Jana Hájková

* Obrázky určené k popisu a srovnání * Soubor otázek k diskusi na dané téma * Jednotlivé otázky s ukázkami slovní zásoby * Zadání konverzační situace k tématu včetně jednotlivých podbodů * Seznam použitých zdrojů * Řešení

New York CityIowa

* What are some general facts you know about the USA? * What are some characteristic regions in the USA and what is typical for them? * What do you know about US customs, traditions and holidays? * Describe the political system of the USA. * Comment on racial issues in the country.

Useful vocabulary: the population – the area – the number of states – the longest river – the five Great Lakes – the national parks – the system of government

Useful vocabulary: New England – the Middle Atlantic – the South – the Midwest – the Southwest – the West – Pilgrim fathers – industrial – the seat of the government – former plantations – cotton – the cradle of jazz – the breadbasket of the USA – corn – barns – national parks – the gold rush

Useful vocabulary: Martin Luther King´s Day – the President´s Day – Easter – an egg hunt – Memorial Day – Independence Day – Columbus Day – Halloween – trick or treat – a pumpkin – Thanksgiving – harvest – cranberry sauce – sweet potatoes – a pumpkin pie – Christmas – turkey – stuffing

Useful vocabulary: a federal republic – the Constitution – legislative – executive – judicial – the Capitol – the Congress – the Senate – the House of Representatives – the President – elections – to propose bills – Secretaries – departments – the Democrats – the Republicans – the Supreme Court

Useful vocabulary: multicultural – Native Americans – African Americans – Mexican immigrants – racial segregation – affirmative action – a prejudice – to be prejudiced against – equal opportunities – to fight for human rights

You are going to participate in a high school exchange with the USA and are supposed to come up with ideas for what to do during a three-day trip to Washington, DC. Discuss the following issues with your partner and present your conclusion:

* what place associated with politics to see and why * what cultural institution to visit and why * what monument reminding us of US history to see and why * any other relevant item of your own choice

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Vlastní odpovědi studentů. Možné ukázky řešení k jednotlivým otázkám: General facts: a federal republic, very multicultural, many waves of immigration, 315 million inhabitants,9.83 million square kilometres, 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Mississippi – the longest river, 5 Great Lakes on the border with Canada (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario), national parks in the West (Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park)

Characteristic regions: New England – colonized by puritans from England (Pilgrim Fathers) in 1620, Boston, many universities (Ivy League) and banks the Middle Atlantic – the seat of the government in Washington, D.C. (the capital city), industrial, big cities (New York City, Pennsylvania) the South – plantations and slavery in the past, fertile land – cotton, New Orleans – the cradle of Jazz the Midwest – agriculture, farms, barns, corn, wheat, called “the breadbasket of the USA”, traditional family values the Southwest – very hot climate, desserts, cacti, Mexican architecture, beautiful nature (Grand Canyon), gambling (Las Vegas) the West – beautiful nature, used for recreation (skiing, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating), the Gold Rush (California, 19th century )

Customs, traditions and holidays: Martin Luther King´s Day – (3rd Monday in January), a black leader and civil-rights campaigner The Presidents´ Day – (3rd Monday in February), to commemorate all US presidents Easter – organize an egg hunt (children looking for chocolate eggs hidden in the house or the garden) Memorial Day – (4th Monday in May), to honour people killed in the wars Independence Day – (July 4th), signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, fireworks, parades Columbus Day – (October 12th), anniversary of discovering America by Christopher Columbus in 1492

Halloween – (October 31st), dressing up in scary costumes, children visit other people´s houses asking for sweets and use the phrase “Trick or treat.” Thanksgiving – (4th Thursday in November), families get together, to celebrate the first common harvest of the Pilgrim Fathers and the Native Americans, people eat turkey with stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie Christmas – traditional food (turkey with stuffing and mashed potatoes), the main day is December 25th

The political system: a federal state, self-governing states and a central government, a governor as a head of each state, three branches of the federal government (the legislative, the executive, the judicial), the legislative – Congress (consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate), the executive – its head is the President, the judicial – the Supreme Court

Racial issues in the country: an extremely multicultural country, many waves of immigration, original inhabitants (Native Americans) to a large extent killed by the European settlers, slavery in the South (the American Civil War ), slavery abolished (also thanks to President Abraham Lincoln), till 1964 racial segregation, later introduced affirmative action – policies aimed to help racial minorities to get more access to education and employment, at present – large numbers of Mexican immigrants

Možné ukázky řešení k dialogu: the White House – the seat of the President, the Capitol – the seat of the government the National Gallery – a famous gallery with an excellent collection, the Air and Space Museum – a famous museum with an interesting exhibition of artefacts associated with space exploration Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Monument – important monuments dedicated to the most important American presidents; Vietnam Memorial – a monument dedicated to the victims of the Vietnam War