TEXT 1

Comment on the text “Plastic and environment” and answer the questions

Plastic usage has become a major problem. It’s a massive understatement to just talk about
plastic pollution and not talk about the benefits it has brought us. To put things in perspective,
plastics save lives daily by providing safe and clean drinking water in bottles, and in the form of
airbags, incubators, and helmets.
Plastics help reduce fuel consumption and subsequent pollution from cars and airplanes,
by reducing weight when used, as compared to legacy materials. Plastics have saved the wildlife,
as, before its use, piano keys or billiard balls were made of elephant ivory. Plastics also help
increase the shelf life of fresh food providing nourishment to billions of humans and reducing
food resource stress on societies.
The fact is, we cannot stop using plastics as there literally isn’t an alternative which is
lighter, easy to mass-produce, and comparatively stronger pound to pound. It is arguably one
invention that helped humanity reach modernity faster. The problem with plastics is mostly
centered around the disposal. Plastics, since they are produced from oil and natural gas, have a
tough time breaking down in the natural environment. It can take as long as 400 years for a plastic
litter to break down in nature.
A portion of the plastics discarded in landfills makes its way to the oceans where it gets
broken up into smaller pieces called microplastics due to natural elements like sunlight and ocean
current. It then gets eaten by the fishes and follows its way up the food chain to humans. It is now
understood that microplastics are present everywhere. Literally from the highest point on Mount
Everest to the deepest spot in the Mariana trench. By 2050 there will be more plastics in the ocean
than the fishes.
90% of the bottled waters and 70% of tap water contain microplastics. This particular fact
should bring seriousness to the picture. This means that at least 70% of us are drinking water
contaminated with microplastics. There are serious health concerns associated with it.
Microplastics act as magnets for toxic elements while in the environment and nature. The
implications are still not known entirely, one thing is for sure that it causes hormonal changes in
humans and is really harmful.
The plastic waste crisis stems from two major problems, abundant single-use plastics and
a low percentage of recycling. 50% of the entire plastic production is of single-use plastics. That’s
roughly 180 million tonnes of plastic products we use only once every year. And, we don’t even
recycle one-tenth of the plastics we produce.
The plastic waste crisis stems from two major problems, abundant single-use plastics and
a low percentage of recycling. 50% of the entire plastic production is of single-use plastics.
That’s roughly 180 million tonnes of plastic products we use only once every year. And, we
don’t even recycle one-tenth of the plastics we produce.
Just by cutting down on the usage of single-use plastics like bags and bottles, there can be
a massive reduction in the global plastic waste footprint. Use bags made out of reusable and
natural materials. But if you can’t do that, make sure your plastic waste is being disposed of
responsibly to get recycled. That way whatever plastic you use, be it single-use or otherwise
stands a better chance of getting used again in the form of new plastic products.

