Text 3.
Composition of the Country.
The territory of the United States is historically divided into eight regions: 1) New England; 2) the Mid-Atlantic region; 3) the South; 4) the Midwest; 5) the Southwest; 6) the Rocky mountain region; 7) the Pacific Northwest and Alaska; 8) California and Hawaii.
New England.
New England is highly industrial, but it also has many fields, woods and small towns. New England is the part of the United States that is most like “old” England. It preserved a great many old Colonial buildings and sights connected the earliest history of the US. New England includes six states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. All the states have unofficial names or nicknames.
Vermont is called “The Green Mountain State” as it lies in the Green Mountains.
New Hampshire is “The White Mountain State” because the northern part of this state is in the White Mountains. Skiing is a major source of income.
The capital of Massachusetts is Boston, the chief US wool market. It is famous for Harward University, situated close to Boston. It is the oldest and most privileged US university.
Rhode Island is the smallest state
The Mid-Atlantic Region.
The Mid-Atlantic region is not uniform. Geographically, historically and economically, the Mid-Atlantic states are quite different from one another. For example: the state of New York borders on Canada and has cold winters; Maryland has much in common with the American South.
The Mid-Atlantic region plays an important role in the United States. Its cities include Washington D.C., the nation’s capital, and New York City, the nation’s financial center. The Mid-Atlantic region is densely populated. It includes six states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution of the US. That’s why its nickname is “The First State”.
New York State is famous for New York, the industrial capital of the US.
Pennsylvania with its largest city Philadelphia, the first nation’s capital, is known for the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the drafting of the Constitution.
New Jersey on the Atlantic Ocean is called “The Garden State”.
West Virginia is known for its colorful coverns.
The South.
Economically, historically and culturally, the South is a distinct region. With its warm climate and rich soil, it developed an economy based on cotton export. Conflicts between the North and the South, especially over slavery, led to the Civil war in 1861. The South preserves its traditions, for example good cooking and a slower, more hospitable way of life. The South includes eleven states: Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
Virginia is called “The Old Dominion” or “Mother of Presidents”. It was first settled by English colonists and named for Elisabeth I, the Virgin Queen of England.
Florida is a resort area, it has unique beaches and is considered to be one of the best tourist centers. The world-famous Disney World is situated near Orlando. The biggest space aerodrome is on Cape Canaveral.
The Midwest.
The Midwest is a large, economically important region. It contains major industrial cities and much farmland. Geographically, the Midwest can be subdivided into three small regions: the Great Lakes area with many lakes, hills and forests; the prairie area south of it, which is flat and has good soil for farming; the Great Plains area to the west, much drier than the prairie.
The Midwest includes twelve states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
North Dakota is the exact geographic center of North America.
South Dakota is famous for a memorial to four famous US Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, their heads are carved on a granite cliff of Mount Bushmore.
Kansas is the exact geographical center of the US. Its nickname is “The Sunshine State” as it’s in the center of the cyclone zone of US.
Illinois is called “The Land of Lincoln”, who began his political activities there. The 2nd largest city after New York, Chicago is in this state.
Minnesota is called “The Bread and Butter State” or “The Wheat State”.
The Southwest.
The Southwest is characterized by geographical variety: from humid lands in eastern Texas to drier prairies in Oklahoma and western Texas to mountains and deserts in Arizona and New Mexico. The Southwest area is rich in minerals. Cattle-breeding is also an important part of the Southwest’s economy.
The Southwest includes five states: Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.
Texas is the largest inner state. It’s nickname is “The Lone Star State”.
Nevada is nicknamed “The Silver State” because rich deposits of gold and silver were discovered in 1859. Nevada’s largest city, Las Vegas, won fame after World War II for gambling casinos and night clubs.
Arizona is “The Grand Canyon State”. The Grand Canyon, a gigantic chasm made by the Colorado River, rain, wind and frost is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world. Four Indian tribes live in this region.
New Mexico is known for the Carsbad Caverns, a series of huge underground caves, some of which have not been explored yet.
Oklahoma is an Indian territory.
The Rocky Mountain Region.
