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FLoRTNA pAuunscu RODICA ROGOZ
GEOPROFILES
GEOGRAPHY OF THE UK AND THE USA
STUDENT'S BOOK
GEOGRAFIA MARII BRITANII
$r A STATELOR UNtrE ALE AMER|CII
MANUAL PENTRU LICEU
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Edilia a doua revizuitd
Consultant: Jim Moore, Liverpool Hope University College, UK

Project Manager: Ruxandra Popovici, British Council, Romania
The authors would like to thank:
. Jim Moore, Liverpool University UK, for invaluable support and professional
guidance throughout the Project
. ilt tne teachers and students who piloted their materials and sent very useful
comments and suggestions
Coperta:Torok Emese
Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Nalionale a Rom6niei
Geoprofiles / Rodica Maria Rogoz, I1dik6 Krisztina Dobolyi,
Florina P[unescu, Doina Miloq - E d. a 2-a SfdntuGheorghe; Charta,2005
rsBN 973-8326-17-6
I. Rogoz, Rodica Maria

IL Dobolyi Ildik6 Krisztina
III. P5unescu, Florina

IV. Milog, Doina
et3(420)(07 s.3s)
9 1 3(73(075.35)
371.241.19
Acknowledgements
The following diagrams, graphs, maps and photographs are reproduced or adapted from the
sources mentioned below:
Fig.1.2, 1.3-FocusonBritainToday,ClareLavery,Macmillan,
',
I
I
I
1
i\
1993, f19.1.6, 11.4-ExploringSeasideTowns,
WaylandPubllshers,Ltd.lggT; fig.3.'1-AGeographyofBritain,byA.R.TolsonandM.G.Johnstone,Oxford,l9T0;
fig.3.4,4,7,5.1,5.4, 8.1,8.2 - Geographyfor GCSE, Vincent Bunce, Longman;fig.3.7 -Aspects of Britain and the USA,
Ch.Garwood, G,Gardani, E.Peris,Oxford,2001;fi9.7.5 -www.strath.co.uk, fig.10.2 -The British lsles by David
Waugh; fig.10.7 - Key Geography - Foundations, David Waugh, Tony Bushell, 1991, Nelson Thornes fig.1 www.bedandbreakfasts-uk.co.uk; fig.12.3 - www.homepeace.com; fig.'12.6 - www.Californiapictures.com; 1i9.12.7 www.varleypix.com; fig.13.1 - www.innermostimagery.com; fi9.13.4 - www.worldexperience.com; fig.13.11 - Geog 1'1989; fig,15.8,16.1- The
R. Gallagher, R. Parish, J. Williamson, Oxford, 2001 ; fi9.14.7 - World Geography, Glencoe,
United States by R. Crickner; fig.19.6 - Portrait of the USA, United States lnformation Agency, 1997; fi1.19.2 -
www.dustydavis.com;fig. 19.8-willowbend@willowbend.center.org; fi9.19.9'19.10
www.grandcanyonexcursions.comJig. 20,2 - quarto.typepad.com; fig. 20.3 - www.americansouthwest.net; fi1.20.4'

www.wikipedia.com; fig.20,7 - 1999 maps.com, fig.20,9 - www.napavinters.com; fig.20.11 - www.bobpenon.com; fig.
19.3, '19.4, 20.12,21.3,21.4, - Michelin Travel Publication, USAEast,2000;f]g.21.9 -www.swissherp.org ;21.10 www.usahosts,com;!ig.22.2 - Classroom Atlas - Rand McNally, '1990; fig.22.3 - www.peakware.com, fig. 22.4 - An
American Portfolio USIA;;fi9.22.6 - Krisk@mymailstation.com; fi9.22.7 -picturepoint.com.
The publisher and authors would like to express their thanks for the kind permission to adapt and
use the above mentioned copyright material.
Every effort has been made to trace all the owners of copyright and to settle permission to
reproduce text and illustration, but the publishers will be glad to put right any omissions at the first
opportunity.
CopyrightO 2005 by Charta

Copyright@ 2005 by British Council
Tipdrit la S.C. Charta S.R.L.

520008 Sf. Gheorghe; Str. G6bor Aron 14
Tel. 0267-31 5279; E-mail: charta@planet.ro
%--u
OVERVIEW OF GONTENTS
A FRAMEWORK FOR GEOGRAPHY AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Knowledge
Lesson/ Topic
Geographical and Cognitive Skills
and
Main Language Aspects
Understandinp
l. Here are the

British Isles
Name and location of the
Identifying places
British Isles
Coasts of Britain
Using maps
processes
- types
and
Drawing maps
Interpreting geographical
relationships
Analysing geographical
Environment- Global
warming
phenomena
Vocabulary related to location,

types of coastline, physical
processes
Ways of expressing location
Defining geographical terms
Speaking
Reading for specific information
Linking and developing ideas

Problem-solving
Summarizing information
Page
2. The Relief of the
British Isles
Forms of
relief
Identiffing physical geography
Physical features
Rock structure
Environment- Tourism
features on the map

Drawing maps
Organizing information in a chart
form
Drawing diagrams
Completing information gaps
Ordering in logical sequence
Analysing and comparing
Vocabulary related to physical

features
Reading for gist

Translating
Writing descriptive paragraphs
Cross-curricular transfer from
literature
information
Identifying causes of phenomena
Page
12
3. Weather and
climate
Difference between weather

and climate
Factors affecting climate
Temperature
Precipitation
Case study: London's
microclimate
Environment: Fog/smog
Interpreting maps
Interpreting isotherms
Interpreting graphs
Drawing graphs
Organizing information
Identiffing causes and effects of
phenomena
Giving reasons
Vocabulary related to weather and

climate
Speaking - Describing graphs
Reading for gist
Ways of expressing information
on types ofweather
I
I
i
I
Page
{6
4. The Waters
of
the British Isles
Rivers
Lakes
Water problems
Case study: The Lake
District
Environment: pollution
the river Thames
Page
I-
2O
of
Interpreting maps
Completing information gap
Vocabulary related to rivers and
Interpreting diagrams
- Describing shapes
Writing a newspaper article
Interpreting pictures
Applying generalizations to solve
geographical problems
Applying information to chart
Transferring graphic information
into text
Synthesising information
Iakes
Speaking
f''\'
Knowledge
Lesson/ Topic
and
Understanding
5. Population
Britain
of
Population distribution
Density and conurbations
Population change
Migration
Population structure
Environment: The impacl
of migration
Page
Processing information
Transferring figures to charl

Creating a flow-chart
Making logical connections
Transfering graphic
information into text
Identifying cause and effect
Vocabulary related to
population, population
changes and population
structure
Speaking
Ways of drawing conclusions
and making generalizations
Reading
24
6. Settlements
Classification
Interpreting diagrams
Vocabulary related to types
Pattems and land use

Spatial pattems of
economic and social
lransferring infomation to
of settlements
Speaking Explaining
well-being
Urban settlements
The rural-urban fringe
Case study: London
Environment: Greenwich
Page
Interpreting maps and graphs
graphs
Analysing the intelrelationship

between communities and
settlements
Comparing spatial patterns

Creating diagrams
Analysing points of view
phenomena
Reading for gist
Reading for specific
information
28
7. Energy
Resources
Types ofenergy
Traditional and altemative
energy resources
Environment: Sustaining
our future
Interpreting graphs
Creating pie charls
Transferring graphic
information into text
Analysing information
energy resources
Vocabulary related to types of

energy resources
Speaking: Expressing opinions
Reading for gist
information
I
I
Page
\\
8.
32
lndustry
Classifi cation of industry
Location ofindustry
Industriai change
Case study: South Wales
Environment: pollution
Analysing industrial factors

Interpreting maps
Inferring causes and effects

of economic phenomena
Linking a categorv to its

feafures
Classifuing
Identifying reasons
Cornparing and contrasting
Problem solving
Page
9.
Farming
Factors influencing
Types of faming
Recent changes in
farming
Farming systems
Case study: The removal
ofhedgerows
Environment: Effects of
farming
Page 4O
Speaking -defining terms

Ways of organizing ideas,
expressing personal opinion
both in oral and wrinen form
Reading for gist

information
Writing paragraphs
36
farming
[.*
Vocabulary related to industry
Interpreting maps
Analysing factors influencing
faming
Transferring information to
table
Creating a flowchart
Dehning activities
Vocabulary related to farming

Speaking - Explaining
phenomena
Reading for gist
Writing letters
Lesson/.Topic
lO.Transport
Knowledge
and
Understandino
Features of transport in
theUK
Page
Tourism in the
T]K
Case study: The Channel
Applyrng information to solve
Tunnel
Environment: Effects
transport
Giving reasons
problems
of
Vocabulary related to transport

Reading for gist
information
Writing - complex sentences
Explaining phenomena
Types ofrecreational
Interpreting charts
activities
Changing pattems in the
British tourist industry
National Parks in the UK
Case study: Snowdonia
Environment: Ecotourism
Classiffing information
Defining goreral terms
Applying information to tables
Location of the USA

Time zones in the USA
USA administrative
structure
American Celebrations
Reading maps
Locating borders
Comparing features of national

parks
Vocabulary related to tourism

and recreation
Speaking - Describing
traditions
information
Reading for gist
48
Revision
Page
Types oftransport
Traffic aspects
disadvantages of transport
modes
Interpreting maps and charts
44
11. Recreation and
Page
Identiffing advantages and
Main LanguageAspects
-UK
52
Project work -
Tiavelling in the
UK
Page
54
Country Fact
File-UK
Page
55
12. Welcome to
the USA
Page
Establishing geo graphical

coordinates
Vocabulary related to location,'

time zorie and administrative
divisions
Antonyms
Identifuing time zones on the
Ways of speaking about
map
Transferring infonnation to
table
Applying information to solve
geographical problems
location
Reading maps
Transferring information fr om
map to text
Completing charts
Vocabulary related to relief,

landscape origin, types of
relief, natural hazards
Ways of describing landscape
information
56
13. The Face
the l,.and
of
Types of r_elief in the USA

Fonnation oflandscape
Features ofmountain
ranges
Case study: Deserts
Environment: Mt.
St.Helens
and natural phenomena
information
Summarising information
Page
60
l* -- -',/-
Knowledge
Lesson/ Topic
and
Main Language AsPects
Understanding
14. Climate and
Weather
Climate types in the USA

The weather
Severe weather conditions
Climate hazards
Case study: El Niflo
Environment: Drought
Reading maps
Completing maps
The rivers
The lakes
Reading maps
Deciding on different sources
15. The waters
of the USA
Geysers
Case study: The Colorado
River
Environment: The
Everglades
Page
Writing paragraphs
Writing weather forecasts
Ways of presenting geograPhical
information in written form
of
information
Organising information
Classifying lakes and rivers
Analysing the uses ofnatural
resources
Natural environment
in the USA
Identifying the causes and
Features of a region
Types of geography and
Reading maps
Defining a geographical region
Analysing geographical features
Synthesising geographical aspects
Rearranging information logically
Vocabulary related to rivers, lakes.

floods
Reading for gist
Rearranging information logically
Ways of summarizing and
presenting information orallY
consequences of natural disasters
68
The regions
of the USA
their areas ofinterest
'I
Decision-making by applying
information on climate and
weather
Drawing parallels
Problem-solving
64
Page
16.
Vocabulary related to climate and

weather, climate hazards
Vocabulary related to tyPes of

geography and their area of
interest
Speaking
I
I
,i
l:
Page
I
!
73
Northeast
17. The
l\
''Boswash" Megalopolis:
physical features, economy,
population
New England: physical
features, economy,
population
New York
Washington D.C.
Environment: NewYork
Reading maps
Interpreting maps
Applying information to table
Applying information to maP
Summarizing information to
present New York

features, economy, population,
urban development,
Speaking -Interviewing
Reading for gist

Summarizing
Presenting information in written
form
Landfi11
Pzge74
18. The
Interior
Plains
The Central Plain

The Great Plains
Physical features
Agriculture
Industry
Urban areas and population
Fact file on Chicago
Case study : Boom and Bust
in the Great Lakes States
lnterpreting maps
Finding evidence to support
opinions
Applying information to table
Identifuing reasons for farming
location
Identifying reasons for industry
location

features,
agriculture, economy, mineral
resources, urban develoPment
Speaking - giving reasons
Reading for gist

Summarizing
Thinking critically
Problem-solving
Page
7A
--=*-
_.,--
Knowledge
Lesson/ Topic
and
Understandins
19. The Rocky
Mountains
Region
Page
Introduction to the region

The Rocky Mountains
The Intermontane Plateaus
Basin
Physical features
Human and economic factors
Culture and tourism
National Parks
Case study: The Grand
Canyon
Reading maps

Physical features
Human aspects
Economic aspects
Reading maps
Interpreting pictures
IdentiSing the effects of natural

phenomena
Identifying relationship between

location and settlements

features, human
and economic factors, tourism,
geological structure
Speaking
Reading for gist

82
20. The Pacific

Coast Area
California
Case study : The Central
Discriminating between related

notions
Creating time lines
Interpreting illustrations

features, economy, region
development
Speaking -describing illustrations
Reading for gist
Reading maps
Organising information
Analysing geographical features
of a region
Identifying relationship between
physical features and economic
development
Finding reasons for ecological
features, economy, coastal

ecological management
Speaking -expressing personal
Valley
Page
86
21. The South

Physical features: The
Atlantic Coastal Plain,
the Gulf Plain, The
Appalachian Highlands
Human and Economic
Aspects
The Southern Coastline

Case study: Wetland
Protection in Louisiana
Environment: Coastal
opinion
Reading for gist
management
Resources Texas
Page
9O
22.The Newest
States
Page
Page
- UK
98
Project work Travelling in

the USA
Page lOO
State Flags
of the USA
Page
lol
- Introduction
Physical features
Hawaii - Introduction
Physical features
Alaska -Human Aspects
Economic aspects
Hawaii - Human aspects
Economic Aspects
94
Revision
Alaska
Reading maps
Giving reasons
Connecting related ideas
Applying information to compare
and contrast
Speaking -making oral

presentations
features, human aspects and
economy
Reading for gist

Superlatives
/=
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A, Discussion points
Why do you think the key terms and ideas mentioned
above are important to the topic of the lesson? What
other things come to your mind when you think of
Britain ?
B.
The British Isles. Name and Location
1. Read the text below and identify the places

mentioned on the map.
The British /s/es are situated off the north west coast of
Europe. They are represented by a large island called
Great Britain and a smaller island called /reland (whose
Southern part is politically independent).The British lsles
also include a few hundred small islands, lying at varying
distances from the coasts in the surrounding waters.
Fig. 1.1. Britain's location in Europe
2" a. Work in pairs to fill in the table on the right with the
latitude and the longitude of the two main islands
mentioned above.
Notice the O0 longitude (Zero Meridian or Prime Meridian) which passes through the lnternational Time Measure of Greenwich,
east of London.The local time is the standard time for Britain, from which most other world times are calculated.
b.
Give the boundaries of the British lsles. Fill in the table below.
North
I
I
South
East
West
Great Britain is the name of the island, padt of the British lsles, which is made up of
and
3. Match the description of the two

maps with their appropriate names
Take into consideration the
aspects:
The term "Britain" is normally used to
ddscribe the whole country.
Britain's full title for constitutional and
international affairs is
THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT
BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
(the UK).
It is part of the British lsles.
The countries belong to the same
kingdom and the people's nationality
is British
Fig 1.2 The United Kingdom
Fig.1.3 Great Britain
NZ
'ZAN
t-"
*-*s
C. The Coasts of Britain - Types and processes
,$
4. Read the following text to find out the main types of coasfline in
3tr
Britain.
Britain's coastline is very irregular. There are many indentations around
the British coastline.
The most typical types of coasUines are:
r/B
Es.tya.ry = a funnel-shaped river mouth which results from flooding

of
tidal areas. Some of them contain ports such as London, Liverpool and
Glasgow.
Firth fiord) = a drowned glaciated valley formed mosfly in Scofland after

the lce Age.
Ria = a river valley drowned by the postglacial rise in sea-level.
Peninsula = a tract of land, large or small, projecting into a body of
water, having water on three sides. They are common in Cornwall,
Devon and Wales,
Sfraifs and Channels = narrow stretches of water, which separate
two bodies of land (e.9. the Strait of Dover, the English Channel).
The seas around the coasts are quite shallow because Britain lies on the
Continental Shelf.
5. What processes affect the coasts of the UK?
sea.
The coastline is constantly changing because of the work of the

Some parts are eroding to form cliffs while others are building up to form
beaches. Consequently, most places in Britain are less than 75
miles (120 km) from the sea,
Fig.1'4. Types of coastlines in the UK
The sea-level around the coast is always changing for another reason.
The rise and fall of the sea produces the tides. There are hightides and lowtides
every twelve and half hours. This is due to the
attraction of the Moon on the Earth.
6. Using an atlas
map of Britain:
a) ldentify and name the types of coast located at the letters from A to F
on the map from fig. 1.4.
b) Name the islands numbered from 1 to 5 on the outline map above
using
the information from fig. 1.1.
7. Match the names of the places mentioned below with their respective
locations
The
is an inret situated on the western coast of scoiland
'r
.
.
wash
Dover
Strait of
St. George's
Liverpool Bay
lsle of Man
Firth of Clyde
Channel
Cornwall Devon
is an island situated in the lrish Sea

is a bay in the North-East of Wales
is a stretch of water separating Britain from France
is a channel that separates Wales from lreland
is a bay situated on the east Coast of Britain
is a peninsula situated in the South-West of England
Fill in the gaps in the passage below to summarise the lesson.
the .
The British lsles is the geographical name of

called Great Britain, lreland and a multitude of other smaller islands
"
(the lsle of Man, the Orkneys etc.). The
passes through ihe eastern part of London. Britain,s
indented, varied and under constant change due to its geogiaphical
-is
-Meridian
fF. '*-/"
PRACTIGE AN D CONSOLI DATION

1. Work in pairs to make a list of the things you have learned about Britain. Start by filling in the gapped text below
situated
................
includes
The British /s/es are

The
or
which is now one of London's suburbs.
Great Britain
The whole name of the country is:
.......coasl of Europe.
..............
Meridianpasses through .........
............... and
Britain'scoxtlineisveryirregularwithmany
2.
.................... like:
Read the following statements. Some of them contain errors. Rewrite them to make correct statements.
1. The British lsles are situated off the north-west coast of mainland Europe.
2. Great Britain also includes Northern lreland.
3. The North Sea and the lrish Sea are very deep along Britain's coast.
4.
The English Channel borders England to the South.

of the sea.
5. The Scottish firths are narrow channels
3.
Define the following terms: rndenta tion, ctiff
inyourcountV.>fl
shatlow . Use the
terms in sentences to describe types of coasts found
4. a. Write the word family of 'coast'and include
each of the words in sentences

Using the glossary tell the difference between 'bay', 'firth', 'estuary,.
c. Choose the correct form in the context (check with the glossary):
I'
1. The British lsles (lay/lie) off the coast of Europe.

2. St. George's (Channel/canal) separates Wales from lreland.
3. The (lsland/lsle) of Man is a member of the Commonwealth.
4. The (StraiUStraight) of Dover is only 30 km wide.
d. Replace the underlined words with. a suitable synonym,

1. Northern lreland is situated North of the Republic of lreland.
2. The border between England and Wales is very regular.
3. The Greenwich Meridian is the Prime Meridian of the Earth,
of your own.
5. .Work on the World map (in your Atlas). Find which major cities
mentioned below are close to the same line of latitude as
London: Buchare'st, Paris, Warsaw, Prague, Bertin, New York,
Calcutta, Vancouver.
i
\
Knowing that Great Britain is 500 km wide and nearly 1,000 km

long how long would it take a plane, travelling at 750 kilometres
per hour, to fly over Great Britain from the far north (John O,Groats)
to the south coast (Land's End) ?
7.
Fill in the chart with the missing information to find out information
on the UK.
Fi9.1.5. Land's End - Cornwall
Area (sq.km)
Population
(thousands)
The UK
243,610
58,837
England
130,433
49,1 81
Scotland
78,822
Country
Wales
Northern lreland
Edinburgh
2.903
13,576
Capital
Cardiff
1,689
Source: Office for National Statistics, 2002
{o
[*
EL-j:*--i4
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
'
The term Great Britain is used to differentiate Britain from Brittany ( French for Bretagne). The word Great
helps to distinguish between the two: Grande Bretagne = Great Britain, Bretagne = Brittany.
'
lslands like the lsle of Man in the lrish Sea and the Channel lslands off the French Coast are not part of the UK
although theyaremembersofihe Commonwealth.Theyareself-governingCrowndependenc1eswithacommon
historical relationship but with different legal, legislative and adminisirative systems. HoweverQhe British
G.overnment is responsible for their defence and international relations.
'
The lce Age - already mentioned when presenting the formation of firths in Scotland - was a prolonged period of
colder climatic conditions, during which snow and ice covered large areas of the Earth, including Briiain. There
have been several ice ages in the past, the most recent began about 2 million years ago, often referred to as the
lce Age.
DID\@U [s[@Mf?
>
The UK's coastline is 12,430 km long. The British

people can own land along the coasi but not
under the sea.
is
5,530 km.
belonging to the UK.
Scientists predict that sea levels will rise as the burning of

fossil fuels (wood, coal, oil) warms up the atmosphere. The
process is known under the name of global warming. This
could lead to the melting of the polar ice caps and a gradual
rise in the sea level - a rise of up to one metre in the next
100 years is predicted. As a result, many coastal beaches
and estuaries around the world would be drowned.
a. Describe
b. Describe
the effects of global warming on British coasts.

the effects of global warming on the Romanian
Black sea
coast.Dlt
Fig.1.6. Fighting Erosion
11
8'',-
2.T[GrclffiFffimmEffisN
Hs
highland
eroded mountains lowland
glacaers
rock type
:
i
I
I
I
I
I
t.
A. Discussion points:
d
mountain
what terms denoting forms of relief do you know? complete the mind map opposite
which colours are used in maps and atlases to depict the various forms of relief?
B. Physicalfeatures:
1. Read the text below and identify the places mentioned on the map.
ln Britain the traditional terms used for describing landscapes are highland and lowland. Great Britain can be divrded into twr
main areas, each with very different geography, climate and economic activities. By drawing an imaginary oblique lrne from the
southwest (point A on the map) to the northeast(point B), you can divide Britain into the two types oilandicape.
2. Study the map below
and the accompanying texts. Link the texts with the corresponding areas on the map in
fig. 2.1 by drawing lines.

The Scottish Highlands comprise
the Nofth-West Highlands and the
Grampians, which display some of the
most dramatic mountain scenery in
Britain, This is due to a combination of
high mountains and glacial valleys.
ri;iliiriiir
Highlands
Lowlands
Faults
The Central Lowland is a large rift

valley lying between the Highlands and
the Southern Uplands.
-r+u
Escarpments
High coasts
Southern limit
of glaciation
The Southern Uplands are lower,

more rounded and eroded than the
Highlands.
A typical feature of Scotland's relief is
the presence of fault lines.
Crcs FelPff:\
^oe3 qfi\
rian{
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Northern lreland is a predominantly

low area with a depression at its centre
containing Lough Neagh and the Bann
Valley. This depression is surrounded
by higher areas formed of old, eroded
mountains and plateaux. The North
Coast is made up of spectacular basalt
cliffs, the Giant's Causeway.
-
The Cambrian Mountains or the

Welsh Massif occupy most of the
Welsh Peninsula and form an area of
high peaks and moorlands. The only
Iowland area is found along ihe coasts.
12
tttl
5a5
Fig.2.1 Forms of relief in the United Kingdom.
_---
The Pennines are called the

"Backbone of England" and extend
3 a)
down the middle of the country

from the Cheviot Hills to the
Midlands. On the flanks of the
Pennines there are areas of fertile
Using the chart below, organise the information presented on the previous page
into a classification of forms of relief in Britain:
Form of relief
Name
Location
mountains
Pennines
England
Attttude
(hiqhest or lowest)
Cross
Fell
893 m
lowland.
The Cumbrian Mountains in

north-west England are a dome of
ancient rocks deeply eroded by
glaciers. They are also called the
Lake District, an area famous for
its lakes and scenic beauty.
East Anglia is a low almost

completely flat area where only a
few areas rise above the general
level of the plain. The western part
is called The Fens and contains
land reclaimed from marshes. This
is'composed of peat in the south
and silt in the north.
The Scarplands are alternating

hills and vales, which extend from
Yorkshire in the north to Devon in
the south. The hills are also called
escarpments. They form the
landscape of most of south and
east England.
C. The rock structure of Britain

4. Read the text below and put the paragraphs into a logical order.
a) The sedimentary rocks are also hard and resistant and include sandstones,
limestones
and coal measures. They were formed about 250 million years ago and
are found in the Pennines, South Wales and Central Scotland. They include extensive
plateaux and hilly land above 300m.
b) The land which makes up the uK is the result of a long geological history and it
contains a great variety oflrocks, which were formed ai oitrerent geologiial times.
c) Much of eastern and southern Britain is made of "newe/, sedime-ntaryiocks formed
about 100 million years ago. These are softer and form low hills (lower than
300 m)
and vales.
The South.West comprises a

series of low granite plateaux,
fringed by lowlands of sedimentary
rock. They end abruptly in cliffs
along the coast. The granite
moorlands rise to over 600m in
Dartmoor and become lower
towards Land's End.
d)
The hardest rocks are the igneous rocks and are found in the north and west. They
were formed more than 400 million years ago. They are now mosfly upland
areas
(1200m).
5. Fill in the text below with the appropriate words from the box to show how
Summary
glaciation affected Britain,s relief.
f---------I
Wales f,ords
i kilometre spectacular
northern \laciers landmaSs

-------:
ribbon
lakes
ice
sheet surface
iae
Britain's landscape is divided

into highland and lowland.
i
i
'
five
(1) aijes, during which thick ice sheets covered one third
(2). During the last lce Age an
(3) more than one
-(6) scenery of
scotland, (7) and northern England owe their existence
- - to tre wo* Liic".
There have been
of the earth's -----..
__
(8) are powerful moving machines that dramatically change the

(10), U shaped
1ti;, tarns.
-__
forming:
vaileys,
--
(9)
The mountains are old and

eroded. The plains are flat
and they are interrupted by
hilly regions.
There are many signs of
glaciation.
i;\.
'.-\
{3
PRACTICE AN D CONSOLI T}AT;ON

1. The map infig.2.2 shows Britain's mountains.
Using appropriate crayons, draw on the other main forms

of relief and label all of them.
I>
2. The paragraphs below contain short descriptions

of five different areas of Britain. Using the clues from the
lesson, match the names of each area with a suitable
description and write the correct name in each gap:
'Y.,
Northern lreland
, The Pennines
. East Anglia
, The Downs
, Cornwall
ry\
...............,.,.are a series of horseshoeshaped chalk hills

located south of London. Their southern side reaches the sea
in many places and forms the famous white cliffs of the South
Coast. They were the reason why the Romans named the
country Albion.
Fig.2.2 The Outline of Britain's Mountains
...........,.......is a flat, wind-blown area in the east of England,

criss-crossed by large slow rivers and canals. lts soil is very
fertile, suitable for cereals, flowers and vegetables.
Language check
The .................. peninsr,la, with its rocky coast, numerous

small bays and wild moorlands such as Dartmoor and Exmoor,
is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Britain.
. .. . stretch for some 240km from north to south
and form the backbone of the country. They are made up of
flat plateaux with average altitudes of 600-800m.
...... displays an interior plain scattered with

isolated hills and lakes, the largest lake being found in its
centre and is surrounded by a ring of low mountains
Draw the diagram of a mountain and write around

it allthe words you know that are connected with
a mountain.
b.
State the difference between lowland, plain and fielc
c.
ldentify equivalent terms for valley, plain and hfl as

they appeared in the lesson.
Using the Venn diagram below, compare the relief of Britain (i.e, forms of relief and their characteristics) with that oi
your country. The common features are to be written in the
middle.>g I
BRITAIN
ROMANIA
5, Describe the relief of your country by using some of the words from this lesson,
harmonious, concentric, balanced combination,
etc.FKl I
as well as words like:
N7-
z>-
14
@4-__-
ADDITIONAL I NFORMATION
A unique form of relief on the northern coast of Northern lreland
is Ihe Granf's Causeway. (Fig. 2.3) lt is made up of some
b. Although Scotland is made up of 3 distinct regions, each

blessed with its special beauty; the Highlands are the most
impressive region of all. Read the following lines by Robert
40,000 basalt columns and it resembles a group of steppingstones leading to the sea. The symmetrical columns have 6-8
sides and the tallest is 12 m in height. The legend explaining
the formation of the stones says that the giant Finn McCool fell
in love with a lady giant from the Scottish coast and to bring her
to lreland he built the Giant's Causeway.
Burns, the national poet. List the main features of the

Highlands' landscape that appear in the poem:
" My heart's in
the Highlands, my heart is not here;

My heart's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe,
My heart's in the Highlands wherever I g0...
Farewell to the mountains, high covered with snow;
Farewell to the straths and green valleys bellow;
Farewell to the forests and wide-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods."
c.
Read the paragraph below, which contains a prose

description of the Highlands. Translate it into Romanian
using a dictionary if necessary.
"lt is an area of scenic grandeur, consisting of parallel chains

of mountains, rugged and barren, broken by deep valleys. lts
beauty comes from ihe combination of precipitous cliffs,
Fig. 2.3 The Giant's Causeway, lreland
moorland plateaus covered in heather, swift-flowing streams

and glistening lochs with crystal-clear waters"
a. The Fens is the lowest area in the country (4m below sea
level) and also the most fertile.
To discover some of the activities carried out here and the
products obtained or typical of this area, search horizontally
and vertically in the word square below. You should find
10 words (some compound ones). Circle them like in the
model and then compare your findings with your
F
T
A
N
M
Dr
H.
iT
e
M
find in the picture below?
d. Which of the elements in the paragraph above do you
o
L
Due to its natural and cultural wealth, Scotland is a major tourist destination. Tourism can be both
beneficial as well as destructive
for an area. ln time, several environmental organisations focused their activities on this area, trying to protect
it.
Column A lists the tourist attractions of the area, while column B lists the harmful impact of tourlsm
Scenic beauty
Unspoilt nature
Rare birds/plants
Walking
Canoeing, Fishing
Playing golf
Wildlife destruction
Littering
TOURISM
Pollution of rivers/lakes/land
Footpath erosion
Building tourist facilities
Study the flow chart above and write down some solutions meant to reduce the damaging impact of tourism on
Highlands' environment.
15
-urr-.
3.mrenmmnwp@ennffi
I
climate
variable
equable
precipitation weather
t---------__
---4
u,.., ..
i
I
_______-t
,ra. Why
b.
'
is the weather a favourite topic of discussion in Britain?

