Unit 1 Land and People

The United States of America is located in the central part of North America, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, ranking No. 4 with 9,629,091 square kilometers in the world. Owing to its large size, varied weather and climate present in the continent of the Untied States. It is a land rich in natural resources, such as water, iron ore, coal and oil, etc. There are also a lot of developed and major cities in the United States, such as Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles and Hawaii. The population is equivalent to 4.34% of the total world population and English is spoken widely as the official language throughout the country.

Geographical Location

The Atlantic Coast of the United States faces the developed countries of Western Europe, and its Pacific Coast and Hawaii give the nation an approach to the Far East and Australia. In the past,the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean served as natural barriers between the United States and the rest of the world. This allowed the United States to grow and become strong with little outside interference. Later, the development of means of communication and transportation makes the United States well connected to the rest of the world.

The United States has extensive1 coastlines on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean,as well as on the Gulf of Mexico. Rivers flow from far within the continent and the Great Lakes,five large, inland lakes along the the United States border with Canada, providing additional shipping access. These extensive waterways have helped shape the economic growth of the country over the years and helped bind America’s 50 individual states together in a single economic unit.

So the location of the United States does quite a lot to the development of the United States.In the north, it connects with Canada and in the south, it faces Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico.Alaska is in the northwestern part which is connected with the central part of North America.Hawaii is in the central Pacific, which is separated from continental United States.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Russia is the largest with the area of 17,075,000 square kilometers in the world. Canada ranks No. 2 with 9,984,670 square kilometers. China ranks No.3 with 9,634,057 square kilometers. The United States ranks No. 4 with 9,629,091 square kilometers.

Weather and Climate

Weather and climate of the United States vary in different parts because of its large size. In the middle latitudes north of the equator and in the northern temperate zone, the United States enjoys continental climate. It varies from warm wet conditions of the Appalachian Mountains to the warm, dry conditions of some of the western states, and ranges from almost winterless climates in Southern Arizona and Southern Florida to long, cold winters in Alaska.

Determined by its latitude2 and altitude, its vast size of territory and topography, and the different atmospheric circulations, there are extreme climatic variations in the United States—extreme variations of precipitation, and extreme variations of climatic types. It is almost impossible to make any generalization about the climate. Different climatic conditions divide the country into some climatic regions. All in all, it enjoys continental climate in the northern zone,the humid subtropical climate in the south-eastern part, humid continental and humid subtropical climate in the central part and maritime climate in the Pacific Northwest.

Natural Resources

Natural resources of the United States are quite rich, such as water, iron ore, coal, oil, silver,and gold. The nation produces more than 80 million tons of iron a year. For many years, iron ore came primarily from the Great Lake region of Minnesota and Michigan, but the mines were severely depleted3 during the two world wars.

Coal is another major natural resource found in large quantities in the United States which can last for hundreds of years. Coal deposits are widely distributed in the country. Most of coal reserves are to be found in the Appalachians, the Central Plain, and the Rockies.

The United States, very rich in oil, was once the largest oil producing country in the world.Oil wells produce more than 3,200 million barrels of petroleum a year. The production, processing and marketing of such petroleum products as gasoline and oil make up one of the United States’ largest industries. Most domestic production of oil and natural gas comes from offshore areas of Louisiana and Texas, and from onshore areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and California. Although the oil production in the United States is very large, the big consumption has made the United States insufficient in oil supply.

The United States enjoys abundant water resources. Today the rivers and streams of the United States furnish most of the water supply for cities,towns and farmlands. Water is also used by industry,and used to create electric power. Unlike some other countries, the United States as a whole has little trouble as caused by the shortage of fresh water.

The United States has also plenty of fertile soil.Farmlands make up about 12% of the arable lands in the world, and they are among the richest and most productive. Of the 2.3 billion acres of land in the 50 states, an estimated 300 million acres are planted annually. The very large acreage of highly productive farmlands could be expected to continue to supply the nation generously, with substantial surplus for export.

