Transcript Chapter 8

Chapter 10
United States
United States
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Country name: United States of America,
United States
Capital: Washington, DC
Location: North America, bordering both the
North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific
Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Border countries: Canada, Mexico
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Government type: Constitution-based federal
republic
Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1
district; District of Columbia
Population: 290,342,554 (July 2003 est.)
Languages: English, Spanish (spoken by a
sizable minority)
Religions: Protestant 56%, Roman Catholic
28%, Jewish 2%, other 4%, none 10%
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GDP – per capita: purchasing power parity $36,300 (2002 est.) (2nd in the world after
Luxembourg)
Industries: leading industrial power in the
world, highly diversified and technologically
advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles,
aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals,
electronics, food processing, consumer
goods, lumber, mining
Currency: US dollar (USD) (CIA, World Fact
Book)
Important Facts
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One of the top destinations in the world
41,9 million international tourist arrivals (3rd after
France and Spain)
 66,5 international tourism receipts (the highest in the
world) (WTO, 2003)
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Coastline: 19,924 km
Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west,
hills and low mountains in east; rugged
mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska;
rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
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Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in
Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in
the great plains west of the Mississippi River,
and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest;
low winter temperatures in the northwest are
ameliorated occasionally in January and February
by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
of the Rocky Mountains (CIA, World Fact Book
Selling Points
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Historical sites, world-class museums, Boston,
vibrant nightlife, beaches and resorts, New York
City, Manhattan, The Statue of Liberty,
Broadway, Niagara Falls, country music and
blues, Orlando and the Disney theme parks,
Mardi Gras, skiing, Florida, Miami, Chicago,
Native American history and culture, lakes,
outdoor activities, spectacular scenery, Waikiki,
national parks, mountains and deserts, casino
gambling, Las Vegas, California.
Brief History
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Britain's American colonies broke with the
mother country in 1776 and were recognised as
the new nation of the United States of America
following the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
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During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new
states were added to the original 13 as the nation
expanded across the North American continent
and acquired a number of overseas possessions.
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The two most traumatic experiences in the
nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and
the Great Depression of the 1930s.
New England
Boston
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State capital of Massachusetts
one of the oldest cities in US; founded in 1630
named as “Cradle of Liberty” - led the
American colonies in their struggle for
independence
home to many leading colleges and universities
including Harvard university and the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT)
 abundance of restaurants, especially for seafood
lovers
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many theatres, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston
Ballet
 New England Aquarium
 John F. Kennedy Library and Museum
 Museum of Fine Arts with a rich collection of
impressionists and Egyptian collection
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Washington, DC
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A sophisticated, world-class city with top-notch
entertainment and fine restaurants
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Smithsonian Institutions Museums (many museums
each devoted to a different area of interest or study natural history, US history, air and space)
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U. S. Capitol (towering rotunda, the Statuary Hall
and the famous reception room of the Senate. Most
congressional hearings are open to the public)
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National Gallery of Art (one of the world’s premier
art museums - surrounded by Rembrandts)
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Lincoln Memorial (the sculpture of seated Lincoln,
inside wall engraved with Lincoln’s speech)
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Jefferson Memorial (a dome and colonnaded whitemarble rotunda, the statue of Jefferson)
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White House (visitors can take a brief free public
tour, Oval Office or presidential living quarters are
close to visitors)
New York
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A vibrant metropolis that has something for
everyone every hour of the day
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It is divided into 5 parts (boroughs), most visitors