Unjumble the words on the right in order to find out which are
the elements of weather..
I *61"*re--l
t "p.'-, I
f--;ml t
B. Climate and weather

1. Read the two definitions below and decide which refers to
fTr..d.-l
climate and which lo weather.
dh,,iltyl
lprt".ip"til,
A.
B.
The average state of the meteorological elements for a

small area (e.9. town/city) over a short period of time
\)
(e.9. a couple of days,
The average state of the meteorological elements for a

large area (e.9. counhies, continents) over a number of
years.
weeks)
'h"i',d_l tp..t.r**l
i
I
C. Factors affecting climate
a.
The following factors affect the climate of an area. Match the terms with their definition.
I
I
I
I
il
Places further away from the Equator receive

less energy from the sun. Therefore the higher
the latitude (the nearer the North or South Pole)
the colder it is likely to be.
sea takes longer to heat up in summer so

the sea is colder than the land. ln winter it takes'
longer for the sea to cool down, so the sea is
I
I
warmer than the land. Consequently coastal

areas are often warmer in winter but cooler in
summer than places inland.
Warm ocean currents like the North Aflantic Drift

warm up coastal locations, even in high latitudes
The greater the altitude, the colder, windier and
wetter it is likely to be. (The temperature usually
falls by about 1"C for every 200
masses are
bring the weather of the place from which they come
to Britain. Some winds like the westerly winds in the
northern
are called
winds"
2. b. Which of the factors mentioned
i,
Britain is affected by the following air

masses:
- polar maritime (mP)
- polar continental (cP)
above apply to Britain?
D>
I
i
lll
0
o
0
]-
wel
lcold
ll
-rlt>
tI
- tropical maritime(mT)
- tropical continental (cT)
lt-
->-
- prevailing westerly winds (wW)

3.
0n the map in fig.3.1 write the initiats

mB cE mB cT and wW beside each
arrow. Discuss their effects on the
weather in Britain.
4. Based on all the factors studied so far

choose the best alternative in order
to define the climate type found in
Britain. Give reasons for your choice.
Britain's climate is.
Fig. 3.1 Air streais r"lri"f, affect Britain. The width of the arrows
indicates approximately how frequently the different air streams
a) temperate continental
b) subtropical
c)temperate maritime
I
I
il
$.
16
D. Temperature
Temperature shows how warm the air
is. lt can be measured in degrees celsius or Fahrenheit. The conversion formulae

'C = 5/9 x ("F-32) or
lsotherms are lines joining places with equat

whole country.
t.rp.rrtr'r5.
are:
#'rL fl.li3 show average temperature conditions over the
Or,s 6"C
5"C-61C
4"C-r'C
OYe 10.
,5'
3'C - 4'C
!.lry 3lc
- 15- C
15. C
t{'-
13L 14'C
EGlow 13'C
Fig. 3.2 lsotherms for January
Fig. 3.3 lsotherms for July
5. Study the maps above and answer the following questions:
b)
c)
d)
e)
Which are the coldest and warmest areas in summer and winter?
the table below
warmest area
coldest area
summer
winter
Why are the southwest anO
What are the factors which determine the location of the lowest
temperature in Scoland in winter?
Why is the southeast warmer than the southwest in summer?
Using fi9. 3.3, explain why the southeast coast is cooler than the
area around London?
E. Precipitation
6'
The term precipitation refers to rain, snow, hail and sleet and is
measured in mm/year.
The map below shows the annual distribution of precipitation
for the United Kingdom.
study it carefully and
entences to expresi your conclusion.
a) The wettest parts in Britain are
- of the proximity of big bodies of water
b) The driest part of Britain
is
Key
lover2000
mm
!rsoo.zooo
mm
650.1500 mm
under 650
150,km
. 3.4 UK-average annual rainfall
- it is in the rain shadot
Summary
The climate in Britain is variable i.e. it changes from day to
9rV. tlis also equable i.e. there are no extremes of heit, cold,
drought or prolonged rainfall. The wettest part is northwest
Scotland. The driest is southeast England'
+7_
\EE
PRACTICE AND CONSOLI DATION
li
q-,'
Choose words from the box to complete the following text

describing the climate of the UK.
h!gher
changeable
(ftaritime equable
ln the climate graph for London below, the line shc,

the average temperatures and the bars the averag
precipitation for each month.
Describe orally what you see in the graph
west
r'1ild
"Britain's climate is more or less similar to that of the north-western
parts of Europe, llowever, due to its being an island, Britain
suffers (1 )................,,..infl uences, which vary with location.: the
further west you go, the (2)....................it gets.
Winters are(3)....,.,.,..,..,....., somehow colder in the east than in
the (a)....................and snow is a regularfeature ofthe
(5)....................areas only (eg. the Grampians in the Scottish
Highlands).
All in allthis climate is (6)....................as it displays a lack of
extremes but at the same time it can be very(7)..................,
which gave it its bad reputation.
2. Complete the following sentences with information from

the lesson:
1. The general effect of the westerly winds on Britain

bring....,........
2. The
North Atlantic Drift
is...........
Fig. 3.5 The Climate of London
is that they
.and its effect
is. ..... ;. ... ... ...
b. Draw a similar graph for lnverness using the

following data (the given values are for
3. The south of the UK is warmer than the north because
4. The east of the UK is drier than the west because
[3.
.lllatch the climate descriptions below with areas B, C and D

from the map in fig. 3.6 and write the key words in the correct
sector. Area A has already been done for you.
l.cold
I
O
winters, cool summers, quite dry
cold winters, warm summers, dry

mild winters, warm summers, quite wet
\coolsummers,
mild winters, wet
+. Wttl.tr of the two weather forecasts A or B below matches
Fig.3.6 Weather Regions
the weather map fig. 3.7 below?
Q//ost
of the country will be
aff-ected
bploud altemating
B. The forecast predicts a bright,

chilly but showery day across mar
parts otthe British lsles. The shou.
will be heaviest and niost persiste:
in the N and W, with sleet and
perhaps snow overthe Scottish hi ,
Temperatures here will be of arour:
5-6oC and a N-W fresh wind will bl:
with
sunnyspells. There will be littlg rain

in the south-east but heavyTffi-arq
will extend from the north-west
through western areas of Scotland
and Northern lreland.
Northern Scotland may expect
temperatures of minimum 7 degrees
Celsius, quite mild for January, while
south-eaStEngland may enjoy a
maximum of 11 degees Celsius.
Another feature of the weather will
be the strong westerly wind with
gales ii'-the ftrlouih-west.
intermittently.
The eastern and southern areas w

be brighter, with only isolated
showers and temperature of goC.
Low cloud and fog could linger ove'
the N-E in the morning, but will
disperse later.
Fig.
t8
"fl
Weather forecast
)
)
The British say they don't have climate but weather. Due to the low pressure air fronts which constantly sweep the
country from west io east, you can sometimes experience four seasons in a day.
Although the British climate is generally equable, temperature extremes do occasionally occur. The highest temperature
recorded in recent decades was 38oC (August 2003, London) and the lowest was -270C (January '1982, the Grampians)
ln general the climate patterns of a country tend to be

affected by local factors such as altitude, sheltered position,
pollution, or how bullt up a place is. Thus, microclimates appear.
ln the case of big cities, like London, this microcfimate is called
an urban climate. lts main feature is the urban heat island
effect, which means that its temperature is a few degrees
higher than that of the surrounding area. (Fig. 3.8)
Fog is a climate element typical of Britain, lt represents the

condensation of water particles at ground level.
Fog tends to be thicker in built up areas. The combination
of fog and smoke is smog, Smog appears when warm air
loaded with fumes from cars and factories rises rapidly until
it reaches a ceiling of warm air. There, it cannot rise
anymore and it spreads, forming a blanket of smoke and dirt
over the city.
Although British cities and particularly London, suffered
because of smog in the past and many people even died
because of it, it is no longer a problem.
1. Try to think why smog is a thing of the past for Britain,
2. ls smog a problem in the area where you live?
CLIMATE CHANGES IN THE UK
10 km
oPes
"o$s
Fig. 3.8 London's microclimate
According to a 2002 government report, there are four

future climate scenarios for the UK. They take into
account possible changes in technology and lifestyle
over the next 100 years. They are called:
"Low Emissions",
"Medium-Low Emissions"
"High Emissions"
(the emissions are, of course, the pollutants released into
the atmosphere both privately and industrially). The
predictions are:
Here are a few factors, which affect the London weather:
1. The great number of buildings acts as a wind-break.
2.
However, very tall buildings, like the skyscrapers, may

have the opposite effect as they create true "canyons"
along which the wind funnels.
Green areas have been built over with impermeable
surfaces such as asphalt or concrete.
3. There are more water vapour and dust particles
in the
atmosphere due to the domestic heating and the
burning of fossil fuels by cars and industry.
Task: After you have read the characteristics listed above,
suggesf their effects on London's microclimate. Add them
to the list started below:
a. London receives less snow and it melts faster (e.9. the
average snow days per year for London - 5 days, for
Scotland - 30 days)
Calm
Temperature
oC
1. an expected rise by 2-3.5
ofthe annual average
values by the year 2080
oC)
2. the highest rise (5
will affect the S and E
3. most of the warming will affect the summers and
autumns
Precipitation
f . increased values with at least 10Yo-200/o for winter
2. drier summers with a precipitation decrease of up
to 50%
3. largest changes in the S and E of England, smallest
in Scotland
will fall with 60-90% less than at present
Wind
1. will have higher speed, especially in summer when
severe gales and sea surges may be expected
4. snow
wind
11-20 kmlhr
Moderate gale
50-60 km/hr
Fig. 3.9 Wind types and the Beaufort wind scale
{9
4.
wumts @ ffiiB Emmils[fl mgs

watershed confluence
reservolr
drainage basin
What types of water do You know?
B. The Rivers
1. Read the text below to find out information about
parts of the river. Use the underlined words to
complete fig. 4. 1.
Rivers are natural drains. Most of the rain that falls on the
land drains into a river. The origin of a river is called the
source. As the river flows, other smaller rivers or streams
may join it. These are called tributaries and the point
where they meet is their confluence. Further on the point
where the main river flows into a sea or ocean is called the
mouth.
The area drained by a river is known as a drainage basin'
Mountains and hills often form a watershed, which
separates two drainage basins. A typical drainage pattern
looks like a tree, with the river as the tree trunk and the
Fig. 4.1 A river drainage basin
hibutaries as its branches.
2, Fill
parts of a river. Use the map fig 4.2 on

in the blanks with the missing information referring to the different
left below to help you.
a. The mouth
(A) of the river Severn
th
is
the Bristol Channel.
b,
The---(F)oftheTren:
c.
covers most of the Midlands.

The drainage basins of the rivers Trer
and Mersey are seParated bY a
(E)
d.
The Clyde has
its'.":...-:
(B) in the
Southern Uplands.
e. The point where the Severn and its
(C), the Avon meet is call:-
(D)
3. Study the map of UK fig. 4.2. What i:

the main characteristic of rivers in
Britain? Read the text below to chec
your answers.
'
Britain has a great number of rivers w-
f!$'1.,1-r'zo"'
{, " \*^
although short, have a steady high let.

of flow because they are fed by abunc,rainfall. They remain ice free in winter
which means that those, which are
navigable, can be used all year round
Almost all of them end in estuaries, wr
provide good sheltered locations for p:
(Mersey)
Glasg:
and
Liverpool
such as
(Clyde). Canals built in the past conne:
most of the British rivers, Their role is .facilitate transPort bY water.
The Pennines is the main watershed f--which the rivers flow west to the lrish ;or east to the North Sea. Rivers and
streams flowing westward down from:
highlands tend to be short, swift and
turbulent. Those flowing
longer with slowlY
Fig.4.2 Rivers and lakes in the U. K'
20
4' Why are the rivers flowing to the west swift and turbulent and those flowing to the east long and genge?
5.
9.Ig
the map in fig. 4.2 and an atlas, complete the table below to organise information about the most ifiportant rive
in Britain.
River
Th
Severn
Location
Source
England
Cotswold Hills
Wales/England
Mersey
Length
Mouth
Cities on river
London
330 km
North Sea
336 km
lrish Sea
110 km
lrish Sea
Humber
60 km
Tyne
48 km
Scotland
Forth
171kn
l'
",
lrish Sea
188 km
Northern lreland
77 kn
C. Lakes
Most of the natural lakes in the United Kingdom are located
in the upland areas of Scotland, Wales and Northern
and are of glacial origin.

ln Scotland lakes are called "lochs". The largest of them is
Loch Lomond on the south-western side of the Grampian
Mountains. Loch Ness lies in a long, faulted valley called
the Great Glen (or Glen More) and is of tectonic origin.
ln north-west England the Lake District contains many tarns
and ribbon lakes famous for their clean water such as
Windermere, Ullswater, Grasmere etc.
The same types of lakes are also found in Wales, the largest
ofthem being Lake Bala. Many ofthem have been turned
into multi-purpose reseruoirs
The largest lake in the UK is Lough Neagh (396 sq,km), in
Northern lreland.
6. Using figure
'{
al
4.3 describe the shape of Loch Schiel.
D. Water Problems
ln Britain the amount of precipitation is higher than the
amount of water needed but it does not always fall where
and when it is needed. ln order to balance supply and
demand, reservoirs had to be created to store water in
areas with surplus water and to transfer it to those places
which need it. Most reseryoirs are artificial lakes created on
rivers by the building of dams, which hold back water, which
is then released at a steady rate and transferred through
the river channel.
7'
a) Name those parts of Britain which have a surplus of water and those with deficit.
b) why is the demand for water greater than the supply in south.east England?
Reservoirs are multi-purpose schemes, which serve
different uses:
.
'.
.
to store water,
to prevent flooding,
to encourage fisheries,
to provide recreational facilities.
Summary
Britain has a great number of rivers with a steady flow.
Its lakes are either natural (glacial and tectonic) or artificial
(reservoirs).
2/,
PRAGTIGE AN D CONSOLI DATION

1. Towns and villages are often located in the vicinity of rivers because rivers are beneficial to human
settlements. Besides their
numerous uses, rivers can also be misused.
Study the diagram below and list the uses and misuses of rivers under the following headings:
USES I
MISUSES
\.
I
{,.
,\ \., \
-.\
\
'\1-
power
supply
n
]J
il
;:;=:-::-T.
-.6i t
,lJr-.*.I\
plain
wasteand
ffistic sewage
1&'
J
Fig. 4.5 The uses and misuses of rivers
2.
THE FLOODING THAMES
Rivers are not just life givers; sometimes they can be

life destroyers. One way in which they do that is by flooding.
Combine the information from column A with that in
column B and write a short newspaper article on the
Thames Barrier called "Ihe Eighth Wonder of theWorld".
A.
- built in 1982 by British and Dutch specialists
- cost
t500 million
- world's largest movable flood barrier
- spans 520m across the river Thames

- consists of 10 separate movable steel gates
- each of the 4 main gates is as high as a S-storey building
when raised and weighs 3,700 tonnes
- rises whenever there is a risk of flooding, i.e a few times each year
B.
- in the last decades the global climatic changes have led to a steady rise in sea level
- England's south-eastern area has been sinking steadily for a long time.
- 150sq.km of London, including some central pa(s, which are the location of many important headquarters of banks and firms,
as well as the homes of over 750,000 Londoners, lie below high tide level.
22
Having been used for centuries, the Thames

becalg so badly polluted by the 1g60s that it was
considered biologically dead' Ai present,
trowever, it is consioLieo to oe dne or ilrl
J"rn".t metroporitan
of the sarmon, ,li.rii",o,s oecuus" iin?"0,
[:H ll,Siflij,";:Jij
fJ,tr
*ll;
B:",.,"T
a. arrange the events presented in
them in chronotogical order:
ij"-t*Sollutihg
factors
cr"an w"tei
J._J _! _!_t
_t _t _t
rrom"trre mel"rreG taren to crean _t
up the Thames-
(-_-1
a. '1989- building of tfre vessetTfre

Thames Bubbler designed to injecl
into the water at critical times
f.
1950- combined effect of sew-ge andindustrial discharge, plus thermal

[ollution
b. Before the First World War

new sewers were built but were
partly destroyed in the war.
from power stations and gas works

produced a river that was virtually
dead.
c. People whose latrines empGffi

the River had to pay 2 shillings for its
cleaning (Parliament actl 383).
9.1844- By taw ail new buitdingihad toG

connected to the common sewer from which
all domestic waste went untreated into the
Thames. Factories built along the banks
also
WA
d. 1535- Partiamenl
it illegal to
the river with rubbish.
h. 1990- launching ot a GconOlesG]Er

oxygen injection (constant monitoring of
parameters indicated when need
aroie)
Famous for its attractive scenery combining

lakes, mountains, woodland, farms and
unspoilt countryside, the Lake District is
prime tourist destination However, just
a
likjin scoirano
tourism
i, noin'n.n.t.ialand
detrtme.trr.
-
newspaper excerpts and rist the negative

effects of tourism on irri.
,r...-
ri.riii.
fo,owing
a. "l dipped my oars into the silent lake.

I rose upon the stroke, my boat
lld,.qr
What heaving through the water like a swan:

When from behind that craggy steep...a
huje cliff
As if with voluntary power initinct,
Upreared its head...
lf Wordsworth, who wrote the lines above,
had had his way,
the sightseeing hordes from the indushiar
north wourd have
been denied access to his beloved
Lake Distril. He even
opposed the buirding of a rairway rine.
The rine was buirt, but
closed in the early 1g70s, a victim of
the new age of
"people
car-based tourism. At present, about j2
million
visit
the Lake Diskict every year, 90% of whom
.o16 Oy .rr.,,
b. "Plt off by stories of fells and dales
being flooded by crowds
of summer visitors, I decided to exptore
ine ia[e country on
horseback."
c.
Fig.4.7 The Lake District
', :l.*
itl':1r'l$1|1 ::i1lt1,
"l opted for a cruise on board
of The Tarn, said to have been
sailing the waters of Windermere Lake
since iA'90. Wnlte
rlre most famous
in tn. UK is Loch Ness. Located in
seagulls were screaming piercingly above
our heads, I was
Scotland, it is said to be inhabited Uy, ,onrt.r.rlt.O
surprised to see water_skiers, smajt hovercraft
and hundreds
Nessie. Whether it is a rotting tree tiunk,
a f<ifier. wnafe
of Japanese tourists, mosfly women,
cris._crossing the lake in
somehow got into the lake befoie iiwas
hired paddte-boats, narrowiy avoided
separateo
l!1lT:
Oy oriin,p. f Ut.,
rrom the sea, a relic plesiosaurus, a giant
eel or iust a
discovered that there are alio some tZ,OOO
boais registered to
floatng mat of vegetation, it is a constant
use Lake Wlndermere.,'
source of interest
and a huge attraction for tourists.
iit.
NlZ
E\-Sl
23
5.mm@mmNN
I
population density
growth rate
population pyramid
conurbation
migration
A. Discussion Points
a. There are about 59 million people
in the UK. How is Britain's population

distributed?
B. ln pairs, share ideas on the word population in order to complete the spider
diagram (check the key-words and ideas above)
B. Population distribution and density

1.
Read the text below, which describes the difference

between population distribution and population density.
KEY
Distribution describes the way in which people are spread out

across Britain.tThis distribution is uneven and changes over time
It is usually shown on a map by means of areas or dots. Thus
there are more or less crowded areas.
Peopl pcr sq. km
" '.. : ov6r
0 - 10
Density describes the number of people living in a given area,
GlasSo,ulO
usually a square kilometre. lt is worked out by dividing the total

population by the total area. According to the Census in 2001,
the population density in Britain is 244 inhabitants per sq. km
as compared with 94 for Romania and 29 for the USA.
Places that are crowded are said to be dense/y p opulated and
to have a high population density. Places wfth few people are
said to be sparsely populated and to have a low population
150 (high
dnsity)
(irtennediai
den6ity)
{low dnsily)
11 - 150
Edinburgh
Newcastle
.B
Beltast
Manchester
Liveroool
' .E
density.
tD
Leeds
,Birmingham
F
2, Study the
map on the right (Fi9.5.1). ldentify and name

the areas with high and low density.
a)
b)
cardiff
Use the factors previously discussed in physical

geography to explain the reasons why the areas marked
1,2,3,4 are densely or sparsely populated. e.g. Central
Scotland ('l) sparsely populated because of relief (high,
steep slopes) and climate (wet and cold).
Fig.S.1
London
. gistot
UK Population Density
Based on your knowledge of geography, what human and

economic factors might have influenced the population
density in the four countries in the U.K.?
Use as reference Fig.5.2 below
Country
Population Density
Name of conurbation
Cities
Population
(thousands)
2000
(conurb
ationl
Enqland
383
Wales
142
Clvdeside
Glasqow
Scotland
65
Tvneside
Newcastle
300
West Yorkshire
Leeds
720
Northern lreland
125
Fi9.5.2. Population Density in the UK
(UK yearbook2o02)
High-density areas are usually associated with cities. Wh_el_ -.

merged, they form a large continuous buillup-area, which is
called a Conurbation.
There are seven such areas in Britain.
3. a) ldentify the conurbations on the map (Fig.S.1) by frlli4:-"
the missing letters in the table on the right. (Fig.5.3).
b) Compare London with the other cities.
24
Letter
on the
map
579
Greater Manchester
Manchester
191
Mersevside
Liveroool
439
West Midlands
Birminoham
977
London
7,000
Bristol
376
-Ereater
London
Edinburqh
449
Cardiff
305
Belfast
277
<E[SJ.3 Conurbations and cities of the
UK
i
I
.---:aI
C. Population change
4. Read the following texts on the processes undergone by the population in Britain.
Population change may mean an increase or a decrease in tne number of people living
in an area. lt is normally assumed to
mean population groMh, but it is not always the case.
5'
Fill in the blanks in the passage below using the g words, which follow to explain population
change in Britain.
when
(the number of live births plr tOfio
.-(thenumbersofdeathspertr000pe_opleperyear).Therefore,wesaythe
ln general, population increases
peopte
peiyear) is greater than
between these demographic indicators) is positive. ln Britain, thls diiference is so smalithat

the population rs inanging very
slowly or is stagnant. lt means there is a slow
Therearetwoilorefactorsthatarre.ttr,echan(expectedlifespaninyearsfora
person)rnd
(thepercentage of the totalpoputation tiving in citiesl. tn Aritain both are quitb

higfr,
especially in the urban poputation (92%).
is another very important factor, which contributes through its double route
of an area) and
(moving into a new area) to the population change.
,.
:_(moving
l------l -dp;;nr;i'.ilh
out
--
2;;ir-';fi-r.*-'.i.tiiiiilii---- -------e ffih;;r;-----a 6i-,t-h;i;-------l

';t.
i______!_it!3!!_oly9li9, 6. migration 7.life expectancy 8. emigration g. immigration
ilffi;- ; il ;;;ffi :; ;;;il;;

place
one country
within
il;; il
;;
ffi;,;;;;;;;; ;;;;; ;;;# ;; ;;;; ;; ;; ; ;;
;;
@ternal) or from one country to another (internationat).

There are three main types of migration within the UK: 1. Rural to urban 2. Re'gional 3.Counturbanisation
(movement away from
frUT:tiJ':?Jl
to things that
attract
peotpte(pul tacrors) and things peopte
(push factors)
6. Read the reasons for internal migration within the
,.n.
UK and divide them
,.00,.
want to teave where they tive
into push and pullfactors. Discuss your choice.
Reasons for internal migration within the UK
depopulation
Rural
Work needed in
Growing industrial
Peace and
ports
towns
quiet
More job
opportunities
lmproved living conditions

Family links
Decliie of older industries
More cultural and social
amenities
D. Population Structure
3gE
$roilI}
lnformation about the characteristics of a population such as

age and sex is also recorded in a census. This is known as the
population structure, which is shown in a graphic form as a
population pyramid; the graph shows the population divided
into five-year age groups and also into males and females.
The pyramid is typical for a developed country such as the UK
with low birth rate, low death rate, longer life expectancy
and also high dependency ratio namely, the ratio between
people of working age (1 6-64) and those of non-working age
(children under 16 and adults over 65). According to thii, an
important problem in the UK nowadays is the ageing population,
which leads to an increase in the demands of the elderly people
and a decrease in the economically active age group who
support them.
85+
80*85
75-79
70*74
65*89
sM4
(q_Eo
5S*54
4H9
4$--44
35-"3S
3$-34
25*?$
2$*24
15*19
t0*14
7. ldentify in the graph (Fi9.5.4) the elements of the

population pyramid mentioned above
Summary
Population density is a measure of how crowded an area is.
ln Bitain there are densely and sparsely populated areas
because of physical and human factors affecting its
distibution. The UK has a slow growth rate and an ageing
population. Migration ls sf/ an active process.
5*S
H
8 6 .4 2 0 ,
$,.
2 4 0
fi
1CI
percent of total population
Fig.5.4 Population pyramid of the UK
IBLI@T16A
LICEUL
reotcTtC,GHEot'Gl{E
25
PRAGTIGE AND GONSOLI DATION

1...What is meant by the following terms?
. Density. Natural increase . Population growth rate.
Use them to describe the demographic situation in
yourcountryHt
2. Look at the map. (Fig.5.5)

a) Name the areas labeled A, B, C.
b) Describe the factors that explain why they are densely
or sparsely populated.
Follow the migration arrows and give two reasons for the
push and pull factors of internal migration.
c)
3. Bearing in mind what
a population pyramid is:

a) Study the table below and say which groups make up the
dependent population and why?
b) Make your own pyramid using the data presented in the
table below and compare it with the one in your country.
o*
x
o
at)
3g
o
=
o
of
0-14
o
o/
/0
o/o
O)
Lr)
15
O)
La)
sc!
o)
c!
Lr)
c\
$
cr)
O
(r)
o
c\l
cv)
O
$
cf)
65 and over
64
cr)
rr)
s.if
I
o)
<-
O)
rr)
o
LO
lr)I
-d-
Lr)
I
rO
LO
s(o
O)
o
(o
(o
Lr)
(o
+
f--
o
f.-
rr)
F-
M,
6.4
6.1
5.8
5.2
4.9
3.9
3.6
2.4
2.2
1.8
1.6
1.5
0.8
04
0.2
6.9
6.3
61
5.8
4.8
4.0
3.9
3.6
2.8
2.2
2.0
1.9
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.9
4. WhaI is meant by the term conurbation?

are found inside these conurbations?
5.
Fig.5.5 Migration map
Name three British conurbations. Explain why high densities of population
Read the information on international migration presented below:

lmagine you are an immigrant into the United Kingdom. Choose your own nationality and explain
why you decided to live in the
United Kingdom. state the push and pull factors that influenced your decision.
Although the great maiorfi of the people in the British /s/es are descended from early Cettic and lberian people
and later
invaders, since 1950 the ethnic diversity of Britain's main clfres has been increased 6y the immigration
of peopte from South Asia,
Africa and the Caribbean. Many other ethnic groups have settted in the country, including Chine-se,
Eastern and Southern
Europeans and Vietnamese. ln 2000 an estimated 183,000 more people migiatted to thi tLKthan'emigrated
from the rJK,
almost double the figure for 1977.
6. Using the clues given below, complete the crossword,
1.
group of people of a different race, nationality,

language and religion from the main group in a country
2. the rate at which population changes
3. a demographic indicator showing how many people
live on a square kilometre
4. a graph showing the age/sex composition
5. a region where very few people live.
26
6. the spread of population over a territory

7. increase or decrease in population
8. movement of people from one area to another.
9. a demographic indicator showing the number of live births per
1000 people in a year
10. the biggest city in the UK
11. the population living in towns or cities
NZ
H\\l
'((The British commonwealth is a collection of 54 independent countries, allequalin
status. since the second world war,
independence
has been granted to almost all British overseas territories. lt has

been called the most peaceful break-up of an
empire known in history. This voluntary association of sovereign nations
rnrint.in, relations with Britain tnrough the Foreign
and commonwealth office in London and the secretariat established
in 1g65 to provide information of common concern to
member countries and to encourage trade. The Commonwealth has
no official policy makinj nooy nritn. member
governments have consultations during periodic meetings
of their Prime Ministers. The eueen is the Head of the
Commonwealth.
(( Population censuses have

been held in the UK every decade since 1801. The 1gg1 census
was the first to include
question
on ethnic origin, The 2001 census showed ihat more than g2%
of the population belonged to the ,,white group,,.
Of the 7 5% who described themselves as belonging.to another ethnic group;
2.1% were black, 1.7%were lndian, 1.2%
'
Pakistani and 0,3% chinese. The rest were of otherAsian orAfrican
ori!in..
<<
Members of the minority ethnic groups live mainly in the urban industrial
areas of Britain. ln 2oo1lo2,g7% of people
from minority ethnic groups in the UK lived in England, with relatively small
numbers in Scofland, Wales and Northern lreland.
38% of the total minority ethnic population lived in Greater London, where
they comprised za'2, ortne population. However,
the extent to which individual ethnic groups were concentrated in London
varied considerably,
r for example
r 76% of people
of Black African origin lived in the capital compared with 20% of people
of pakistani origin.
'
Bearing in mind the impact of ethnic minorities on the population of British

origin, complete the following flow-chart. Offer at least
two solutions to the consequences mentioned.
--_>
A study made by the Commis]lion.on.Global Ageing in
200'l (Ageing poputace is killing economy, says Jonathan watts in
Tokvo' 30August, 2001, The Guardian) warned igain; flre
oeveropei *olJ
woutd tead the stobat
economy towards the edge of a demographic abyis, ttris process
ii ado associateo witt tarrinj
Bv 2010 there will be reweivoung peopte to woii anJ
tXi,e'artln anc pension insurance
"pil
'
*rr
lgliii.ittre
;.t;;;;;;;ffir;i;
!}|fi*lldes'
*iiiJ
bfi;ri.;;;d *rglif;"""'
one of the solutions offered by the commission was that of.imrnigration. lt

seems that the UK population will increase mainly
due to immigration, accoroinoio
t
ny tne orice toririnnrr rtrtistics.
(tmmigianisio r-oorr uK poputation
-
nd;t
i;*j
rise, staff and agencies, November 15,2g01,Ure
euaiJian),
*- -
Out of a population of 59.2 million in the UK :

11 million are under the age of 25
.
'.
o
o
.
0n average over half the population of Great Britain aged 16

and over is married
there are four times as many widows as widowers
there are approximately 16,000 cases of Aids
there are approximately 33,g00 cases of HIV
on average 450 children (under 16s) take up smoking each day
source: A snapshot of the worrd today, pubtished in The Guardian on
the January 1, 2000:
V
27
6.m
I
i settlement
I
rural/ urban
hierarchy
function
patterns
A. Discussion points
a. What
b.
easy to defend
is a settlement?
Complete the spider diagram on the right to show the

factors you may consider when choosing a site for a
settlement.
near water?
B. Classification of settlements
A settlement is a place where people live and work.
Settlements which are small and located in the countryside
(
are
provide
Large settlements, which
services for the areas a
them, are urban.
We can rank settlements in order of size. A ranking like this is
called a hierarchy.
The function of a settlement is the main employment activity
that goes on there such as:
- commerce
- recreation
- industry
- residence
- administration
rural.
1.
Fig. 6.1 shows the classification of settlements in order

of size. Complete the boxes beside the pyramid by
adding a suitable word from below. Check your answers
against the table fig. 6.2
town
town
Settlement
Function
Area serued
capital city
government, headquarters of companies, big shops, finance, tourists
whole country
city
industrv, offices, shops
larqe area around it
reoional centre
industrial town
headquarters of local companies, shops, offices, industry

industry, shops
local area around it
small market town
shops and local services
small local area
village
onlv the farms outside the villaoe
hamlet
basic services: church, shoo. oub

no servtces
isolated farm
n0 serytces
its own reqion
Fig. 6.2 Table to show the functions of settlements
C. Patterns and land use

By a settlement pattern we mean the shape of the settlement.
The shape of early villages and towns was usually influenced
by the surrounding area.
Rural settlements htVe devetopedlhee_[q! patterns
depending on the landscape they are situated
a) dispersed (often found in upland areas, with large
areas of farmland separating the houses)
b) nucleated (in flatter, lowland parts of Britain, all the
houses are grouped together)
c) linear (because of steep hillsides, houses are built
in a line along the gentler slopes of the valley)
l.
2.
in:--:-
Fig. 6.3 presents different rural settlements. Mark them

as a, b, or c according to their pattern.
28
ll. Urban settlements

Urban land use includes shops, offices, factories,
transport,
recreation and wasteland. However, the land
use, which covers
the largest area of land in a setflement is housing.
Various urban models have been devised to
shoiv the general
arrangement of land use zones. The most well
known are:
the Burgess model (fig. 6.aA) which shows a circular pattern
of land
the Hoyt model (fig. 6.48) which uses the circles

of the Burgess
moder as its base but then adds sectors to show
that simirar rand
uses are concentrated in certain parts of urban area.
For example
factories are concentrated in the industriar zone
whereas there
may be a high-class residential area along a main road.
the multiple nuclei modet (fig. 6,aC) wh'ich shows
that beside
the CBD (Cenhal Business Oistricg there are other points
that act
as secondary centres which are surrounded by
some of the same
sectors as the CBD
ln most British cities it is possible to recognize three
urban zones
oased upon location and land uses. These are:
the CBD
the lnner city (atso cailed Twitilht zone)
the Residential suburbs
lake fig. 6.4A into consideration. Fill in the missing

information
in the table
below.
- tall buildings
including
skyscrapers with offices
- high building density with
little open space
unattractive, run-down
appearance (old buildings
made worse by vandalism
and graffiti)
generally smarter
appearance
some areas ofopen space
old buildings (cathedral, casfle)

many shops of different types including
department stores
- company offices, banks and building

- places of entertainment
societies
old factories and warehouses
- residential (terraced houses and high_rise.flats)

- universities and hospitals
- inner ring roads
- residential (pleasant, Oig comfoEble houseg
- small shopping centres selling everyday
Fig' 6'5 Table to show the urban zones of the

Burgess urban model
.D. The rural.urban fringe

The area around the edge of a city is known
as the rurar-urban fringe. rt is where the green
fields and open spaces of the- couhtryside meet
the continuousry buirt-up areas of the city.
More recently.large groups of (marnry wearthy) p.opie
nare moreo ouiirom tne citv into the
surrounding villages. This has led to a crrange
in the characte, of ,r.r, ,.ttt.r.nt..
4.
ln the boxes betow rist the factors that cause

the peopring of the rurar. urban fringe.
City - push factors
Rural-urban fringe - pull factors
Summary
Settlements can be rural or
urban.
All settlements have functions

which represent the main
activity carried on in the
settlement.
The most important urban
zones are: the CBD, the inner
city and the residential suburbs.
More recently people move out
from the city centres into the
rural-urban fringe.
PRACTIGE AND GONSOLI DATION

1.
Urbanisation means the increase in the number of people

living in towns or cities. The pie charts below show the levels
of urbanisation for Britain at different times.
(Key: blue = urban population, red = rural populaiion)
e ffi ffi
1801
2001
1901
Fig.6.6 Growth in Urbanisation
h. high accessibility due to good kansport links

i. no space for gardens or garages due to tightly packed hou\es
j. low rent
k. not enough shopping and entertainment facilities
l. low quality environment with high crime rates
m. crowding and pollution
4.
The most rapid urbanisation was experienced after '1901.
Fill in the gaps in the text below with the words given in
order to find out how inner city centres may be changed:
environment derelict criminality gentrification

"Trying to improve the quality of life in many inner city areas,
areas in several.British cities..This process, also known as

(2), cohsists in either renovation of
01d,..............
......(3)housesortheir
,.....'..'....,,..,..,....-..,-...........(4)followedbythebuildingof
Urbanisation slowed down after 1901.

