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Top 10 US Cities and Regions: Virginia

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Vocabulary
Cultural Insight
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Top US 10 Cities and Regions - Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia encompasses 42,744 square miles, which are divided into
ninety-five counties and thirty-nine independent cities. The Commonwealth is nicknamed the
"Mother of Presidents" because eight U.S. presidents were born here. Virginia was named for
England's Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I.
The capital of Virginia is Richmond. The largest city is Virginia Beach. Other large cities
include Norfolk, Chesapeake, Arlington, Newport News, Hampton, Alexandria, Portsmouth,
and Roanoke.
The 2010 census indicates the population of Virginia is 8,001,024.
Geographically, Virginia is divided into five regions—the Tidewater, Piedmont, Ridge and
Valley, Cumberland Plateau, and Blue Ridge Mountains.
The economic resources of this area include government, military, farming, and business.
Virginia has a high concentration of technical workers due to software, communication
technology, and consulting companies located here. The Commonwealth has over 47,000
farms, which produce tomatoes, soy, peanuts, hay, and tobacco. The economic staple of the
Chesapeake Bay area is oysters, and wineries and vineyards boost the economy in the
Northern Neck. In northern Virginia, many residents work for government offices, such as
the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Department of Defense (DOD), United States Patent
and Trademark Offices, and various other federal agencies. The naval base located in
Norfolk is the largest naval base in the world.
This area was established as a colony in 1607 by the London Company. Virginia was one of
the original thirteen colonies at the time of the American Revolution. Virginia was named a
2 state in 1788. Virginia joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War, and Richmond
was named the Confederate capital. At this time, the northwestern area of Virginia separated
from Virginia and became West Virginia.

Vocabulary

LC: AB_S3L14_040312 © www.EnglishClass101.com - All Rights Reserved 2012-04-03

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English Definition Class

region area, division for administration
military of or relating to the armed forces adjective
soy a bean native to Asia which is noun
very rich in protein
hay dried grass, alfalfa, clover noun
oyster type of shellfish that is edible and noun
has two shells
patent a grant from a government that noun
gives the creator of an invention
the sole right to make, use, and
sell the invention for a set period
of time
trademark an officially registered name or noun
symbol identifying a product
which can only legally be used by
the owner or manufacturer
to boost to increase the force or power of verb
something
consulting providing professional advice for adjective
a fee
naval relating to a country's navy adjective
(armed forces comprised of
warships)
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Vocabulary Sample Sentences
The polar regions are very cold.
The region was covered with trees and bushes.
There are several American military bases on the Japanese island of Okinawa.
Japanese people eat more soy products than any other nationality in the world.
The farmer piled the hay in the barn.
The children rolled around in the hay.
The oysters were prepared for the feast.
I had some oysters for dinner last night.
On the 14th of February 1876, Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray both registered separate
patents for the telephone.
It is a criminal offence to use a registered trademark without the owner's permission.
The comment boosted his spirit and he felt ready for the race.

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Vitamin C helps you boost your immune system.

After retiring from his full-time job, my uncle worked as a part-time consulting engineer.
Britain enjoyed naval supremacy during the 19th century.

Cultural Insight
Some little known facts about the State of Virginia include:
The first peanuts grown in the U.S. were grown in Virginia.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is the largest bridge-tunnel complex in the U.S.
Mount Vernon, George Washington's home, is located in Virginia.

LC: AB_S3L14_040312 © www.EnglishClass101.com - All Rights Reserved 2012-04-03

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