National Symbols of United States of America

The current version of National Flag of USA was adopted on July 4, 1960. The National Flag of USA has thirteen equal horizontal stripes with alternate colours red and white. It has a blue rectangle in the top left corner of the flag with 50 white pointed five-stars arranged in nine horizontal rows. The stars are six and five in numbers alternately and 50 in number representing different states.

A book “Our Flag” published in 1989 by House of Representatives explains the significance of colors and stars as:-"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness and valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice."

"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."

The Bald Eagle was adopted as the National Bird of United States in 1782. The Bald Eagle symbolizes strength, courage, freedom and immortality. The Bald Eagle is represented in many important places including Great Seal, One-dollar bill, Federal agency seals and President’s flag.

Task II. Say if the given statements are true or false. If the statements are wrong, please, corrects them using the information from the text

1. A system of checks and balances defined by the U.S. Constitution regulates the government.

2. Alaska, separated from the contiguous United States by Russia is the smallest state.

3. The United States is the world’s oldest constitutional monarchy.

4.  The geography and climate of the United States are extremely diverse.

5. The United States is a developing country.

 

Task III. Fill in the gaps using the words from the text to make the sentences correct

1. The United States ________ from 13 British colonies along the East Coast.

2. Some Americans          making English the country's official language, as it is in 28 states.

3. The United States has the world's largest national economy by nominal and real GDP, benefiting from an      of natural resources and high worker productivity.

4. The government is regulated by a system of __________ defined by the U.S. Constitution.

5. Citizens are usually __________ _____ three levels of government: federal, state, and local.

6. The National Flag of USA has thirteen equal __________ stripes with alternate colours red and white.

7. The Bald Eagle is __________ ______ many important places including President’s flag.

 

Task IV. Give the Russian/English equivalents for the following words and phrases

a. federal republic, multicultural nations, large-scale, total area, minority rights, various possessions, national economy, real gross domestic product, be subject to;

b. сохранившийся до наших дней, волеизъявление большинства, этнически разнообразный, производительность труда рабочего, система сдержек и проволочек, природные ресурсы.

 

Task V. Make up 2 sentences with lexical units from Task IV or useful vocabulary and ask your group mates to translate them (the first sentence from English into Russian, the second one – vice versa)

 

Task VI. Make up correct sentences and translate them. The words in italics with the capital letters show the beginning of the sentences

1. The gift United in was the Liberty people the a of Statue from to States 1877 French.

2. In ‘homeland’ language Hawaii the local means.

3. The were who wished a to the from of Pilgrims church separate England group official religious.

4. In  colony group Englishmen America a to to a of what would they be 1607 permanent hoped establish came.

5. Hawaii British navy discovered Captain James Cook were by of the in 1778.

6. Much Midwest flat ideal open farming and of the is for land.

Task VII. Select one of these and develop it in around fifty words

1.Yes, this part has taught me many new things about America.

2. I’m sorry, this part hasn’t taught me any new things about America.

3.Well, this part has taught me something about America. But these things are just one or two.