over the flag's design. The National flag holds a special place of honor as one of the foremost national symbol of Canada and therefore treated with much reverence.

Canada's official National flag is colored red and white, the country's official colors, and its center bears a maple leaf which is Canada's traditional emblem.

"O Canada" was officially declared the National anthem of Canada on 1st July, 1980, a century after it was first sung in 1880. The original lyrics of the anthem were written in French by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier and the music was composed by Calixa Lavallée. Over the subsequent years, several English versions of the anthem were also created. The official English version of the anthem was written by Mr. Justice Robert Stanley Weir. As a National symbol of the country, "O Canada" is sung at sporting events, school assemblies and other formal occasions of national importance.

The Beaver is Canada's National animal and its discovery is intrinsically associated with the discovery of the country itself. As an official National symbol, the beaver appears on

several Canadian memorabilia like stamps and coins. The beaver is a symbol of ingenuity and perseverance.

The history of the maple leaf as a symbol of Canada can be traced back as early as 1700. As Canada's National emblem, the maple leaf appears on the national flag and coins and for many

years it was used as a symbol of the Canadian Armed Forces. The maple leaf attained official status subsequent to the adoption of the new National flag of Canada which bears the leaf in its center.

Canada's National Coat of Arms closely resembles the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with the exception of the additional maple leaves around its edges. The Coat of Arms is widely used for official purpose like classifying the minister and their offices, institutions of parliamentary secretaries' and also the institutions with quasi-judicial functions.

Besides, the symbol of the Coat of Arms also appears on official documents like the passports.

Canada is huge territory - the second largest in the world - and understandably operates a federal political system. This divides governmental responsibilities between the federal government and the ten provinces. The key to understanding Canadian politics is an appreciation of the complex interplay of power between the federal centre and the provinces.

The provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec and Saskatchewan. All the provincial legislatures are unicameral and operate in parliamentary fashion similar to the House of Commons at federal level. As with federal elections, the voting system is first-past-the-post.

Canada's most populous province is Ontario which has almost a third of the nation's population. Therefore it has a powerful role in Canadian politics.

Canada's three territories - the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon - also have legislatures, but these are not sovereign and have fewer constitutional responsibilities than the provinces and some structural differences.

The 10 provinces and three territories come together in the Council of the Federation, the creation of which was announced in December 2003 in Charlottetown. The Council was created by Premiers because "they believe it is important for provinces and territories to play a leadership role in revitalizing the Canadian federation and building a more constructive and cooperative federal system".

A constant tension between the federal centre and the provinces is the desire by the provinces for a greater share of the revenues from federal taxes.

A more particular tension is between the French-speaking province of Québec where there is a significant separatist sentiment and all the other English-speaking provinces. This situation was aggravated in September 2012 with the election of a minority Party Québécois administration in Québec on just 32% of the vote.

The Clarity Act of 2000 is legislation passed by the Parliament of Canada that established the conditions under which the Government of Canada would enter into negotiations that might lead to secession following such a vote by one of the provinces.

Ottawa
It is the capital of Canada. Ottawa is a great example of a metropolitan city It has lots of banks, big skyscrapers and embassies. The symbol of Ottawa is its Parliament buildings. It’ s really worth seeing. The buildings are home to the House of Commons, the Library of Parliament, the Hall of Honour, the Senate, and the impressive Peace Tower. In summer you can watch the Changing of the Guard Ceremony on the hill. You won’ t see much difference between this ceremony and equivalent one in England. In Ottawa you can take the Amphibus — the bus that not only rides on the streets, but also can float on water like a boat. In the city one can see the residence of the Canada’ s Governor General. It’ s a big beautiful building. There are a lot of other interesting places in Ottawa. They include the National Museum of Canada, which has collections representing Indian and Eskimo culture; the Public Archives of Canada; Royal Canadian War Museum; the Design center; Royal Canadian Mint and others. You can see Ottawa University with classes for English- and French-speaking students.

Montreal
It is situated in Quebec — the French part of Canada. It really looks like France: lots of narrow, small streets, cafes typical for France. It combines modern skyscrapers and XEX century mansions in a unique mixture. It’ s usually called ’ Paris of the Western Hemisphere’. The most interesting part of the city is the Notre-Dame de Montreal that is known as the most beautiful church in North America. The Basilica of Mary Queen is nearly half-size replica of St. Peter’ s in Rome. The Royal Place is the oldest place in Montreal. In the eastern part of Montreal you can see Olympic Park with its famous tower that close resembles the one that is in Pisa, Italy (the leaning one). One can take an elevator and go up this tower. Near the leaning tower there is a special place, where different animals and plants survive in their natural conditions. The city’ s first subway, called the Metro was opened in 1966. Montreal is Canada’ s most important port. It is the chief manufacturing centre of Canada. It has a number of large libraries and several theatres. It is the seat of McGill University (English- speaking), the University of Montreal (French-speaking) and several colleges. There are many museums in the city and among them are the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Archaeology and History, Wax Museum and others.

Toronto
It is the capital and the largest city of Ontario, and is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario. It is one of the chief Great Lakes ports. The city is famous for its CN Tower — the biggest tower in the world — 553 m in height. From the tower you can observe the whole city. The most interesting thing about the tower is its glass floor. As you walk, you can see what is under you. The Canadian National Exposition, held here annually features industrial and agricultural exhibitions and also contains an amusement park area. The city is an artistic and musical center, with the Art Gallery of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music. The Royal Ontario Museum is famous for its collection of dinosaur bones and for its Oriental exhibits. The University of Toronto, Ryerson Institute of Technology, and York University offer advanced educational facilities.

