Washington (3)
Washington sprang out of a marshy wilderness. It's
named after George Washington, the first President of the
United States. Washington is situated on the Potomac River
in the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia is
outside the jurisdiction of any state and subjects only to the
control of the Federal Congress. Washington is the seat of
the Federal Government of the United States. It has been
the capital of the USA since 1800. It has about 900 000
inhabitants.
Washington is one of the least industrialized metropolises
in the world. However, in many ways it's a typical American
city. Washington often rates as "dangerous" on the scale of
air pollution. The air is periodically toxic from exhaust fumes.
The water in Potomac is polluted. There are traffic jams in
rush hours in its streets. Washington is often called the city
of underprivileged and poor blacks.
In spite of all its problems, Washington has another
nickname — the American Paris. The major attractions for
tourists are in the heart of Washington. Among them the
National Museum of History, the National Museum of Natural
History. The National Gallery of Art exhibits thousands of
the world's finest canvases.
The Library of Congress is the younger rival of the London
Library of the British Museum. It contains a lot of books,
prints and photos. There's hardly a park, a square or a open
area in the capital without monument or a memorial. The
most impressive and best-known of them are the Lincoln
Memorial and the Washington Monument.
The Washington Monument is the highest structure of the city. The oldest building in Washington is the White House, the official residence of the President. Washington's broad and long
streets add to the poise of the city.
Most of them are called after states — Pennsylvania Avenue, Connecticut Avenue. The capital is also proud of its two universities — Georgetown University and George Washington University.
Questions:
1. What is the capital of the USA?
2. What is another Washington's name?
3. Is Washington a typical American city?
4. What kind of interesting places are there in the city?
5. Name the most famous monuments in the city.
Vocabulary:
marshy wilderness — болотная пустошь
jurisdiction — юрисдикция
exhaust fumes — выхлопные газы
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