Giáo trình Văn minh Anh - Mỹ: Phần 2

Cuốn giáo trình "Văn minh Anh - Mỹ" được biên soạn nhằm giúp người học nhận biết các sự kiện địa lý, lịch sử và văn hóa; một trong những vấn đề nóng bỏng liên quan đến văn minh Anh - Mỹ. Mời các bạn cùng tham khảo nội dung phần 2 cuốn sách.
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Giáo trình Văn minh Anh - Mỹ: Phần 2 Part OneGEOGRAPHY 89 Lecture 1: NATURAL REGIONS1. The U.S.A is situated in the central part of the North American continent. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast by the Atlantic Ocean.2. The area of the U.S.A is over nine million square kilometres.3. The continental part of the U.S.A consists of two highland regions and two lowland regions. The highland regions are the Appalachian Mountains in the east, and the Cordillera in the west. The highest peak in the Applachian Mountains is 2,037 metres high. The highest peak of the Cordillera in the U.S.A is 4,418 metres.4. Between the Cordillera and the Appalachian Mountains are the central lowlands, which are called the prairie, and the eastern lowlands, called the Mississippi valley.5. The five Great lakes, between the U.S.A and Canada, are joined together by short rivers or canals, and the Saint Lawrence River joins them to the Atlantic Ocean. In the west of the U.S.A there is another lake called the Great Salt lake.6. The main rivers of the U.S.A are the Mississippi, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico, the Colorado and the Columbia, which flow into the Pacific Ocean, the Saint Lawrence River and the Hudson River, which flow into the Atlantic Ocean.7. The U.S.A is a very large country, so it has several different climatic regions. The coldest regions are in the north and norlh-east where much snow falls in winter. The south has a subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast. The region around the Great Lakes is known for its changeable weather.90 REVIEW QUESTIONS1. Where is the United States situated?2. What does the continental part of the U.S.A consist of?3. Which rivers flow into the Atlatic Ocean and which ones find their way into the Pacific Ocean? Lecture 2:A TRIP FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO NEW YORK1. The U.S.A is a country of great differences. There are high mountains and flat prairies in it, tropical heat and arctic cold.2. If you want to go from San Francisco to New York by train, you must ride more than three thousand miles. It takes three days and nights. In California, where you begin your trip, the climate is usually mild all year. In the south of the country is the famous fruit growing area. In California, oranges, grapefruit and lemons, as well as many other fruits and vegetables, are sent all over the United States and to other parts of the world.3. Soon the train leaves those green plains and goes up into the Sierra Nevada mountains covered with snow. Here and there you can see clear mountain lakes. As the train goes east you cross the Sait Lake desert.4. For miles and miles you will see nothing but salt and salt. Flat plains covered with short dry grass go for miles and miles. This is sheep and cattle country, the land of the cowboys. As you cross it, you may want to know where the people of America are. From time to time you may see a few cattle on the plain or the wagon of a 91 cowboy, but most of the country is empty.5. As the train crosses Nebraska, you leave the empty country and enter the rich farming region of America. Nebraska has many golden wheat fields. In Iowa wheat and corn are important products. After two days, the train arrives in Chicago, the second largest city in the United States.6. Then you cross Pennsylvania and New Jersey - the richest industrial states of the country and at last arrive in New York, the largest city in the U.S.A. The trip will not show you all of America, of course. Each region has its own characteristics. There are many large and modern cities, but a great territory of the country are large plains with farm-houses and small towns. The usual town in any part of the United States has its “main street” with the same types of shops and markets selling the same products. So many America towns have the same look. REVIEW QUESTIONS1. What is California famous for?2. What part of the U.S. is the land of the cowboys?3. What are the richest industrial states of the U.S.A?92 Lecture 3: THE MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC I. NEW ENGLAND1. New England includes six states: Maine - New Hampshire - Vermont - Massachusetts - Rhode Island - Connecticut.2. New England is highly industrial, but it also has many fields, woods, and small towns.3. New England is the part of the United States that is most like “old” England. n. NEW YORK CITY1. Manhattan is an i ...