1. The United States of America

2. The U.S.A. situated in the North America
the capital is Washington, D. C.
the neighbours of the USA: Canada (north), Mexico (south), Atlantic Ocean (east), Pacific Ocean (west)
the fourth largest state of the world
includes Alaska in the north of the American continent and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean

4. GEOGRAPHY
West - mountainous surface; Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges; The Cordillera - one half of the continental USA, including the Rocky Mountains and the famous Grand Canyon
East - lowlands and flatlands, e.g. Mississippi Basin; also mountains, e.g. Appalachians (the oldest in the USA)
the highest peak - can be found in Alaska - Mt. McKinley
waters - rivers - the largest rivers - Mississippi and Missouri; Hudson River (very important - connects with the Great Lakes); five Great Lakes - four lie on the border with Canada, the major lakes of the USA (contain abt. half of the world’s fresh water): Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario
climate - varied - from the Artic climate in the north to the subtropical climate in the south; the best - in Hawaii, Florida and California (tropical regions); northeast - the climate more severe (4 seasons and cold winters); the most extreme arctic climate - Alaska.

5. THE CAPITAL
Washington D.C. - named after the first president, George Washington
home of the federal government and residence of the President
located in a special district called the District of Columbia, which isn’t a state
lies on the Potomac River
the Capitol - in the centre, on Capitol Hill, Congress meets there
the White House – on Pennsylvania Ave, residence of the President
memorials of famous figures from history, incl. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln etc.
museums – e.g. National Space and Air museum
many parks – e.g. West and East Potomac Parks

6. INTERESTING PLACES
Los Angeles - the second largest city; Hollywood and Beverly Hills; Disneyland
Cambridge, Massachusetts - Harvard University – the oldest and most famous university in the USA
Chicago - famous for its skyscrapers (the Sears Tower)
San Diego – with the biggest ZOO in the world
Florida – popular with tourists - beaches (Miami); Disney World
Houston – NASA Space Center
Las Vegas - casinos, the city which never sleeps

7. INTERESTING PLACES
National parks - Grand Canyon in Arizona, Yellowstone, Yosemite etc.
Detroit - center of US car industry (Ford, Chrysler)
Dallas - J. F. Kennedy was killed here
Plymouth - first pilgrims settled there in 1620
San Francisco - one of the cleanest cities, Golden Gate Bridge
Princeton - set of Princeton University where Albert Einstein gave his lectures
New Orleans - the city where jazz was born
Philadelphia - place, where the Declaration of Independence was signed
Boston - it’s often called the “Cradle of Liberty”, Boston Tea Party

8. New York the largest city in the USA
nicknames of NY - Melting Pot – because it is a multicultural city and people of many different races, religions and origins live there; Big Apple
Manhattan – the real centre of NY; skyline with skyscrapers (small area); one of the highest skyscrapers - the Empire State Building
Brooklyn – famous beach – Coney Island
Bronx – many parks and the Bronx ZOO (one of the largest in the USA)
The Statue of Liberty – gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States; universal symbol of freedom and democracy