1. What are the advantages of plastic?

2. What are two major problems of plastic waste crisis?
3. How should we solve the plastic usage problem?
 TEXT 2
Comment on the text “The positive effects of owning a dog on children” and answer the
questions
Having a dog helps a child learn how to act responsibly. As a dog owner, the child must
take care of the animal's daily needs. The dog must be fed and exercised every day. A dog is
completely dependent on its owner for all its needs, including the need for good health and a safe
environment. Therefore, being responsible for a dog also means taking care of the dog so that it
stays healthy. Furthermore, the owner must take responsibility for the safety of the dog and the
safety of the people it comes into contact with. If the child forgets any of these duties and
responsibilities, or ignores any of the dog's needs, the dog will suffer. This teaches the child that
his responsibility to the dog is more important than his desire to play with his toys, talk on the
phone, or watch TV. This is true not only for the care of a dog, but also for the care of oneself,
another person, or one's job. Learning how to take responsibility for the health and welfare of a
dog leads to learning how to take responsibility for oneself.
Another lesson that a child can learn from having a dog is how to be empathetic.
Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another person's, or in this case another creature's,
situation and imagine that person's or creature's feelings or problems. A dog cannot express itself
with speech, so its owner must learn how to interpret its behaviour. The child must learn to
understand what the dog's behaviour means. Is the dog frightened, aggressive, or sick? The child
needs to understand what is going on in the dog's mind. Understanding a situation from the dog's
perspective helps the child understand why the dog is behaving in a certain way and what the
dog needs. The result of learning to read a dog's behaviour is that the child develops empathy. By
learning how to empathize with a dog, the child also learns how to empathize with other people.
This leads to the child becoming a more considerate and caring person.
Being considerate and caring are important characteristics in a good friend. One of the
most significant benefits of owning a dog is the example of true friendship that a dog provides. A
dog gives unconditional love to its owner. A dog will not stop loving its owner because of a little
anger, indifference, or neglect. The dog will wait patiently for its owner to pat its head and say a
few kind words. This acceptance of the negative qualities and appreciation for the positive
qualities of its owner provide a wonderful model of how to be a good friend. A child soon
realizes that his dog will always listen to him, will always be ready to play with him, will always
protect him, and will always forgive him. A child who has learned to be even half as good a
friend to others as his dog is to him will have learned one of the most valuable lessons in life.
These are some of the most important lessons a child will ever learn. The benefits of
owning a dog will last the child's entire lifetime. The understanding and appreciation of
responsibility, empathy, and friendship that a child develops from the experience of having a dog
will help him or her grow into a reliable, caring, and mature adult.

1.What are the main responsibilities of the dog owner?

2. What is Empathy?
3. What is the most significant benefit of owning a dog?
 TEXT 3

Comment on the text “The effects of stress” and answer the questions
There is a famous expression in English: "Stop the world, I want to get off!" This
expression refers to a feeling of panic, or stress, that makes a person want to stop whatever they
are doing, try to relax, and become calm again. 'Stress' means pressure or tension. It is one of the
most common causes of health problems in modern life. Too much stress results in physical,
emotional, and mental health problems.
There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect the heart. It can increase
the pulse rate, make the heart miss beats, and can cause high blood pressure. Stress can affect the
respiratory system. It can lead to asthma. It can cause a person to breathe too fast, resulting in a
loss of important carbon dioxide. Stress can affect the stomach. It can cause stomach aches and
problems digesting food. These are only a few examples of the wide range of illnesses and
symptoms resulting from stress.
Emotions are also easily affected by stress. People suffering from stress often feel
anxious. They may have panic attacks. They may feel tired all the time. When people are under
stress, they often overreact to little problems. For example, a normally gentle parent under a lot
of stress at work may yell at a child for dropping a glass of juice. Stress can make people angry,
moody, or nervous.
Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses. Depression, an extreme
feeling of sadness and hopelessness, can be the result of continued and increasing stress.
Alcoholism and other addictions often develop as a result of overuse of alcohol or drugs to try to
relieve stress. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, are sometimes caused by stress and are often
made worse by stress. If stress is allowed to continue, then one's mental health is put at risk.
It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It affects the emotions.
Untreated, it may eventually result in mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health
and well-being of our bodies, our feelings, and our minds. So, reduce stress: stop the world and
rest for a while.