ln the 1900's Britain's population was mainly rural
Today most British people live in towns or cities.
new ones, The purpose is to create a safe, pleasant and

civilised living
(5). This, in turn, attracts
richer .....................,........(6) who can afford to maintain their
houses and who do not contribute 10..............................(7).'
...........,
ln the last 50 years British towns have experienced two
contradictory tendencies:
A. growth - 4B. limitation of growth *[_
5. ln the'1960s,
British town planners tried to solve the

housing problem by demolishing existing slums and moving
people into high-rise blocks of flats.
Which of the phenomena described below best represent

tendency A and which tendency B? Write the corresponding
number next to A or B respectively:
1
ln many British cities, inner city locations may have older

areas with decaying houses and an unsafe urban
environment.
redeveloped residents demolition
Study the charts above and say whether the following

statements are true (T) or false (F). Make the false
statements true by interpreting the pie charts:
2.
f. close to the CBD, so suitable for pensioners, youths

g. usually far from the CBD and work place
Working in groups, discuss and suggest what each of the

following people might have said about the construction
Urban sprawl = the spreading of a iown into the neighbouring of high-rise blocks of flats:
a. BUILDER
b. ENVIRONMENTALIST
c. RESIDENT
countryside
Green belt= area around town where building is forbidden
by law, the greenspace being left for recreation
3. New towns (or satellite towns) = towns built on to relieve
overcrowding in large cities
4. Conurbation = very large urban area formed when two
neighbouring towns merge together.
2.
3. All towns tend to contain areas called:
.
.
.
CBD
lnner City
Residential Suburbs
From the list below, choose the correct features for each
area and include them in the following table:
CBD
Advantaqes
Disadvantaoes
lnner citv
Suburbs
6.
buildings here are often in a state of disrepair
a quiet area with little traffic or pollution
c. large space for gardens, garages etc.
d. high cost of land
e. a high density of shops, banks, offices, leisure facilities
a.
Draw a diagram of the town in which you live using the

most suitable of the 3 urban models presented in the
lesson. Give named examples for each of the land use
b.
30
which
towns in Romania and
7. Say
and differences between
Ntza
zaN
London has been a setflement since Celtic times. The reasons

for this choice of location are:
the river Thames (source of water, navigation) and the
presence of a ford across the Thames in this area
.
,
,
Towns nowadays are far from being perfect living

environments. One reason for this is the high leriel of pollution
and waste.
ln London, Greenwich is an example of area redeveloped
in
while the area around was marshy (because of river flooding),
2000 in a way that allowed susfainable /ivrng, i.e. living
the island on which London was located was dry and easy t6'
without harming the environment or wasting t[e resources.
defend
Here are some of the solutions adopted:
abundant underground water existed and could be reached
Savlng water by collecting the rain water falling on the
through wells
roof
of The Millennium Dome or of the supermirket in the
forests (for building material) along the Thames valley
area
ln time, London has grown (see fig. 6.7) and its funcfrons
Saving energy
have developed:
'
.
.
ll-Wtng.olar
panels
the supermarket with banks of earth on the sides

to prevent heat loss
insulating the houses well
providing glass roofs to let more light in
Reducing traffic
good bus service and a tube station in the area
many cycle lanes
o internet
.
/
/
1.
administrative
2, political
3. industrial
4. commercial
5. touristic
6. recreational
7. educational
8. transport
Read the features of London described below as

developed over the centuries and write next to
the number of the function(s) Iisted above it illustra
tr The large estuary allowed the building of a port.
can sail up the Thames.
D The port allowed easy import of the raw materials for the
industries that were created here. Also, the industrial
products could be exported easily.
_
E Surrounded by areas good forfaiming, London became a
market town.
Green
trees planted here

large areas of park and lakes that attract wildlife
lJse
.
.
of non-polluting technotogy
all household have computers

recycling schemes
How can the area you live in be changed to allow a more

s.ustainable way of living? What can you personatty do
to
live in such a way?
HYPERSTORES
One of the town's main functions is a commerciat or retaiting
one. A relatively new tendency is the increase of out-of-towi
Not only are more and more shopping centres being

built out of town, but their size and complexiiy ii also growing.
These out of town slE:lrnO centres frequently contain
s upers to4por -ltf -er s to r e s.
f,
f?iling
The laigest out-of-town retail centre in Britain and Europe

is Bluewater (in Kent), which cost t350 million to
build. lts
features are:
lover 320 high-quality shops under one roof
of shoppers arrives every minute
and a 13-screen cinema
E Ever since Roman times it has been the country's capital,

tr lt is the seat of the British monarchy, parliameni and
fl
D
D
t
t
tr
government.
lts museums, art galleries, parks and historic buildings
have
become tourist attractions.
London has a good network of transportand ls itself a hub
of transport routes.
Various places of ente(ainment exist in London (theatres,
cinemas, concert halls, pubs, restaurants, etc.)
Many educational institutions are located here (schools,
universities, libraries)
tstz
Z'TN
3{
/*;'
&-
T.Wmuromcrs
oo*"r station
fossil
it-----------
fuels
--------i
(non-)renewable sources of
energy sustainability
_____.:
A.Discussion Points
An energy resource can make a country wealthy but at the same time it can create many problems. Britain is such an example.
Name some of the resources that can be used to produce energy. Complete the spider web below. Look at the key words above
and say what they
mean.
B.Typesof
Energy
,/
--/
\
,/
1. Read the following texts to find out about the different types of energy used in Britain. "-.l- lf\
The UK is rich in eiergy ,esorrces both on land and in the sea. lt is able to supply its own
lcoat
energy needs and even export energy. Nevertheless, concern over Britain's energy supplies is constant with arguments about
the uses of various power sources and the amount of energy needed.
Britain relies heavily upon four main types of energy: oil, coal, gas and nuclear power.
Except for the hydro-electricity, which accounts for less lhan 20/o of the production of Britain's electricity, most electricity is
produced as a secondary source of energy in thermal and nuclear power stations.
2 a. Study figures 7.1 and 7.2 below and answer the following quqqtions'
alwfiatwisarilainis main source of energy in fi;i960;t iUI'- ;
i)
nj Wnicfr source of energy increased rapidly between 1955 and 1 975? d W
c) What percentage of Britain's energy comes from nuclear power? L0'(
d) Which form of energy has not changed in importance since 1965?
2 b. The latest changes that have affected the UK's electricity industry
.
include privatisation, less dependency on electricity generated in

conventional power stations and more use of alternative sources.
E Coal
roit
Fi1.7.2. presents the pie chart for 2000. Construct a pie chart using the
statistics for year 2010 presented in the table below Discuss the
changes in energy consumption visible in the two charts.
950
19.60
1970
90,4
9.2
76.4
22.7
0.1
50.6
43.0
2.8
+0.2
AA
0.4
0.6
0.6
34.2
43.3
22.9
5.8
0.5
Coal
oit
Natural Gas
Nuclear
Hydroelectric
980
990
2000
2010 %
nrndiclcd
32.8
33.9
32.0
31.0
25
24.1
26.1
17
7.5
9.2
20
0.8
1.0
1.5
19
consumption \ r\
-\
C. Traditional and alternative energy resources 1iqt '
,\
Fig.7.1 UK energy
31,'31%
Fig.7.2 Energy consumption in the UK
for 2000
fossil fuels
such as coal, oil and gas have been exploited in'gritlin for many years. They are classified as non.renewable
resources. Once used up they cannot be replaced.
Renewable resources of energy are newer and can be used over and over again. They include the use of the water, wind and
the sun as well as geothermal energy and biogas. They represent an alternative to haditional fuels, as they are cleaner and
abundant. They are often sustainable (used in such a manner that they do not destroy the environment) and they are likely to
play an increasingly more important role in the future. Still, there are specific locational requirements concerning their conditions
of exploitation and use.
3.
Read the information on nuclear energy and express your opinion on nuclear energy by
answering the following questions:
To which category of energy resources does nuclear energy belong?
Are the advantages of using nuclear energy more important than the disadvantages?
Few energy resources have created such heated debates as the nuclear power. The power producers as wel/ as the ordinary
consumers want to know more about it, asking questions such as:
1. ls nuclear energy necessary?
2. How safe is it?
NZ
ZZilr-ts
--a
t;
FACIS TO TAKE INTO COffS'DERAI'ON
the high cost of building nuclear stations, the resultant power is quite cheap and ptentifut.
legOite
Only yerylilti.tgd raw materials are needed, e.g. i}tons of l)raiium/year are needed
,o,iprrri
coal-fired statlons.
Nuclear uvaste rs limited in amount and can be stored underground but it remains
*in
iI
I
are health isks when accidents occur; e.g. the high icidence or
.There
uuieiii
540t coat/hour needed in
'-""'"t '
radioactive for many years.
4' Study the map below

ll
li
li
,l
t
I
.l
(Fig.7'3), which shows various types of energy resources and their characteristics.
Fill in the
blank rubrics with information taken from the map.
O Coallleld
.Aoiltield
,l
,-a
\-/
gaslield
Hydro-electric power
hrdro-etecrric
f
solar energy
l;.ffi-l
geothermal
lenergy
nuqlear energy
1-,
ri.r,rs'N
#i'a
Wind
Electricity very clean,
no air pollution
wind speed over
60km/h,
unpredictable, noisy,
visual pollution
aa
Electricity very clean,

water supply abundant,
provide water in time of
shortage,
located in remote areas,
risk of flooding,
lakes silt up
Oil and gas

electricity, heating, fuel, oils,
fertilisers,
good quality and efficient,
{ffi@
danger of spills,
quite easy to transport by pipeline

risk of explosion
Tidal
Electricity clean,
very expensive,
affects coastal
ecosystems,
few suitable sites,
barrage can protect
coasts from erosion
Solar
uses solar panels,
direct heating,
electricity,
up to 2,000 hrs
insolation/year,
quite expensive
but clean
Biogas
"-l
electricity, heating,
widely available,
uses waste products,
_.1
#m4
xRr
set up,
some pollution
Gt
el, :ctricity,
heating.coke\
mechanisation lffiodern mines,

dit ficult and dangerous to exploit,
V ry polluting,
hir ;h
Jffi
dg
can be expensive to
br lky to transport
Nuclear
heat for electricity, materials are radioactive, very efficient
and relatively clean, epensive to construct, danger of
radiation leaks and accidents, problems over long term
Geothermal
Elechicity, direct heating, expensive,
disposalof waste
maintenance problenis, few potential siter
Fig.7.3 Distribution of energy resources in the UK

Enerqv resource
coal
Tidal enerov
Location
, i.i"..,1
MerseyEstuary
Conditions
Use
Heating
c-',.,,.\;,
Advantaqes
Disadvantaqes
Bulky to transport
Relativelv clean
Etc.
Summary
The electricity industry in the.UK is changing. lt is based on conventional power statrons fired
by non-renewable sources of
energy. Fossil fuels and nuclear energy still play an important role but concern over environmental issues
is more important.
Renewable energy is seen as the way forward.
PRAGTICE AND CONSOLIDATION

1. What is the difference between a renewable resource, a non-renewable resource
a) List two disadvantages of burning fossil fuel.
and fossilfuel? Provide examples.
b) Give two advantages of using hydro-electricity and nuclear energy.
2. Circle i, ii, or iii in the sentences below to correctly complete the information
a) Britain's most recent discovery is:
i) coal in Northern England .ii) oil in the North
iii) nuclear energy
b) The cleanest resource of energy is:
Sea
oil
i) wind ii)
iii) biogas
c) Which fuel makes the biggest contribution to Britain's energy consumption?
i)Coal ii)Gas
iii)Water
d) The cheapest form of energy is:

i)
wind
ii) natural
gas'
iii) wave.
3. Describe the photograph below by completing the text with the missing words.
How Solar Heating Works?

The sun gives us more e
than we need. Although
exploited in many parts of Britain,
it doesn't cover much of the country's
One method
of
is with the help of solar
p_is
s_
p--ing s-
n_.
e--
collectors.
g_covered
panels, which allow

to pass through the glass and to be
trapped inside the box-like apparatus.
These are
s_l__
4. lmagine the following situation. ln a month's time, theAnnual Environmental Conference will be taking place in your
town.Theoccasionwillbe"EarthDay"on April22'o.YourschoolEco-Clubhasinitiatedanexhibitionof
use of renewable energy resources. Prepare and present your own poster to the class.
5. Read the
a)
text and the comments below:
Hg
posterstopromotethe
ln the following table, place each letter corresponding to a comment under the appropriate column heading. Some comments
may go under several column headings
.
b) Compare your choices with your colleagues. Present them to the whole class, supported by arguments.
Economic profit
Economic
disadvantaoe
Environmental
benefit
Environmental
Damaqe
Social benefit
Social damage
F
G
Coal was Britain's main source of energy until mid

1960's when oil and natural gas were discovered in
the North Sea.
These fuels proved to be clean, efficient and of high
quality and their exploitation and use grew rapidly.
The financial cost of exploitation was huge and so
were the proflts.
Oil is a non-renewable resource. lt will never be

replaced. We should not have sold it to
foreigners but saved it for ourselves.
New airports have

been built on the
East coast of
Scotland which now
link up remote areas
There have been human costs in the form of deaths

and injuries among oil workers.
The following comments reflect the view of people
involved in the development of North Sea oil and gas.
Many sea birds

have died from
oil pollution
around the
Shetland and
Orkney lslands.
0ur traditional
Scottish industries
such as fishing have
declined as people
have left for betterpaid jobs in the oil
industry.
34
New shops, schools

and health clinics
have been built in
parts of Scotland with
the money from oil
and gas.
Fig.7.5 Oil terminal at Brent
It was ok until recently, when they stopped building new rigs. So, me
and my mates are threatened.
We no longer
depend on
imports as we
have now our
own supplies in
<< Wind power has a significant role to play in helping the UK to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions
and to combat climate
change. Total UK wind generating capacity now stands at 500 MW, and wind power provides 0.37 per cent of the UK's
electricity demand. lt has vast potential.
<( Tidal power in Britain has great potential, being able to provide
tidal range is about 6 metres and there are two electric plants
((
(,(
'115
of its electricity needs. Wales is a good example as its
Britain's coastal waters offer the potential of an abundant

supply of wind power, if it can be harnessed effectively and
efficiently, The UK's first offshore wind farm, off the
Northumberland coast at Blyth, consists of two 2 MW
turbines and began generating power in 2000. A major step
has been the announcement of 18 potential sites for leases
from the Crown Estates, which could result in a maximum
of 540 turbines if all were to go ahead.
The world's first commercial wave power station unit has
been commissioned on the coast of lslay, Scotland. This is
the Land lnstalled Marine Powered Energy Transformer
(LIMPEI), which has been developed by Wavegen and
Queen's University Belfast with EU support. lt harnesses an
oscillating water column technology to provide 500 kW for
the national grid.
,(( Geothermal energy Britain has limited potential but

geothermal energy has been developed at Marchwood, near
Southampton. There is a reservoir of hot water at 5,500 feet.
<<
Britain's largest gas.from-garbage project was given the

approval at the end of the 1980's.The site chosen was in the
West Midlands at Meriden, where 4,000 Uday of domestic
and industrial waste is disposed of in a 152ha controlled
land fill site. lt produces methane and other gases from
natural microbial processes. The methane is collected,
cleaned and used directly for energy production.
2002 marks the tenth anniversary of the UN Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro. The
conference, known as the "Earth Summit" focused on the links between environmental problems, economic
conditions and
socialjustice. From it emerged a commitment to the concept widely known as "sustainable development',. The Earth
Summit brought together policy-makers, diplomats, scientists and media and non-governmental representatives
from
179 countries to discuss how environmental protection and the management of naiural resources
could be integrated
with socio-economic issues of poverty and under-development. These goals can be achieved by:
E encouraging economic development, including the technology thit is appropriate to the sftills, wealth and needs of local
people.
_ tr
using fewer and long-lasting natural resources without spoiling the environment.
Sustainable development needs careful planning and co-operation to encourage conservation. (protection from
destructive infl uences).
\n2002, the second Earth Summit, organised in Johannesburg, South Africa reinforced the global importance of sustainable
development.
Theamountof energyused perperson inthe UKis5,100 Kwh/yascomparedto 120Kwh/yin Kenyaand 11,600kwh/y

in the USA!
The UK pumps more than 160 million tonnes of COr,2 million tonnes SO, and 300 tonnes of soot into the air each year
by burning fossil fuels.
Ngi
ZN
35
8.munmr
i
employment structure
transnational companies
assisted areas
footloose industries
science parks
it--------___
Primary industries: the extraction of raw
a.
Give examples of industries.

b. What are the raw materials used by some of them?
materials directly from the earth or seas
Secondary industries: the processing and

manufacture using these primary products
3
B. Glassification of industry
The word 'industry' covers a number of activities which involve

the making, supplying or delivering of goods and services to
the population of a country.
These activities can be grouped into three main categories
according to the types ofjobs people do. They include:
Tertiary industries: the provision of services

Quaternary industries: the provision of research,
information and expertise
education, health, office work, local and national

government, etc.
primary,
secondary
micro-chip, microelectronics, research, design

engineering and biotechnology, high technology
steelworks, shipbuilding, furniture-making and
car manufacture
fishing, farming, forestry, mining and quarrying
tertiary
industries. This is called the employment structure of a country.
More recently a fourth category quaternary has appeared due
to the changes in technology.
1. The four groups of activities mentioned above are listed above and are numbered 1-4. Match them with the types of
activities marked a.d in the second box and write them into your copybook.
1
G. Location of lndustry
lndustry is not evenly spread around the United Kingdom.
Some areas have a high concentration of industry and
others have few industries. Their location is determined
by various locational factors.
2. Brainstorm and list the factors which you

think might influence the location of a factory?
c6mil.io;um[
HEh.|cln*gr
rFrf,oilcl
mmttst
Different industries have very specific needs, which

influence their locations. ln order to establish location we
have to differentiate between:
CG
fi*reSS
cl*nrld
heavy industries are usually old established industries
rm.*a
c*dE
rrgl**,
TASI
*lph**ts
that rely on bulky raw materials and tend to be found

close to raw materials sources. Why do you think this is the
case?
Today there has been a decline in heavy industries in
Britain, such as shipbuilding and iron-and-steel,
l*l
MTNOU
SrFbuHng
c,.lmrEc
*rsElrm
c?lenrb*
so{,lil Htl.ts
light industries are less tied to a particular location
stec{
as they use small lightweight raw materials and
GFCmnOo.nli
5ffi
components to produce small, mostly high value goods.
atxh
3. Fig. 8.1 shows the industrial areas in

the UK. Draw lines to link the industrial names with
a suitable location on the map.
36
Hgh
lait*Elo0f ee.#o.ric.
sptr
chsftatr
um
tffi
ho.t
Fig. 8.1 lndustrial areas in the UK
rc.aeSe
4'
The table below shows the factors which influence the location
of heavy industry and light industries.
Give reasons why the different industries are located in the places
strown in fig. g.1.
Location factors
Raw materials
Transport
Heavy industries
inelr rclriao
represent@
bulky, heavy
small, light often

of other indushies.
mainly by rail, ship or canal. Distance affects

costs
Power supply
coal or water in the past, now electricity oil

and gas
erecrnctry whtch is easy to hansport
Markets
closeness to customers reduces transport

costs but closeness to raw materials more
important
products or sensitive to fashion changes
Labour supply
large numbers of mostly unskilled manual

labour
Site
extensive area of flat land situated near a city

or on the coast
needed due to mechanisation or automation
greenfietdsitesonthffi
D. lndustrial Change
5'
Read the following text to see what changes have taken place in
the industrial structure of the U.K.
Large sections of heavy industry in the North oiBritain have deilined

since the second world war.
6. What do you think were the causes and effects of

industrial decline in the UK? List them in your
copybook.
ln regions which have lost industries or where
unemployment is high, governments have provided money
or other forms of help to attract new investment. These are the
so-called assisted areas where help comes in the form of:
rent-free periods, grants and loans
an improved infrastructure such as roads, water supplies
and eleckicity
retraining schemes to provide skilled labour force
enterprise zones which make it easier for firms to set up in
.
.
.
.
ihner city areas.
This assistance has attracted a lot of foreign firms or

transnational companies, These are companies which
operate in many different countries. The headquarters of
transnational companies are usually located in developed
countries and the 'branch'factories are in developing
countries. A good example is the investment by foreign
transnational companies in'Silicon Glen' in Central Siofland.
This was a former traditional industrial area, but with the
exhaustion of coal, heavy manufacturing induskies have
declined. The establishment of the microelectronics industry
(Philips, Siemens, lBM, Motorola, Hewlett packard, Nippon
etc.) here has gone some way to solving one of the greatest
problems of the region: unemployment.
With the development of transport, industry does not have
to be tied to a certain location,
Many products are not tied to a certain location so many
products are made on new industrial estates built
on former
greenfield sites on the edges of towns and cities, where
the
price of land is cheaper or along major motonvays. These
industries are called foofloose industries. They have a
relatrvely free choice of location. Many of them provide
services for people and are therefore market oriented.
The most recently developed foofloose industry is information
technology (lT), which is a rapidty growing new high{ech
industry. Firms which make or use lT equipment (computers,
processors, fax-machines, etc.) often group together
on
pleasanl, newly developed science parks. Science parks
usually have direct links with a university.
Fig. 8.2 Assisted areas in the UK
Summary
The employment structure of a country consists of '
primary secondary and tertiary industries.
Heavy indushies tend to be found close to the raw
materials whereas light indushies are closer to the markets.
To stop decline and growing unemployment development
schemes were launched to attract modern firms to regions
that have lost industries.
xuEr
zlN!
37
7.
PRAGTIGE AND
GONSOLIDATION
Name three industries found in your home area. For
eachsayif
it
Eg I
A. has been there a long time or not

B, is located near to raw materials or near to a large market
't.
a) ln order to show the changes in manufacturing
industry group the ideas below under the
headings:
A)19'h century industry
8.
Some traditional industries have been modernised.

Match the name of the industry with the products
B)Late 20* century industry

1. Situated mainly in old inner city areas.
End product often small and easy to transport.

Employing often a female and small labour force.
Often created air and noise pollution.
Built near to main roads for more flexible transport.
Needed large tonnage of raw materials.
Located on or near coalfields or at ports.
B. End product often bulky, difficult to move,
9. Market orientated as it supplies goods and services.
10. Found near to early canals and railways for bulk transport
11. Little air or noise pollution.
12. Employed mainly a male and large labour force.
13. Raw materials often from other factories.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Products
. computer-controlled tractors
. combined grass mower/drier
lndustry
Ceramics
and glass
. high-speed computerized knitting

machines
. specialized alloys for hi-tech
Chemical
industrv
requirements
. industrial ceramics withstanding ultra-
lron-and-
high temperatures
steel
. enerqv-savinq window qlass
. biodegradable detergents
. biodegradable plastic
Mechanical
engineering
. qeneticallv-enqineered oesticides
A
9, Although the
Write two paragraphs, one presenting 19'n century

industry and another presenting late 20'n century
industry.
Which sectors of economy do the following belong to?
textile industry
traditional British
industry is very well developed, cotton production

has been in decline for a long time, Can you think why?
10. Look at the map fig. 8.3 below and explain why there
has been a migration of jobs towards the southeast?
A. Alpha OilRig
B. lmperialTobacco
C. Coats Viyella
D. British Aerospace
E. British Ainrvays
F. British Gas Distribution
G. British Telecom
H. Barclays Bank
l. Safeway Supermarket
J. London Stock Exchange
o
ca
Define the terms:

footloose industry
transnationalcompany
science park
assisted area
.
.
.
.
a. What is information technology?
b.
Name three ways in which you might use lT in a

school.
Name two ways in which a government, local authority

or development agency can encourage a footloose
industry to set up in a particular location.
Why is an attractive countryside location an important

factor in the location of modern industry?
Fig.8.3 Migration of jobs in the UK
38
The British pharmaceutical

industry is the world's third
biggest exporter of medicines,
accounting for around 10 per
cent of the world market. British
firms discovered and developed
five of the world's 20 beslselling
medicines.
Britain's aerospace industry, the

biggest aerospace industry in
Europe, is one of only three in
the world with complete capability
across the whole spectrum of
aerospace. The leading
companies are:
British Aerospace (BAe),
Rolls-Royce
GEC-Marconi.
Fig. 8.4 Pollution of the Environment
' lndustry creates waste and damages the environment. Look at the cartoon above
and name the 5 types of pollution shown on it.
lmagine that you lived or worked in this area. which two types of pollution would you
dislike the most. Give reasons for your answer.
How can industrial pollution be reduced?
At the turn of the century South Wales was an important

industrial area with a quarter of a million coal miners, Coal was
a major source of fuel and South Wales also had the raw
materials needed to make steel: limestone, iron ore and coal.

At that time Britain still had an empire, which was a ready
market for coal and steel.
ln the past few years most coalmines have closed for several
reas0ns:
.
.
.
.
competition from other countries (Poland and South Africa)

Britain lost some of its export markets for coal
Most ofthe easily worked coal seams have been exhausted
the development of alternative sources of fuel(oil and gas)
This has led to a high rate of unemployment, which is well
above the national average.
The problem has been partly solved. The Welsh development
Agency(WDA) was set up to help attract investment to Wales,

which means that new companies locating in the area do not
have to pay local taxes.
As a result many large industrial estates have been set up
and this, combined with a pool of skilled workers, acted as a
magnet for foreign firms like Sony, Bosch and Toyota.
ln Newport in South Wales a science park named lmperial
Park was opened in 1994 offering:
A - excellent road and rail-links
B - a spacious parkland setting
C - more than 9000m, office space available
D - close ties with the lmperial College of Science and
Technology
E - purpose built accommodation
F - support from Newport Borough council and the WDA
(Adapted from "Geography for GCSE")
39
9.HAmsG
,'
i
arable pastoral pesticide fertiliser
It
agribusiness
organic
farming/food
r-----------
a.
Farming is one of the most important human activities.

Can you say why?
b. Although half of the world's population is involved in
farming, in Britain only 1 . 1 % of the workforce is employed
in this field of activity. Despite this, British farming is one of
the most developed in the world. Can you explain why British
farmers are so productive?
B. Factors influencing farming

Farming decisions are affected by a variety of factors ranging
from the physical features of the area in which the farm is
situated to the farmers' skill, financial resources and even
preferences.
1. List all the factors influencing farming given below

under two headings: Physical and Human Factors.
- rainfall, wind, temperature
- capital
- availability of transport and markets

- soil type
- technology (machinery) and expertise
- relief
- farm ownership and size
Fig. 9.1 Types of farming
C. Types of farming
a. rearing
The factors listed above have created a variety of farming types
or patterns, which include:
Pastoral or hill tarmins
Arable farmins
BMffi
Dairyfarming
of sheep
b. a combination of field crops and animal rearing
c.
growing of grain crops or cereals (wheat, barley, oats) and

root or field crops (potatoes, turnips, sugar beet, hops,
oilseed rape, etc.) in ploughed up land
d. intensive cultivation of salad vegetables, fruit and flowers
e. rearing dairy cattle mainly in the vicinity of urban areas
Market sardenine
Match each of the farming types mentioned above with

its correct definition from the riEht and write them in your
copybooks.
Using the map Fig, 9.1 and your previous knowledge of farming types, relief and climate, fill in the table below:
Farminq type
Area
Products
Whv there?
- east of the UK (mainly East
Arable farming
deep, fertile soil
Anglia)
mountain areas
sheep
beef cattle
oios. ooultrv
oood orass (oastures)
- between the drier east and
Mixed farming
wetter west
- dairy cattle
- fairly good soil

- climate neither too dry nor too wet
- western paft of the UK
- in the vicinitv of towns

Market gardening
- south and east of England
- near big towns
fertile soil
good climate and relief
near urban markets
Fig. 9.2 Table showing different types of farming
40
D. Recent changes
ln the last few decades, British farming has suffered a continuous process of modernisation, mainly due to the discoveries in
science and technology. Some other changes include:
1. Political inteference
2. Changes triggered by changing eating habits
3. Diversification of farming activities
4. Change in farm size and tenure (ownership)
4.
Match each ofthe changes listed above with the right paragraph describing the change:
1_ 2_ 3_ 4_
a. As the expense of running a modern farm grows, many owners of small farms sell them to wealthier ones. Sometimes farms
are bought by food processing companies, which usually remove the hedges separating the smaller fields in order to practice
an intensive farming..They run and manage these farms like factories and this is called agribusrness,
b. ln the past, British farmers were encouraged by the government to produce more food and the government gave them grants,
subsidies and guaranteed prices. ln more recent times they have sometimes been paid for not producing (policy called
"set-aside" land) or for producing certain crops (e.9. oilseed rape). This is to control the overproduction of beef, butter and
grain within the European Union (of which Britain is a member). The Common Agricultural Policy sets the price,
type and amount of output as well as the quotas and subsidies. As a result of this policy, many British farmers have been
forced out of business.
c, The political pressure often led to changes like: many of the fields set aside were turned into golf courses, many farms now
offer Bed and Breakfast (B&B) facilities or opportunities for pony trekking and rural tourism. However, the farmers who coulc
not diversify or manage the changes, usually gave up farming, fact which led to the depopulation of British villages.
d.
lt is the public demand which dictates what and how much food is to be produced. Recent changes include an increased
demand for frozen, tinned and convenience foods, a desire for fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year and concern
with a healthy eating style. Also, many young people are vegetarians.
Organic farming is another recent change which appeared when people started to worry less about the quantity of food
produced for their consumption as about its quality. The food thus produced is called organic food.
5.
Read the following text and in each case, circle the correct word or phrase:
"Concern about conventional farming methods has led people to demand food that is safe to eat, This can be obtained through
organic farming which is an alternative/modern way of producing food. lt uses chemical/natural fertilizers and
monoculture/crop rotation. lt is often more/less intensive and usually causes less/more damage to the environment. Organic
farms are more/less likely to be mixed/arable farms since animals are used to provide manure for fertilising the soil. Another
aspect of it is animal welfare: animals are usually kept indoors/outdoors where they move freely.
However, crop and animal yields are higher/lower and normally look more/less attractive than those produced by using
chemicals. The smaller/higher yield and greater/smaller amount of work involved, plus the consumers' willingness to pay
more/less, make organic food more/less expensive,"
6.
List the advantages and disadvantages of conventional and organic farming in the table below:
Conventional Farmino
Oroanic Farmino
Advantages
Disadvantages
SUMMARY
British farming is efficient due to the application of science and technology. Due to the diversity of soil, relief and favourable
climate, plus the numerous human factors that affect it farming is also very varied. ln recent years, it has undergone a number
of changes due to changes in society, politics and discoveries in the field of science and technology.
41
PRAGTICE AND CONSOLIDATION

1. 0n
a simple level, the east, centre and west of Britain are each dominated by one type of farming. Draw the
simplified map of farming from Fig. 9.3 in your notebook. Then decide what type of farming is practised in
areas
A,
B and C.
does not allow
do not allow
allow(s)
crops
grass
to grow.
to ripen.
cheap
away from
urban markets.
exnensive
close to
can be grown on a
small
laroe
atea.
Flat
Steeo
land
allows
machinery to be used.
animals to oraze it.
Crops
need
more
inputs and machinery.
Less sunshine
Lower temperatures
High rainfall
Thin soil
Land is
High value crops
Low-value orass
Animals
fewer
More sunshine
helps
High temperatures
help
crops
to grow.
to ripen.
Deeo soil
For area A and C choose suitable statements from the substitution table given above and list them under the headings:
Physical Faetors
Human Factors
Area B shares features of A and C, so it will combine the factors influencing the other two.
2.
One of the most important changes experienced by the British farming in the last 40 years has been its conversion
into an industry, Can you say in what respects farming is an industry? (Clues: buildings, technology, and management).
Like any industry, farming has inputs, processes and outputs. The diagram below presents the farming system based on a
mixed farm:
INPUTS
PHYSICAL
FACTORS
. relief
. soil
. climate
HUMAN
FACTORS
.
.
labour
PROCESSES
r ploughing
r planting
. fertilising
. spraying pesticides
. harvesting
. feeding/grazing
. grass cultivation/silage
. animal caring
. calving/lambing
OUTPUTS
o
CrOPS
o straw
. silage
. calves
. bulls
. lambs
. manure
. milk
A
R
K
E
o milking
machinery
o buildings
land
o seeds, livestock
fertilisers
o pesticides
o government policies
. market demand
. kansport cost
. new technologies
HAZARDS
.
.
flooding or drought
hail
diseases
Fig 9.4 Diagram of the farming system: a mixed farm
3.
Now it is your turn to draw a diagram of the farming system based on a farm which specialises
Use the words in the box to help you:
in
market gardening
fertilising, flowers, seeds, sunshine, market, crop spraying, Iabour, rain, celery,
harvesting, Iand, pesticides, greenhouses, planting, cucumber, bulbs, hail, frost
42
The most widespread single crop in Britain is grass, out of the 150 varieties
of grass growing, about 20 have commercial agricultural
importance' They are turned into hay or silage (fermented grass, pickled
in theibsence of air by wrapping it in plastic sheets), used
as animal feed in winter, the rest being used for rough grazi-ng. (Siudy
the pnotoi ln fig 9.5).
Farming can have beneficial as weli

as harmful effects on the
environment.
Name the ways in which farming may
affect the environment and suggest a
suitable solution for each.
Now read the following texts
and check your predictions.
While reading, underline the
environmental damage
produced by some farming methods.
"Chemicalfertilisers are used to help crops to grow and pesficides

are used to kill off insects and other pests. These chemicals
are usually washed into lakes and rivers poisoning them. ln addition, fertilisers
encourage the growth of water plants (tike algae), ;hich
use up allthe oxygen in the water, thus leading to the death of fish and
other organisms. Smallamounts of these chemicals can also
build up in the crops themselves and thus enter the consumers, bodies,,
"Cutting down forests, also called deforestation. Trees

are cut for the timber or to make space for agriculture or urban
development. Trees, however,.provide shelter for many forms of wildlife
and produce much oxygen. When trees are removed, the
soil is easily eroded and landslides may occur, or the area can be turned
into a desert or into marsh, if it is wet.,,
or hedgerows are fences of bushes and low lrees planted by British farmers hundreds years
of
ago to mark field
boundaries and stop livestock from wandering. After the 1950s, howevei
tn. h.og., started to be in the way of mechanised farming
and in order to increase the size of their fields, farmers started to remove
them. Thousands of kilometres trive oeen dug up so far
and this worries the conservationists a lot.
Study the arguments brought by farmers and conservationists in the
debate about the hedgerow removal. Which of the points below
might be put fonrvard by each of the two sides?
The hedges
Hedge trimming takes

up a lot of time
Hedges can't be
moved easily but
fences can
Hedges provide shelter from rain

and wind for cattle and sheep
Hedge cutting machinery is
expensive
Hedges provide
shelter for small
animals and birds
They take up land
that could be farmed
Hedges act as wind barriers

and prevent soil erosion
Hedges make the

corners and edges of
fields difficult to farm
lnsects and animals in the

hedgerows may damage the
crops and weeds from hedge
may spread into field
Fig. 9.6 Hedge Trimming
Write two short lefters to a farming magazine. ln one explain the point
of view of the farmer who wants to dig up some of
his hedges, while in the other you are a conseruationisi trying to persuade
farmers not to remove more hedges.
43
motorway
tidalflow scheme
Passenger Transport in Great Britain by Mode
Using a word web, brainstorm the word transport:
800
740
-E ooo
SOO
+oo
E
o
B. General Features of British transport
tr
Over the last fifty years, British transport has changed a lot,
as shown in fig.'10.1 on the right.
1. To understand why the pattern oftransport has
FEATURE
Cost
Safetv
Convenience
Number of
routes
Gomfort
distances)
cheap
distances)
ouite exoensive
.-..\.
doorto-dooI
oo,rrlccLtb.t'
not very high
(especially for
Crir
ira-
'\,:t]\.(
.,\l- r-.r- :l-\-Y

not too flexible
(decreasing)
qrr.'\g
$U
rfil
Bus and
coach
\O9(tr
AIR
J\r!
tl^'l
-:I
]A-,'?.-\
nl.n.Si:'o
cv',orbt
Weather
Passenoers
4-5
Freight
smalltonnage
IAir
limited (noise)
little track
conqestion
virtually
unaffected
WATER
t\rs$J
+\",o
Ur"^.:.i.
verv hiqh
the hiqhest
i'or rr'."*c..\ -tl+ * 0.,< poor
a few airports only
\alo q3+'.
good (except for

airsickness)
driver)
Pollution
Congestion
Rail
Fig. 10.1 Passenger transport in Britain
RAIL
fast (over long
\ i.-i-
,,*****
r#,#dsf,4itll
Car
fast (over short
ROAD
roo
]954
changed in Britain, compare the main advantages

and disadvantages of each mode of transport by
filling in the gaps in the table below. Some answers
have been completed for you.
Speed
aoo
.9 200
{ {1rr-\;r
1r"r,- (rrii,,.,.1i,':. ,
(3i
virtually none
very little
little affected (ice

and foo)
g'is.o\' r \,r.\ro,r
'\A i1.rQ.\='
Mainlv ferries
light goods of high
value
Fig. 10.2: Types of transport Advantages and Disadvantages

2. Analysing fig. 10.1 and fig. 10.2, decide which are
the most important modes of transport in Britain and
suggest reasons why ?
C. Road Transport
Apart from the evidence suggested in fig. 1 0.1 , the importance
of road kansport in the UK is shown by the following statistical
data:
69% ofall households have the use ofone car and 24

per cent have two or more cars.
lorries carry over 80% of the freight (or goods)
there are 400,000 km of trunk roads (A roads) in Britain
1
and 3000 km ofmotoruuays (M
although motoruvays represent only 1% of the total
length of roads, they carry some 20% of the traffic.
roads).
Perq\.,c^tnn
!; (,:pr.
UtL
}\q
Fi9.10.3: Motorway in Britain
e\.r:r{yr,yfii..!irt.-:,*)
3.
Examine fig. 10.3 and describe the advantages of

motorways over other types of roads.
What is the purpose of the hard sho ulder\l)?
How many /anes (2) are there in each direction of driving?

