The United States of America is a federal constitution republic. The country consists of fifty states and a federal district of Columbia (D.C.). The capital of the country is Washington, D.C. The country is situated in central North America and borders Canada in the north and Mexico in the south.

The United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types and sceneries. The landscape varies from forests, deserts and plains to canyons and mountains. Extreme weather is not uncommon – the states along the Gulf of Mexico often have hurricanes and tornadoes.

The biggest cities are New York, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, etc.

The nation was founded by Thirteen colonies of Great Britain located along the Atlantic seaboard. On the 4 of July, 1776, they issued the Declaration of Independence, which claimed their independence from Great Britain. These states defeated Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War and formed a new state – the USA.

In the nineteenth century, the Americans began the westward expansion of its territory in order to occupy all the North American land east to west. The U.S. reached that goal in 1912 when they admitted Arizona. The outlying states of Alaska and Hawaii were both admitted in 1959.

The Constitution serves as the supreme American law in organizing the government. The federal government consists of three branches. Legislative branch is made up of the Congress including two chambers – the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Judicial power is represented by the Supreme Court and lower courts. The head of the executive branch is the president.

The United States has a developed economy, with rich natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity. The leading business field is trade, finance and insurance. The United States remains an industrial power. It is the greatest producer of oil, electrical and nuclear energy, liquid natural gas, chemicals, and cars.

American cultural icons are apple pie, baseball, and the American flag. The United States is a multicultural nation, home to a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values. The so-called American culture is largely based on the traditions of Western European migrants (English, Dutch, German, Irish and Scottish).

Словарь к тексту:

to consist of – состоять из
district – район
to border – граничить
a variety – разнообразие
to include – включать
a scenery – ландшафт
a hurricane – ураган
to found – основывать
to issue – издавать
to claim – заявлять, провозглашать
independence – независимость
to defeat – победить
expansion – расширение
to occupy – занимать
to reach the goal – достигнуть цели
supreme – верховный, высший
a law – закон
a court – суд
a chamber – палата
legislative branch – законодательная ветвь
judicial branch – судебная ветвь
executive branch – исполнительная ветвь
power – сила, власть, держава
value – ценность
so-called – так называемый

When it was decided that the new country needed a new city for its capital, President George Washington himself helped pick the spot – where the Potomac and Anacostia rivers come together. The national capital needed to be separate from the states for its own safety. The French engineer L’Enfant created a design based on Versailles. The shape of the federal district was a square, having 10 miles (16 km) on each side that is 100 square miles (260 km2). The boundary stones were put at every mile point; many of the stones are still standing. The capital city would have broad avenues and big squares. On September 9, 1791, the federal city was named in honour of George Washington.

The construction went slowly. In 1800 Washington became the Federal capital, but people were reluctant to move to it. For years there was said to be good hunting right near White House!

The development of the city started only in the first half of the 19th century. On August 24-25, 1814, in a raid known as the Burning of Washington, British army invaded the capital. The Capitol, Treasury, and White House were burned and destroyed during the attack. But most government buildings were quickly repaired. At that time the White House was painted white to conceal the marks of fire on its walls and got its present name.

Now Washington is situated in the federal district of Columbia (a piece of land which does not belong to any other state, but to all the states. It is named after Columbus, America’s discoverer, Columbia being a poetic name for the United States in old days). Its area is 68 square miles and the population of about 600,000, the motto “Justice for All” and the only major business – the government. It is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in the US.

In the centre of the city is the Capitol, the cornerstone of which was laid by President Washington. It is an impressive huge building with a big white dome standing on a circle of pillars. The 535 members of Congress meet here in Hall of Representatives and Senate Chamber to discuss the nation’s affairs.

Four sections radiate out from the Capitol dividing the District of Columbia into North-East, North-West, South-East and South-West areas.

Not far from the Capitol there is the Library of the Congress, the largest library in the USA, one of the biggest research libraries in the world.

The National Archives has thousands of documents important to American history including the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

Rows of Japanese cherry blossom trees were presented as gifts from the nation of Japan.

They decorate the area of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the District of Columbia War Memorial.

By the broad Pennsylvania Avenue used for processions and parades one can reach the White House, the official residence of the US President. The White House offices as well as living quarters are closed to public, but there are excursion tours inside. There is also a possibility to watch the halls in Supreme Court, Senate and the House of Representatives from special public galleries.

Washington is also a great cultural, educational and scientific centre; there are 5 universities, some research institutions, museums, art galleries, parks and monumental buildings, such as the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington National Cathedral and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

There are no skyscrapers in the city because they may hide the beauty of monumental ensembles from view. In 1899 Congress passed an act, which declared that no building could be taller than the Capitol. Today the skyline is low according to Thomas Jefferson's wishes to make Washington an "American Paris" with "low and convenient" buildings on "light and airy" streets. As a result, the Washington Monument remains the District's tallest structure.

Словарь к тексту:
separate – отдельный, обособленный
safety – безопасность
to create – создать
square – (здесь) квадрат; площадь
boundary – граница
broad – широкий
reluctant – неохотный, делающий что-то по принуждению
development – развитие
raid – внезапное нападение
to invade – вторгаться, захватывать
to burn – гореть
to destroy – разрушать
to conceal – скрывать, маскировать
mark – знак. метка
motto – девиз
justice – справедливость, правосудие
cornerstone – краеугольный камень
pillar – столб
the House of Representatives – Палата Представителей
to radiate out – исходить, распространяться
archive – архив
the Declaration of Independence – Декларация независимости
the Bill of Rights – Билль о правах
cherry – вишня
residence – резиденция
Supreme Court – Верховный Суд
skyscraper – небоскреб
to pass an act – принимать, утверждать постановление
skyline – силуэт города
convenient – удобный
airy – просторный, полный воздуха