1. What is stress?
2. How can stress affect the health?
3. What is the long term stress?
 TEXT 4

Comment on the text “Why people get tattoos” and answer the questions
When tattoos first emerged in the 1800s, they were considered a sign of being a criminal
or deviant. Today, they are increasingly commonplace. According to one estimate, 38 percent of
adults between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo.
What makes some people choose to get tattoos? This question was investigated in a
recent study led by psychologist Luzelle Naudé of the University of the Free State in South
Africa. More specifically, she and her collaborators sought to understand why college students
would choose to get or not get a tattoo, as well as their perceptions surrounding the practice.
In order to investigate these questions, Naudé and her team began by recruiting
participants who were college seniors and enrolled in a psychology research methods course.
Participants completed questionnaires that inquired about their experiences pertaining to tattoos,
including whether or not they had one or more tattoos, how many of their friends had one or
more, their reasons for having one or not, and their opinions about tattooed individuals. Naudé
and her collaborators also invited the participants back for a follow-up interview that probed
more deeply into their perceptions about tattoos.
The results were striking. Most of the participants (78%) did not have tattoos, and most of
their parents (92%) did not have tattoos. However, most of the participants’ friends (74%) had
tattoos — and almost half (47%) were considering getting a tattoo or another tattoo.
Participants’ reasons for getting or not getting a tattoo were roughly equal, with 47% responding
positively and 50% responding negatively. The primary motivation for those who got a tattoo
(25%) had to do with its personal meaning (such as to mark a significant experience or struggle).
Participants reported reasons such as “to keep my mother’s memory,” “a way of honoring my
first child,” and “presented what I was going through at a certain time of my life.” Some
participants (12%) also felt that their tattoos were an extension or expression of who they were.
As one respondent remarked, “My body is a book, my tattoos is [sic] my story.” Some
participants also reported that they found tattoos to be an appealing form of art.
For the participants who opted not to get a tattoo, the main reasons revolved around
social and cultural factors, primarily religion (11%). One participant reflected, “I am a religious
person so my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I'd like to keep clean.” Another expressed, "I
am a Christian, it is conflicting as in the Christian religion to treat and respect one's body as a
temple.”
Other reasons for forgoing a tattoo included disapproval from family and friends and
incurring negative views at work. Some participants (10%) shared concerns about the
permanency of tattoos and their sense that it looks unattractive on older people. Participants also
referred to medical reasons or fear of needles and pain (10%). Moreover, some participants
viewed tattoos as unappealing. One participant opined: “I wouldn't get one. Would you put a
bumper sticker on a Ferrari?”
As for the participants’ views about their tattoos and those of others, the participants
themselves were for the most part non-judgmental. When asked, “What is your opinion about
tattoos and people with tattoos?” the majority of participants (54%) had positive opinions, 18%
had mixed feelings, 13% had negative opinions, and 15% either had no opinion or were
indifferent. Most respondents respected the preferences of tattooed individuals. A respondent
stated, “They’re cool and all, just not for me.”

1. What is tattoo?
2. What makes some people choose to get tattoos?
3. What is the main reason of not having tattoo?
 TEXT 5

Comment on the text “Causes of floods” and answer the questions

Floods are second only to fire as the most common of all natural disasters. They occur
almost everywhere in the world, resulting in widespread damage and even death. Consequently,
scientists have long tried to perfect their ability to predict floods. So far, the best that scientists
can do is to recognize the potential for flooding in certain conditions. There are a number of
conditions, from deep snow on the ground to human error, that cause flooding.
When deep snow melts it creates a large amount of water. Although deep snow alone
rarely causes floods, when it occurs together with heavy rain and sudden warmer weather it can
lead to serious flooding. If there is a fast snow melt on top of frozen or very wet ground, flooding
is more likely to occur than when the ground is not frozen. Frozen ground or ground that is very
wet and already saturated with water cannot absorb the additional water created by the melting
snow. Melting snow also contributes to high water levels in rivers and streams. Whenever rivers
are already at their full capacity of water, heavy rains will result in the rivers overflowing and
flooding the surrounding land.
Rivers that are covered in ice can also lead to flooding. When ice begins to melt, the
surface of the ice cracks and breaks into large pieces. These pieces of ice move and float down
the river. They can form a dam in the river, causing the water behind the dam to rise and flood
the land upstream. If the dam breaks suddenly, then the large amount of water held behind the
dam can flood the areas downstream too.
Broken ice dams are not the only dam problems that can cause flooding. When a large
human-made dam breaks or fails to hold the water collected behind it, the results can be
devastating. Dams contain such huge amounts of water behind them that when sudden breaks
occur, the destructive force of the water is like a great tidal wave. Unleashed dam waters can
travel tens of kilometres, cover the ground in metres of mud and debris, and drown and crush
every thing and creature in their path.
Although scientists cannot always predict exactly when floods will occur, they do know a
great deal about when floods are likely, or probably, going to occur. Deep snow, ice-covered
rivers, and weak dams are all strong conditions for potential flooding. Hopefully, this knowledge
of why floods happen can help us reduce the damage they cause.