What is the role of the separafln g barrier (3)?
4. Considerthe advantages described above and compare

them against the disadvantages listed below:
.
.
.
.
.
5.
take up large areas of land

congestion at peak hours
serious pile-ups (large scale accidents)
monotonous
restrictions of building too close to urban or highland
areas
ln your notebooks, list all the above.mentioned

advantages and disadvantages of motonuays, plus
others you can think of.
6. Why is the motorway network in fig.
10.4 concentrated
in southern and central Britain?
7. Which are the main areas in Romania that would
Fig. 10.4
benefit from the building of motorways? Why is the

building of M-ways so slow in Romania as compared
toBritain.)ffi
Railways were pioneered in Britain, the first line being opened

in 1825, towards the end of the lndustrial Revolution. A vast
network developed during the 19'n century and the railways were
nationalised in 1948. After 1965, a serious decline began.
This is due to measures like:

a. re-privatisation of railways in 1997
b. modernisation of trains, tracks and signalling systems
c. creation of specialised trains (Freightliners for goods
equipped with specialist wagons, lnter-City trains for
passengers, combining speed with increased comfort)
d. attractive prices for off-peak hours and off-season
periods, plus advanced bookings
8. Can you explain why rail transport developed so rapidly
9. Study the measures taken to improve rail transport
in the 19'h century and declined after 1965?

At present, after years of decline, rail transport is on the
verge of a renaissance. lt has increasedby 20k since 2000.
and say which problem each improvement has tried to

solve.
E. Water
I
transport
,t
,_
ntern al Water Tran sport
After a peak period of canal building and use in the 18'n and
centuries, inland water transport in the UK has declined. At
present very few of the canals and watenruays in the UK are
used for transport, e.g. the Thames carries 50% of all water
traffic. The Forth, Humber and Mersey are also important.
19'n
the 19" century?
Offsh ore W{6i tr a nsport

This continues to carry some g5% of all the goods transported
overseas, yet it has also experienced a general decrease. The
changes experienced by the British offshore water transport are
i. world recession and a decline in trade

ii. increase in ship size which needed deeper and
wider
harbours
iii. changing of overseas markets and trade routes
NWZ
uaL-\S
iv, cargo loading and unloading is done now by new bulk
handling methods replacing the costly traditional methods,

which needed a very large labour force.
10.Why has inland water transport generally declined so

much and why did canals
due to:
.\
The motorway network in the UK
l,r+)
D. RailTransport
11.Which of the following examples of modernisation

(a-d)can be linked to the problems experienced by
water transport in the UK (i.iv) and could represent a
solution for them?
a.
After having been the world's leading shipping nation,

Britain's fleet is now much smaller.
b. Deeper water ports, which handle special goods have
developed (e.9. Felixstowe-containers, Milford Haven-oil,
Port Talbot-iron ore, etc.)
c. Development of ro-ro (roll-on roll-off) facilities, which
allow lorries with containers to drive straight into ships
and drive off at the end of the voyage. (e.9. Dover Calais, Holyhead Dublin)
d. Most of the docks in Liverpool, once the main port in
Britain, have closed and have been replaced by a large
container dock, which handles the same volume of
cargo but with a very small labour force. lts pr6sperity
depended on trade with America but now much of
Britain's trade is with Europe, which favours east coast
ports like Felixstowe.
(t
,l
F.
Air Transport
Air Transport has not developed on a large scale within Britain because of the country's relatively small size; however, British
overseas air transport is on the increase (see fig. 10.5). For example, London alone is served by four airports.
fig. 10.6 which shows the volume of

passenger traffic at the United Kingdom's main airports.
Which of these airports serve London?
(Clue: they are located closest to the capital),
12. Study fi9.10,5 and
990 1995 1998 1999 2000

42.6 54.1 60.4 62.0 64.6
21.0 22.4 29.0 30.4 32.0
Heathrow
Gatwick
Manchester
Stansted
Sirminoham
Glasqow
Luton
10.1
1.2
3.5
4.3
2.7
14.5
17.2
17.4
18.5
3.9
5.2
5.4
6.8
6.6
6.5
11 .B
1.8
4.1
9.4
6.9
6.8
5.3
7.5
6.9
6.1
Fig. 10.5 United Kingdom's main airports

(millions of passengers per year)
PRAGTIGE AND GONSOLIDATION

Traffic problems such as: pollution, congestion, speed,
parking have increased and will probably continue to do so,
especially in towns.
Study the measures listed below which are used to

reduce traffic problems in Britain. What problem does
each of the measures a-j try to solve?
a. Bus lanes aimed at separating cars from buses and give
priority to buses.
Fig 10.6 lnternational and

Regional Airports in Britain
f. Sleeping policemen are humps in the road meant to slow

traffic down in residential areas
b. Cycle lanes meant to encourage cycling in towns

g. Wheel clamping is applied for illegal parking; the motorist
c. Multi-storey or underground car parks

d. Park and ride schemes which try to limit the number of
cars entering the town centre by providing relatively cheap
parking space at ihe edge of town and then running low
cost buses from there into the town centre
e. Tidal flow schemes in which a S-lane urban motonray is

provided with traffic lights at shorl distances along its length.
ln the morning 3 lanes are open to traffic going into town and
in the evening the traffic leaving town has more space.
has to pay a large fee for his car to be freed.
h.. One-way streets
i. Ecological cars/engines and other forms of "green

transport'encouraged by the government. Most car engines
now run on leadJree petrol. The biogas driven and electric
car may be the vehicles of the future.
j. Diversion of heavy traffic
oul of town (using ring roads
and by-passes)
Road safety in Britain is said to be one of the highest in the European Union. Road safety measures involve the cooperation of
many organisations and groups such as: vehicle drivers, motorcycle riders, pedestrians, vehicle manufacturers, local authori
road builders, police forces, law makers and schools.
ln pairs, make a list of measures that each of the above groups can take to increase road safety. You might need words like:
improve, enhance, enforce, increase, decrease, introduce.
e.g. police - introduced automatic speed cameras
law makers - made seaf be/fs compulsory for all the car seafs.
Summary:
British transport is diversified. The most widely used mode of transp'ort is the road. The ones in
greatest decline are rail and water.
46
r
I0
"t +,
Transport affects the environment in various ways. Column A lists the detrimental effects of transport
on the environment, while
column B lists some ways of protecting the environment.
a. Match the items in the two columns, bearing in mind that one protection measure may have
beneficial etfects on
more than one item in column A.
b' Write in your notebooks full sentences connectinE the two items, as in the model: ,,The use of electric
cars means a
smaller consumption of fossil fuels. lt will lead both to the conservation of the resources and to a reduced pollution.',
l.t,l.l'
L.
I
Column A - Problems
Column B - Solutions
pollution (visual, noise, air, water)

fuel consumption
dangerous for pedestrians
destruction of old buildings (through
vibrations from vehicles, fumes)
car parks and motonivays take up a lot
of land
Fig. 10.7 Diagram of

the Channel Tunnel
electric cars
unleaded petrol cheaper than leaded petrol
development of public transport (bus lanes
in towns, subsidies for some bus services)
a
a
cycle lanes
pedestrian areas
The Channel Tunnel was begun in 1987 by an Anglo-French

company and is also known as Eurotunnel, the Chunnel or
the Trans.Manche link. lt was finished in 1994.
It is made up of three tunnels, two for passenger and freight
trains, including special shuttle trains transporting cars and
lorries, and a smaller service tunnel (see fig. 10.7).
Eurotunnel is 50 km long, 37km of this under the water.
It connects terminals near Folkstone and Calais (fig. 10.S).
The journey of the Eurostar train through the tunnel takes
only about 20 minutes, but there are also trains that start from
London and go to Paris or Brussels. These journeys last for
about 3 hours.
ln pairs, draw up a list of advantages and

disadvantages of the Eurotunnel, Use information
from fig. 10.8 and from the text box next to it, plus your
own knowledge.
Add the following points to your list:
Advantages
of Britain and Europe have been

joined trade and industry has been helped
road and rail networks
Disadvantages
job losses in ports and ferry companies
animals may get through tunnel and bring such diseases as
rabies (non-existent in the UK)
"
Britain's 200-year old canal system has been proposed as a

UNESCO Heritage Site to rank alongside the Great Wall of
China, the Acropolis and the Taj Mahal. Being the first netvyork
of transport in the rlorld's first industrial revolution. it is
considered suitable to meet the UNESCO requirements of
"masterpiece of human creative genius". lt was started in
the 17'n century. Canal building reached its peak at the climax
of the lndustrialRevolution, in the 18'n-i9'n centuries.3000
miles of canals were built. They were particularly suitable
for the transport of heavy, bulky goods such as coal and stone.
They also solved the problem of making Britain's short and
Fig. 10.9 A canal lock
shallow rivers navigable. However, the network linking
England's main rivers fell into decline with the ascent of the
railway. Nowadays they are experiencing a revival.
Using figure 10.9, suggest what canals are used for today.
Ntzi
ZINS
e[
-."......%
1-;
\/
rlrl.rcremrnffire[! ANE Ro[mrcM

i---------l-eisure
I
tourism
industry
ms
ffiG [trs
-----i
holidays/ honey pots national
parks
ecotourism
r-----------
-----.:
a. How important is free time to you?
b. How much free time do you have?
c. Makealistofthings/activitiesyouassociatewithyourfreetime.e.g.dancing,watchingtelevision,hikingetc.
d. What
is tourism? Brainstorm the word
tourism
.&Types of recreational activities in the United Kingdom

1. a) Study the tree map below, which shows some of the leisure activities in Britain. Give suitable examples of the
activities in the boxes in the tree map below.
b.) Read the text below and mark in the margin different kinds of information using the following code:
+ new information ? confusing information or something you would like to
/information that you already
know
know more about

ln recent years, Britain has been described as "a leisure society". This is because there is a great variety of leisure pursuits and
people have more time and money to spend on relaxation. Some recreational activities refer to indoor activities, others to
outdoor sporting activities such as water sports, golf, etc.
This latter category is not always beneficial to the natural environment and even puts places located near lakes and the coast at risk.
Tourism has recently become an important business and the fastest growing industry in the world. This tertiary activity is
concerned with providing services to people who wish to spend more time away from home, usually on holidays (defined as
spending four or more nights away from home, as opposed to day outings).
ln Britain there has been an increase in "active" holidays and in self-catering, as well as a greater awareness of providing
sustainable tourism.
G. Changing patterns in the British
tourist industry
ln the last hundred years, the annual period of holiday has become a defining part of the British way of life with increasing
numbers of families travelling abroad or taking more than one holiday per year. Such countries as Spain ( 28%), France
(220/o\ but also the USA (7.5%) are holiday
Factors influencing
Specific examples
Examples of areas
destinations for the British residents in 2000. Most
tourism
of them take more than one holiday per year
practising different forms of tourism: day trips,

cultural, historic, educational and recreational.
Recent trends in tourism and the changing
demands made especially in the kinds of holidays
people now take and where they take them, have
sprung from a wide range of factors such as:
scenery, weather, hansport, more leisure time,
amenities, a.s.o. Some of the factors influence
the location of the holiday industry. (Fig.11.1)
Other factors such as greater affluence, greater
mobility, and more leisure time reflect the new
trends that have changed the face of British
tourism
2. Complete the blanks
in the table (Fig. 11.1)
with appropriate information
Scenery
Sandv coasts
Blackpool
Lakes
Weather
Sunshine
Snow
Transport
Water transport
Car and couch
Margate
Plane
Channel lslands
Accommodation
Amenities
Advertising and TV
0r00rammes
Hotels and B&B

resorts
Caravan parks and
campsites
Cultural and
historical olace
Active amenities
Aviemore
NationalParks
York
Kielder (reservoir)
Package tours
Fig. 11.1 Tourism in the UK
NTZ
4A
ZCr-N
LD. National Parks in the UK

National parks are defined by Act of Parliament (1949) as "areas of great natural beauty giving opportunity to open air recreation,
established so that natural beauty can be preserved and enhanced, and so that the enjoyment of the scenery by the public can
be promoted."
According to the definition above, national parks in the UK are of great importance. The facts listed below show evidence of this:
o Britain's first national parks set up in the 1950s;

o 11 national parks in England ano Wales today;
o some of the most spectacular upland scenery;
o only one coastal national park Wales , Pembrokeshire;
o mainly in private ownership (farmers) - BlYo - although
bodies such as the National Trust, the Forestry
Commission, the WaterAuthorities are important
landowners;
3. ldentify the national parks according to the number
o
o
supportive to local population who are dependent on

primary and tertiary forms of employment, although
sometimes conflicts may arise;
many of the nation's "honeypots" areas of attractive
scenery or of historic/cultural interest;
many opportunities for outdoor activities
(riding, walking, fishing) and specialist
attractions (caving, gorge walking. etc.)
on the map (Fig. 11.2). Name the region in which the national park
is situated.
Key to the map
Name of National Park
Established
1, Northumberland
2. North York Moors
1952
Day Trip Resort
Long Stay Resorts
CulturavHistoric
Resorts
956
3. Lake District
951
4, Yorkshire Dales
954
5. Peak District
951
6. Snowdonia
951
7 The Broads
989
B. Pembrokeshire Coast
1952
9. Brecon Beacons
957
10.Exmoor
954
11. Dartmoor
951
12 New Forest
2004
Planned park for the South Downs, not yet decided
Wales
Fi9.11.2 Location of holiday resorts and

national parks in the UK
Summary
Britain is considered nowadays a'leisure society'as people have more time, money and oppoftunities to relax. There are
many indoor and outdoor recreafional activities connected with holidays.
Tourism is a fast-growing industry and an important factor in Britain's economy. New frends have appeared recently according
to changing lifestyles.
National Parks are important tourist aftractions although conflicts over their use lead to the susfainable tourism debate.
49
Geoprofilos 4.
'
-t>
PRACTICE AN D GOruSOLI DA"rilSN

1. a. Thefollowingdefinitionsrefertorecreation,leisure,holidaysandtourism.Saywhichsentencebelowdefineseach
term mentioned:
1. time when you are not working or studying and you do things you enjoy
2. the business of providing things for people to do and places to stay in their free time
3. activiiies you do for pleasure or amusement as a pastime or hobby
4. spending at least 4 nights away from home to relax
b. Give 5 reasons why Britain is considered nowadays a "leisure society".
to: computer
Here are some tips of what the term refers

games / indoor pools / Friday nights go out to disco or pub / Sundays a day to rest
c. According to statistics, in 2001, British Ainrvays London
Eye was at the top of UK tourist attractions charging admission.

Other attractions in the list were Madame Tussaud's in London, Canterbury Cathedral and Windsor Castle. On the
other hand, Blackpool Pleasure Beach was at the top of UK free tourist attractions, followed by the British Museum, the
National Gallery and the Tate Gallery in London. Classify each tourist attraction as belonging to one of the types of
tourism: cultural tourism (CT); recreation tourism (RT)
2. Using the description of Hogmanay in Scotland, choose
one specific Romanian holiday to describe.
OHogmanay is the celebration of the NewYear in Scotland. lts official date

until the morning of the
st. The
)Nfl I
is the 31'' December, which lasts through the night
most widespread national custom is the praciice of
first footing, which starts after midnight.

This involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbour and often involves the giving of symbolic
such as coal, money or shortbread, intended to bring different kinds of luck to the householder.
3.
Read the information below. Discuss the possible differences that exist between theme parks and country parks.
As traditional holiday patterns have been changing, the demands placed on the countryside have also changed.
More people are seeking outdoor recreation, some of the most popular being: visits to theme parks, visits to a zoo,
picnics, walks in a country park, swimming, angling, horse riding, observing wildlife.
Theme parks
> very popularfor day-outings
> provide activities for the whole family
>
not usually found within towns
Country parks
> created in the 1970's to avoid
environmental damage and erosion

> Vary in size and attractions
> problems arising from overcrowding
on lakes
> disturbance to wildlife reseryes
> few parking areas
50
Nltzi
zlL_rss
C
Each year, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family attend the Trooping of
the Colour ceremony on Horse
t^l,lo: jl L-ylon The Queen attends the ceremonyio take the salutefro; thousands ot guaiJsmen who parade the
9::l1t
Queen's colour (or flag).
O British bank holidays

O
C
have been recognized since 1871. The name Bank Holiday comes from the time when Banks
were
shut and so no trading could take place.
one type- of activity holiday much appreciated by the British is the so-called "murder weekend"during which you can find
yourself living out the plot of a detective story.
The father of modern mass tourism was Thomas Co-ok who, on July 5,1841,organised the
firsi package tour in history.
He took a group of teetotalers from Leicester to a rally in Loughborough, some twenty miles
away. Cook immediately siw the
potential for business development in the sector, and became the world's first tour
operator
As tourism has now become the world's greatest industry, ecotourism represents a very powerful means
to ddvelop
biodiversity. The principal objective of ecological tourism is to benefit from nature, landscapes or specific species
by
promoting environmental responsible travel to relatively undisturbed areas in order to
enjoy and appreciate nature and
accompanying culturalfeatures and become aware of the need for preserving natural capital and cultural
capital. There is
a strong relationship between ecotourism and conservation, sustainability and biodiversity, a relationship
which meets the
interests of many international organisations.
(Ad a pted fro m wi ki pedi a.org.)
a' R9a.{ the case study on Snowdonia. Compare this national park with a national park in Romania
and identify two
similarities and two differences between them. Make up the profile of the Romanian park according to the model
below.
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
Snowdonia is a region of North Wales and a National Park, the second largest in England and Wales. The
area is renowned
for its spectacular mountainous and coastal scenery, containing glaciated eltuaries aid valleys, broad-leaved
woodlands,
rugged mountains with alpine flora, sandy bays and large sand dune systems.
The area is named after Snowdon (in Welsh Yr Wyddfa) also containi an unusual variety of wildlife
habitats. Therefore it is
very popular with tourists.
The park is governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which is made up of local government
and Welsh national
representatives. Snowdonia is made up of both public and private lands under a central pla-nning
authority.
The 6 million annual visitors are bound to cause problems, both to the environment and io the pirk's
residents. These
problems include, among others, traffic pollution, footpath erosion, conflicts
between farmers and tourists as well as between
park residents and holiday house owners.
Snowdonia's culture is intertwined with the Welsh langrage, which is spoken by much of the population
as Gwynedd was the
stronghold of the Welsh princes whose people were of Celtic origin.
The park is renowned for its wealth of archaeological remains sliowing how people have inhabited
the area over the last
6,000 years. There are many buildings of archaelogical and historical importance including
casfles built by Welsh princes and
Edward l's fortress at Harlech.
There are other special attractions as well, such as Greenwood Centre a forest park
that provides opportunities for family
,
adventure or the Labyrinth where Welsh tales of King Arthur are retold in dramatic undergiound
settinis.
(lnformation adapted from the Snowdonia National park site)
PARK PROFILE
3'o National park In
England and Wales
Area: 2,141sq.km (213,200 ha)
Highest Point: Mt Snowdon, 1,085 m
Land use: unenclosed mountain/moorland,
deciduous woodlands, water and
buillup areas, agricultural land, forest
areas
Scenery 37 km ofcoasfline
1 5 peaks over 1 ,000 m
over 100 lakes
Population: living withln the park: 26,250
Welsh speakers (1999): 70%
Age (18-64) 15,400
Visitor days per year: 6.6 million
Designated: 1951 , as the
r-\llZi
zllN!
5{
NIIZ
C.
'%
z1N
r.+
CC\P \.
b"rc.t
Complete the following map of the UK by writing in the names of islands, seas. Show the boundaries between the
countries belonging to the UK.
IT
q\fi
ii
it
<,)
itr tr
f!
)
!li
4
,.fr.
]J
*r\
,7I
z--
..---S
.^,
,^
ieL
"r
7.
2-J,>
_^!
4,-/-
2.
Z)
$r^)
-{
Make a short description of the relief in Britain by filling in the gaps in the
below.
lntermsof landscapetherearetwomain areasinBritain: .......:.--:-.................. and.....ll) . ............. whose
boundary can be roughly defined by an imaginary oblique line.
Mostofthecountry@bout750/o)ishighlandregionmadeupbyolderoded......,..)>-'.,..
.Thehighestpeakis
..ri>*,, ... .ir (

m)situated in the .............:'.::":::.......... .. .. . Mts in ScotlanMhe lowland area is mainly situated
inthe .....*..-..........1:;.. partof the country and aroundthe . .....**..1.:.... Except forthe areascalled
....
3.
4.
... .. ..
of .......i,.,.......(also called escarpmp(s), valleys and plains.

Enumerate the elements of weathe[g).Give the definitions of the weather and of the climate
b) Which are the factors affecting climate? How do they act?

Characterize the rivers in Britain Which are the most important rivers flowing into the Norlh Sea and which are those that
flow into the lrish Sea_and the Atlantic Ocean respectively?
5. What is a)density (b)migration c)green belt d)urban sprawl

6. Which are the energy resources? How can you group them? .,
7. Give the classification of industry: a)
\.b)
c)
dI
8, What physical factors and what human factors influence farming? How many types
of farming do you know?
Which are they?
52
N3Z
Zar\s
Choose the correct answer. There may be 2 possible solutions.
1.
Which sea separates Britain from lreland?

a) North
Sea
b) lrish
Sea
6. The wettest part of
a)
c) Celtic Sea
2. Which is the narrow channel between Great Britain and
south-est
Britain is:
b)
7. Where are most of
north-east
Britain's oil rigs?
a) English Channel b)Atlantic
mainland Europe?
a) British Channel b) Pentland
Firlh
c) south-west
Ocean
c) North Sea
c) Strait of Dover
3. Mt. Snowdon is the highest peak in:

a)
b) England and Wales c) Scotland
Wales
8.The most eitensive farming type in Britain is?:

a).[ill farming b) market gardening c) crofting
is the most developed economic section:
4. ln which country is Loch Ness?

a) Scotland b) Republic of lreland c). Wales
a)
primary
1O.The
subtropical
b).
changeable
c)tertiary
first N'ational Park established in the UK was:

District b) Snowdonia c) Lake District
a)Peak
S.What is the climate in Britain like?

a)
b)secondary
c)temperate-maritime
GEOPROFILE THE UK
Here are some superlatives of UK. Write the correct ideas, places, names, and figures
01. Official name of the country
1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
lreland
02. Type of country
2. lnsular country
03. Largest country (in area
04. Largest city
05. Highest peak
5.
06. Longest river
6.
07. Largest lake
7.
08. Lowest area
8.
09. Wettest areas
10. Warmest areas
10.
11. Highest temperature recorded
11.
12. Lowest temperature recorded
'12,
13. Largest group of islands

14. Most densely populated
15. Most sparsely populated
,N^*
13,
country
14.
't5.
w{ cilA jrrr"t:l
Now it is time to travel around the UK. Choose a region from

the map (Fig.1). ln your groups make a poster to present
the region. Focus on the notions already covered in the book'
The following guidelines might help you organize your
work:
1. LOCATION
2.
RELIEF
3. CLIMATE
Which part of ihe country?
forms of relief (best solution a map of the region)
- average temperature for summer (July) and
winter (January) (Fig, 3.2 and 3,3)

- amounts of precipitation (Fig.3.a)
'1rwp
4. WATERS
$r
- rivers and lakes in the region

,...i
5, P0PULATI0N :
- population distribution (Fi9.5.1), migration
6. SETTLEMENTS
7.
4
rj
-". .,
f
ENERGY RESOURCES
What energy resources can

be found in the region?
Fig.
B. INDUSTRY :What is produced in the region? (Fi9.8.1)
9. AGRICULTURE : What type of farming is to be found in
the region? (Fig.9.1)

10. TRANSPORT
- density of motonruay network

- airports (Fig.10.2)
(- don't forget the tunnel)
11
TOURISM
"rf'rl
- is the region mainly rural or urban

- most important cities
1 Regions of the
UK
DON'T FORGET ABOUT:
.
.
.
nationalflag (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern

lreland)
national symbols
pictures and other info: httpl/encarta.msn.com and
other related sites on the internet
famous sights (preferably pictures)
To make your proiect more interesting you can add a cultural side to it by including in it element such as:
personalities
connected to it
short descriptions
of famous sights
hrstorical information
recipes/dishes typical for area
animals, plants, typical for area

traditional customs
music, dances, sports,
products (if any)
54
I
literary works
connected to it
maps, diagrams, icons
north
less than '1,000 km from the south coast (Lizard Point, cornwall, England) to the extreme
(Duinet Head, north-east Scotland) and under 500 km across at the widest poinis.
Length and width of the
uK-
Name of country
Area
Pooulation
Caoital citv
Hiqhest peak
Lonqest/main river
Lanouaqe spoken
Pooulation densitY
Name of country
Area
Pooulation
Capital citv
Hiohest oeak
Lonqest/main river
Lanquaqe spoken
Pooulation densitv
Enqland
130.433 sq.km
50 million
London
Scafell Pike (978 m)
The Severn (322km)
Enolish
i'-
377 inhabitants/sq km
Scotland
78.822 sq.km
5 million
Edinburqh
Ben Nevis (1343 m)
The Tav (193km)
Scottish Gaelic (English)
64 inhabitants/sq krtl
Wales
20.778 sq.km
3 million
Cardiff
Snowdon (10E5 m
The Severn (5zzKm
Welsh (Enqlish
140 inhabitants/sq Km
Northern lreland
13,576 sq.km
2 million
Belfast
Slieve Donard (853m; ''
The Bann (a4km)
lrish (Enqlish)
124 inhabitants/sq km
ffi
i'.rr:,:l.iir'1.
5r'r:1i;i;:t
lr't-'i:rtl.i.
tit+;;tti r,, l
llit
Symbols of the four countries
NZ
The Union Jack
EIIZ
zzlrN
ry
55
tl2.utril@trtrmomle
,'
i
areA
r----------
extreme
lr
points time-zones outlying areas contiguous dependent territories
r-----------
a. Do you know the difference
between the following terms:
USA FACT FILE
North America, Anglo-America and the Americas?
b.
Can you say to which of the above-mentioned groups
does the USA belong? How does the USA differ from the
other countries in the region from the geographical point
of view?
B. Location of the United States of America

1. Read the
following texts to find out about the location
9,629,091 km'
(total)
9,158,960 km'
Land
470,131 km'
Water
19,924km'
Coastline
1,717,854km'
Alaska -(largest state)
Rhode lsland - (smallest state) 4,002 km'
US area
of the US.
The United States of America, the fourth largest country in
the world covers an area of 9,629,091km'z. Most of the country
is in the central part of North America. lt is bordered by
Canada in the North and Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico in
the South. The Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans wash its
western and eastern shores. There is a great deal of
physical variety within the USA. lt is also one of the most
populous countries in the Western Hemisphere 275,562,673 million inhabitants - (2000 census)
Find the approximate latitude and longitude of the

American territory the mainland of which includes the
contiguous 48 states. Take into consideration the
extreme points (Fig.1 2.1 ).
Fig.12.1 Extreme points of the USA
3. ldentify and locate
on the map
(Fig.12.2) the peninsulas, islands and
gulfs which are part of the USA.
They reflect the complexity of the coastli
with varying characteristics: deep,
meandering estuaries on the eastern
coast and high and rocky cliffs on the
western coast, The Gulf of Mexico is low,
sandy, with a delta.
Fi9.12.2 Location of the USA
56
C. Time Zones in the USA

4. Read the text and find the states which are located in
each time zone.
Because of its large extension from Norlh to South and from
East to West, there are four time zones in the USA:
Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific.