The Rockies are among the earth’s youngest mountains. They have steep slopes and many peaks and picturesque valleys. The region is very sparcely populated. Most of the population is engaged in mining, cattle-breeding and farming.
The Rocky Mountain region includes five states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado.
Wyoming is called “The Equality State”, the first state to give women the right to vote.
Colorado is the highest state in the country, there are 52 peaks there.
Utah is called “The Salt Lake State”.
Montana is “The Treasure State” as in the middle of the 19th century gold was discovered there. Cold winters with considerable snowfall are typical for the climate of the state. There were seven Indian reservations.
The Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
This region is noted for its natural beauty: high steep mountains, forests and greatly indented coastlines. Portland and Seattle are important ports for trade with Asia.
This region includes three states: Washington, Oregon and Alaska.
Alaska is the largest outer state.
California and Hawaii.
These two states are grouped together mainly because they are relatively near each other: California is a state which is situated nearer to Hawaii than any other state. They are not alike: California is one of the largest and most populated states; Hawaii is one of the smallest and least populated ones. Yet there is one thing these two states have in common: lots of sun and sand.
California is called “The Golden State” as it has gold mines on its territory. Gold-rush days made the state famous. The capital of the state is Sacramento. The motion picture capital is Los Angeles with its major centers in Hollywood. Another amazing city is San Francisco with its islands of exotic beauty and the famous bridge “Golden Gates”.
Maine [mein] - Мэн
New Hampshire [΄nju΄hæmp∫iə] – Нью Хэмпшир
Vermont [və΄mont] - Вермонт
Massachusetts [΄mæsə΄t∫usets] - Массачусетс
Rhode Island [roud΄ailənd] – Род Айленд
Connecticut [kə΄nektikət] - Коннектикут
New York [nju΄jok] – Нью Йорк
New Jersey [΄nju΄dзəzi] – Нью Джерси
Pennsylvania [pensil΄veinjə]– Пенсильвания
Delaware [΄deləwεə] - Делавер
Maryland [΄mεərilænd] –Мэрилэнд
West Virginia [΄west və΄dзiniə] –Западная Вирджиния
Kentucky [ken΄tΛki] - Кентукки
Virginia [və΄dзiniə] –Вирджиния
North Carolina [΄noθ ΄kærə΄lainə] – Северная каролина
South Carolina [΄sauθ΄kærə΄lainə] – Южная Каролина
Tennessee [΄tenə΄si] - Теннесси
Arkansas [΄akənsə] - Арканзас
Louisiana [lu΄izi΄ænə] - Луизиана
Mississippi [΄misi΄sipi] –Миссиссиппи
Alabama [ælə΄bæmə] - Алабама
Georgia [΄dзodзjə] - Джорджия
Florida [΄floridə] - Флорида
Minnesota [΄minə΄soutə] - Миннесота
Wisconsin [wis΄konsin] - Висконсин
Michigan [ ΄mi∫igən] –Мичиган
Ohio [ou΄haiou] - Огайо
Indiana [΄indi΄ænə] - Индиана
Illinois [΄ili΄nois] - Иллинойс
Missouri [mi΄zuəri] –Миссури
Iowa [΄aiouə] - Айова
Kansas [΄kænzəs] - Канзас
Nebraska [ni΄bræskə] - Небраска
South Dakota [΄sauθ də΄koutə] – Южная Дакота
North Dakota [΄noθ də΄koutə] – Северная Дакота
Oklahoma[΄ouklə΄houmə] - Оклахома
Texas [΄teksəs] –Техас
New Mexico [΄nju:΄meksikou] – Нью Мексико
Arizona [΄æri΄zounə] - Аризона
Nevada [ne΄vadə] - Невада
Montana [mon΄tænə] - Монтана
Idaho [΄aidəhou] - Айдахо
Wyoming [wai΄oumiŋ] - Вайоминг
Utah [΄juta] - Юта
Colorado [kələ΄ra:dou] –Колорадо
Washington [΄wo:∫iŋtən] –Вашингтон
Oregon [΄origən] - Орегон
Alaska [ə΄æskə] - Аляска
California [΄kæli΄fo:niə] - Калифорния
Hawaii [ha:΄waii:] - Гавайи
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