1. What causes flood?

2. The ways of preventing flood
3. What does dam contain?
 TEXT 6
Comment on the text “The Choking dog ” and answer the questions

As she opened the door, she nearly tripped over Sheba, who was standing behind it. "Hey,
Sheba, hello," she said, bending down to stroke the large alsatian dog's head, "I've got no time
for you now, but I'll take you out as soon as I get back from the tennis club."
It was then that she noticed something worrying about the dog. Sheba seemed to be coughing
or choking, her stomach pumping repeatedly as if she was trying to vomit something up. She was
obviously in real discomfort and could hardly breathe; her sad eyes gazed up at Joanne
helplessly.
Sheba did look very sick, and Joanne realised she would have to take her down to the vet
immediately. Luckily, the vet's surgery was only a few streets away, and Joanne quickly loaded
the dog, still coughing and choking, into her car for the short drive.
Luckily, Dr. Sterne had not left yet, and when he saw the state of Sheba, he brought her quickly
into his office.
"It looks like something is stuck in her throat," said Dr. Sterne. It shouldn't take me too long
to get it out."
"Listen, doctor, I'm really in a rush to get to a meeting -- can I leave her with you, and go and
get changed? I'll be back in ten minutes to pick her up, then I'll take her on to the meeting with
me. Is that OK?"
"Sure," said the doctor. "You get going. I'll see you in ten minutes."
Joanne jumped back into her car again, and made the quick trip round to her house in a couple
of minutes. As she was once more entering the hallway, the phone on the table by the door began
to ring. She picked it up, annoyed by this additional interruption to her plans.
"This is Dr. Sterne," said an anxious voice. "Is that you, Joanne?"
"Of course it's me," said Joanne, surprised at the sound of his voice, "no-one else lives here."
"I want you to get right out of that house immediately," said the doctor's voice. "Right now.
I'm coming round right away, and the police will be there any time now. Wait outside for us."
The phone went dead. Joanne stared at it. She was confused, but she was also a little frightened
by the obvious fear in the voice of the doctor. She replaced the receiver, then quickly backed out
of the door and ran into the street.
At that moment, a police car with its lights flashing swung round the corner and screeched to
a stop outside the house. Two policemen got out. After briefly checking that she was the owner
of the house, they ran into the house through the still open door, without explaining anything.
Joanne was by now completely confused and very frightened. Then the doctor arrived.
"Where's Sheba? Is she OK?" shouted Joanne, running over to his car.
"She's fine, Joanne. I extracted the thing which was choking her, and she's OK now."
"Well what's this all about? Why are the police in my house?"
Just then, the two policemen reappeared from the house, half-carrying a white-faced figure, a
man in a dark grey sweater and jeans, who, it seemed, could hardly walk. There was blood all
over him.
"My God," said Joanne, "how did he get in there? And how did you know he was there?"
"I think he must be a burglar," said the doctor. "I knew he was there because when I finally
removed what was stuck in Sheba's throat, it turned out to be three human fingers. I don't think
he's a very happy burglar."

Answer the questions:

1. Why did she take the dog to Dr. Sterne's surgery?

2. Why did the doctor tell her to get out of the house?
3. Why did the burglar look very sick?
 TEXT 7

Comment on the text “Hitchhiker” and answer the questions

Something in the way the lady spoke, and the way she never turned her head, but
stared continuously into the darkness ahead from under her old yellow hat, made
Andrea uneasy about this strange hitchhiker. She didn't know why, but she felt
instinctively that there was something wrong, something odd,
something....dangerous. But how could an old lady be dangerous? it was absurd.
Careful not to turn her head, Andrea looked sideways at her passenger. She
studied the hat, the dirty collar of the dress, the shapeless body, the arms with their
thick black hairs....
Thick black hairs?
Hairy arms? Andrea's blood froze.
This wasn't a woman. It was a man.
At first, she didn't know what to do. Then suddenly, an idea came into her
racing, terrified brain. Swinging the wheel suddenly, she threw the car into a skid,
and brought it to a halt.
"My God!" she shouted, "A child! Did you see the child? I think I hit her!"
The "old lady" was clearly shaken by the sudden skid. "I didn't see anything
dearie," she said. "I don't think you hit anything."
"I'm sure it was a child!" insisted Andrea. "Could you just get out and have a
look? Just see if there's anything on the road?" She held her breath. Would her plan
work?
It did. The passenger slowly opened the car door, leaving her bag inside, and
climbed out to investigate. As soon as she was out of the vehicle, Andrea gunned
the engine and accelerated madly away. The car door swung shut as she rounded a
bend, and soon she had put a good three miles between herself and the awful
hitchhiker.
It was only then that she thought about the bag lying on the floor in front of her.
Maybe the bag would provide some information about the real identity about the
old woman who was not an old woman. Pulling into the side of the road, Andrea
lifted the heavy bag onto her lap and opened it curiously.
It contained only one item -- a small hand axe, with a razor-sharp blade. The
axe, and the inside of the bag, were covered with the dark red stains of dried blood.
Andrea began to scream.

Answer the questions:

1. What did Andrea do when the "old lady" got out?

2. Why did Andrea look in the old lady's bag?
3. What was the "old lady" probably going to do to Andrea?
 TEXT 8
Comment on the text “The wild life” and answer the questions

Long before the arrival of Europeans on the Canadian prairie (the wide grasslands
of what is now called Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), the First Nations
people lived in a harmonious relationship with their natural surroundings. Every
item of their culture, from sewing needles to homes was obtained from nature.
Their homes were called teepees and were like large tents made from the skins of
deer. These people - tribes with names like the Blackfoot, the Peigan and the Blood
people - were nomadic, which means that they travelled from place to place
following the animals they hunted or the growth of the berries and fruits on the
bushes and trees.

They had horses, although horses came to North America after escaping from the
Spanish explorers who brought them here to explore the areas around Mexico and
Texas. Boys and girls were both expert riders. They did not use saddles or reins or
stirrups; they rode "bareback". Their clothes were made from deer skins and
buffalo skins and decorated with the parts of other animals - tails from squirrels
and gophers, quills from porcupines and the delicate bones of birds.

These children of nature did not ever have to go to school. They did not have to
study to get into a prestigious college, nor did they have to worry about finding a
job after graduation. This does not mean their life was easy. The winters were very
long and very cold and there were sometimes wars between tribes. There were also
the very great dangers involved in the buffalo hunt. Warriors rode at top speed
(with no saddle) beside the huge buffalo shooting arrows to bring them down. The
chances of a buffalo turning suddenly or of falling off the horse were very great.
We must remember that there were also no hospitals in those days.

Answer the questions:

1. Where do tribes live in?

2. How do they travel?
3. Where do they get clothes?
 TEXT 9
Comment on the text “Culture shock” and answer the questions

Once abroad you may face an adjustment period referred to as "culture shock."
Moving to a new country can be a very stressful experience. Everything is
unfamiliar; from weather, landscape and language to food, fashion, values, and
customs.

The degree of "shock" depends on such factors as length of study abroad,

flexibility, and tolerance for ambiguity, degree of difference between home and
host culture, prior experience abroad and expectations. Culture shock is a normal
part of study abroad, and it shows that you are experiencing the differences
between your own culture and that of the host country. Symptoms of culture shock
can include: homesickness, depression, feeling lost and out of place, frustration,
irritability, and fatigue. The following information may be helpful to understand
the phases that occur in culture shock:

 The Honeymoon. During this initial period participants often feel excited to
embark on their new journey. You are open to trying new things and exploring
your host country.

 The Rejection. You may miss your usual ways of dealing with school, work,
relationships, and everyday life. You may find yourself studying for hours, longer
than your classmates and colleagues because of language differences. If you are
trying to speak and listen to a new language every day and trying to understand
how things are done, it may feel like an overwhelming effort.

 The Recovery. It is important to understand that as time passes you will be better
able to enjoy your new surroundings. You may become more relaxed, regain your
self-confidence, and enjoy life in your new country. Major obstacles that occurred
in the earlier phases, such as misunderstandings and mistakes, will be easily
understood and resolved.

