Задание 1. Прочитать и перевести текст. Ответить на вопросы.
NEW YORK
In 1607 Captain Henry Hudson left Europe to search to search for the famous North-west Passage. He didn’t find it, because it didn’t exist, but he reached a river to which he gave his name. Interested by the stories told them by the captain on his return, the Dutch sent other boats to take possession of the land discovered by Hudson and gave it the name “New Netherland”. Two men dominate the history of this colony. The first one bought the island of Manhattan from the Indians in 1626. The second arrived in 1647 as governor of New Amsterdam, the capital of New Nether land.
In 1664 this territory was taken over by the English and they changed the name of New Amsterdam to New York.
New York is one of the largest cities in the world. Its popularity is over 11 million people. New York is an industrial and cultural centre of the country. Most business is centred in Manhattan Island. Numerous skyscrapers house banks and offices of American business. The whole area is very small, that’s why the skyscrapers were invented in New York and, especially, in Wall Street. Wall Street is a narrow street with big houses, but it is well known all over the world as the busiest street in the USA. People do business there.
There are two more world-famous streets – Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Broadway is the centre of the theatres and nightlife. It is known as ‘The Great White Way” because of the electric signs which turn night into day. It is the city that never goes to sleep. Buses and subway run all night. There are many drugstores and restaurants that never close their doors. There are cinemas with films that start at midnight. Fifth Avenue is the great shopping, hotel and Сlub avenue. If you go along this avenue, you come to Harlem, where the black people of New York live, the coloured workers, teachers and musicians.
New York is one of the leading manufacturing cities in the world. The most important industries are those producing paper products, vehicles, glass, chemicals, and machinery. New York has a heavy traffic. The sea encircles many of the city areas and the ships go over and under New York traffic routes.
New York is the largest port in America. More than half the trade of the United States goes through this city.
There are many places of interest in New York. They are: The Statue of Liberty, the United Nations Building, Empire State Building, Columbia University, City Hall, New York Public Library and others.
QUESTIONS
1. What can you tell about Captain Henry Hudson?
2. When was New York founded?
3. When was New Amsterdam renamed to New York?
4. What is the centre of the city?
5. What are the famous streets in New York?
6. What places of interest in New York can you name?
Задание 2. Прочитать и перевести текст. Составить три вопроса к тексту.
AMERICANS AND THEIR COUNTRY
The Americans are very proud of their country. They say that in the USA the buildings are taller, the cigars are longer, the cars are bigger, and the girls are prettier than anywhere in the world. The English don’t always agree. Some say the Americans are louder, richer and noisier than any other nationality. Other British people think there are lots of good things about the USA like Hollywood, jazz and Superman.
It is true that most American skyscrapers are taller than buildings in the UK, but the British think their stately homes are older and more beautiful than anything in the USA. The Americans love coke and hamburgers – people in the UK think British food is much healthier. Clothes are cheaper in USA, but fashion design in the UK is better than the design in the USA.