spend all their time in Manhattan
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Some buildings and street names are famous to
those who never go there (e.g. Wall Street, 5th
avenue)
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Famous for evening entertainment and most
trendiest clubs and discos of the nation
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Times Square
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Statue of Liberty
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Ellis Island - Museum of Immigration
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Wall Street
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Brooklyn Bridge
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Chinatown
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Little Italy
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Soho
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The Empire State Building (observation deck)
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The Chrysler Building (art deco architecture)
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Grand Central Station (one of the nation’s great
public spaces)
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Rockefeller Center ( home to restaurants, ice-skating
rink, gigantic Christmas tree)
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Broadway (theatrical extravaganzas)
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Carnegie Hall
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Lincoln Center (home to the Metropolitan Opera,
the New York Philharmonic and American Ballet
Theater)
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Museum of Modern Art
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Central Park
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the American Museum of Natural History (one of
the world’s greatest museums)
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the Guggenheim Museum
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the Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Harlem (African-American community)
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Manhattan Island
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Brooklyn (Botanic Gardens, Brooklyn Museum of
Art, Brooklyn Heights)
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Yankee Stadium (in Bronx)
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Long Island (Jones Beach - a popular recreation area,
Hamptons - summer homes of rich and famous)
Niagara Falls
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One of the world’s most famous tourist sights
falls are 55-m-high on the border of the U.S. and
Canada
combination of natural wonder and commercial
tackiness
a destination for honeymooners
Florida State
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Florida is the sunshine state and one of the top
tourist destinations
the state offers hundreds of miles of gorgeous
beaches, theme parks
among the most famous cities of Florida are
Miami and Orlando
Miami
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An international city, with ethnic diversity
Bayside Marketplace
 Little Havana (sidewalk vendors, restaurants, CubanAmerican atmosphere)
 Art Deco District (hottest restaurant and clubs in
the U.S)
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Orlando
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One of the top tourist destinations in the world
closely associated with Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom (best known theme park, especially
appealing to families with children)
 Tomorrowland
 Adventureland
 Disney - MGM Studios
 EPCOT complex (Future World, World Showcase)
 Animal Kingdom
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Universal Studios Escape
Jurassic Park
 Lost Continent
 Roller Coasters
 Sea World
 Splendid China
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Kennedy Space Center (the launch site of all
U.S. manned space flights since the early 1960s)
rocket displays
 moon rock specimens
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New Orleans
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State of Louisiana
Louisiana’s party town
place for gambling on casino river boats.
French Quarter -Vieux Carre (a mix of clubs,
souvenir shops, restaurants, antique stores,
beautiful homes, bars, voodoo vendors)
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial
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located in the Black Hills, South Dakota
The likenesses of four US presidents –
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore
Roosevelt carved into this mountain
18 meter tall
Chicago
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State of Illinois
a city at the coast of Lake Michigan
renown for its architecture, art, world-class
museums
Chicago is where the skyscraper was born. It
boosts some of the tallest buildings in the world
(e.g. Sears Tower). They have observation decks
cruise tours on Lake Michigan or Chicago River.
Art Institute of Chicago (home to one of the best
collections of impressionist paintings outside the
Louvre)
 Museum of Science (coal mine tour, submarine tour)
 Field Museum of Natural History
 Adler Planetarium
 Astronomy Museum
 Shedd Aquarium
 Oceanarium
 Theatre shows, traditional musicals, Chicago
Symphony
 Blues and folk-music clubs
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Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld performed in Zanies
comedy club
 huge sculptures by Chagall, Picasso and Calder stand
in the city’s plazas.
