It’s interesting to know: American Symbols

The American flag is often called "The Stars and Stripes" or "Old Glory". It has 13 horizontal stripes (7 red and 6 white) which stand for the original 13 states. In the top left hand corner there are 50 white stars on a blue background: one star for each state.

The national anthem of the United States is "The Star Spangled Banner". The words for it were written during the Anglo-American war of 1812 – 1814 and set to the music of an old song. Every state has its own flag, its own emblem and its own anthem.

The eagle became the national emblem of the country in 1782. It has an olive branch (a symbol of peace) and arrows (a symbol of strength). The Statue of Liberty is the symbol of American democracy. It is one of the first things that people see when they arrive in New York by sea. This national monument was a present from France to the USA in 1884 as a symbol of friendship. Liberty carries the torch of freedom in her right hand. In the left hand of the monument there is a tablet with the inscription "July 4, 1776" – the American Independence Day.

Names:

the American Independence [,indi`pendəns] Day – День независимости Америки

the Statue of Liberty [ðə `steit∫ə əv `libəti] – Статуя Свободы

"The Stars and Stripes", "Old Glory" – названия государственного флага США

Vocabulary:

anthem [`ænθəm] – гимн

arrow – стрела

background – фон, задний план

eagle [i:gl] – орёл

friendship – дружба

freedom [`fri:dəm] – независимость, свобода

in the top left hand corner – в верхнем левом углу

inscription – надпись

national monument – национальный памятник

olive branch – оливковая веточка

tablet – зд.: табличка, дощечка

torch [to:t∫] – факел

to arrive – прибывать

to represent – представлять

to stand for smth. – зд.: символизировать, означать

Questions for self-examination:

1. How do people often call American flag?

2. What are the colours of the American flag?

3. How many stripes has the flag got?

4. What is the national emblem of the USA?

5. When is the American Independence Day celebrated?

The other English-speaking countries (1) Canada

Canada is the second largest country in the world. It covers the northern part of North America and its total area is 9,975,000 square kilometres. Canada's only neighbour is the USA. The capital of Canada is Ottawa.

Canada's motto, "From Sea to Sea", is appropriate because the country is bounded by three oceans – the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic.

Canada's name comes from an Indian word "kanata", which means "village". The first French settlers used the Indian name for the colony, but the official name was "New France". When the area came under the British rule in 1897, the new country was called the Dominion of Canada, or simply Canada.

Compared with other large countries, Canada has a small population, only about 27,300,000. The country, however, is one of the world’s most prosperous. Canadians have achieved a high standard of living.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, and Queen Elizabeth II is its official head of state. Although the Queen holds this high position, she doesn't rule. She serves as a symbol of British tradition. Her representative in Canada is the Governor General. The Governor's duties are limited to symbolic, mostly ceremonial acts.

The real power belongs to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The Canadian Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the Senate.

There are two official languages in the country: English and French. All Canadian children have to learn both French and English at school. "We have two races, two languages, two systems of religious belief, two sets of laws... two systems of everything", said one Canadian journalist.

Names:

Dominion of Canada [də’minjən əv ’kænədə] – Доминион Канада (административно-территориальная единица)

Governor General [‘gΛvənə ‘d3en(ə)r(ə)l] – губернатор колонии или доминиона, генерал-губернатор

the Commonwealth [‘komənwelθ] of Nations – Содружество наций

the House of Commons and the Senate [‘senit] – Палата Общин и Сенат

Queen Elizabeth II [‘kwi:n e’lizəbəθ ðə ‘secənd] – королева Елизавета II