Major Cities

Washington D.C. is the capital city of the United States. "D.C." stands for "the District of Columbia",the federal district containing the city of Washington.The city is named after George Washington, the military leader of the American Revolution and the first President of the United States. The District of Columbia and the city of Washington are coextensive and are governed by a single municipal government, so for most practical purposes they are considered to be the same entity. The District of Columbia,founded on July 16, 1790, is a federal district as specified by the United States Constitution. The United States Congress has ultimate authority over the District of Columbia, though it has delegated limited local rule to the municipal government. The land forming the original District came from the states of Virginia and Maryland. Nowadays, Washington D.C. serves as the headquarters for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Organization of American States, among other international and national institutions. It is also the site of numerous national landmarks, museums, and sports teams, and a popular destination for tourists.

New York is the most populous city in the United States, with an estimated population of nine million distributed over a land area of over 700 square miles. New York City is also the most densely populated major city. Located at the southern tip of the state of New York, the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area, one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. New York City exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion,research, technology, education, and entertainment, and its fast pace defines the term of New York. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural, financial, and media capital of the world. The Statue of Liberty is a sculpture in New York Harbor which was designed by Bartholdi in 1886, a gift from the people of France as an icon of freedom.

Los Angeles, officially called the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A., is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California. It is the second most populous city in the United States and the most populous city in the state of California. Located in a large coastal basin surrounded on three sides by mountains reaching up to and over 10,000 feet, Los Angeles covers an area of about 469 square miles. Los Angeles, the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, is part of the larger designated Los Angeles-Long Beach combined statistical area.Hollywood is a dream factory, the makers of "movie magic",offering people something to dream about. The cultural messages spread around by Hollywood are so penetrating and powerful that most Americans want their lives and love to be "just like in the movies".

Population and Languages

The current population of the United States of America is 324,459,463 based on the latest United Nations estimates. The American population is equivalent to around 4.34% of the total world population. The United States ranks the third place in the list of countries and dependencies by population. The population density is about 36 per square kilometers.

The United States is the only major industrialized nation in which large population increases are projected. Its population growth rate is positive at 1%, significantly higher than those of many developed nations.

The United States is a very urbanized population country, with 82% living in cities and suburbs. This leaves vast expanses of the country nearly uninhabited4. California and Texas are the most populous states. As the main center of the United States, their population has consistently shifted westward and southward. New York City is the most populous city in the United States, while the other leading population centers are: Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas,Houston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Miami, Atlanta and Boston.

The United States has very diverse population. White Americans are the largest racial group.German Americans, Irish Americans, African Americans and English Americans constitute the country’s four largest ancestry groups. African Americans and Asian Americans are the first two largest racial minorities in the United States. Among all the Americans, white people are about 72.4% of all Americans.

It is not definitively5 known how or when the native Americans first settled the Americas and the present-day United States. The indigenous6 peoples, including Alaska Natives, are believed to have migrated from Asia, beginning between 40,000 and 12,000 years ago, and then spread southward throughout America. Some peoples developed advanced agriculture, grand architecture and state-level societies. The indigenous peoples are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America and their descendants and they are commonly known in the United States as Native Americans. While some indigenous peoples of America were traditionally hunter-gatherers,many groups practiced agriculture. Many also maintain aspects of indigenous cultural practices to varying degrees, including religion, social organization and subsistence practices.

The language of English serves as the official language,in which government business is carried out. Some Americans advocate making English the country’s official language, as it is in at least 28 states. In the United States, at least, 1,000 different indigenous languages are spoken in the United States. About 230 million, or 80% of the population aged five years and older, speak only English at home. Spanish, spoken by 12% of the population at home, is the second most common language and the most widely taught second language. Native American languages are spoken in smaller pockets of the country, but these people are decreasing, and the languages are almost never widely used outside of reservations.

About 337 languages are spoken or signed by the population, of which 176 are indigenous to the area. It is well-known that American English is different from British English in terms of spelling, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and slang usage. Actually, the differences are not usually a barrier to effective communication between an American English speaker and a British English speaker, but there are certainly enough differences to cause occasional misunderstandings,usually surrounding slangs or region dialect differences.

