Number 58, exercise 18.0:07
Listen to the final part of the text, country and People, and try to read it in the same manner.0:12
After Terry Tomsha and and Teresa Cox, many rivers cross the United States, but the greatest is the mighty Mississippi.0:25
Native Americans called it the Father of Waters.0:36
It begins quietly in the north of the country and ends in the Gulf of Mexico, nearly 4,000 miles, 6,400 kilometers away.0:40
On its journey to the sea, the Mississippi travels through several states and becomes larger and more powerful.0:53
It brings water to farmlands and the Mississippi has been an important waterway since early times, when Native Americans travelled on the river in canoes.1:01
Among other big rivers are the Colorado and the Missouri.1:14
The Colorado river rises in the Rocky Mountains or the Rockies that stretch from Alaska down almost to the south of the country.1:20
Another big mountain chain is the Appalachians in the east, also running from north to south.1:30
The Grand Canyon is one of America's main tourist attractions.1:38
It is so big that you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty.1:43
The Colorado river formed the Grand Canyon over millions of years.1:50
Slowly, the river cut down through hard rock.1:55
Today, the canyon is one mile deep and 200 miles long.1:59
It's interesting that there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the canyon.2:08
The south side is dry and desert country.2:15
The north side has tall forests.2:18
The canyon looks different at different times of day and in different seasons and weather.2:22
At sunrise and sunset, the red, gold, brown and orange colours of the rocks are especially clear and bright.2:29
In winter, the canyon is partly covered with snow.2:39
You can walk down into the Grand Canyon, or you can go down on the back of a mule.2:43
But be careful to carry enough water, because inside the canyon it is very hot, much hotter than at the top.2:49
The United States is a young country.2:59
Its written history is only a few hundred years old.3:02
It is sometimes, in fact, called the New World.3:05
Over the last 400 years, millions of people have come to start a new life in this new world.3:10
Americans are not afraid of new ideas.3:19
They built the first skyscrapers and they put the first man on the moon.3:22
They like to be modern.3:27
They like exciting modern cities, new houses and new cars.3:29
At the same time, Americans love old things.3:35
They like to visit historic houses and museums.3:39
They build old pioneer houses and remember the days of the Wild West.3:43
Americans are interested in old traditions, but they are good at making new traditions too.3:49
The people of the United States are a mixture of many different nationalities.3:57
Every American school child learns that the United States is a big melting pot of countries.4:03
In a melting pot, different metals are melted together to make a new metal.4:10
The United States is like a melting pot for people.4:16
In the past, people from many different European countries came to the US and made one country out of many.4:20
In one city you can find people whose parents, grandparents, or great grandparents came from China, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and every European country.4:29
These different people brought to their new land a wonderful mixture of customs and traditions.4:43
The Germans brought Christmas trees.4:51
The Irish brought St. Patrick's Day celebrations.4:54
The Scots brought Halloween.4:58
Клик по слову — перевод и «+ в мои слова» (в любом режиме). Клик по строке или таймкоду — перейти к этому месту записи.