Quebec
It’ s difficult to call Quebec a city. It very much looks like a town — but is still the capital of the province of Quebec. There is Saint-Anne Church there. It has

a cyclorama (a big picture screen that is round) — the biggest cyclorama in the world, on which the last days of Jesus Christ are painted.

Quebec is a city for tourist — there are lots of squares, monuments, souvenir shops, small houses, and museums. It is the only city in North America that still retains a wall around it that was used to defend it from enemies. There is a very interesting big castle there — the Chateau de Frontenac.

Population
Canada’s population is over 30 million with the vast majority (77%) living in cities and towns. The largest cities in Canada are: Toronto (4.44 million), Montréal (3.33 million), Vancouver (1.89 million), Ottawa-Hull, the National Capital Region (1.03 million). In the 1996 census, about 19% of the population reported "Canadian" as their single ethnic origin, with 17% reporting British Isles-only ancestry and 9% French-only ancestry. About 10% reported a combination of British Isles, French, or Canadian origin, with another 16% reporting an ancestry of either British Isles, French or Canadian in combination with some other origin. Some 28% reported origins other than the British Isles, French or Canadian.

In 1996, about 3% of Canadians belonged to one or more of the three Aboriginal groups recognized by the Constitution Act, 1982: North American Indian, Métis, or Inuit. Of this percentage, about 69% are North American Indian, 26% Métis, and 5% Inuit. By 2017, 23% of Canada’s population will consist of visible minorities. China and India are Canada’s two largest sources of immigrants, but others include Korea, the Middle East and Western Asia. The country’s official policy of multiculturalism allows people to celebrate their ethnic heritage as well as promotes racial and social harmony. The effect has created a diversity of cultures, particularly in Vancouver and Toronto, where the most of the minorities live. According to a recent census, more than four-fifths of Canadians are Christian, with Catholics accounting for about 45% of the population and Protestants about 35%. Other religions include Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Some 12.5%, more than any single denomination except Roman Catholic, have no religious affiliation at all.

Languages
Canada has two official languages: English, the mother tongue of about 59% of Canadians; and French, the first language of 23% of the population. A full 18% have either more than one mother tongue or a mother tongue other than English or French, such as Chinese, Italian, German, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Ukrainian, Arabic, Dutch, Tagalog, Greek, Vietnamese, Cree, Inuktitut, or other languages. The Official Languages Act makes French and English the official languages of Canada and provides for special measures aimed at enhancing the vitality and supporting the development of English and French linguistic minority communities. Canada's federal institutions reflect the equality of its two official languages by offering bilingual services.

General Information about Australia
Australia is situated in the south-west of the Pacific Ocean. The area of this

country is 7,7 million square kilometres. The population of the country is about 20 million people. The capital is Canberra.

The population of Canberra is about 300 thousand people. Official language is English. Australia is the largest island in the world and it is the smallest continent.

The Commonwealth of Australia is a self-governing federal state. It has got 6 states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and 2 internal territories.

Australia is the only country in the world that is also a continent. It is the sixth large country and the smallest continent.
Australia is the driest continent on the Earth. The unique climate and the isolation of Australia from other continents explain the existence of unusual plants and animals.
The commonest tree of Australia is the eucalyptus. In the drier areas there

is the Australian acacia or mimosa. In those areas one can also find strange bottle trees. They preserve water in their trunk

Australian animals are also very unusual. Among them there are kangaroos, duck-bills, koala bears, and others.

Australia has a lot to offer to tourists. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
The most famous building in the country is the Sydney Opera House. Its roof looks like sails. It is a masterpiece of architecture. More than 5,000 people can visit concerts, operas, theatre performances and other events.
Kakadu National Park is in Australia’s Northern Territory and covers about 20,000 square kilometres. It is a wetland with over 200 kinds of birds and 1,700 plant species. It is also the home of Australian crocodiles.

The capital of Australia, Canberra, is a young and comparatively small city. It was founded in the 20th century and now has a population of about 260 000 people.

The centre of Canberra is a small hill. Several streets run from that hill. Special charm is given to Canberra by an artificial lake in the centre of the city. A fountain more than 100 metres high is in the western part of the lake. At night powerful lights illuminate the water. It is the Captain Cook Fountain, one of the main places of interest in Canberra. Another one is a memorial military museum. The building of the Australian Academy of Sciences is quite unusual in form — it is like a huge overturned bowl. Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia. It was the capital of the country till 1927 and now is the centre of Australian business world. It is also one of the largest ports in the country. Melbourne is a beautiful city with numerous skyscrapers, straight boulevards and large parks and gardens. One of Melbourne’s places of interest is the house of Captain Cook, the famous British navigator. Sydney is Australia’s largest and oldest city. It was the first British settlement. Sydney has the oldest in the country botanical gardens and the Zoo. One of the main places of interest of the city is the famous bridge over the Bay of Port Jackson. Another one is the Opera House, which resembles large white shells in form. It is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Sydney is the city of three universities.

The politics of New Zealand take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy.

The basic system is closely patterned on that of the Westminster System, although a number of significant modifications have been made.

The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented by the Governor -General and the head of government is the Prime Minister who chairs the Cabinet drawn from an elected Parliament.

New Zealand Symbols
The New Zealand Coat of Arms was granted in 1911. The arms has the So

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