Vocabulary:

1. extensive　[ɪkˈstensɪv]　adj.　广阔的

2. latitude　[ˈlætɪtju:d]　n.　纬度

3. deplete　[dɪˈpli:t]　v.　耗尽

4. uninhabited　[ˌʌnɪnˈhæbɪtɪd]　adj.　无人居住的

5. definitively　[dɪ'fɪnətɪvlɪ]　adv.　清楚地

6. indigenous　[ɪnˈdɪdʒənəs]　adj.　本地的

Exercises

I. Try to answer the following questions according to your understanding of the text.

1. How much do you know about the location and size of the United States?

2. How is the weather in the United States?

3. What natural resources do the United States possess?4. What is the capital city of the United States?

5. What is the official language of the United States?

II. Read the following passage carefully, and make a comment on it at the end of the passage in no more than 100 words.

For a long time, most overseas visitors to the United States, whether on business or holiday,have arrived from Europe, but an increasing number today are coming from Asia, especially China.

As to where overseas visitors go once they arrive in the United States, here are their top five destinations:

New York

New York is the most linguistically diverse city on the planet, with more than 800 languages spoken. The city is also the world’s most ethnically diverse city: 37% of New York’s population was born outside of the United States. Top New York tourist attractions include the Empire State Building, Times Square, Broadway shows, the Statue of Liberty and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Miami

The Port of Miami in southern Florida is the world’s busiest cruise port. Overseas travellers hit Miami for the same reason as many Americans do: the beautiful beaches and warm weather,especially in December, January and February. The South Beach neighborhood is famous for its Art Deco architecture, Cuban cuisine and nightlife.

Los Angeles

Located in Southern California and situated beneath a dramatic mountain backdrop, Los Angeles is famous for its "Mediterranean climate" — sunny, dry and warm weather year round.The city’s beaches and nearby Disneyland are tourist favorites. Los Angeles attracts film and TV buffs who can tour movie studios such as Warner Brothers, Paramount and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Orlando

Nearly 70 million tourists each year arrive in Orlando, Florida, with many hitting Sea World,Universal Orlando Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort, which includes two water parks,Epcot and Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Travelers to this central Florida destination also make trips to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to learn about America’s space program, its astronauts and upcoming missions to explore deep space.

San Fransisco

The Golden Gate Bridge in northern California is one of the most famous spans in the world and this is the city’s most recognized landmark. Other legendary features of San Francisco include its trolley cars, steep hills, and neighborhoods such as Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown.

Comments:

Traveling is very popular all over the world. Some people like traveling because it helps to relieve the stress from their work. Others dislike it because they worry about their safety or the environment.

How do you like traveling?

Reference:

Argument:

1. Feeling relaxed and pleasant

2. Getting a fresh start and make new friends

3. Enriching one’s experiences and broaden one’s horizon

Counter-argument:

1. Targets of muggings or being stolen

2. Adaptation to the climate, the food or the local environment

3. Tight budget

Keys to Exercises

I. Try to answer the following questions according to your understanding of the text.

1. The United States is located in the central part of North America and stretches 4,500 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the West. Including Alaska and Hawaii, the United States covers an area of 9,629,091 square kilometers and is the fourth largest country in the world.

2. The United States enjoys continental climate in the northern zone, the humid subtropical climate in the South-eastern, humid continental and humid subtropical climate in the central part and maritime climate in the Pacific Northwest.

3. Natural resources of the United States are quite rich, such as water, iron ore, coal, oil, silver, and gold.

4. Washington D.C. is the capital city of the United States.

5. English is the official language of the United States.

II. Read the following passage carefully, and make a comment on it at the end of the passage in no more than 100 words.

Sample:

Argument

First, I think traveling helps to relieve my stress from work, especially after a whole busy year. I can enjoy the beautiful scenery and relax myself during the trip. Second, it gives me a fresh start. During the traveling, I can have a chance to meet many different people and make friends with them. Finally, I learn much knowledge form traveling that I haven’t known before. Not only can traveling enrich my experience, but also it can expand my vision.

Counter-argument

For one thing, I suppose safety is what people are most concerned about. Travelers are more likely to be targets of muggings, pick-pockets and attacks because they appear more vulnerable in strange places. Especially in some hot tourist spots, cases become quite common. For another,maybe some people couldn’t get used to the climate, the food and the local environment of a new place. Moreover, traveling means spending, so perhaps a tight budget deters them from starting a vacation.