When midnight comes to New York, it is 11 p.m. in Chicago,
10 p.m. in Denver and only 9 p.m. in Los Angeles. This
means that if you travel from the East to the West, you must
set your watch back one hour when entering a new zone. lf
you travel from the West to the East, you set your watch
ahead one hour at each time zone.
D.
?E!
os
Fr.ific
Administrative Structure of the United States
l.loun!ffi
Cftrd
Fig. 12.3 Time zones in the USA
of America
The United States of America has a complex administrative structure with 50 states, one Federal District and several
dependent territories.
5. Study the map below and fill in the blank spaces with suitable words. Choose the words from the box below.
:The U.S. is one of the
(2)qf the slates are enclosed
in the
within one
othertwo no*
!h.
far NW part of North America and
li(6) lying in the Pacific Ocean. There is also onelirderal District (District
of Columbia)wherethecapital
(7)issituated.TheNorthernbo6derwithrlrp,*cd-O\
is situated. The Northern bo[der with {]r
(8) is tl
(8)isthe
longest continuous frontier in the world.
6,000 km long and passes through tour lA,_IZJ
(9). The USA
lA,_l/-i)
possesses some
(10) territoriei in Central Americian'd
.uch as Puerto'Rico and the Virgin
few-(1)countries
common inrl^^^.- i3[he
\jl:) D?-,.
z-(7)
lslands.
,x
*,+$+ui[+)S-tesg'..,,=$+\4-(5111
}-^^cr,(O\
*--four
O;lE
boundary
world."
fragme-r-rted,
jL
,/
.onrltgrors, Alaska, washington D.c., cqnada,
-lr!!g!, Hawaii,
dependent
Summary
The USA is a huge country in North America consisting of 50 states and one Federal District. The long coastline shapes the
inland territory and its economic activities. Alaska and Hawaii were the last states admitted in the Union. They are separated
from the mainland just like the other dependent territories.
E
57
PRAGTICE AND GONSOLIDATION

1. Let's play the game "free association"
starting with the words "The USA".
ln turns, each student makes
associations to the previous word.
e.g. the USA New York East Coast
Washington D.C.- the capital etc.
2 . Use the map of the USA to locate the

following cities on the map, according
to their latitude and longitude.
. Atlanta, Georgia, 340N., 84oW

. Boston, Massachusetts, 430N.,710W
. Seattle, Washington, 480N.,1 22oW
. Las Vegas, Nevada,36oN.,11sow.
Norfolk, Virginia, 360N., 760W.,
3. Explain what a time zone is. Give

some examples of the problems that
can result from the existence of a
time zone.
4.
Fig. 12.5 Location of the USA
Give the antonyms of: contiguous,

easternmost, meandering. Use the
words in sentences to iescribe your country.
>|fl I
5. Choose the correct form in the context:
a) The USA is/are part of North America.

b) The largest gulf along the Pacific Ocean is Alaska's
Gulf/ the Gulf of Alaska.
c)
The Hawaiian islands/archipelago has/have a subtropical
d)
There is much/many physical variety in America.
climate.
6.
a)
Unscramble the following anagrams to give the name
of three types of gulfs along the American coastline:
tadel
djorf
b) Link
by arrows the names

description on the right
San Francisco
Mexico
Chesapeake
Gulf of
Bay
Gulf
Bay
Alaska
ratusey
on the left with the
deep, meanderrng , elongated
low, with lagoons, sandY
long, narrow steep-sided inlet
tectonic, deep-water gulf
7. The table below is an extract from a US train timetable

showing time of arrival (hour, day) in various places on
the route from New York to Los Angeles passing through
Chicago, route that is passing through the four time
zones.
a) Locate the places on a map.
b) Why is the journey from New York to Los Angeles shorter than that from Los Angeles to New York?
From New York-Penn Station, NEW Y0RK to Los Angeles Union Station, CALIFORNIA
From
New York
To
Chicago,lllinois
Chicago,lllinois
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Chicago, lllinois
Chicago, lllinois
New York
Remember : The American way

wav of writing the date is month/day/year
Departs
2:50 pm
o3t29l04
3:15 pm
03t30t04
6:45 pm
04to2l04
7:00 pm
04l04lo4
Arrives
9:20am
03t30t04
8:15 am
04to1t04
3:20 pm
04t04lo4
1:50 pm
04lo5lo4
rc
NE
58
The geographical centre of the 48 contiguous states is
located at Lebanon in Kansas,
the geographical centre of the United States (including
Alaska and Hawaii) is in Butte County, South Dakota at
44"58' N, 103"46',W.
the geographical centre of North America is in North
Dakota, a few miles west of Devils Lake, at 48"10'N,
100''10'w,
a car trip from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast
typically takes a minimum of five days with almost no
stops to look around.
the gap between the warmest and coldest high
temperatures on a given day in the United States could
reach 70 'Fahrenheit (about 40 'Celsius)
the north-south distance, from Canada in the north to
Mexico in the south is over 1,500 miles (2,500 kilometres)
the full width of North America, from the Atlantic Ocean

on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west is over
2,800 miles (over 4, 500 kilometres).
American Celebrations
Flag Day on June 14 is among the national celebrations celebrated in the USA. ln the 20'n century this has become
an important issue. lncluded in the code of ethics are such rules, as the national flag cannot be used for advertising.
It cannot cover a monument or any ceilings. lt must not be folded while being displayed. No one should write on an
American flag. Ships can lower their flags slightly in greeting each other, but othenivise should not be dipped for any
other object or person.
The first flag, called the Grand Union, was first flown at the headquarters of the Continental Army on January 1,1776.
Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday dates back lo 1621, the year after the Puritans
arrived in Massachusetts. After a hard winter, in which about half of them died, their neighbours, the lndians taught
them how to plant corn and other crops. The next fall the rich harvest inspired the Pilgrims to give thanks by holding a
feast. To this day, fhanksgiving dinner almost always includes some of the food served at the first feast: roast turkey,
cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.
The Fourth of July or lndependence Day honours the nation's birthday the signing of the Declaration of lndependence
on July
4,1776.
Martin Luther King Day is the third Monday in January. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., an African-American
clergyman, is considered a great American as he fought to secure civil rights for all people through non-violent means.
Since his assassination in 1968, memorial services have marked his birthday.
Memorial Day - the last Monday in May. lt commemorates the national heroes buried in Arlington. Arlington National
Cemetery in Virginia is the nation's largest national cemetery. Not only are members of the armed forces buried here,
astronauts, explorers and other distinguished Americans have all been honoured with a special place. President
John Kennedy is buried in a spot overlooking Washington D.C. On Memorial Day, the President or Vice President
of the United States gives a speech and lays a wreath on the tombs. Members of the armed forces shoot a rifle salute
in the air.
Veterans'Day -Novemberll.lnlglB,ontheeleventhhourof
theeleventhdayintheeleventhmonth,theworld
rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all wars" was over.
Nowadays, Americans give thanks for peace on Veterans' Day. There are ceremonies and speeches aRd at 11 :00 in
the morning, most Americans observe a moment of silence, remembering those who fought for peace.
E
,I
59
{3.mEnffi@mmffiE
I
I
varied
canyons
rolling foothills
volcanic
peaks
fault
lines
Look at the physical map of the US fig. 13.2. Do you find any
similarities in terms of relief between Britain and the US?
B. The types of relief

following passages to find out about the types
of relief found in the USA. Using mapfig.13.2 fill inthe gaps.
1. Read the
According to age the mountains in the USA are grouped into

two categories:
Mountains. They are like a
Old:long wall, almost parallel with the eastern coastline. The
highest peak is Mt. Mitchell 2037m.
where the Coastal Plains and the
Central Plains meet.
tVew; the west-coast mountains, which are part of the

Cordilleras and form two disiinct ranges:
a)
, the eastern range, bordered bY

the Great Plains in the east and by the intermontane
Basins in the West. They are characterised by a complex
system oftroughs and ridges.
of the USA are high and situated west of the

Rockies. They are also known as lntermontane Basins and
consist of three subdivisions:
- the
the norih
in the middle
- the
- the
in the south
Iheflateaus
-+bePlatmare
again of two tyPes:
a)Low.plains:
b) The Pacific Coastal mountain ranges consist of two

parallel chains:
in the north with Mt Rainier
it
(4392 m) as its highest peak.
, which contains the highest
peak of the contiguous USA: Mt. Whitney 4418 m
lies the Central Valley a long and
'- and west of it
b'road trough that separates the Si6rra Nevada
from the Coast Ranges
which run along the west
ii) cobst from the Canadian border to Mexico.
along the eastern and

southern coasts and gradually widen from north to south.
- the
situated south of the Great
Lakes region, stretch from the western slopes of the
Appalachians to the Great Plains. The land is mostly level
with some gently rolling hills.
- the
b) High plains:
- the
a vast area that stretches
from Canada in the north to Mexico in the South. The
Rocky Mountains are the western boundary of thts region.
-run
-
-,
oc,
()
o
ffi
nsoir*"tunder$o(lml
y: tlh ploins ond Plsteaus

(undcf zs{x, m}
.
:
sddfllfliE
e+rcW
r lxlfffff,r.c'fr'r
Fig. 13.2 The relief and drainage of the United States
Is'ol
I
[i,
E
:
C.
How was the landscape created?
The major forces that were responsible for shaping and moulding the landscape both in the past and at present are volcanoes,
earth movements, ice, rivers, wind, temperature etc.
2. Here is a brief presentation
of some of these forces and the way they have altered the relief of the USA. Match the
paragraphs labeld a-e with the headings labeld 1-5. Gomplete the answer grid at the bottom of the page as shown:
a. Volcanoes have played an important part in shaping the
land.
d.
Relief is also shaped by wind action. ln arid lands there is

little binding action by grass or tree roots and loose particles
of soil are blown around by the wind. Sand-laden winds
erode the rocks into strange shapes. Less resistant layers
are worn away, leaving the more resistant rocks clearly
etched. Wind action is strongest near the ground, where the
heaviest particles are blown or rolled along, cutting the
cliffs in odd shapes. Under certain conditions, sand worn
away from rocks is deposited in the forms of dunes, which
are then further shaped by the wind.
e.
Once, both the Rockies and theAppalachians were low flat

lands covered by ancient seas, which, disappeared when
forces from below the earth's crust uplifted the land into
chains of mountains. The Appalachians were created much
earlier than the Rockies; consequently their altitude is
lower due to longer exposure to erosion. The Rockies are
relatively "young", with many peaks over 4000m.
Many of the largest mountains within the Western Cordillera

(Mt Rainier, Mt Shasta) are volcanoes, but for many years
they have remained inactive and may have become extinct.
ln some cases their cones blew apart or collapsed making
calderas, which later filled with water to form lakes or in
others lava poured over the land in great floods to build the
Columbia Plateau.
b. The lce affected the highland and lowland regions in

different ways. ln the highlands, ice ground down and
eroded the mountains and valleys, producing steep-side,
flatbottomed trenches. Lowland areas were covered by a
thick coat of a mixture of sand, gravel and clay called till or
drift. These deposits were carried by glacial ice, which
scraped the surface over which it advanced. When the ice
melted the material was dumped forming a mass of hills
and hollows. The Central Plains offers good examples of
glacial deposition.
c.
Rivers are the most constant and powerful of all thd forces
that wear down the land. Given time, the highest mountain
can be worn down until its peaks turn into lonely stumps
sticking up out of a plain. The Rockies, which are young
mountains, contain many fast-flowing rivers, which have
cut deep, narrow gorges along their courses. The
Mississippi (Old Man Rlver), on the other hand, flows slowly
over its flood plain carrying large amounts of silt.
1 When the earth moves

2 Volcanoes create a new landscape
3 Land shaped by ice
4 Wind-erodedlandscape
5 Rivers
1
{r
Summary
Variety is the main feature of the relief in the USA.
The mountains are either old and eroded or young
and rugged. There are large areas of high or low plains.
lce, volcanic activity and rivers have altered the

face of the land in many ways resulting
spectacular landscapes
i'
6,1
'1r I''ijv
.-r-l
\!
a)
'
t/1/- ,_---<.)
(\---/
lp.t'nacrr CE AND GONSOLIDATION
l\W 1. Comptete the missing
names on the cross-section of relief below using the information from the lesson:
COAST
RANGES
ROCKY
COASTAL
MOUNTAINS
PLAIN
Fig. 13.5 Cross-section through the Rocky Cordillera
2. Using words from the list given

relief in the
1
USA:
volcanic
below,
fill
in the gaps in the following text that offers a general description of the
(
I decrease east . sandy"'

, 1 massive
Central
' canyons wide {ses

...,coastal
,ldisplays ,,West, height
rrocky , plain
ApproachingtheUSAfromthe(1)..............orthesouthyoucomeacrossalow-lyingcoastalplain,whichextendsasfaras
320km inland.lts shores are mostly marshy o(2)..................,, with some good beaches south of NewYork. North of NewYork,
however, the relief is mountainous and the coastline (3).,... ....,...........
lnland from the eastern coastal (4)................and parallelto it is the Fall Line, where rivers flowing to theAtlantic drop over
waterfalls. To the (5)....................its elevation increases to about 2000m in theAppalachian Mountains.
Tothewestof theApplachians,theheights(6)..............,...againintoaplateau.Furtherwest,theyextendasfaras1600km.
These are the (7).........,.........p|ains and the Great Plains. They stretch from Canada in the north to the Gulf Coast in the
south, but to the west the land (8)....................a9ain, reaching elevations of around 2000m.
Parallelto the Great Plains are the Rocky Mountains, the most impressive and (9).,.....,..........0f the mountain ranges in the
contiguous USA. They are made up of some 39 named mountains. Their (10)...................is only surpassed by the Sierra
Nevada mountains which, together with the (11).....................Cascade Mountains enclose within their "stone walls" high
plateaux broken by deep (12).....................cut by rivers.
On the western side of the Sierras, a (13)......................basin contains the CentralValley of California witch continues
northwards to the Willamette Valley.
.... plain like
The Pacific coast (14).......................the Coast Ranges (2000m average height). There is no inland
in the east and south but mostly rocky cliffs ending abruptly in the ocean.
(15)
3. The Rockies and the Appalachians, depicted in figures 1 3.6 and 13.7 , are the main mountain ranges in the USA. Which of
the features given in the text box below describe the Rocky Mts. in fig. 13.6? Underline the correct word(s)from each
given pair, as in the model. lf you solve the task correctly, you will obtain a set of features, which also describe the
Appalachian Mts.
old rugged / eroded forested / !gr9 high / medium height

rich in coal and iron Eteh iAcopper and other non-ferr{us-mietals
The Rockies are:. young /
62
..,,
a.,,.
::;,::al:,,,,,
)
.
)
)
Technically speaking, Hawaii's Mauna Kea is the world's largest mountain. lt begins on the sea floor and rises for 10,044m
to sea level. lts peak reaches 4,205m above sea level giving a total height of j4,24gm.
Many forms of relief in the USA have names that include coiours in them, but the Appalachians seem to lead with the White
Mts., the Green Mts, and the Blue Ridge Mts.- allof them being included in nationalparks. The mostvisited National park is
the Great Smokey Mts. National Park. Covered by a dense blanket of forest, which gives off moisture, this mountain is
permanently enveloped by a bluish-grey haze that gives its name.
Many features of USA relief are considered to be natural wonders. President Theodore Roosevelt appreciated their special
character and promoted the first laws for the creation of national parks in the early 1900s, in an attempt to save the country's
natural resources and areas of outstanding beauty from destruction,
\he
interior southwestern part of the USA is an extremely arid area. Here are
located s6me of the world's well-known deserts:
Death Valleyis located some 160 km east of Mt. Whitney and is the lowest
point in the entire western hemisphere (86m below sea level). lt 225km long
and 6-26km wide and is the hottest place in the USAwith a highest recorded
temperature of 56.70 Celsius. The desert got its name from the numerous gold
seekerswho losttheirlives here in the Gold Rush of 1849. Nowadays, mostof
the gold has been mined, but Death Valley still has large quantities of borax.
The Mojave Deserf is in southern California and covers 38,850sq.km and has
large deposits of iron ore and borax.
The Arizona Desert is located in the Colorado Plateau and was brought to life
by the Colorado River CentralArizona Canal, which is a system of dams,
canals and tunnels that store and take water to the Arizona area. Opened in
l992,theprojectturnedthedesertintoahighlyproductivefarmland. Themaincropshereareirrigatedcotton,wheatandalfalfa.
lmperial Valleyis a former desert in SE California, on the border with Mexico. Ever since the Colorado River wa{e; qas brought
here-to irrigate crops inJ940, this area has become one of the richestfarming areas. Besides truckfarming and dairying, the
chief crops include melons, lgtlUge, citps fruit and cotton.
Although most of the mouptains in the USA are fold mountains, the Cascade Mts. in norlhwestern USA are
'uolcanic. Despite this well-known fact, everyone was surprised when in 1980 Mt. St. Helens erupted.
The following events were experienced: volcanic ash darkened the sky, hot ash destroyed forests and over
7-0 pgople were killed. Can you name other environmental effects of the eruption? Study the photos of
Sl. Helens above for clues
INFO BOX
The Pacific coast of the USA is prone to earthquakes because of the
location of the St. Andreas fault line in California, fig. 13.11). Naturally, the
places at greatest risk are the largest urban settlements such as San
Francisco (SF) and Los Angeles (LA). Over the course of time, both
cities have suffered earthquake destruction. The most devastating
earthquake to strike the contiguous USAwas the one in 1906 in San
Francisco. lt lasted less than a minute and measured 7.8 on the Richter
scale. lt caused damage of $524 million. The human death toll alone was
in excess of 3000 people.
ln an eadhquake people die as much from collapsed buildings as from
fires started by broken gas pipes and electrical systems. Broken water
mains and tsunami waves cause floodings. -
ffi
Fig.1 3.11 American Plates
63 \r
l4.@runfitrANEmnffifrR
i
climatic
variation
tornadoes
hurricanes
Ghinook
t-----------
-----.:
a. What do you think the key terms in the above box refer to?
b. Which are the factors that influence the climate of a region?
B. Climate types in the USA.

1.
Read the information below and identify the climate types on the map and put the appropriate numbers
into the boxes in fig. 14.1.
Location
Glimate subtvpe
1. Deserts and semi
deserts
Glimate type
SUBTROPICAL
- Western part of
Texas
- South-west USA
(interior)
2.
South-eastern USA
Wet subtropical
(also called lradewrnd coasts)
cooL
3.
Mediterranean
4.
Temperate
California (between 300

and 400 lat. N)
North-west USA
(0regon, Washington)
maritime
TEMPERATE
5.
6.
ARCTIC CLIMATE
continental
Central areas of the

USA (Great Plains)
Arctic climate
ln Alaska
Temperate
(beyond 600 lat. N)
Characteristics
high day-time (50"C) and low nighltime (OoC)
temperatures caused by the absence of clouds
less than 25 cm of rain per year
hiqh rate of evaporation

temperatures very warm throughout the year
trade-winds give heavy rainfall
hurricanes
hot, dry summers
warm, wet winters
mild winters
cool summers
annualfange of temperatures small
variations in temperature due to altitude
abundant orecipitation
high annual range of temperature(35-400C):
dry and hot summers
very cold winters
light amounts of precipitation (50cm a year)
which decreases towards the west
there are oeriods of lonq drouqhts
winters are extremely long and cold
temperatures fall to -400C
annuallprecipitation 10 - 20 cm
frequentHhGGb
the long, continuous frost causes the ground to
be permanentlv frozen up to 300m in depth
i-r.
1t/*,,,*, I
I climate
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
II
I
I
|
l
,
I
li
64
M*ntains over 2ooo m
in
I altitude have a climate of

I their own. The difference
I in altitude causes rapid
I modification of
I temperature, precipitation,
I Pressure and wind.

I Temperatures decrease
I
I
I
I
I
I
|
by
for every 200 metres

of height butihe amount o
precipltation increases witl
the altitude. The windward
side receives much more
precipitation than the
leeward side, which is in
tne rain-snauow
10 C
Fi1.14.2 Climate types in the USA
C, The weather
There are 5 air masses responsible for the weather in the USA.
a) Continentalpolar (cP) centred in Canada, this air mass brings cool, clear weather in summer and cold, frosty weather in
winter.
b) Maritime polar (mP) - forms over the Norlhern Atlantic and the Northern Pacific and affects the Norlheast and the Northwest.
They are cool and moist, usually bring cloudy, damp weather. They are not as cold as continental polar air masses,
c) Maritime tropical (mT) - most common across eastern USA. lt formsaver the warm waters of Southern Atlantic Ocean and the
Gulf of Mexico. lt is most prevalent in summer bringing hot, humid weather.
d) Continentaltropical(cT) usuallyforms overthe Deserl Southwest and Northern Mexico during summer. lt brings record heat
to the Plains and the Mississippi Valley during summer.
e) Arctic (A) - a cold dry air mass from Arctic Canada

2. lnsert cB mB mT or cT in the boxes next to the ariows representing air masses
CA
in lig. 14.2
.::8
t
N A.
D. Severe weather
conditions
3.
Read the following

paragraphs and fill
in the gaps with one
of the words given
below.
PACIFIC
OCEAN
\\ rE
t
D.A.
l{J0"
--'r'\
.,Y
I
Ai)
o,
ATLANTI(
OCEAN
Droughts
Blizzards
Chinook
Hurricanes
\1
t]
lCI$a
Fig. 14.2 Air masses affecting the USA
Floods'
Tornadoes
a)
are strong tropical cyclones

which bring high winds and tonential rain.
They occur in late summer and early autumn.
These storms develop over the warm tropical
seas and move rapidly onshore on
unpredictable courses. They affect the
Southeast and the East coasts of the USA.
also called'twisters'result
from the mixing of cold Arctic air and warm
Gulf air sweeping into the interior of the
continent. The wind can reach speeds of
300 km/hour. They may travel only a shorl
distance and last only a couple of hours, but
in that time destroy anything in their path,
are snow storms resulting
from high winds and low temperatures. They
occur usually in the mountainous regions.
b) .-
c)
'
d)
is a warm, dry wind which blows

down the easiern side of the Rockies. lt usually occurs
suddenly, accompanied by a rapid rise in temperature. lts
drying effect can cause avalanches and forest fires.
are common in the lntermontane Basins
e)
and the western side of the Great Plains.
are associated with hurricanes,

(Southeast) periods of prolonged rain (Noflheast) and with
the sudden melting of snow in the mountains (norlhwest USA).
E-
Geoproliles
Fig. 14.3 The formation of the Chinook
Summary
ln the USA there are seven types of climates with big
varlations from region to region.
High mountains parallel to the West coast prevent the
penetration of moist air from the Pacific, hence less
precipitation falls on the Great Plains.
The air masses with a strong influence on the weather
are: the continental polar and maritime koprcal.
65
5.
)-
PRAGTIGE AND ECIruSCILIMATIOru

1. Where in the
USA would you like to

spend your summer and winter holiday
respectively?
Make your choice by taking into account
the relief and climate for each area. The
map from ti1.14.4 can help you decide as
it gives the average temperatures in
degrees Celsius for winter (W) and
summer (S) as well as the precipitation
(P) in cm/year. The average precipitation
value is S0cm/year.
T;*
F;Ftr,I
p
lttirolt:
Fig14.4 Climate map

2. As you can see in the lesson, the
USA experiences a great variety of
weather conditions, some of which
are extreme. The text boxes below
give you clues about the climatic
hazards from various parts of the USA.
ln groups, write weather forecasts for
each ofthe affected areas, including
in them hazard warnings for the
population.
The climatic hazard map from fig.
14.5 will help you locate the hazard.
NROUGI{T
OCCASI{)N{I.
DROtlCIIT
rLO0DI,'I6
DrST SToRtu
TOA]\,{_}0fs
DROTTS}IT
Fig 14.5 Climate hazards map

BLIZARDS
are accompanied by sustained winds with frequent gusts of over 55 km/h. Visibility will frequently be reduced to less than
500m and temperatures will remain extremely low. There is also heavy snow, which exceeds 1Scm in 12 hours.
Occasionally ice accumulation may be experienced too.
FOG
forms on cool mornings when the vapour condenses near the eadh's surface. lt also forms over the sea or in the vicinity of
the sea in conditions of high pressure when the damp sea air cools during the night and then condenses.
Fog is a common occurrence off the coast of New England and along the North-eastern coast as far south as Boston,
where the cold Labrador current meets the warm Gulf Stream.
IORIVADOES
generally occur in the central and southern areas of the USA, usually in spring and summer but odd tornadoes can form as
early as February. They are produced over land when warm air masses rise quickly to be replaced by cold air. The fact
that conditions are suitable for a tornado can be predicted a short while in advance, but ihe tornado path is difficult to
predict. Even if the destruction it causes is limited to a narrow path, the damage can be enormous.
HURRICAIVES
strike the South-eastern coast of the USA, and especially the areas near the Gulf of Mexico. The winds and rains of a
hurricane combine with the forces of the sea to produce huge sea waves (sea surges). When they strike the land, they are
very destructive. Besides the raging winds and heavy rains, floods are also likely to appear.
66
re
,i*'&'{" .
ermce
ln the last few decades, strange weather changes have occurred in the USA and
around the world. The blame for these is laid on El Nino
The term was originally used to describe the warm southward current that appears
off the western coasts of Peru and Ecuador every year around Christmas time
(hence the name - e/nino means chrid in Spanish and refers to Jesus Christ).
Every three to seven years, however, the current becomes exceptionally intense
and can last up to 1B-24 months, affecting the global climate in various ways. For
the USAthese changes involve:
iryr*qq!-Jemp.eratures in winter in the North Central States and lower tem
in the SE and SW
wetter seasons and flooding in the western and south-eastern pafis of the USA,
leading to landslides and erosion
droughts in the south-west
tornadoes (in Florida) and wild storms (in Gulf Coast states)
an increase in ocean level that also causes flooding
the changed water temperature leads to the fall in the quantity of plankton,
which in turn affects sea-bird and fish numbers.
FEATURES
- ongtn
- USA area affected

-
shape
speed
- duration
- associated with
HURRICANES
- over the Atlantic ocean, when the water
temperature surpasses 27 oC, in latitudes

between 50-200 North. They then travel northeast towards 300 North
- the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast (they
advance inland until thev run out of enerqv)
- doughnut (100-2000 km rn diameter, with a
centralarea of calm, called an "eye",12-100
km in diameter)
- '120km/h - 200km/h or more
- up to a couple of davs (on land)
- heavy rainfall and flooding
- intense winds, thunderstorms
- sea surges of 12m in height that cause
- destructive power
flooding
- verv low air oressure
destroy much in their path
uproot trees, break power lines
drown people and animals
leave behind huge deposits of silt and sand
Persistent drought, caused by prolonged

lack of rain often leads to forest fires.
These may be started deliberately or by
accident. ln either case, the long-term
moisture shortage in areas such as the
Rockies or the southern and western parts
of the Great Lakes is increased by several
weeks without precipitation.
What measures can be taken to avoid

or diminish the environmental etfects
of forest fires?
)
F
)
>
\-*..
PAC'FJS
OCnl'.r
Fig.14.7 El Nifio
TORNADOES
- dry, light air crosses the Rocky Mts. and
reaches the Great Plains where it clashes with

wet, warm air coming from the south
- particularly central and southern Oklahoma (an
area called Tornado Allev)

- funnel (with a diameter of 5-35 m)
- 120km/h - 510km/h (in the vortex)

- 16-B0km/h in straiqht line
- from a few minutes to 2 hours
heavy rainfall, thunder and lightening

high wind speed
dense, dark clouds
an intensely low pressure system
- rip up road surfaces
- lift any sort of debris in the air (cars, house
parts, cows, horses, etc.) and by whirling these
have the effect of a huge circular saw that cuts
everything in its path
- make breathing difficult (due to the debris and
low air oressure)
El Nino has a cold counterpart called La Nina (or La Villeja). lt appears in

the years following an El Nino and has opposite effects.
Tornadoes may appear anywhere in the world, but 3 out of 4 hit the USA
The USAexperiences about 1000 tornadoes a year.
On May 3, 1999, Oklahoma was hit by one of the worst tornadoes ever,
an F5 one (510 km/h in the vortex). Only 22 people died, but 0ver.40,000
cars and 8,000 houses were destroyed.
35% of the world population is exposed to hurricanes. ln the USA
many thousands of people are at risk.
The worst hunicane to strike the USA so far was called Katrina(2005) and
it caused damage worth more than $100 billion plus the death of more
than 1000 people.
67
{5.mmwailEre@ffiGIEA
volcanic/trough lakes
delta
r-----------
Look at the map in fig. '15.1. What is the main characterrstic of rivers in the USA? How do they differ from British rivers?
B. The rivers
1, Read the text below and fill in the gaps with
a suitable phrase from the column on the right.
The crest of the Rocky Mountains acts as a watershed, known as the

which separates two major drainage areas: the eastern and the
Western USA,
The rivers
which then flow into the

Pacific Ocean
from the eastern slopes of the Rockies are collected

or they flow
by the Mississippi through its western tributary

directly into the Gulf of Mexico e.g. the Rio Grande.
flows 6,400 km
Those that flow from the western slopes of the Rockies are collecied by the Columbia or
its tributary the Snake River or the Colorado
that spring
gathers its waters from
two- thirds
Many of the rivers that originate from the Appalachians flow directly into the Atlantic
Ocean,
ThemostimportantriveristheMississippiwhich
the lighter pafiicles of silt
of the United States and

from its northern sources to its mouth. Where the river reaches the sea it
slows down and dumps its load. The heavier coarse particles are dropped first while
Continental Divide
are carried farther out. This forces the river to divide into a
number of smaller streams called distributaries forming a delta, which has the appearance
of a bird's foot. The Mississippi delta is
pads of
the continent. New delta land is being created by the river at a rate of 300 feet each year.
2. Fig. 15.1 below shows the rivers and lakes of the
one of the youngest

the Missouri
USA. Consult your atlases and
write in the names of the rivers and lakes.
DA
^q
Qr
u{
ot
Gulf of
Mexico
Fig. 15.1 The rivers and lakes in the USA
68
EE
C. The lakes
The lakes in the USA have various origins. Some of them are glacial, others volcanic whilst
others are tectonic lakes.
Some lakes are man-made.
3. Read the captions below and match them with the appropriate figure.
A) The Great Lakes
- Superior, Michigan, Huron,

Erie and Ontario and their connecting channels form
the largest fresh surface water system on Earth.

Covering more than 243,460square km and draining
more than twice as much land. The water from the
Great Lakes flows through the St Lawrence River to
the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,600km away. These lakes
were formed when the ice sheets from the last
glaciation flowed across the land towards the ocean
in the north. Where they encountered more resistant
rock they stopped and later on they melted.
D) Reservoirs can be found

on rivers like Tennessee,
Colorado and Columbia. T
are multi-purpose schemes
serving a variety of uses:
irrigation,
storing water,
hydroelectric power,
flood control
leisure.
.
.
.
.
.
c)'Itr,Gralt Sdt
Lal(e, a remnant
a prehistoric freshwater lake, is
the largest lake west of the
Mlssissippi River. lt covers an area
of 4,403 square km and is situated
on a shallow playa. lts water is 3 to
5 times saltier than the ocean.
B) Crater Lake was formed

after the collapse of an
ancient volcano named Mount
Mazama about 7,700 years
ago, lt measures more than
five miles (B km) in diameter.
Crater Lake at 1,958 feet
(597m) deep is the seventh
deepest lake in the world and
the deepest in ihe USA.
4. Complete the chart below to construct a classification

of lakes in the USA according to origin.
Give examples for each type.
lrisconsin
lrf &
h]*Ii,,,'
Fig.15.4 The Great Lakes

D. Geysers
Summary
Geysers are hoi springs from which jets
of hot water and steam erupt into the air
at regular or irregulaq intervals.
Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming
contains 60% of the world's geysers.
Hot magma heats the overlying rock
and the reservoirs of water lying 3-4 km
below the surface. This heated water
is forced upwards through fissures
in the surface rocks. The most
famous,gf Jhe American geysers is
the 0lOFdithful, which erupts on
average every 88 minutes. The eruption
lasts from 1.5 to 5 minutes, reaching
a height of up to 60 metres.
ffi
E=::
The important rivers in the

USA are long. They either
flow into the Pacific or into
the Atlantic Ocean. The
Mississippi, the fourth
longest river in the world
(6,400km), flows into the
Gulf of Mexico.
The lakes are either natural
lakes (glacial, volcanic or
tectonic) or reservoirs built
on rivers.
There are a great number of
geysers.
PRAGTIGE AND GONSOLI DATION

1. Fill in the gaps of the chart below with information about the main rivers in the USA. You may need an atlas for this
task:
River
Mississippi
Missouri
Rio Grande
Colorado
Columbia
Hudson
Potomac
Lenqth
3779
3969
3034
2334
Source
Lake ltasca
km
lmportant cities passed
Mouth
Gulf of Mexico
St.Louis,
..
km
km
km
2005 km
507 km
460 km
2, Match the sentence halves givel below in order to find out what the main ways are, in which the Americans use the
Great Lakes: 1c
; 2_; 3_;
a {,
; 5_
1. The presence of the Great Lakes in this area made possible...

2. The Great Lakes, which are connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the St. Lawrence Seaway...
3. West and south of the lakes lie the most important grain-producing area of the USA...
4. With rich iron ores found west of Lake Superior and coal deposits in the Appalachians...
5. The lakes act as the nation's largesi and most popular recreation area...
a. . ..the lakes acted as transport link and made possible the development around their shores of several industries,
particularly that of steel and automobiles,
b. ..-form the world's greatest watenruay, carrying a volume of commerce about equal to the entire US foreign kade.
c. 7.the development of great cities like Chicago, Toledo, Buffalo, Cleveland, Milwaukee.
d. . .. but without the cheap transportation from the lakes the farmers here could not face the foreign competition.
e. ...tvhere tourists find places of outstanding natural beauty and opportunities for sailing, fishing, camping, sunbathing and
nbird watching.
{- , lr,,Lt C,l' qr'r'a
3. Ldoking back on the completed sentences above
a. decide which of the lakes' uses are mentioned in each and list them.
b. which oroblems might affect the lakes. Make a separate list:
e.g. uses: - water and electricity supply for induskial and domestic uses
problems: - shore erosion and flooding caused by waves and rising lake level
4.
Read the paragraphs below, which describe the worst flooding of the Mississippi so far. Sort the information into:
a'
The Mississippi floods of 1993 are considered to be the second costliest hazard ever recorded in the history of the USA.
When the river burst its banks in June, it covered an area the size of England, killed 50 people, drove 26,000 people from
their homes and caused damage worth more than $10-12 billion. lndirect losses from lost wages lost production, disrupted
transport and especially emotional damage cannot even be calculated.
The Mississippi is the most engineered river system in the USA, having along its course dams, which hold back the water at
times of peak flow and embankments, which raise the riverbanks artificially. ln addition, the river and its tributaries have been '.*-altered over time by the draining of riverine wetlands, which became farmland or were used fo; ur[an settlements. The cgUrS,v
b.
hasalsobeenartificiallystraightened.
c.
\.'
t'-*-
fi
it,'j
.,, '' ,, 'r, . ' cr, (.r\. .".<g.**-
These measures, however, proved insufficient when in the first half of J!93\the rainfall was 11 times that of a normal yearwhile the ground was already saturated with water because of the cooler than normal temperature conditions
o!ffi,.
When do floods occur in Romania

and with what consequences? Complete
the mind map on the right with the
flood causes in Romania.
qr
70
--__.
cutting down trees
(Z-----\.-.rlooo )
)---z^-
'
AEMIT'&ruAL XIUFORMAT!trru
Called Niagara by the local lndians, Niagara means "thunder of waters", this
cataract represents one of America's most attractive naturalwonders. Situated
on the Niagara River which connects Lakes Erie and Ontario, Niagara Falls is
made up of two parts: the Ary:rican Falls (55m high/328m wide) and the Horsesho,
Falls, belonging to Canada (54m high/640m wide anplcarrying g times morq water)
;:+f
divided by @t lsland.
iQ n'U
VX
They were formed about 12,00d yiiars a jb when the glaciers reYreated northwards.
The waterfall has since then been slowly eroded back about 11 km upstream.
Despite consolidation work carried out in 1969 when the American Falls were shut
off for several months, the erosion process continues at a rate of 1.5 cm/year.
Hydroef,ectric power stations have been built on both sides of the waterfalls.
- qn
,-^,
-l-.,.
,-
Fig.15.6 Niagara Falls
Occupying the southern end of the Florida Peninsula, the Everglades is a vast
complex of swamps, saw grass and water. ln fact, over a third of the Everglades
is neither land nor water, but something in between. There are a few higher areas
which are dry all year round. The average height of the area is not more than 2.5 m
above sea level. Because these dry spots have rich fertile soil, men have tried to
drain the Everglades or to clear it by burning the vegetation.
ln order to protect this unique area, considered to be the one of the largest swamps
in the world, some 1.5 million acres have been turned into a Nationalparkwhere
there are numerous species of birds, some very rare, fish, small aquatic mammals
and lots of alligators. The flora includes various water plants and mangrove forests.
".
However, because of man's intervention here, dramatic changes have taken place,
putting the environment at risk.
a. Can you suggest what environmental damage has been caused?
b. Why is it necessary to protect
an ecosystem like the Everglades?
Fig. 15.7 The Everglades
Once wild and powerful enough to carve the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River has been harnessed by man. Starting in the
1930s, several dams were built on this river, the largest being the Hoover Dam.
Advantages
- control over the river especially at flood time
- cheap electricity
- water supply to fast growing cities (Phoenix, Las Vegas) and their industries (aerospace, computers, engineering)
- irrigation water that allows 2 or 3 crops of vegetables per year and fruit in the hot desert climate
- leisure facilities along the river, which also created thousands of jobs
Disadvantages
'
only '1% of the Colorado's water reaches the Gulf of California as too much of it is abstracted upstream. Because of this,
Mexico has very little water left for irrigation
- growing cities demand more waterthus leading to the fall of the watertable in the area,
since the Colorado has no more
water to spare
- water is wasted through evaporation from reservoirs and canals
state's total area. Alaska, however, has more than 3 million lakes.
accelerated the development of both the Midwest and New York. Nowadays it is still a significant means of transport in
the New York State Barge Canal System.
7-t--
ru&Yffiffi&$- ffiffiWH*q#F*ffiffift$"fl HF# TFHffi [J]Lf'lixt,

. Looking at the vegetation map present on this page, say which are the five largest areas of natural vegetation?
2.
Compare the natural vegetation map with the map of climate regions and say in what way climate affeits the vegetation
of
a region.
3. At the beginning of European settlement in 1607, half of the USA territory was covered in forests. Today, only some 32% of
the country's land is still forest covered. A similar decrease happened to grassland and other natural vegetatron. Can you
say why?
4. Although not all the plants listed below are typical of the USA only, they do live here too. What regions of the USA can you
associate with the following groups?
a, magnolia, pecan, mangrove, cypress, saw grass
b. tall prairie grass
c. spruce, Douglas fir-tree, redwood, sequoia
d. sagebrush, juniper, yucca, cactus "foresis"
VEGETATION
ffi
I *l
f_
nm
I l-l
tundrq
l--
l*l
coniferous tcrart
I
I
oroselond
f l
remperole Deciduous Mr
W
Forest
$Bppo
Mixed f,orest
SubtropicotForest
Mountoin Vegetotion
Sond ond Rock
Desart
Medilerronaon
Yegetofion
Fig. 15.8 USA - Map of natural vegetation

5.From the list of North American animals below, tick those that live only in the USA and not in Europe:
r
o
o
r
r
I
o
o
caribou
elk
m00se
black bear
grizzly bear
deer
pronghorn
mountain goat
r
o
o
r
r
o
o
o
fox
raccoon
skunk
squirrel
pelican
flamingo
bald eagle
otter
r
o
t
r
r
o
r
a
alligator
rattlesnake
water moccasin
bison
coyote
prairie dog
wolf
opossum
6. Match the animals from activity 5 with the vegetation region they live in. Make use of the map from fig. 15.8
72
--
&.mGREretMs@mcwA
What is a region?
A region is an area which has certain features in common. There can be
all kinds of regions depending on the point of view from
which the particular areas are analysed,
1. Make logical sentences from the table below.