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Los Angeles
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State of California
city of a rich culture
Watts Towers (made of discarded steel, cement, tile
and whatever else came along)
 Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown, the Jewish
traditions of Fairfax, South Central with an AfricanAmerican culture, Latino flavor of Olvera Street
 Malibu (for surfing and beaches, also home to many
movie stars)
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Santa Monica (haven for shoppers)
 Venice Beach (carnival-like atmosphere, roller
skaters, body builders and street performers)
 Beverly Hills
 Rodeo Drive (exclusive boutiques)
 Getty Center (a complex with five pavilions of
paintings, sculpture, decorative art, furniture,
illuminated manuscripts and photography; gardens)
 Hollywood (Hollywood walk of fame with 2000 starshaped plaques embedded in the side-walk)
 Universal Studios
 Anaheim (a suburb of Los Angeles with Disneyland)
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San Francisco
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A physically beautiful, culturally and historically
stimulating city with great restaurants
Golden Gate Bridge
 Little cable car climbing, not only symbol of the city
but also a very efficient means of transportation by
running between several major attractions
 Chinatown (city within a city, great Chinese
restaurants, Buddha’s Universal Church is the largest
Buddhist temple in the U.S)
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Fisherman’s Wharf
 Alcatraz, once an impregnable fortress-style prison,
now a very popular tourist destination,
 Golden Gate Park, a green oasis with artificial lakes,
Dutch windmills, museums, Japanese Tea Garden
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Palm Springs
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a giant sandbox offering adults their favorite
games
golf courses
tennis courts
horseback riding
lavish spas
a lot of accommodation, affordable also for
families
Yosemite National Park
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one of the most beautiful places in the country,
nearby is Sequoia National Park extremely
overcrowded
waterfalls
Half Dome
 Cathedral Spires
 El Capitan (the largest pure-granite outcropping in
the world)
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State of Hawaii
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the daydream of resort vacations
four major islands are Hawaii, Kauai, Maui,
Oahu which vary greatly in flavor, weather,
population and natural wonders
an active volcano attracts outdoor lovers
Hawaii;
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also known as the Big Island, home to rural areas,
deserts, volcanoes (Kilauea is the world’s most active
volcano), rain forests
has colorful beaches - golden, green, gray, black and
white
 deep-sea fishing, snorkeling
 nightlife and shopping are limited on this island
 gorgeous flowers than one can imagine, mostly
orchids
 the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Kohala is a very
expensive resort
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Kauai;
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is the most beautiful, most tropical and most
romantic island, known also as the Garden Isle.
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Captain Cook’s first landing point (in 1778) is on this
island
Oahu;
is where Honolulu and Waikiki are located
 the island for nightlife together with other activities
available in other islands
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Honolulu;
is the Hawaii State capital and the largest city
 Pearl Harbor and the airport are located here, with
the Arizona Memorial
 Hawaii Maritime Center (exhibits on whaling,
underwater archeology and Pacific Canoes)
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State of Arizona
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Grand Canyon National Park;
a national treasure, cut by the Colorado River,
measures 446 km in length and averages 1.6 km in
depth
 draws more than 5 million visitors a year
 hiking the canyon is only for those in good physical
condition
 mules, rafts, steam trains and helicopters/light planes
are alternatives to see explore the canyon
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Phoenix;
the fastest growing metropolitan of the country with
more than 140 golf courses, 1000 tennis courts and
dozens of resorts
 a magnet for both leisure travelers and conventions
and conferences
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State of Colorado
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Rocky Mountain National Park;
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northwest of Denver, area of peaks, valleys and
nature trails, among the most visited parks in the U.S
Ski Resorts;
Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Telluride, Steamboat
Springs are top-quality ski resorts
 Aspen is the haven for the rich and famous.
 steamboat Springs is extremely popular among
families attracted to the kids-ski-free program
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Las Vegas
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State of Nevada
gambling and themed resorts are what
underwrites the Las Vegas’ extravagance
Las Vegas Boulevards is known as the Strip
on the Strip are the miniversions of great cities:
New York, Paris, Venice
replicas of Empire State Building, Chrysler
Building, Statue of Liberty are present
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MGM Grand Hotel (among the top 2 or 3
largest hotels of the world with more than 5000
rooms)
The Luxor Hotel (having the shape of a
pyramid, King Tut’s Tomb and the Sphinx)
Caesars Palace (with pricey dining and
entertainment shows)
Bellagio (with a 3 hectares lake and a collection
of the works of Picasso, Van Gogh, Matisse,
Monet)
Yellowstone National Park
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Located in the state of Wyoming, one of the
most popular parks in the nations
Steaming paint pots, hot springs and more than
200 geysers, abundant wildlife
Yellowstone Lake is in the center of the park, a
32 km long and 23 km wide lake
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, formed by
the Yellowstone River, has two waterfalls