Physical geography
deals with areas where
people earn their living in similar ways, where

certain types of industries are located. For
example: the Copper Belt where copper is mined
and processed, the Cotton Belt, or the Wheat Belt
where most of the farmers grow cotton or wheat.

Cultural geography
governments are similar. (A political map of the

USA is a map, which shows the states.)
Economic geography
the land features are alike i.e, a mountainous

region or a plateau region.
Political geography
the people are alike or similar, share a common

language or a common religion.
The map below shows the regions chosen by the authors of this book to present
the USA. They include a mixture of physical,
cultural, political and economic aspects. The units that follow will discuss'them separately.
!. Sludy the map and name the regions which

3. What is missing?
are determined by the physical aspect of the area.
5
o
THF INTERIOR
*-
I*
PLAINS
tr
Fig. 16.1 The Regions of the USA
E
73
l7.mmNremrffinffi
"Boswash" Megalopolis
New York City
Washington DC
table crop
borough
A. Discussion point
a.
Look at the map on the right and describe the location

of this region.
b.
Describe the physical features (relief, waters, climate) of

the Northeast.
B. Subdivision
The Northeast consists of two sub-regions very different in
landscape and economic activities.
These are:
The "Boswash"' Megalopolis
New England
Fig. 17.1 The North East USA
1. Work in pairs. Student A reads text a, The 'Boswash' Megalopolis, and Student B reads text b, New England.
Complete the appropriate column in the table on the next page with essential information. An example is given for
each of you.
a) The
"Boswash" Megalopolis
The region known as the "Boswash" Megalopolis is a heavily populated

area extending more than 800km along a northeastsouthwest axis from Boston in Massachusetts to Washington DC. lts
population adds up to more than 45 million (17% of the total US
population). lt contains the world's greatest concentration of urban
areas, which have merged to form this "megalopolis", which besides the
two cities mentioned also includes: New York, Philadelphia and
* i"li: r _tal
iii?'-!,1
r+i{::r:::1!
Baltimore.
This region has three characteristics:

high population density
major urban centres growing towards each other
a large demand for primary goods that are brought here from other
regions.
i!1,..;*,:i
'+
*
&
i,..::; . i::i_,
*'!"'"
:::t:
r+
ii.1'"'
s-$
#}*fiiun t
*l;ltq
{jit!i.,.{*[lFtilr"l
*
ftAi ?lr!,{fl**
S
,*
a.*
&l-r.::r*,
',jt'A$Hll{#T*n* ffiC
Physical background
Megalopolis rests on a coastal plain flattened by glaciers. The rivers in
the area are fairly shortand therefore only navigable on iertain sections
Good transport. and accessibility is offered by canals such as the Erie
Canal, which links the Hudson River in New York to Lake Erie. The
natural vegetation-tends to be a mixture of trees and low bush and the
soils tend to be thin and infertile.
Fig.
17
.2 The Boswash Megalopolis
Economy
The presence of the sea has always played an important role irt the region's economy. Today service industries are the main
economic activity such as retailing, publishing, etc. lndustry is still important and one of the world's largest steel plants is located
at Sparrow's Point near Baltimore. Chemicals and petrochemicals are located around Delaware Bay. Agriculture_is important
and meets the demand for food from this large urban area. Farmers on the coastal plain specialise in "tiuck farming,;;Ihat is
market gardening. Truck farming products are high-priced and perishable therefore transport is a key factor. Dairy products,
lettuce, tomatoes, apples and a variety of other intensively produced "table crops" dominate farm production. Most truck farms
aresmall. Commercialfishinghasdeclined,thoughtheregionstillaccountsforaboutone-quarteroftheU.S.catch. Tourismis

also very important, New York City being the top tourist atkaction for international tourists. The almost continuous lorig sandy
beaches attract summer visitors.
Population
Megalopolis was the first region of the country to be settled by immigrants and provided a gateway for thousands of people who
came here to live. As a result, the populatign has a remarkable ethnic and racial mix. This region is highly urbanised and more
than 90% of the population lives in urban areas. Sevenal very large metropolitan areas dominate the region: New York City
(8-6 million), Philadelphia (4.9 million), Washington D.C. (4.6 million), Boston (5.8 million). The population density is more than
350 per sq. km, and the population growth rate is also high.
74
b) New England
New England is mainly rural in characier and includes the less-populated and
less-developed areas north of Megalopolis.
Physical features
It is a land of low mountain ridges, rolling hills, bare ropk, thin soils, rugged coasflines
and swift streams.

The climate is harsh, seldom hot, often cold, and usually damp.
The landscape is covered with a relatively dense mixed forest of coniferous and
deciduous irees of secondary growih as the original trees were cut down fotilumber,
shipbuilding and fuel.
**o*
otr
o'$
Eeonomy
New England is a region with limited resources, poor soils and a location distant from
Megalopolis, the main centre of the U.s. commercial activity. The only worthwhile
resources are those of building stone especially marble from Vermont, the leading
marble-producing state in the USA.
Fig. 17.3 New England
The induskial activities of the region are: machine tools, electronic equipment,
shoes, plastics, paper and newsprint. The timber industry is a shadow of what it used to be.
Commercial fishing has declined in recent years due to overfishing. Cod and lobster are the most important
catches.
ln recent decades, new industries such as light and high tec. induskies have come to this region. This is
due firsfly to the
"brainpower" centres like the universities of Harvard, Yale and MIT (Massachusetts lnstitutiof Technology)
located in the region
and secondly because they find the smalltown and rural environment a good place to live.
Agriculture is influenced by the harsh climaie and thin soils and consists of growing potatoes, vegetables
and fruit, products that
can be rushed fresh to the city nearby. The main rural economy depends on Oairy iarmlng and pduftry.
A traditionai activity is
tapping the maple trees to make maple syrup and sugar.
Tourism has become very important with areas of true wilderness in the northern part Maine.
Population
Except for Boston, which historically belongs to this region and Worcester (700,000) there
are no large cities in the region.
Almost 2/3 of the populaiion lives in a few moderately sized towns, such as Burlingion and Lewiston"each
with anout IO,0OO
residents. The typical settlements are the villages and small hamlets. New England has one of the
slowest population growths
in the nation. The overall population density was less than 4 persons/sq. km (tbgz).
2.ln pairs interview each other to complete the missing information in the table below
Megalopotis
Relief
Coastal plain flattened by glaciers
New Enqland
Low mountain ridges, rolling hills, rugged coasf/rnes
Climate
Waters
Vegetation
Population
lndustry
Agriculture
Tourism
Transport
Summary
The Northeast includes two v9ry different regions: Megalopolis, a highly indushialised urban region
and New England,
a mainly rural region with agriculture as the main activity.
75
.--:;_-
3. The Northeast includes 11 states plus the District of Columbia.
a.
Write the names of the states on the map on the right. (Fig. 17.a)
Use a map of the USA and the table below to help you.
b. The table also contains the capitals but they are not in their
right places. Put them in the correct order.
State
Canital
Connecticut
Delaware
2.
b.
Washinqton
Albanv
Auqusta
a.
District of Columbia
4.
Mdine
Boston
Maryland
e,
Providence
f,
Hartford
8.
Massachusetts
New Hamoshire
New Jersev
h.
Annapolis
9.
New York
t.
Trenton
10.
Pennsvlvania
Rhode lsland
Vermont
7.
11
12.
(_,
Harrisburo
Concord
Dover
Montoelier
k.
l.
Fig- 17.4 Northeast USA
New York, New York
4.
Here are some facts about New York City. Read them
and expand them into a two-paragraph presentation
entitled: New York, Past and Present
Brief history:
1626 - Dutch settlers bought Manhattan
a)
lsland from the lndians for $24 worth of cloth and kinkets
and named it New Amsterdam
b) 1664 the British captured the settlement, which had only
100 settlers and renamed it New York.
c) 1789-1790 first capital ofthe lndependent USA
d) 1825 the building of the Erie Canal made the city the
leading port on the Atlantic coast,
e) After 1840 - New York (Ellis lsland) served as a gateway
for millions of emigrants.
5,
Fill in the gaps in the sentences and tables below.
hasfboroughs most of which are situated on

islands with the exception of the Bronx.
a) New York
b)
i"-
Population
to.t'.
New York
g,oog,27g
BBEN}
1,332,650
BBsx*LYt!
2,268,297
M-
- -'r.:-10N
Q ___
il{e!
tf$refr
c)
in central areas 22,660
New York is 800.17 sq. km.

e) Commerce and tourism are the main .
activities as
industry has been pushed to the hinterland.
f) New York is the
of the U.S, but the
financial and commercial centre of the world.
g) The most recent
are the fashion and the
"ready-made" clothes' industryr
E--
cultural
rL
. ',.1i :,,i,.
-i \r:
r r-*1
443,728
oersons/so. km
d)Ihe .:lji-UL-of
,537,195
2,229,379
l>raUl
Population
us census
Fig. 17.6 The map of New York City
Washington DC
6. Read the following text. Some of the lines have been omitted.
Choose from the lines below the text the ones that best fit the
blank spaces.
Founded in '179Q, Washington was the first American city
. .. to be a beautiful city with wide
streets and many trees. lt is situaied between ..)a............
.on the Potomac River. The city is named
after George Washington the first president of the United States and DC
after Christopher Columbus.
Washington DC is unique in that it functions as a state, county and city
all in one. lt is governed by a Mayor and 8
Council members,....,.....,9i,...........
The population numbers 563,384 of which 32.8 % are European
Americans, 60.0 % African Americans and7.20k other races, according
to the 2000 US Census. The city's business is centred around the
,)
government, ....................4
Many unions, business, professional and non-profit making
organisations have their headquarters there,
a) who are elected by the citizens of
Washington DC
c) tourism is the other most important branch of economy

b) Virginia and Maryland, (bofh states donated land)
d) planned
for
a specific purpose
, F
'-4h(;
G.
G*)r
-2
'l:i
Rhode lsland is the smallest state rn the USA

Basketball was invented in Massachusetts
in 1891.
New York is the USA's largest po(, trade
centre and the financial centre of the world.
New York's Wall Street is named after the
protective wall built by Dutch colonists in '1653
There are more than 102,576km of streets in
New York City and over 931km of waterfront.
lvy League is ihe name of a group of old and
respected universities, which include Harvard,
Yale, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Princeton
and MlT.
NewYork has always had problems with refuse collection and disposal. ln the '1840s, thousands of piqs roamed Wall Street to
consume garbage as an early sanitation system. Garbage was then dumped into the ocean until '1935 when a successful federal
lawsuit forced the city to end ocean dumping. By the 1960s, the city was burning almost a third of its trash in its municipal
incinerators. Eventually these were closed down to reduce air pollution. The only alternative remained Fresh Kills Landfill
situated on the western shore of Staten lsland, where garbage arrives after a long trip by truck and barge. Fresh Kills Landfill
wasfirstopenedasa"temporary"facilityinl94T.Todayitisthelargestlandfillintheworld.
ltcanbeseenwithnakedeyefrom
space. The problem of refuse is still not solved as the landfill leaches toxic chemicals and heavy metals not to mention that it is
predicted to fill up by 2005.
1'1 ,000 tons of garbage produced each day in New York is the consequence of the evolution of global "throwaway
economy". For cities like New York, the challenge is not so much what to do with the garbage, as it is how to avoid producing
The
it in the first place.
{&mmffimmprsnp
Breadbasket of the USA
alfalfa
Chipitts
Manufacturing Belt
j
a. Another
name for this area is the Heartland of the
USA Can
I,
you say whY?

U. Wnat are the main physical features of thrs area?
{
'L
Fig. 18.1 The location of the lnterior Plains
B. Subdivisions
As you can see on the map, there are two areas that make up
the plains in the interior USA:
- the Central Plain (also known as the Midwest)
- the GreatPlains (called also the High Plains)
A third area having slightly higher relief and a distinct economic
profile is that immediately south of the Great Lakes, sometimes
D. Agriculture
called the Water Belt.
Although very fertile, because of the nature of the clrmate, the

Great Plains could not be cultivated in the traditional ways
brought from Europe by the first settlers of this area. Gradually
theyiearned to apply new techniques, better suited to the land'
C. Physicalfeatures
1.
The lnterior Plains are often referred to as the Breadhasket

of the nation, the most important cereal and livestock
producing area in the country.
economic activity is most suited to the lnterior Plains
Read about the farming methods typical of the Great

Plains below. Match the terms with their correct
area,
definitions:
Read the tist of features below and explain which
3.
1_ 2-; 3-', 4-
. the relief here is mostly
flat or gently rolling lowland in the

gradually
rising to about 1500m - 1800m to
Central Plain area,
(area
the Great Plains)
called
Rockies
meet the
the region has a temperate continental climate, with over

750mm precipitation per year (more in thesouth, less towards
the west) and average temperatures of - 4'C in winter and
24oC in summer
. occasional summer thunderstorms, damaging hail and high

winds (often turning into tornadoes). There are more dramatic
variations of climate, which include violent storms in summer,
blizzards in winter and constant winds in the Great Plains.
. the soils are good and fertile in the Central Plain but
much more fertile in the Great Plains
the lnterior Plains are drained by the Upper Mississippi River

and its tributaries (Ohio, Arkansas and Missouri). These rivers,
together with a variety of canals, locks and dams, built to
im-prove navigation and generate electricity, form an extensive
waterway system.
2. Find arguments
in the texts above to support your
answerfrom Point
J;
1.
1. dry farming
2. contour Ploughing
3. inigation
4. feedlots
a. . .. additional supply of water to fields in areas of unreliable

rainfall (brought by canal or sprinklers),
b. .. .a piece of land growing animal feed meant to support the

livestock in areas of poor pastures'
c. ... a method of farming in which water is kept in the soil by
ploughing large, rough furrows, by cultivating plants that
need less water (sorghum, alfalfa, wheat) and by leaving
each field uncultivated for 2-3 years so that the soil
moisture is built up, Weed control is also very important for
diminishing water losses.
d. .. .a method of ploughing in which the land is ploughed in

winding furrows that follow the contours of the slopes
rather than forming square or rectangular fields that allow
soil erosion and water flow from the soil in case of heavy
rain.
ffi
:\"4.
Read the information in the boxes surrounding the map on fi9.18.2. Explain the reasons for the location of each
farming product in the areas shown on the map.
Soybean
Wheat
- good alternative to corn

in crop rotation
- needs enough water
- acts as soil reconditioner
- winter wheat planted in
autumn and germinates

before snow sets
- spring wheat: planted in
(nitrogen)
- good for human
consumption (protein),
spring, ripens later in summer

than winter variety
- needs much sunshine
animal feed and industrial
t *,i:"
and less water than corn

- flat land for mechanised work
uses (oil)
Alfalfa, Sorghum
- varieties of grass thal
have low water
Corn
- fedile, humid soils
- long, hot summers

- abundant rainfall in
growing season
- suitable for human
consumption, animal
requirements
- good alternatives to
wheat in crop rotation
- used as animal feed
s$s
Gulf of Mexico
feed and industrial uses
,,
Dry fanning
Wheat
, '-
.''
Corr*livestock
Mixed -*--l
Dairy
l';t'i
iiry Market
Cotton belt
gardening
Irrigation
Soybean
Sorghum
Tobacco
Fig. 18.2 Farming in the lnterior Plains

The great agricultural output of this area is due not only to
favourablerphysical conditions but also to human factors as
well.
5.
Read the paragraphs below and say which factor is

presented in each.
a. Through accidental genetic mutations, nature
has created a
great variety of plants and animals. Learning from nature,
American scientists developed a variety of hybrid corn

better adapted to the soil and climate of the lnterior Plains.
E. lndustry
Although all the cities scattered in the lnterior Plains have
industries, the main Manufacturing Belf is located south of
the Great Lakes. With the exception of footloose industries
such as the manufacturing of computers, spacecraft and
surgical instruments in Minnesota or airplanes in Kansas, the
location of most of the other industries in this area is linked to
specific resources or is triggered by specific needs.
f\\
\ 6.'Jh the chart below, complete the right hand column
the resources needed
b.
c.
ln cereal growing, machines are used for every operation

along the farming process. Livestock rearing is highly
automated in its turn.
Due to specific historical conditions, the first settlers did not
create villages after the European pattern. Each family was
trying to work independently clearing the land first, then
cultivating it. This resulted in scattered farms each with the
farmer's house on it. Nowadays, because of the need for
high yields, the size of farms has increased (agribusrness).
by each of the industries.

-with
Use the information acquired on this area so far and
the resources shown in the map fig. 18.3:

lndust
Resources / Reasons
mtntnq
oil and nalu{Alggg

extracticin
oil refininq
chemical oroducts
energy production
- coal bil. Ml1
food orocessino
d.
For a long time, the farmers of the lnterior Plains practiced
monoculture. Distinct areas were dominated by one plant

or animal only (e.9. corn belt, wheat belt, dar4r belf). In time
they learned that the land benefited from crop rotation and
the introduction of a greater variety of plants or the use of
a combination of plant growing and livestock rearing.
re
aoricultural machinerv
iron and steel
- coal, iron ores/ car ind.
cars
rubber
servtces
- urban areas
1.\'
^'u
\,,\''
79
ANA
Minneopol
'ffio !r
tl1
I
GULF OT MEXICO
Fig. 18.3 Location of mineral resources in the USA
F. Urban areas and
population
CHICAGO Fact fita.,-,12
7. Read the following texts and answer the questions
. 3'o city in the USA (2,896,000 people in2000WO

. a great vanety of ethnic mix (a mifqr:-of American
referring to them:
The population in this area benefited from the contribution of
foreign-born migrant's,. most of whom came from northwestern
Europe in late '19'n century. ln recent times there has been a
population declinelor at best stagnation.
.
.
.
What might have caused this decline /stagnation?
nneapolrs-ShQu/ Dlilhs-f ort Worth,
an Antonio.
However, the metropolis'of the Plains is Chicago. ln fact,
entire urban area
,rgt
For most of these cities, the reasons for the location of the
settlement can be found in the physical features of the area.
Study the location of each and explain it.
80
Michigan
the greatest density of banks, shops, offices, institutions in
the area called The toop I
hometown of the skyscraper, it h5s the tbllest building in the
USA: Sears Tower
city of culture and education
35 railway routes focus on Chicago
k-7uo/
manufacturing (agricultural tools, Pullman carriages),

meaipacking, plastic production, rubber goods, printing,
paper products and services.
From your knowledge, what happened to the Native

Americans living here and why?
City, Mi
immigration)
'160km long urban continuum on the shores of Lake
.
.
. O'Hare ailport (2" largest in the USA) serves Chicago.
. extremely varied and vital economy dominated by machinery
At the time of the arrival of the white colonists, the Great Plains
were dominated by the Sioux lndians and other related
Native-American tribes. They used to have a nomadic life,
migrating in search of food, especially the buffalo herds.
The Central Plains area is small-town and rural, but there are
a few cities scattered across the plains and a greater
concentration of urban settlements on or near the shores of the
Great Lakes, such as: Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland,
Cincinnafi , lndianapolis.
ln the Great Plains affigJqrgp, pities are peripheral: Kansas
*qu+
SUMMARY
Fillin the gaps with the wgrds below;
,, ,olput agricultural rqlal degdity
tI
I a-sthe targest proouctive/cuS$r\N$hno tne

second taigesi industriat aieEtltne usAjhe Hearttand
contains the,larges(population of any region of the nation.
ries from less than
areas to more
than 4,600 in downtowrl Chicago. The area also has the
largest economic
of any USA region.
t\:\.\r,rY
Mount Rushmore Monument
The Great Lakes area became an imporlant centre of steel

making, coal mining and engineering in the '19'n century,
forming together with the industrial northeast fhe
Manufacturing Be/f. ln the
20'n century, the car and steel

industries developed here, bringing prosperity to the area,
However, in the 1970s and 1980s factories started to close,
people lost their jobs and the area was called lhe Rust Be/t,
from the numerous derelict factory buildings,
Some of the reasons for decline were:
outdated equipment in the car and steel plants
rising land costs and an expensive labour force made
new firms look elsewhere for their location
competition from cheap foreign cars and steel.
ln the 1990s the region started to recover. The US car industry
has revived. Hitech firms producing computers and medical
instruments came in, Banking and insurance firms were
attracted to this area and even foreign companies like the
Japanese car firm Honda has built assembly plants here.
.
.
The Badlands
Located near the Black Hills of South Dakota, The Badlands
represents an area of 610 square km which includes some of
Located in the centre of the Black Hills area is Mount

Rushmore (1,860m), Between 1927-1941 the Congress
allocated $250,000 and hired the sculptor Gutzon Borglum
to carve into the side of the granite mountain the faces of four
presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore
Roosevelt. Their size is so big that a man could sit
comfortably in Lincoln's eye, for example. The monument is
known as the Shrine of Democracy.
Another huge sculpture found in the same area is the Crazy
Horse Monument. Started in 1947, it shows the famous
Sioux lndian leader on horseback. Symbolically, the two
monuments are tributes to heroes representing the two
cultures that clashed on the North American continent.
covered by a continuous tall-grass prairie 30cm to lm in

height, very difficult to plough because of a tangl0d root
system.
continent in average annual hail frequency.
Fig. 18.6 Badlands National Park

the most spectacular examples of the erosion effects of weather
to be found anywhere: remarkable saw{oothed ridges,
pinnacles, steep-walled canyons, gullies, pyramids and knobs.
The range of colour is varied and includes iinted rocks or
layers of grey or white. Several tens of millions of years ago this
was a marshy plain, a home for many mammals now extinct
that have left their bones here.
As time passed, streams deposited layer after layer of sediment
and volcanic dust was blown here from the west. The climate
also changed becoming drier and grassland replaced the
marshes. Water, wind, heat and frost carved this land and
continue to do so. The whole area has now become a national
park,
between 1867-1885 when cowboys used to lead catfle

herds north across the prairie to towns where the animals
were either slaughtered or shipped by rail to other more
distant markets. Cattle ranching is still widespread in the
western Great Plains area,
in this area. lt was the famous Dust Bowl of the 1g30s.

A succession of drought years turned some of the rich
wheat areas of the Great Plains into deserts, driving away

hundreds of thousands of farmers from Oklahoma after
thick layers of dust covered the land and killed all plants.
This"natural" hazard taught the inhabitants that new
farming techniques had to be used here.
8t
\r1
K
-res 6,
{ 9. mG reGmz roNmams mEsre[r

lntermontane area
Four Corners region
National parks
A.Discussion Points
a. What do you
know about the Rocky Mountains? What is

this region famous for?
b. Study the physical map of the USA and identify the
'intermontane' region. Between which mountains does it
B. lntroduction to the Rocky Mountains Region

The greater part of this region came under the sovereignty of the
USA in the 1840's when, for the first trme, the new republic
stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast. Much of the
initial impetus for settlement came from the notion that the
Rocky Mountains and the plateaus contained great mineral
wealth. Pioneers interested in farming soon followed the mining
prospectors. This is the most extensive region of the country
with 8 states occupying a large sparsely populated area.
The',ftocky Mountains region comprises two physical regions:
Fig.19.1 The Rocky Mountains Region
'The Rocky Vountains

The lnterhontane Plateaus Basins.
General lnformation
The States: Montana, ldaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada
Total Population: 3% of the US population
Total Area : 18% of the USA area.
Highest elevation: Mt. Elbeft - 4400 m
Largest city: Denver - 2.3 million inhabitants
C. Physical Features
1.
Read the texts below about the two physical regions and fill in the gaps with the suitable key words listed in the
middle.
The Rockies form an abrupt
_1_with
the
basins
The term intermontane refers to an area of plateaux and

basins that lies between the Rockies and the mountain
Great Plains to the east and the Pacific Coastal

region to the west.
northward
This huge region is approximately 1,000 miles long
bou'rday
and is variable in width from 200-600 km, lt is
bro:d '
with Mexico.
3 parts, North, Central and

South, the first named extending
rugced ''
This intermontane area comprises three smaller regions:
ariri I 'r
Wyoming to include the Canadian Rockies,
rain-shadowr
a) the Great Basin, an

Utah, has a hostile environment;
higner
b) the Colorado Plateau
z_into
_3_from
They are much more
much_S
_4____,-and
than the Appalachians
ranges along the Pacific Coast. This area is long and

, stretching from Washington State to the border
diviCed
tundra
_11
'
_l2-plateau
_13_into
- a series of plateaus
broaci!eaf
These towering snow-covered peaks separate

plateau areas and form
di;sected
needleleaf
Most of the area lies in the
the continental divide between the two draihage
drainage i
Pacific Mountains.
systems flowing into the Atlantic or into the Pacific
Cry
0ceans.
landscqpes
The temperate,
_7 _climate
characteriseS
this area with hot summers and cold winters.

deciduous trees are found at lower
elevations
with_9_conifers
higher up.
Mountaintops not covered by snow are capped by

10
,82
deeply
canyons by the river Colorado.

c)the Columbia Plateau - a vast plateau with wide
with many peaks over 3,600 m high.
upland_6_and
covering
i.
valleys.
14_of
the
Except for the Colorado and Columbia rivers and their

tributaries, the region has interior
1s_flowing
into land-locked lakes. Some
continue then to the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of

California. Some of the most beautiful
the country are found in the region: the Grand Canyon,

the Mojave Desert, the Great Salt Lake, the Death
-16_in
and mosses.
lE
2. What is the rain.shadow effect?

Which are the climatic results?
3. ldentify on the map the tributaries of the
Columbia and the Colorado Rivers.
D. Human and Economic Factors
4.
Read the texts and underline the main economic

activities of the area:
The most striking feature of this region is its small popplation

compared with other regions of the USA. Large parts of the
region have few or no people. The major cities are Denver and
Phoenix with approximately 2 million people in the metropolitan
areas.
They have grown with the shift of population towards the warmer
climates of southern USA. lt has been shown that within the
mountain, basin and plateau region, there is great variety within
the rural economy. Farms in the dry areas of the region are
along watenruays or where irrigation is available. Major crops .
grown are cotton, potatoes, hay, barley and sugar beet. Due to
the scarcity of water, many people find ii more profitable to raise livestock, many of the ranches being as large as 900ha. On the
otherhand,thelandoftheRockyMountainsisrichinmineralandenergyresources. Gold,silver,copper,mercury,aswellas
coal,ironoreandoilareexploitedinArizona,ColoradoandUtah.ltisbelievedthatundermuchofWyoming
andColoradothere
are large deposits of oil shale, petroleum bearing rocks from which oil can be distilled while the Powder River Basin of Wyoming
is rich in coal. The city economies are based on federal government services. They are also imporlant producers of electronic
products, aluminum, chemicals, food products and transportation equipment.
5, Why is the population of the region so sparse?

E. Culture and tourism
.
.
.
.
penver the gateway to the Rockies is also called the 'The

Mile High City' as its elevation is exactly 1 mile (1,609Km)
above sea level.
the Rocky Mountain States and Colorado in particulai, are
home to the country's most popular downhill skiing and
snowboarding destinations with such well-known resorts
asAspen, Vail, Jackson Hole and Big Sl0. Lake Tahoe is
the major ski deslination in the Sierra Nevada, doubling as
a summertime water-sports playground.
There has been growing interest in Cultural Geography as
geographers are also interested in the distribution of various
groups of people and their distinctive cultural traits such as
their customs, attitudes and beliefs that make them unique.
One example of cultural geography is the interest in the way
of life of the Mormons. This was a religious organisation
formed in 1830 in the USA by Joseph Smith who settled in
Northern Utah and founded Salt Lake City in the Great
Basin. lt became their centre and 400k of the Mormons
in the USA live there. They were avoiding religious
persecution and looking for a place where they could
practice their faith in peace as they have strict moral rules
and do not drink alcohol or coffee.
Many people associate polygamy with the Mormons
although most of them no longer practise this.
The Basins and River Valleys in the region have been
transformed as a result of irrigation projects. The lmperial
and Hoover Dams on the River Colorado and Grand Coulee
Dam on the River Columbia built more than 50 years ago
have been the key to the irrigation of these basins and
valleys. They also remove flood risk and produce electricity
forSouthernCaliforniaandthestatesof Washington,Oregonandldaho.Manyoftheselandscapeareoutstanding for

their scenic beauty. This has made the region a focal point for tourism. To preserve these areas of outstanding natural
beauty, a system of National Parks has been established most of which are located in the western states. They include areas
and glaciated scenery.
of volcanic, desefi, semi-desert
EE
<,:;*
83
There is a region in the USA called 'The Four Corners Region'where four states meet: Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New
Mexico. lt is called that because it is the only place in the USAwhere a person can stand in four states at ihe same time. Much of
the land in this region, which has high mountains and wide-open spaces, belongs to the Federal Government (66% of Utah,
44% of Arizona, 36% of Colorado and 33% of New Mexico). Some of the United States of America's most beautiful national
parks are locaied in these four states, such as the Grand Canyon NP, the Rocky Mountains NP, the Carlsbad Caverns NB
the Zion NP and Bryce Canyon NP, which are visited by millions of tourists every year.
There are also many Native American lndian reservations in the Four Corners Region. The Navajo Reservation covers
an area of about three-quarters of the size of the New England states. Here many families live as their ancestors did, raising
sheep, weaving rugs and making beautiful silver jewelry.
Snake River Valley-lava
plain with deep canyons
Hells Canyon, the deepest
in North America
(1872); in an ancient collapsed volcanic

caldera; the largest free-roaming
wildlife population in the world; greatest
concentration of thermal features -10,000
lLrii [: t-:
wYf-1t1t
Craters of the Moon

N.P (1924)- a volcanic
landscape, Astronauts
were trained here for
lunar landings.
Verde-the
first NP(1906)to
preserve the works
of, with five major
cliff dwellings
displaying primitive
construction
methods used by
between 750
1
Bryce Canyon NP - an
enchanting array of
rock spires, pinnacles
that reflect 60 million
years of the effects of
wind and water on the
layers of limestone.
The Four
Corners
colorful concentration
of petrified wood and
fossils more than
225 million vears old
300 AD
Santa Fe
- home to
Pueblo
lndians for
more than
1,000
years
Fig. 19.5 The Rocky Mountain States
UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The following locations in the western United States have
been designated by the UNESCO as "World Heritage
Sites" for their outstanding natural or cultural significance:
Carlsbad Caverns National Park - New Mexico

Grand Cinyon National Park -Arizona
Mesa Verde Nalional Park - Colorado
Pueblo de Taos - New Mexico
Yel lowstone ltational Park - Wyoming/Montana/l daho
a4
HI
re
Nature's greatest example of sculpture, the Grand Canyon is

the most spectacular canyon in the world. This enormous
gorge was formed over millions of years by the eroding action
of the Colorado River which cut through the high, arid plateau
and which still flows in the bottom of the canyon. Other factors
have also played a part: the Kaibab Plateau which forms the
northern rim of the canyon is about 365feet higher than the
Coconino Plateau, which forms the southern rim. Water from
the Nofthern side flows into the canyon forming tributary
valleys while the streams of the southern plateau flow away
in a southerly direction without carving valleys in the canyon
walls.
The Canyon follows a winding course from the mouth of the

Paria River, near the northern border of Arizona, to Grand
Wash Cliffs, near the Nevada line. Within the walls of the
Canyon stand imposing peaks, buttes and ravines.
Geoprofile of the Grand Canyon

Location: North Arizona
Depth: 1,609 km
Length:446 km
Width: varying between 8- 29 km
Age: approx. 2 billion years
Grand Canyon National Park (1919):493,000 ha
Average Temp: (July)460 Celsius ( 115 0.F.)
The layers of the rock in the canyon walls tell a story of
environmental change going back 2 billion years and no other
place on Earth can compare with,this. The climate of the
plateau region is severe with extremes of heat and cold. lt is
mostly forested with willow trees and cottonwoods at the
bottom and evergreen trees on the north rim where the soil
is moist and deep. There are also drought-resistant plants
such as cacti and many squirrels, coyotes, foxes, bobcats
and kangaroo rats.
Fi9.19.8 Geological Layers

of the Grand Canyon
)> The first Europeans to see the canyon were a group of

soldiers led by Garcia Lopez de Cordenas in 1540. They
were members of a party led by the Spanish explorer
Vasquez de Coronado.
As access to the canyon was difficult, it was not fully

explored until 300 years later.
ln 1869 geologist John Wesley Powell and ten

companions made the journey through the length of the
gorge in 4 rowing boats.
The Grand Canyon has been inhabited for at least 4,000

years, as evidenced by small hunting fetishes of the Desert
Archaic culture, found hidden in niches in the canyon walls,
Hualapai lndian Reservation the Hualapai controla

portion of the South Rim. The tribe operates bus tours
Fig. 19.10 Tourists in

the Grand Canyon
and one or two-day rafting trips on the Colorado River.
E:
E
85
z0.mffiPAGFIG@AffiAffiA
Coastal range
GentralValley
California Dream
I
I
I
I
I
Silicon Valley
a. Refer to
Fig. 20.1 to discoverthe location of the Pacific Coast

Area. What are the states that make up this sub-region?
What are the main physical features of the area? (see the
physical map of the USA)
b. List 5 things you know about the Pacific States.
B. lntroduction
f
Read the following text on the Pacific Coast Area and

check your predictions from A.
The most westerly of the physical regions of the United States is
made up of the Pacific Coast Mountain Ranges, lt is an extensive
area about 322km wide from the east to the west. lt has some of
the highest mountains as well as some of the richest farmland in
the US. This area also coJrtains some of the largest cifles in the
country with a very developed economic and cultural life. This
whole area can be divided into North and South Pacific Cordilleia
Regions. The most amazing thing about the West Coast is the
speed with which it has developed. lt was not until mid 19'" century
that the key historical events took place, which gave the USA
possession of the Pacific Coast and this removed the British and
Mexican influence from the area. Another important event was the
Gold Rush of 1849 that stimulated immigration and growth.
rs
E
]t,
**
1}
Fig. 20.1 The Pacific Coast
Facts and Figures

States: Washington, Oregon, California
Total Area: aprox.22% of the USA area
Total Population: aprox.40% of the USA population
Highestelevation: Mt Whitney 4,418 n
Lo.ivest elevation: Death Valley 86 m below sea level
Largest city: Los Angeles 14 million inhabitants
The Pacific Cordilleran Region of the United Sta{es is a southward extension of a similar Canadian region to the north.
It contains a variety of relief with hrgh mountains, flat plains, deep valleys, arid deserts and long sandy coastal beaches.
2.
Read the following notes about the lanclscape of the area and make the correct choices from the alternatives
suggested. The physical map might help you.
The interior ranges include the Cascade Mountains in Wxhiagton an!
Oregon/California and the Sierra Nevada in Washington and OregonlCalifornig
with two important peaks, Mt. Rainier and Mt, Whitney, both over 4,000m high.
Also in the Cascades there are active/dormanf volcanic peaks. Mt St Helens has
erupted several times in recent yilars. Closer to the Pacific Coast is a second range
of mountains, stretching from Washington to California, ln general there are few good
natural lartificral harbours along the west coast, among which Puget Sound, San
Francisco and San Diego Bay are the most important. Bltween the Pacific mountain
ranges are hills, lower mountains and valleys. The Puget Trough runs northlsoqtfifrom Puget Sound to Oregon.
The Willamette River Valley is part of the trough. ln Central California, another trough
known as the Central Valley extends south into PeninsulalMexigp. All of these valleys
have fertile soils and are important farm areas. The Pacific Coast experiences mostly
moist, mild climates of two kinds:
Oceanic marine climate with warm winds in lhe northlsouth
Mediterranean climate in the norfhlse(S*
Abundant rainfall and warm winds allow a growing season of about 6-7 months in the northern area, while the southern part
of the CoastalArea has a major tourist season.
.
.
3 a). What is a
trough?
b). ldentify the regions in the north and south climatic areas
c). Why does the Mediterranean climate favour tourism?
86,
ilE
D. Human Aspects
The States in the Pacific region share a common historical and cultural background as well as economic
characteristics.
However, the distinction between Norlh and south region is still maintained.
4'
Read the following text and underline the key-words and dates connected with the historical development
of the
Northwest Pacific. Draw the time line of the events mentioned in the text.
When the Americans began to move to the Far West, before any gold discoveries in the region, the entire pacific
Coast
was attractive for its space, free life and perhaps you could make a fortune. Long before the first setlers reached the Far
West, New England sea captains and merchants had explored the Pacific Coasiand built trading posts. lt was a long
voyage from the rest of the nation but those who risked the journey grew rich and with their weaitfr, tf,ey brought baci
tales of fertile soil, giant forests and more fish than anyone had ever
,
Two such explorers, Lewis and Clark made their famous journey up the Missouri River and across the mountains in
'
seen.
'
'1804-1805.
'
Later in 1826, a hunter led the first party through "South Path", the only gap in the Rockies where wagons, catle and
people could cross. But there was no great movement westward overland until 1843 when the great migration
began
along the Oregon Trail, which had been followed by traders and missionaries. The trail began on the luissouri River.
By 1 850 there were about 10,000 people living in Oregon when in 1 846, under ihe Oregon Treaty Great Britain and USA
agreed on the 49* parallel as the boundary between Canada and the United States.
The 19'n century development of the Pacific NorthWest was fairly rapid. Oregon became a state in 1859 and within a year,
mail communication was established with California. The first mining claims were staked in 1860 and then gold and oiher
precious minerals such as silver, copper and zinc drew thousands of people from the east.
Mining also stimulated the development of transportation, agriculture and settlement.
'
'
'
'
Between 1BB0-l9l0arailwayboomstimulatedrapidgrowthinpopulation,improvedcommunicationandaraillinkto
San Francisco was built. As a result, the region's greatest resource, timber was developed and by 1910 Washington
$tate was already the leading US producer of sawn lumber. Other economic activities included farming, salmoniishing and
irrigated farming,
in the table below with the required information:

G
v' filf
Fact File
State
Washinqton
Olympia
Oreqon
Population
California
Sacramento
5,894,121
3,421,399
Main cities
33,871.648
Seattle
Mt. St. Helens
Hells Canvon
Capital
Tourist attractions
E. Economic Aspects
6. The Pacific Region is the USA's second most important economic region and makes a major contribution to the
I
California ll
uarlornta
is tne
the ltrst
first tn
in terms ol
of cash value. The
T
most importayt
annhnrrrr
lr ,t tut (l (t,,rl
cncacfgai+\
otl ,
anchovy, +r
Ct;utcl *hr.trl2. California also leads the Pacific States in
, mosfly done in the
Central Valley. lt is the country's leading gldwer of_
? rrr
ln vrsUvr
Oregonrorlu
and Washington,
vvdJlllrlVlull, the
tllu udsuaue
Cascade lvloutllalns
Mountains alvl0e
divide Ine
the SIaIeS
states'into
Int0 .r \1./
Ji\\)
difforont
znnac Tha
rlnr eastern
nao+a.^ zone
different farminn
'l,., ri\ J"ru
farming zones.
=a^r i^
The dry
--is'
is ^,,i+^Ll^
suitable {^for :..f._-,,;t-r-\
West of the mountains,
Oregon's Willamette Valley, regular rainfall and
maritime temperate climate allow good yields of crop like fglt____..:-, l. ,'
Both states are among the most important sources
in the USA.
(i
r\a-utl,t'*,
iK,-:_--".*.1:1.
in
\-
of_
.-\
\/",
Clues: they influence the southern part of the state; some of them belong to other states.
in the Sierra Nevada. Here you can find the largest living thing on earth, the General
of 102.6ft (30.6m)and a height of 275ft(82,50m)
Shermaniree with a circumference
F
87
\--rc--
California
here we come!
7. choose from the list below the adjectives you would use to describe california:
Exciting
colourful
dangerous
fast -growing - peaceful
relaxing
8. Look
at the pictures below showing different features in California Can you make any associations between the words
you chose and the pictures you see?
Fig. 20.6 Death Valley

California is a state of many contrasts. Physically speaking, there are four natural regions with distinct characteristics varying
the coastal uplands to lower California.
It has both the highest and the lowest elevation of the 48
contiguous states and of course, various climatic conditions,
which include Death Valley with a highest, recorded
temperature of 56.7'C, which is close to the world record.
The main rivers that drain the Great Central Valley and the
lakes in California represent another contrasting factor as
well as the huge diversity of vegetation. Approximately 40%
of species found naturaily in the US are indigenous to
California. There are also the droughtresistant species in the
,'.,";r
ffieanlq1"rl+ ,t*
.
't.
{":{::{liti1
iir!!
important contrasts in California with respect to relief,

climate, vegetation and land use?
\L
*9.q:r
quF
1.. .i,r $fll.l!
Saq{dnot{o.
i;-tiii@r+
LI
.,.
'cALlfOItilt.[
'': iq*a,
+
_\e..J
1#r*ii.*Fi
From what you have studied so far, what are the most
ti-l:tir*9
8**''
desert..
9.
r'
:
i*.r,,r,
*:il:
str
.11?!
ffii
.:r3
\".,r* &:'.-.;,F,:Cry.a.ill
Ete
-4"il,*
:1M&
tsrdsdE
sJ
,"a,,
DP
'-
''
. -..*"..t""-7
'. .,,i{licn---"
California's population of more than 30 million inhabitants

makes it the most populous American state. lt is also very
Fig.20.7 The State of California
diverse ethnically and groups include European, African
American and Hispanic mainly Mexican.
Economically, California is frequently compared with nations rather than states. California is dominant in aerospace,
agriculture, winemaking and the film industry. lts main cash prodLrcts are cattle, milk, cotton and grapes. lt also produces
one
third of the nation's canned and frozen vegetables and fruits. Petroleum and natural gas are the ieading minerai resources.
Construction and autornobile industries are also very important.
'10' Some of
the main attractions of California can be seen in the following pictures. Match them to the
corresponding descriptions
a. The Santa Clara Valley, south of San Francisco, was famous

for its acres of prunes (dried plums). ln '1939, two young
engineers Bill Hewlett and David Packard went to work in a
garage in the Santa Clara Valley. Their first product was a
precision audio oscillator used by Disney, for generating sound
effects in the movie Faniasia,
Today the Santa Clara Valley is the most important centre in
America for the computer and electronics industry and
Hewlett-Packard is one of irc major firms. rhis valley is referred
to know to by its i:ickname Silicon Valley
88
rc
b. lt was once farmland. By 1g10 however, film makers

began moving here. The Southern California cfimaie
was perfect for shooting movies all year round.
The area
had mountains, deserts and the ocean. Soon,
Hollywood
came to mean "the American film industry,'.
Today, of the major studios, only paramount
is still in
Hollywood. ln Hollywood you can see two greattheatres
where many films premiered, pantages Theatre and
Mann's Chinese. The latter is famoui for its cement
courtyard with footprints and handprints of many
stars.
c. California earns more from grapes than from any

other
crop. Many, of tl9 gf1p.!_ grown are for wine. The vineyards
extend the length of California down to San Diego. But
the
traditional and most importarit area for wines lijs to
the
north of San Francisco in Napa and Sonoma
Counties.
The.area with its genfle hills covered with vineyards
often
remind people of Mediterranean Europe. Many
wineries
and fine small restaurants are in the old stone buildings.
Most wineries give tourists tours and free tasting.
It seldom rains in southern california but it is

still one of the most productive areas
of the USA. How can a desert turn into a fertile
agricultural region?
Much of california has a Mediterranean crimate ,ini.r,
,..nr-tnere is a rong
sy.TT., drouglrt during which ritfle can grow. Farmers in the
region
with two specific problems:
.#lrLo
the rivers Sacramento and San Joaquin did not

suppry enough water to
irrigate the land
2. most of the rain feil in the northern part of the vailey, whire
the most fertire
land is in the South.
The solution: The centrar Vailey project was deveroped
to herp distribute water
ln California more effectively.
1
1i:riilliiiti:1r::aralliiilliittlililillul:iilt1.i:itiilii,r:1';r:ail,itltiiitl!,1tlrr,:irrr,1l
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, embracing

114 square miles on both sides of the
Gate Bridge, is the rargest urban park in tire worto,
and the mosifoputar in tne
9o-ld:l
U.S. National park system.
- The state motto "Eureka" is a Greek word meaning ,'r have found it?,,
) 420 public beaches lie along California's coasfline.
>
Yosemite Nationar park has more than 700 mires

of hiking hairs.
California Firsts
) The world's first raser was successfuily operated by its inventor, Theodore
Hughes Research Laboratories
in Maribu in the spring .i 1960.

i- Y.'iqg'at
The Frisbee was invented in California.
) The first television was invented by philo T. Farnsworth, and transmitted lts first
),
>
successful electronic image in San Francisco on

September 7, 1927.
California was the site of the first radio broadcast.
Fashion Fair Mail, in Fresno, was the nation's first
encrosed shopping mail.
The first node of the tnternet (then known as ARpANET)
i*irii.ir
University of carifornia, Los Angeres (ucLA) in september
1g6g. The firsi
host'to'host message was sen[one month rater from
UCLA to stanford
Research lnstitute.
*r,
,iin.
Fig. 20.12 Californian Beach
ffi
89
f=:.
21.mGmmfl
r---_-----_
ll
Gulf Coastal
l---l
t---______-_
Plain Appalachia
The Everglades Colonial Heritage Subtropical environment

-___-_-___.:
Look at the map fig.21.1on the right. You can identify the South as
a large and complex region extending on all sides.
a.
b.
c.
Write down all the words you can think of related to ihe South
Briefly describe the geographical features of the region and
identify the sub-divisions according to the physical
economic-cultural aspects.
What is the most famous place you know about in the South?
B. lntroduction
1. Read the text and check your answers from A (predictions).
The terrain of the region is very complex, ranging from rugged
mountains to plateaux, lowland valleys and marshy coastal plains.

No other region of the USA has such heavy rainfall and such a long
growing season over its whole extent.
-The
South is also known for having some of the most severe natural
hazards in America. Traditionally, the Southeast has been considered
mainly as a rural area, its economy being associated with plantation
crops such as cotton and tobacco. Recently there has been an
upsurge of industrial development with big resources discovered both
on land and offshore. lt is also a major tourist area as recreation and
retirement are major industries.
The region still maintains a Colonial heritage from the earliest European
colonisation, which developed a unique culture after the War of
lndependence. The Southeast was once the cenke of the Confederate
States of America that fought the Civil War.
2.
I
I
Fi1.21.1 The South

Fact File
The States: South East: North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Tennessee, Mississippi
South Central: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana,
Texas
Area: approx. 3 million km'(28%)

Population: 50 million people (1/6)
Largest city:Atlanta
Highest point: Mt. Mitchell (2,037m)
Lowest point: The Gulf Coast 100m
The following pictures show some representative physical, economic and cultural features of the region. Group
them according to these aspects.
90
From the physical perspecr
tY::^'^n*i,'ohy,
urE euur'rrelrl
s--rievrr/' the
southern regl'
region
COmpfiSeS
:omprises tWO
t\rvo sr
hron i^^. -l.les.e
SUbfeqiOnS.
are the Coastal plains of
th"e
A,aniin and
.hd n,,rr
i^^-^r
,
Atlantic
Gutf Coa-st and .
r
- t npp.fr.ni#[ril,#i.
3,
Read the two texts,,which

refer to
-- the
subregions
"'Y vvv'iE!
mentioned and mark
.
.
.
a.
the ideas already known

to you with 7
rne ones that are new with
a
the ones that need clarification
with a ?
The Aflantic Coastat plain

follows the coasfline from
Cape Cod in Massachusetts
in the North to the Florida
Peninsula in the South *f,er.
it OroaO"enrio oi., SOOk,
in width.
There are few natural harbours,

many sandy beaches and
offshore ista nds (from vi,gin
il io itoi,i,jri r.i,rrrto
the maintand by marshesl pamfico-is
a |au[*jnr., of ,n.
sea, which iles .along the coast
.f frf .rtf] Cri.im
Mixed forests of coniferous
and broadleaf deciduous
are
the natural vesetation of the
south
is
mainly coniferous.
u.,
c. TheAppalachian Hiohlands
il,thffi;;;dil.
Marshes are common and

there are slow-flowing rivers
rhe Southern ptains. tts .rt
.ouii, incruo..
:::^r:.ilg
.r.
b. The.Gulf plain is a much wider
o un
towards the eastern eooe

wlicrr
This is a tow ptateau ZS"O_SOOm
'
rb;;;
The.mountains are made
up of many irrO.Jp.rf,,
ctustered into ranqes inctuding
th;
[,r"o1itrinr,
'"'"",
which extends from pennsyivinta
to Ceoigi;:
Other parts of the mountain,r.1l.tT
are tfrE Rttegheny
Mountains in the Centre
,no ti.r" Ci*is'r.lr",ri.Jiln,r,
along the border between
r.rn.r.u.-uro iuirnn EI.,,r,
ln between the different
mountain ranges there is
an, area
sometimes caled the Great
"
Vailey,
Shenandoah in Virginia
,no crrl,.iirrj'in
There is a moist coid winter
crimate in ihe ;r.r,"iirr,rr.n
of the hrghrand remains covered
by trees, coniferous as
well as broadleaf trees.
;liil;;r[."il.oront.
;;;;;t '
tne
dtJ#;;;
band of flat land and
gen,y ro,ing hi,s. It varies,in

*loin rro, iib
and extends inland where
the Ohio iir., n.vv,
"'g,i, tn.
Mississippi. The Mississippi
flo*. inio tn.- 6rji.i'n).ri*
--" v' ',
in.Southern Louisiana through
a delta.
With the exception of southe"rn
ff oi,Oa
lwf,icn has a tropical
moist ctimate with over zo,c
in winieia';l , p.ril*.n,
s9a9on), most of the South_east
of ile Ui;
""" " h0,.,
winter climate with hot and
'
humid sum;;.
t,
,i.
k;;;';; #
i*n...u..
*.t
[rr',
4'
is a physical region
which
rl,[. m ta s wh ich exte d from
l?l:".^
i?i:
fi.
Maine toAtabama They
hr;; ; N;;_lr.ill.l,iil*.r,
'n,tit.i.jf
direction varying in attitude
fr., fr,fi
iz,Oifrf
ig
Now read the text again

and complete the table berow
with the missing information,
work in pairs.
Mountains
D. Human and Economic

Aspects
b.
Tiere are shong differences

witnin tne,iouth. The
states
in this region can be grouped

accordinq to the
comm0n economic and cutturat
.
The three subregions
tat<en
irrr".t.iirti.i ii.,,nr".
conslOere;;;;;;;,",
,ff
J;
:f
;il'offi;;:'Bi.,. rr.n or
Appalachia, farmino,s chret partner
is coal (anthracite and
bituminous) esp.cillty in
the Ailegheny ptaieau, *hi.h
h.,
tarse reserves tt is mined
b.th
Jn.iir,n,ng
and surface or strip mining.
rrre oir su,[pr[;l; tffih
Pennsytvania discovered
i, r asg, ;;'i;n qrr,l,rl',..t rp,,
another important eneror
;il;;;,;;;j,
it
ti, L
['g
;!ffi; ;." ill'J,.j|"te
or the Appa
la ch ia n
nu:"
T.?ll
Kurat-urban
a. Appalachia is rural with

a high population density
based on
# [ ff[.lT iff [,.tr];tH ilitrtrfl

[[?',ffil
cdahj*o and zinc in rilislouri
The Cenrrat Sourh is

tow poputarion density
and urban concentrations,include
il.,gl?, yill
tn"polifi..
oi rorro,t,
Charleston, Savannah or"
s' Atla n ta
tf,.
f.,.rO.'offi;igaiiil,
e.g. Richmond and Augusta.

migration increased rjpiOty
lgleJooment rhere are es townslnl
*.
wlth the economic
iiil;
;fi;;.,
50,000 peopte.
Agriculture is diversified
and mechanized with important
' crops of tobacco, sugarcane
,nO
,i..
rmportant cash crop in

this region Uri
relatively.
Cotio, i, ,[i,
frr.'O..iir.l'
,,
The traditional induskies

of steel and textiles are
now less
dominant in the reqion as
other f,irO..irrnrf*iriirg
activity have growi such
as synthetic textires, cnemicar
industries, wood processing piants,
etc.
91
c. Southern Coastlines:
the subtropical environment of

this region has had a major impact on human activity.
The most important benefit of this climate is the
production of specialty crops such as citrus fruits,
especially oranges and grapefruit with over 10 million
tons/year harvested. Sugarcane requires warmth and
humidity and is grown in Louisiana and Florida. Rice
and vegetable production are important for urban
markets.
The Gulf Coast's oil and natural gas deposits were

brought into production at the beginning of the 20''
century, generating urban and induskial growth. The city
of Houston has grown to nearly 2 million people in
80 years has a major port nearby at Galveston. The
process of oil exploration and drilling requires
specialised and expensive equipment. Two additional
minerals of economic value derived from the oil bearing
structures of the Texas and Louisiana coasflands are
sulphur and rock salt.
Tourism is also a major industry with Miami as the main centre.
5.
Based on the natural resources listed below, complete the table using the information from the above text.
Natural resources
What? (economic activity)
Where? (location.state)
How? (processing)
oit
Coal
Wood
cotton
Soil
Fish
Water
6' Sort out the following "heads and tails" to make true statements about the following urban centres.
1. Miami
a. tourist function
2. Houston
b. trading centre, accessible to ocean-going ships
3. Atlanta
c. a major oil centre in Texas
4. New Orleans
d. the largest city in the Appalachian and the Gate City of the
A world famous atkaction west of Miami is the Everglades
National Park, a swamp area that is home to a fantastic variety

'
of semitropical plant and animal life. lt was founded in jg47
and it covers over 600,000ha from Everglades City to the
Florida Keys, and includes Cape Sable, the southernmost point
of USA mainland.
The forest contains over 120 species of palm trees as well as
mangroves and cypresses. Wildflowers like orchids, water lilies
and giant ferns together with numerous species of birds add to
the beauty of the region.
ln 1947 a federal flood-control project drained parts ofthe area
to create farmland and provide water for neighbouring
communities. The action intenupted the flow of the natural water
system and adversely affected the ecosystem. ln 1976, the US
government declared the Everglades a National Reserve and in
2000, Congress passed the Everglades Restoration Act,
This aims to restore the natural flow of water through the
marshes. UNESCO designatedthe Everglades an lnternational
Biosphere Reserve as well as a World Heritage Site.
92
rEbn
Coastal Resources and the Need for Management

Managing coastal resources wisely means making use of coastal
lands and waters in a way that protects resources for future
generations while allowing coastal communities and economies
to thrive. Developed barriei islands and their surrounding
waters and wetlands are the focus of coastal management schemes
in the United States.
Coastal areas require management because of the richness, diversity
and sometimes scarcity of resources. Environments
include wetlands, beaches, sand dunes, barrier islands, estuaries
and coastal waters, coral reefs, ,rngrr. forests and other
living marine resources, They are also of great economic importance
to the nation.
The coast is home to over half the nation'Jpopulation (Culliton,
l!os) is u poprrur vacation destination, provides key
transportation routes for over 90% of U.S. international trade (NoAA,'i9g5j,
and provides over 956 billion in commercial and
recreational fishing each year (NOAA, 1994a).
Major uses subjectto management include:
. residential, commercial, recreational and industrial development;
harbour development and maintenance, such as channel dredging and
the disposal of dredged maierial;
. mineral extraction for oil, natural gas and hard minerals;
erection of structures to "control" shoreline erosion; and commercial and recreational
fishing
'
The Problem. Large oil and gas resources lie beneath Louisiana's
coastalweflands. Historically, the oil and gas industry has
dredged lengthy access canals and slips through vegetated wetlands for well
drilling platforms to reach these resources. These
actions have caused a significant loss of wetland and altered the natural hydrotogylnd
salinity of these sites.
The
Solution' Louisiana instituted a geological review process to evaluate industrial proposals

for less damaging alternatives
to the traditional access canals and slips. By using such alternatives
as drilling new wells from existing sites, laying removable
wooden board roads for access, moving well siteito less damaging locations"and
drilling wells at an angle from less damaging
locations, the industry has reduced the average area of vegetatJd
iletlands affected per well from 5.2 acres in 19g2 to
2.9 acres in '1989.

Reference: National oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA). 'lg9B
(on-line)."Managing Coastal Resources,, by
John McDonough, John Paul rolson and David stad.. iioAA', state
oi tn-e coast Report. sitver Spring,
#Jliloifl",houser,
Texas
Fact file
Area
Ranked
- Total
696,241km'
- Land
- Water
678,907 km,
17,333 km'
- % water
2.5Y0'
2no
F.Texas is probably the most self-conscious of all the Arnerican states. lt is the only state that
had a separate existence
between 1836-1845 under its own flag before joining the Union. lt gained
ceriain privileges such as ownership of its public
lands, which were not extended to other westein parts of the nationl
The state motto is both "The Lone Star State" and the "Friendship
State". The people of Texas are debating which motto
best represents them but "The Lone Star State" seems to be the
most commonly used today. Texas is the second largest
state in size afterAlaska and has historically been porlrayed as largerthan
life, especially in cowboy films andthe oil industry.
Florida is considered to have the oldest European settlement in North

America, north of the Rio Grande. ln .1565 the
Spaniards established St. Augustine as a military and mission post.
ffiE
93
-w-
\-,l--
Z?-mGrcmtrffiffilffiB
ll
non'contiguous
r-------___l-l
state
Arctic
landscape
Last
Frontier
northern/ southern most
place
volcanic
island
a. Study the map on the opposite
--N-----
page and identify the non-contiguous

states of the USA. Locate these states according to the major
geographic lines and the proximity of the US.
-S---------T---
E------HAWAII
-E------ s----
volcanic
b. These states are called the newest because they were the last to
join the Union in1959. Do you know anything about the historical
context of their discovery and annexation?
c. The game on the right gives you key ideas about the newest states
(physical and human). lf you cannot work it out now, come back after
you have covered the information in the lesson,
T------
ALASKA
--T----E-oil----S ---
B. ALASKA - lntroduction
Alaska is the largest state of the USA in area. lt is also the northernmost state and much of its territory lies north of the Arctic
Circle. About 800 km of Canadian territory separates it from the state of Washington. The Alaskan mainland's most westerly
point is only 82 km from Russia. No oiher parl of North America is closer to Asia. Today Alaska is often called "The Last
Frontier" because much of the state is not fully settled.
1
. a. Note the area of Alaska. How large is it in proportion to the area of the mainland US?
b' Comment on the proximity of Alaska to Russia. Which narrow strait separates them? Which large bodies
of water does this

strait connect? Note the location of each of these features of Alaska: Gulf of Alaska, Seward peniniula, Beauforl Sea and
Kodiak lsland.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON ALASKA
C. ALASKA - Physical Features

Both Alaska and Hawaii have a great physical variety. The text below
presents the most striking features that make up Alaska's landscape.
2 a. Read the text below and fill in the gaps with the key.words
_make
in the box.
The Central Uplands and

up the largest land region in
Alaska. This region lies between the Alaska Range to the south and the
Range to the north. lt extends westwards from the Canadian
border and it includes the seward
the Kuskowim River area of
southwestern Alaska. The Brooks Range and its foothills'Effiart of the Rocky
Mountain System with steep
that rise 2,700m in the east.
The Alaska Range contains Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in
the USA. Stretching to the southwest are the
About one-third of Alaska's area is covered with ice. There
are overl50 glaciers among which the Malaspina glacier is
the third largest in the world. Volcanic activity is also an
important phenomenon.
The Arctic Coastal Plain is the most
lt .
rises gradually from the Arctic Ocean to a height of 180m in
the south.
Alaska's extreme no(hern location makes the
hours very short in winter and very long in the summer. ln
some places the sun never completely sets for a few days
during the summer. The Yukon River, Alaska's chief
flows 3,185km through Alaska and parls of
Canada. From June to October the river is
Forests cover a third of Alaska and there are many wild
flowers on the
_peaks
-and
Statehood: Jan.3,1959, the 49'n state

State Motto: North to the future
Nickname: "The Last Frontief'
Area: 1.5 mil.km'
Coastline: 10,600 km long
Highest elevation: Mt. McKinley-6,194 m
Population: 560,000 inhabitants
Density: 0.36
Capital: Juneau
_region.
_.
b. Answer the
questions:
1) What are the climatic conditions like in Alaska? Explain them.

2) Where else (otherAmerican regions) did you meet similar conditions
94
_____.:
of climate, vegetation and soil ?
Hawaii is the only state in the

USA that does not lie on the
mainland of North America.,, rt is
which extend over2'450km.nearthe
made up of over 100 vorcanic
ttnt.. oiir,r-rtrorft,.rn pu.iri.b;.;;.;ith.
isrands.
southeastern end of the chain,
main islands' among which.Hr*uii,
there rie the 8
rvuri, orrr, ,ni r<rrri
ti'. l.rrining 4, Honoruru, the state capitar
.r ir,. Ls
and the
,i,.0
5::','r'.'lYJir:,tTjI:,:ly#ir'J
state joinins the Union in re5e,
Hawaii is
,,
GENERAL INFORMATION
ON HAWAII
"
Statehood: Aug.21,1 959, the
50 state
State Motto: Ua man ke ea
aina I ka pono
(The life of the land is oerpetuated
in righteousness)
Nickname: "The Aloha State"

Area: 16,800 km,
Coastline: 1,200 km lono
Higtest.elevation: 4,205 m (Mauna

Kea)
Population: 1,115,000 inhabitants

Density: 65
Capital: Honolulu
,r;ir&;fi;;
a..h* [.i;;i# iltest

_E.
HAWAII - physical features
the text that follows oresents

the most skiking features of
the Hawaiian landscape.
3 a. Read the text and
from the box.
fill in the gaps with the key-words
The eight main Hawaiian lslands

are the tips of one or more
11. ___________. _istand, H.awaii,

is"tl'; ffi,red from five
votcanoes: Mauna Kea. rrlauna't_oa,
irZrrriri,iJ',rta and Kitauea.
The first two as well ,. rcrrr.u
u-r."____
very nign,
over 4,200m above sea tevel.
rtm
other
American states to the votcanoes
p"#'L'sie
th;ii;
''-'io
_-con,e
Nationar
sights.
tn.
vorcanic
Honolulu, on the island of Oahu

lies on a
olain at the
southeastern end. Kauai lslanO
has spectrJrlr-.
its norrhwest coast, the famoui
rrrrii,l[Jiprrii.asr, as wetJ as a
number of inland
Molokai .omprireiipatea,
o, the west and
mountains on the east. Lanai.conlains
ir*uii,s f*g;t p,r,.appf.
ptantation. Kahoo is tre
_o,
smarrest
used for military purposes.
Hawaii's climate is trooical and

throughout the year, which.allows
iJ;r; lij;;ffiJJut.o
_with
,no
small variations
a growing season of ,12 months.
qrglant .rlmrt; il'#tnifiN"g'

I5*:'itf:*1
millions of tourists every year
'
utt,uct
Fi1.22.3 Mauna Loa erupting

b. What
makes Hawaii different from the

other 49 states?
E
-
95
F. ALASKA. HUMAN ASPECTS
H.
Co
Alaska has a complex human geography with regard to population distribution, ethnicity and religion. Read the following
statements about the population of Alaska. Using the information in the table (Fig.22.5) Continue these ideas to form a short
presentation of various aspects of population in Alaska.
Us
Alaska is a land of contrasts. Most of the state is still

wilderness and sparsely inhabited, while part of the
country, along "the Panhandle" has high density.
About a third of Alaska's people were born in Alaska
among whom there are about 75,000 Native Americans
P
d
L
Rank (American States'l
49
Population lncrease in a
decade (1990-2000)
38%
Largest cities
Anchorage
Fairbanks
-t
- 228,000
- 33.000
Urban/Rural oooulation ratio
65%
Native Americans
Eskimos (Aleuts and lnuits) - 50,000

lndian (Athabaskan in the South
Fi1.22.4 Eskimo or lnuit people
central part and Tlingit and Haida in

the Southeast) - 25,000
Europeans
77Yo
0ther ethnic qroups
Various
Fi1.22.5 Alaska population data

G..
ALASKA Economic Geography
4. Read the following text in order to find out about the main
economic activities in Alaska. Underline the key.words, which
show the chief products and activities.

Oil from Prudhoe Bay, which is transported via the Trans-Alaska pipeline, opened
in 1977 and natural gas are by farAlaska's

most important mineral resources. 0thers include copper, gold, coal, sand, gravel, stone and clay. Forestry and fishing are also
important to the economy but Alaska is no longer dependent on them or on gold as it was once. Sitka spruce, cedar and western
hemlock are used for timber and paper-making. Salmon also accounts for a malor share of the value of annual fish catch.
Farming accounts for less lhan 1.10/o of the GDP (mainly dairy products, potatoes, and cattle). The leadlng manufacturing
industries are food (fish) processing, timber products, printing, and publishing.
5. Alaska is a land of contrasts and superlatives at the same time. Can you identify the superlatives ?
The following key aspects may be of help: location, size, coastline, relief, distribution resources.
. the Panhandle: a complicated network of land and water
stretching north 400km from Misty Fiords National
Monument to the Malaspina Glacier. The Panhandle
extends like an appendage from the main body of Alaska
towards the lower 48 states, separating Canada from the
Gulf of Alaska. The largest US national forest, the Tongass
covers more than 75 percent of the Panhandle 's land area.
. Dogsled Racing: a team of huskies "mushing" across

frozen tundra is a quintessentialimage of Alaska. For
millennia, working sled dogs provided travel and
communication in the far north.
. Arctic Wildlife: among large mammals, the semi-aquatic
polar bear is one of the most elusive. Unlike polar bears,

grizzly bears will eat food other than meat, often grazing
on blueberries. Re-introduced to the Arctic, musk oxen are
ly adapted to extreme cold. (Michelin
96
ffi
-.
H. HAWAII- HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Continue these two ideas about Hawaii to make a short presentation about the various aspects of population in Hawaii.
Use the information in the table below and the general information on the previous page.
a.
b.
The state of Hawaii has many nationalities and ethnic groups.

More than four-fifths of the people in Hawaii live in urban areas.
Rank (American States )

Population lncrease in a
decade (1990-2000)
Largest cities
50
17Yo
Honolulu
371,657
40,000
Kailua - 38,000
Hilo
Urban/Rural
88%
Natives (thousands)
Polvnesian descent 15 %
European
34(the smallest proportion of

anv state)
Other ethnic groups
Chinese, Philippines, Japanese,

Korean
I. HAWAII Economic Geography
6.
Read the following text in order to find out about the main economic activities in Hawaii. Underline the key-words,
which detail the chief products and activities.
Stone is Hawaii's principal mineral deposit although cement, gravel, sand and pumice are also produced.
Farming and fishing are minor industries. Tuna represents a major proportion of the fishing catch. Leading crops include
sugarcane, pineapple, coffee, and papaya.
The principal manufacturing industries include: food processing (raw sugar, canned fruit and juice); the manufacture of
clothing, textile products; printing and publishing.
The main industry and source of income is tourism, which produces more than $10 billion for the state economy.
7. COMPARE AND CONTRAST ALASKAAND HAWA|l. Refer to physical, human and economic features. Use the two
following maps to present your conclusions to your classmates.
S.,torr
@
tp**:^ '=tf$----o:
i
+,, '''' ' q' I F'
.1ffi-
l.ryai
t{*hrxrlrr*r
llawui
.v\
\l .\51'.;\
ck*'ji
otFl n'*
4*
'*#
[" t a&
IIAWAII
)There are only 2 highways from the US mainland and within Alaska. Roads and railways are relatively limited although
nearly every town has its own aidield. Planes fly passengers, mail and freight to the most distant "villages".
Eskimos call themselves "lnuit" (the people) but the Cree lndians of Canada call them "Eskimos" (eaters of raw meat).
)The
Eskimo is now an outdated term.

Hawaiian alphabet has only 12 letters: a, e, h, l, k, l, m, n, o, p, u and w. Every Hawaiian word ends in a vowel.
E.g. ae = yes / aole= no/ aloha= welcome, love / kokua = help / mahalo= thank you/ huhu= angry/ wikiwiki = quickl!
Every Hawaiian island has a nickname: Lanai = the lsle of Pines Kauai = the Garden lsle Hawaii = the Big lsland
Kahoolawe = the Empty lsle
Molokai = An lsland few people know Maui =The Valley
)The
lsle
E:
3:oprofrles 7
97
re
k
A. For each of the questions below, circle the correct

answer:
11 .
'1. The Appalachians are lower than the

Rockies because
they are
a.
older
b.
younger
c. shorter
a..112 b.314
b. The Sierra Nevada Mountains
15. Niagara falls are found between lakes:

a. Erie-Ontario b. Erie-Michigan c. 0ntario-Superior
16. Which of the forms of relief from below is not really a plateau:
a. Colorado Plateau
Arkansas b. the Potomac c. the Tennessee
6. The Columbra Plateau appeared as a result of the action
b. Great Basin
of the
c. Ozark Plateau
a. glaciers b. volcanoes c. rivers

7. Which is the highest mountain peak east of the Mississippi?
a. Mithchell b. Whitney c. McKintey

8. Which are the only volcanic mountains in the USA?
9. Which
west
b.
17. The highest American mountain peak is of over
a.2000m b.4000m c.6000m

18. The Pacific Coast is affected by
a. volcanism c. earthquakes c. both

19. The area which has hot and dry summers and warm,
Range
pa( of the USA has no coastal plain?

a.
c.213 of the USAtenitory.
c, The Cascade Range
drains waters fron2l3 of the USA. Which one of the

following rivers is NOT a tributary of the Mississippi?
a.Ozark b. Cascade Range c. Coast
lake
14. The highest mountain peak of the contiguous USA is found in:
a. The Rocky Mountains
a. is the longest river in the USA

b. has the largest drainage basin in the USA
c. both
The Mississippi has about 250 tributaries and actuaily
a, the
--
c. glacial lake
12, ln its middle course the Colorado River is
a. fast, dangerous, carries a lot of water
b. slow, majestic, carries a lot of water
c. fast, navigable, carries little water
13. The Mississippigathers its waters from
2. The Grand Canyon has been carved by the action of

a. water b. wind and temperature c. all
3. The rivers rising west of the Continental Divide flow into
a, the Atlantic 0cean b. the Pacific Ocean c. both
4, The Mississippi River
5.
Salt Lake rs an example of

a. tectonic lake b. volcanic
wet winters is:
south c. east
a, the northern half of the Pacific coast

b. the southern half of the Pacific coast
10. The area of the USAwhich has hot, dry summers, very
cold winters with occasional blizzards and a light to
c. the southern half of the Atlantic coast

20. The Great Lakes contain
average amount of precipitation is:

a. The lntermontane Basins
a.115
b. the Great Plains
b.2t5
c. the South-east
c. 1/3 of all the freshwater in the world
B' ln the table below, match each of the USA region from the middle column with the climate type (left column) and
hazard (right column) corresponding to it. Remember that several hazards may manifest themselves in
one single area
and several areas may display the same hazard.
Climate tvoe
semidesert
Region
Climate hazard
Gulf Coast Plain
(occasional) drouoht
chinook
Mediterranean
Colorado Plateau
dry temperate continental
the Rocky Mountains
flooding
subtropical
Great Valley of California
tornadoes
temperate maritime
Central Plains
hurricanes
temperate continental
Northern Half of Pacific Coast

the Great Plarns
dust storms
mountain climate
c.
blizzards
on the USA map given below label each of the following landforms by number:
2. The Great Plains
8. The Sierra Nevada Mountains

9. The Rocky Mountains
3. The Appalachian Mountains
10. The Cascade Range
'1.
The Atlantic Coastal Plains
4. The Central Plains (Lowlands)

5. The Columbia Plateau
6. The Great Valley
7. The Great Basin
'11.
The Ozark Plateau (Mountains)

Ihe Colorado Plateau
13. The Coast Ranges
14. The Gulf Coastal Plain
12.
Draw and label the rivers that you have learnt.
98
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aa /ta
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i1
1a
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It
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la
a
att \
a
a
a
D.USA SUPERLATIVES. Give short answers to the following questions:
l.Which is the word's largest marsh located in the USA?

2.What canal located south of Chicago joins one of the tributaries of the Mississippi River to the Great Lakes, making it one of
the world's largest inland water transportation routes?
3.Name the river that connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, thus creating a 3,861km long inland waterway?
4.Many geographical names from the USA have Native American names? How are called the oneJwhose translation is
"thunder of wate/' and "father of waters" respectively?
S.Which is the highest point in the entire USA?
6.Which is the lowest point in the USA and in the entire western hemisphere?
How far away are from each other the highest and lowest points in the contiguous USA?
J
S.Which is the world's largest mountain located in the USA?
9,Which are the only volcanic mountains in the contiguous USA?
10.What mountain from the above mentioned range erupted in jgB0?
.Which was the biggest earthquake experienced so far in the contiguous USA and where was it felt?
12.Which is the largest fresh water lake in the USA and in the world?
'!! Wnlcn is the only lake of the five Great Lakes which is located entirely
on the USA territory?
14.Which is the largest state in the USA?
1S.Which is the largest state in the contiguous USA?
16.Which is the smallest state in the USA?
17.Which is the most populous state of the entire USA?
18.Which is the sparsest populated state in the USA?
l9.which state is nicknamed the state with 10,000 lakes? How many does it have in fact?
20.Which state has the greatest number of lakes?
21.Which 3 states have the shortest names?
22.Which of the 50 states was the last to jcrn the union?
23.How many islands does Hawaii include and which are the biggest of these?
24.Whal was "Seward's Fol ly"?
25.Which state borders only one other state?
26.Which state borders most of the others?
27.Which state has the longest coastline?
28.What is Mount Rushmore famous for?
29.Why are the graves in Louisiana above the ground?
30.Where is the Midwest and how did it get its name?
31.The first crop that brought cash to the first white settlers in North America was tobacco. Where is it still grown?
1'1
ffi
99
ffi
Er
LET US TRAVEL ABOARD AMTRAK

Read the information on Amtrak and some of the routes that cross the United States of America.
choose one route. For your route create a poster highlighting the following aspects:
li
--
y0
fnt
. states crossed
. physical features of the area
. main attractions
. cities
For your project you can research in groups and bring any sort of information available (books, magazines, internet).
Don't forget to mention the sources.
Amtrak facts
The name Amtrak is the combination of the words "American" and "Track", The railroad's official name is the National Railroad
Passenger Corporation. Amtrak began service on May 1 , 1 97'1 when Clocker No. 235 departed from New York Penn Station at
12:05 a.m. bound for Philadelphia. ln 1971, Amtrak announced a schedule of 184 trains, serving 314 destinations. When service
began on May 1,1971, Amtrak had 25 employees. Today, the company employs 22,000 people. Since the beginning,
even-numbered trains have traveled north and east. Odd-numbered trains travel south and west.
U!
in
Cc
T(
Ri
EC
ir:.
L:
:-
S,
,rri
ca
f
cc
ll"
The American Rail Network
Traveltips
Train travel is easy, but nothing compares with traveling on board the Amtrak. lt is the experience of a lifetime. A list of travel tips
might contribute to the enjoyment of the journey.
Arrive early. lt's a good idea to arrive at the station at least 30 minutes before your train is due to depart.
Pack wisely. Remember that once you check in your large bags, you won't have access to them until your trip is over. Be sure
to pack all medication and special snacks in one of your carry-on bags.
Be prepared. There's nothing like watching the countryside roll by outside your window. Bring a camera with high-speed film
to record some of the views. We keep our lounge cars cool to provide maximum comfort for all our passengers, so you may
want to bring an extra sweater. Our coach cars offer comfortable reclining seats. For maximum comfort, dress in layers and
bring a pillow with you on board or stuff a small duffel bag with sweaters or sweatshirts
{oo
Empire Builder
It takes you on an exciting adventure through majestic wilderness, following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark. From
Chicago,
you'll have magnificent views of the Mississippi and see the glowing night skyline of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Awake the next
morntng as you cross the vast North Dakota plains and cross over the spectacular Gassman Coulee Trestle. As you skirt
the
upper Missouri, you'll cross into the wide open spaces of the "Big Sky Country" in Montana. Nature continues heiperformance
in Glacier National Park. From Spokane, you can coniinue on to Seattle or pick up the Lewis and Clark trail again, heading
down the mighty Columbia River to Portland for spectacular views of Mt. Hood and Beacon Rock. On the Empire Builder,
you'llfeel like a pampered explorer.
--
Texas Eagle
Ready for a real adventure? Spend some time on the route that runs between the skyscrapers of Chicago and the historical
echoes of the Alamo. The Texas Eagle, now offering daily service between Chicago and San Antonio, can take you to 40 cities
from the Midwest to the South Travel through the "Land of Lincoln," cross the Mississippi, wind through the bzarks to
Little Rock, Arkansas and through the Piney Woods of East Texas to colorJul, cosmopolitan Dallas while watching the plains
turn to pine forests then to cattle country.
Southwest Chief
Amtrak's Southwest Chief takes you through the heart of cowboy country. We'll take you across the mighty Mississippi and
whisk you through eight states, past wheat fields, ranches, missions, pueblos, mountains and deserts. Zlpping along tiriough
canyons that are sometimes only a few feet wider than the train or through ihe sun-drenched landscape, you'll feel the
presence of the ancient tribes who found splritual meaning in the rocky cliffs and canyons. You'll remember the
Spanish
conquistadors whose mission was to conquer the land and the people. This is a journey to be savoured from moment to
moment. Aboard Amtrak's Southwest Chief, time takes on a new quality.
The City of New Orleans

This goodtime route between the Windy City and the Big Easy is ruled by more than g00 miles of fun. your journey on the
City of New Orleans will take you through some of the region's most musical cities, from the world-class Chicago Symphony,
to the Blues of Beale Street in Memphis, to the distinctive Dixieland jazz of New Orleans. Amtrak's philosophyl tet tfre gooO
times rolll
The Lake Shore Limited

Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited takes you along some of the country's prettiest shorelines. you'll pass through New york's
beautiful Finger Lakes region, following a famous Native American highway along Lake Michigan and tire Mohawk River.
Travelthrough the Berkshires and stop in Pittsfield to take a tour of the house where Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick. Visit
the Berkshire Museum ihe oldest in the country or get tickets to an opera, a symphony, or a play. ln Boston make
connections to Providence and Mystic Seaport on Regional. You can do what you wan[in between stops. Once you get
going on yourAmtrak adveniure, you won't want to stop.
Silver Service / The Palmetto routes travel between the big cities of the Northeast and the tropical playgrounds of Florida,
passing through historic Virginia, the pine forests of the Carolinas and the elegance of old
Savannah. ltb an easygoing ride,
with lots of lively company and friendly service.
,w
J l-\
1/-
E
101
ffi
@ama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Montgomery
Juneau
Phoenix
Little Rock
Sacramento
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
E@ H
Denver
Hartford
Dover
Tallahassee
Atlanta
a.?+
ww
Hawaii
ldaho
lllinois
lndiana
lowa
Honolulu
Boise
Springfield
lndianapolis
Des Mornes
@ffiil@@ffi
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Topeka
Frankfort
Baton Rouge
Augusta
Annapolis
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Bosfon
Lansing
St. Paul
Jackson
Jefferson City
1o2
F
:
ffi
---
H@L@ffi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
Helena
Lincoln
Carson City
New Mexico
Sanfa Fe
New York
Albany
NewHampshire NewJersey
Concord
Trenton
North Carolina
North Dakota
Raleigh
Ohio
Bismarck
Columbus
\d.
Oklahoma
Oregon
Oklahoma City
Pennsylvania
Sa/em
Rhode lsland
Harrisburg
South Carolina
Providence
Columbia
@ rcUE@@
South Dakota
Tennesse
Pierre
Nashville
Texas
Austin
Utah
Vermont
Salt Lake City
Montpelier
,r#rr
W
Virginia
Washington
Richmond
West Virginia
Olympia
Wisconsin
Charleston
Wyoming
Madison
Cheyenne
E
103
Ageing population = a population with an increasing proportion of people over 65

Alloy = metal that consists of two or more metals mixed together (Rom: aliaj)
B&B (bed and breakfast) = s type of holiday accommodation usually found in a private house,
offering a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning (Rom: pensiune)
Badlands = area of over 600 sq.km located near the Black Hills of South Dakota. (also in Nebraska)
The landforms have variety of colours and are spectacular examples of rock erosion
Basalt = a fine-grained black or dark grey igneous (Rom: vulcanic) rock

Bay = a broad curved indentation in a coastline made by the sea
Biogas = a gas (CHo produced by decaying organic waste) which can be used as a source of energy
Birth rate = the number of live births per 1000 people per year,
Blustery = very windy
Break of bulk = the unloading of cargoes from ships to land by using cranes etc
BulkY = having great size
By'pass = road passing around town or its centre to provide an alternative rouie for through traffic
Caldera = a volcanic crater formed by blowing the top off of a crater
Calving = birth of calves. Also used for blocks of ice falling off the end of a glacier into the sea.
Canyon = deeP valley with very steep sides, often with a stream flowing in the bottom
Cargo = goods carried by ship, aircraft or motor vehicle
Census = an official process of counting a country's population and finding out about the people
Ceramics = the making of pots, pipes, tiles by shaping pieces of clay and baking them until they are hard
Chalk = soft, white, friable, fine-grained limestone (Rom: creta)
Channel = a wide or narrow waterway separating two land areas or linking two seas
Chinook = warm, dry wi$ similar to the fohn which blows down the eastern side of the Rocky Mts.
Chippitts = megalopolis or urban conurbation stretching from Chicago to Pittsburg
Clay = finetextured sedimentary rock (Rom: argila)
Gliff = high, steep or perpendicular face of rock e.g. along sea coast (Rom: falezd)
' Coal seam a band of coal between
other rocks
=
Coal'fired power station = a thermal power station in which coal is burnt to produce electricity
Coastline = the edge of the land
coke = a light black substance produced from coal and burnt to provide heat
Commonwealth (British) = an organisation of 54 independent states most of which were once part of the
British Empire
Continental Divide = main water parting in a continent

Contour farming = farming practice of cutting furrows across a hill slope, following the contours of land
rather than ploughing up and down the slope
Conurbation = a large built-up area with a high population density where several towns and cities have
joined up
Counter'urbanisation = the movement of people and employment away from large cities to smaller
settlements in rural areas
Death rate = the number of deaths per 1000 people per year.
Deforestation = permanent removal of forest and its undergrowth (Rom: defrigare)
Densely populated area = an area with many people in it.
Density of population = the number of people living in a given area usually in a square kilometre
Dependency ratio = the ratio between people of working age/economically active ige (15 - 64) and
non-working ageinon-economically active age (children under 15 and people over 64;
_
Distributary = branch of a river that flows away from the main stream in a delta (Rom: bra!de delta)
Distribution of population = the way in which people are spread out across a qertain area
105
Dome = an upfolded mass of rock

Domestic waste = household waste and waste drainage water
Down, downs, downland = an open expense of gently undulating elevated land, usually made of chalk
(Rom; zona colinard)
Drain (to) = to make water flow awaY

Drainage = the ability of water to flow away
Drift = slow movement of surface waters in the ocean under the influence of prevailing winds (Rom: curent
de suprafa[d)
Drizzle = light form of rain consisting of very small droplets (Rom: burni!d)
Drought = prolonged, continuous period of dry weather (Rom: secetd)
Dry-farming = farming practice that involves special treatment of the land to overcome shortage of water
Dust Bowl = semi-arid tract of land from which the top soil, exposed through careless ploughing has been
removed by the wind
Earthquake = shaking of the ground caused by deep-seated fault movement (Rom: cutremur)
Emigration = moving out of an area (about people)

Enterprise zone = a poor area in Britain in which the government tries to encourage new businesses by
I
;
I
,I
,
,
I
offering financial support

Equable = a climate which lacks great extremes (even and regular) (Rom: uniform)
Escarpment = a steep slope or scarp on one side of a hill with a gentle slope on the other (Rom: povarnig)
Estuary = the funnel-shaped mouth of a river where tidal effects can be seen
Ethnic group = a group of people with common characteristics related to race, nationality, language,
r'eligion or culture
Fault (geology) = fracture or break in a series of rocks along which there has been vertical or lateral
movement (Rom:falie )
pertiliser substance containing one or chemical compounds to improve the yield of crops
=
Fiord = a narrow inlet of the sea formed by glacial erosion,
Firth = Scottish for fiord
plood an overflowing of water from a river or the sea (Rom: inunda[ie)
=
Fodder = any food for livestock as cattle, sheep, and horses (Rom: nutre!)
Fold(ed\ mountains = mountain resu\t\ngirom the to\drng of the ea(h (Rom: mun$ de \ncretue\
Ford = a place in a river where the water is not deep and can be crossed on foot (Rom: vad)
Forestry = an industry in which trees are cut down
Fossil fuel = a traditional, conventional form of energy, such as oil, coal or gas produced by the slow
decay of plants or animals
f reight = goods carried by a vessel or vehicle
Fringe = the part farthest from the centre, edge (Rom: zona preordgeneasca)
Fringed = bordered by
Gale = very strong winds (Rom: vijelie)
Gentrification = the process by which a street or area formerly lived by poor people is changed by people
with more money who move into and live there
Geothermal energy = renewable resource of energy using the heat inside the Earth's crust to produce
steam and generate energy
Glacier = a mass of ice moving down a valley, glacial adj
Gorge = a'rocky-walled, steep-sided, deep, narrow valley (Rom: chei)
Gravel = loose, water-worn sediment in which small rounded stones predominate (Rom: pietrig)
Hail = a small piece of ice falling from cumulonimbus clouds (Rom: grindina)
Hamlet = a small settlement with a few houses and no facilities. (Rom: cdtun)
{06
f"r-
;:;,'
[ll:rf3|i!f,::;ri3:"
strip of land beside motonrvavrorvehicres

to reave road in case oremersency
Headquarters = the main central

office of a company where the
decisions are made
i:lliff:
't;ff:i,=
ilJ.1..'J#T.:;;ll*
a continuous
"tt
tiles torminb
t L o',,oarv
ora n.rJ
rn,,,
g,ro viul
oii* of considerabte thickness and covering a large
area (Rom: carotd
lgneous = of deep volcanic origin

lmmigration = moving.into.n ir.,
(about peopre)especiary a
country
lndentation = irregurarity of coasttine
(iom: larm danterat, crestat)
lndustriar dischaige = industriar
warte ieteased into the atmosphere
or water
lntet = A prace wheie the sea
the rand. tnor, nirj de mare)
tnsurate (to) = 1s cover somethins
so
il
;.ttins out
lsle = svnonvm for island but
rrt., .rrrro"i'r!4i
names (tste of Man) or in poetry
Lambing = birth rlll,T!. *licr,r
,srJfv occurs in the spring
Landfill = act of burying waste
under the soir, prace where the
waste is buried
Landmass = a very-lar6 e areaof
.ontin.ntrl dyrt 110r, ,rprrfrp
de uscat)
Lane of road = a slngte stiip-;;.;;
fr;ingte tine or ir.ni. tHom: bandd de
circutafie)
tlillJli]r= the removaroimine'ati r'r, it.
p.d;;io
* ;;r;;;iil;;;;,il
;il'ffi:,
t::ffi:il)'he
'riirr;;i]lll,r,
and dissorvins
iHor,a
se scurse, a
sheltered side, the side opposite

to that against which the wind
btows (Rom: versant
Life expectancy = 16t average

number of years a person born
in a country is expected to
Limestone = a sedimentary [ct
live
maoe
,p
mainry of
carciurncarbonate (Rom: carcar)

Littering = refuse, paper wrapping
etc teit oerrino
Loch = rake in scoirand; tougtr'in
iri.r.,. 6or. scottish ,rri*]nr.t,
are cailed rochs
Lumbering = fellinq and sar'iing
oitro.,. uro removrng
th.
area
(Rom: exproatarea remnurui)
Manufacturing Beit name given
=
to the area located iouilr or
steel making, coalmining, .rgr..iing
"' irre
' Great Lakes an important cenhe for
in tf.,. fg;C.njrry
Manure = animal dung used toitertitisirig
the soif lffi,ijr.grO
Microclimate = the climate ,f ,
,rriirrla e,g. garoen, district
Migration = the movement of people
eiirrer wittrin a country or between
countries
Millstone grit = a hard, coarse-A;i;r;;;"
sandstone (Rom: varietate
de gresie)
Monoculture = cultivation in *r'.,i.[
;rtiliy;;;ft..
iil;;
r-Jr['t
crop prodominates and is pranted

successivery on the same
unenclosed land,
senerallv elevated, with acid peaty soit (not
sood pasture) often
Motonrvay (Br'E) road specially
=
constructed for fast, direct motor
traffic (Rom: autostradS)
Naturalefficiencv
cnanoe'ifiilffirn
=
rate
acloroing
to
ihe
19
difference between birth and
organic farming'= agriculture"p;ffiffithout
death rate
the r;;;ir"rf,ilial chemical fertirisers
0utput = the amount or a proouc.J
or pesticides
rir,
or factory
Outskirts = the outer,area1
a town iRr;, periferie)
9f
Peak = the more or ress point.o
prriii.ni summit of a mountain (Rom:
v6rf)
Peat = a deposit of dead veget.dr.
,rit.ionry partiarrt
(Rom: turbd)
Pesticide = chemicar substJnce
,r.olo tirirn,mar, oi irr.ct,
as harmfur to crops
t,u1ffi'#1111;r$;i!!,?f;Hl
'ff:,ffiirJ:llilffi
,'ilr,
;;il;Jed
lgr!.0
ilXr1;;;i;l
,". or rand wrricn is"rairry naianJ 0,,,0 on on. or more
1fJ7
PIaya = a flat basin in an arid land which may become covered with water periodically (a salt lake
forms there)
Pony trekking = leisure time activity in which people ride ponies
Population pyramid = the age-sex composition of a population shown as a pyramid graph

Prairie = extensive area of extensive grassland occurring in mid-latitudes in North America (French for
meadow)
Precipice = a dangerously steep slope of a high rock, mountain, cliff (Rom: pripastie)
Push.pull factors = physical and/or human factors that attract or drive people from/ towards an area
Quarry = a place from which stone, sand, etc. are dug out (Rom: cariera)
Rain shadow = an area with a relatively low rainfall occurring on the lee side of hill or mountain (Rom:
effect orografic)
Renewable resource of energy = an alternative, non-polluting resource of energy such as solar energy
or water power which can be used over and over again
Reservoir = an lake used to store water, usually an artificial lake. (Rom: lac de acumulare)
Retailing = the sale of goods in shops to customers (Rom: vdnzare cu amdnuntul)
Ria = a drowned river valley in a hilly landscape
Ribbon lake = long, thin lakes of glacial origin

Ridge = long, narrow hill, such as the top of a range of mountains. crest (Rom: creastd)
Rift valley = a long, flat-floored valley with steep sides, where a faulted block has dropped down between
two faults
Ring road = road encircling a built-up area or town, often used as a by-pass (Rom: gosea de centura)
Ro'ro (roll'on roll-off) = facilities which allow lorries with containers to drive straight onto ships and drive
off at the end of the voyage
Rugged = having a rough, uneven surface (Rom: colturos)

Rust Belt = name given to the decaying industrial area located south of the Great Lakes and names after
the derelict, rusting
buildings
Sandstone = a sedimentary rock made up of coarse quartz grains Rom: varietate de gresie
Scarpland = a region of steep slopes, escarpments
sewage = the waste material and water carried in sewers (Rom: ape reziduale)
Sewer = artificial passage or a large pipe underground for carrying away sewage (Rom: sistem de
canalizare)
Shallow = not deep (about water)

Shower = a brief fall of rain, hail, sleet or snow (Rom: aversa)
Silt = fine padicles, carried or deposited by water (Rom: aluviuni)

Sleeping policeman = bumps built in the road to slow down traffic at in residential or other sensitive areas
Sleet = precipitation consisting of snow and rain mixed (Rom: lapovila)
Slums = a city area with poor living conditions (Rom: mahala)
Smog = a mixture of smoke and fog
Solar collectors = glass-covered panels attracting sun light into a small machine that transforms it into
electricity
sparsely populated area = an area with a few people distributed over it.
Strait = a narrow watenruay linking two larger bodies of water or separating two land areas (Rom: strAmtoare)
Strath = broad mountain valley in Scotland
Sustainable development = a way of improving people's life without wasting resources or harming the
environment
Sw3mp = wet, spongy land saturated with water most of the time and its associated vegetation
(Rom: mlagtind)
{08
GLOSSARY
system of troughs and ridges a system of erongated

=
vaileys and crests
Tarn = small, circular lake found in a graciarcirque
[nom irc d.,irc glaciar)
Tidal energy = a form of energy prod-uced by the power

Tide = the periodic rise and tatt oi tne sea czused
oitn. tii.,
by the puil exerteo on the Earth by the sun

and the Moon
Till= materials, such as rock and clay carried ano olposi[J

uvic.
morend)
nom:
Tonnage=agreatamount
Trade'wind = constant wind which blows from the tropical
high pressure belts towards the Equatorial low
(Rom:alizeu)
Trench/hough = long, narrow vailey between two mountain
ranges
e'road =importanl main road (ilom: drum
U shaped valley = a glaciated valley, which in
.roir-r..tion has the shape of U. Glacial hough is
commonly
nafional)
Ilrlt
used
warehouse = a large buirding for storing goods that

are to be sord
Waste = residues, refuse, gaibage, littei iubbish
disposal = removaiof industrial or domestic wastes
-w.aste
watershed = the high ground which forms the dividing
- apelor)
wind power
line between two river vqerr

basins
re (Rom:
cumpina
\I \r
= a form of energy using turbine generators to produce electricity

n. *ino nrows (Rom: versant expus)
windward = the side of a mo.untain dtc. againit wnicrr

Yield = result, output, product, amount of
firoduct
{09
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bunce, Vincent(editor) (1997): Geography for GCSE, Addison Wesley Longman Ltd.;
Crickner, Robin and Hildebrand William: The United Sfafes, Holt, Rineheart and Winston of Canada, Montreal, 1g72
Flint Corrin & David (1989): Brlflsh /ssues in Geography, Collins Educational;
Gallagher Rosemdrie, Parish Richard, Williamson Janet (2000, 2001,2002)'. Geog. 1, 2, 3 - Geography for key
sfage 3, Oxford University Press;
Glencoe: World Geography, California, 1989

Hatier: Geographie du C/asse Terminale, Paris, 1983
Dr. Mittleman, Earl N.: An Outline of American Geography, United States lnformationAgency
Punnet, Neil & Webber, Peter (198a): The British /s/es, Basil Blackwell Ltd.;
Prevot, V.: Geographie du monde contemporaine, Belin, Paris, 1966
Seath, Jonathan, Sheerin, Susan, White, Gillian(1991): Spotlight on Britain,2nd.edition, Oxford University Press;
Tolson, A.R. and Johnstone, M.E : A Geography of Britain,Oxford University Press
Waugh, David (1984): North and South America, Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd.
Waugh, David(1990): The British /s/es, 2nd edition, Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd.
Waugh, David; Bushell, Tony (1991): The British /s/es- Question Book, Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd.
Waugh, David; Bushell, Tony (1991 , 1992, 1993). Key Geography 1 , 2
,3 -
Foundations, Connections,lnteraction,
Stanley Thornes Ltd(publisher);

Zelley, Milbrey (1988): Geography of the United Sfafes, AGS American Guidance Service, lnc.
Tomkins, S. George; Hills, Theo;Weir, R.;Thomas(1991): ARegionalGeography of North Amerca, Gage
Educational Publishing Limited,.
**
***
***
***
***
PHILIP'S GEOGRAPHY DICTIONARY(1995): Reed lnternational Books Ltd.

The Penguin Dictionary of Geography,2'o edition(1998), Penguin Books byAudrey N.CLARK
Philip's Foundation Aflas, ('1989): Heinemann -Philip Atlases, Heinemann Educational
Rand Mc. Nally Classroom Atlas, ('1990), Rand Mc. Nally.Co.
The Oxford Schoo/Aflas(1997), Oxford University Press
{{o
r'rq*
Geoprofiles is an integrated programme for

bnguage learning for
r secondary students.
linked with
General geographical a
of the
geogrdphy of Great Britain and
work for the
sy//abus is a
y-related
edge and sk
of
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ILDIKO DOBOTYI '$ DOINA

MANUAL PENTRU LICEU

Edilia a doua revizuitd

Consultant: Jim Moore, Liverpool Hope University College, UK

I. Rogoz, Rodica Maria

III. P5unescu, Florina

1993, f19.1.6, 11.4-ExploringSeasideTowns,

www.dustydavis.com;fig. 19.8-willowbend@willowbend.center.org; fi9.19.9'19.10

www.grandcanyonexcursions.comJig. 20,2 - quarto.typepad.com; fig. 20.3 - www.americansouthwest.net; fi1.20.4'

CopyrightO 2005 by Charta

Tipdrit la S.C. Charta S.R.L.

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

Main Language Aspects

l. Here are the

Name and location of the

Vocabulary related to location,

Reading for specific information

Linking and developing ideas

2. The Relief of the

Identiffing physical geography

features on the map

Organizing information in a chart

Vocabulary related to physical

Reading for gist

Difference between weather

Vocabulary related to weather and

the British Isles

Vocabulary related to rivers and

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

Main Language Aspects

Transferring figures to charl

Vocabulary related to types

Pattems and land use

Interpreting maps and graphs

Analysing the intelrelationship

Comparing spatial patterns

Reading for specific

Vocabulary related to types of

Reading for specific

Classifi cation of industry

Analysing industrial factors

Inferring causes and effects

Linking a categorv to its

Speaking -defining terms

Reading for gist

Vocabulary related to industry

Vocabulary related to farming

Geographical and Cognitive Skills

Case study: The Channel

Applyrng information to solve

Vocabulary related to transport

Location of the USA

Comparing features of national

Vocabulary related to tourism

11. Recreation and

Identiffing advantages and

Establishing geo graphical