Answer the questions:

1. When do people experience culture shock?

2. How do you feel yourself on the phase Honeymoon?
3. How many stages are usually associated with culture shock?
 TEXT 11
Comment on the text “The Story of the Aral Sea” and answer the questions

In 2009 in Kazakhstan, a group of fishermen met on a Sunday afternoon. They

were on the beach of the North Aral Sea. They ate food. They did some sports.
Afterwards, they told stories and sang songs about the Aral Sea and fishing. It was
a good party.
The fishermen were happy because there were fish in the water. For many years,
there weren’t many fish. At one time, the Aral Sea in Central Asia was the fourth
largest lake in the world. It had an area of 67,300 square kilometres. Two of the
biggest rivers in Central Asia, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, went into the
Aral Sea. But the water almost disappeared.
The Aral Sea was a busy place. Almost 20 percent of the Soviet Union’s fish came
from here. 40,000 people lived and worked near the lake. Then people used the
water in the two rivers for agriculture, so the water didn’t arrive at the Aral Sea.
Also, it didn’t rain for many years.
Then, in 2005, the Kazakh government and the World Bank built a dam. The dam
separated the north and south parts of the sea. Then the north part of the Aral Sea
started to fill with water again.
Philip Micklin is a scientist. He studies the Aral Sea. In 2010 he said ‘Nature can
come back.’ But in 2014, he saw satellite pictures of the east part of the Aral Sea.
It was completely dry.
In June 2015 a scientist from Uzbekistan, Yusup Kamalov, and a National
Geographic reporter visited the Aral Sea. They found a huge desert. They stood on
the sand. Once it was the edge of the water. Now the water is 80 kilometres away.
They drove to the water. On the way, they passed oil and natural gas rigs. Kamalov
said that every year there are more oil rigs. They arrived at the edge of the Aral
Sea. The water was very salty. There were no fish. Kamalov said, ‘This is what the
end of the world looks like’.

Answer the questions:

1. What is the problem in the Aral Sea?

2. What happened because of the dam?
3. Why were there no fish in the sea?
 TEXT 10

Comment on the text “Culture shock” and answer the questions

Culture shock is an experience a person may have when one moves to a

cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the personal
disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due
to immigration or a visit to a new country, a move between social environments, or
simply transition to another type of life. One of the most common causes of culture
shock involves individuals in a foreign environment. Culture shock can be
described as consisting of at least one of four distinct phases: honeymoon,
negotiation, adjustment, and adaptation.
Common problems include: information overload, language barrier,
generation gap, technology gap, skill interdependence, formulation dependency,
homesickness (cultural), boredom (job dependency), ethnicity, race, skin color,
response ability (cultural skill set). There is no true way to entirely prevent culture
shock, as individuals in any society are personally affected by cultural contrasts
differently.
Culture shock is experienced by students who participate in study abroad
programs. Research considering the study abroad experiences states that in-country
support for students may assist them in overcoming the challenges and phases of
culture shock. As stated in a study by Young et al., the distress experienced by
culture shock has long-lasting effects therefore, universities with well-rounded
programs that support students throughout the study abroad program, including
preparation and post-program assistance, can alleviate challenges posed by culture
shock, allow for global development and assist with the transition back into the
home culture

1. What is culture shock?

2. What are the common problems of culture shock?
3. Why do people experience culture shock?
 TEXT 12
Comment on the text “Detroit: then and now” and answer the questions

The American city of Detroit was like Paris, some people said. It had a big
river, beautiful wide streets and important buildings. Then, in the 20th century, it
was called ‘Motor City’ because of the number of car factories there. Workers in
the car factories had good jobs and they earned good money. It wasn’t unusual to
own a home, a boat and even a holiday home. In the 1950s, new highways were
built and lots of people moved from the city centre to the suburbs. Life was good.
But at the beginning of the 21st century, Detroit became America’s poorest big
city.
In a period of fifty years, more than half the people left Detroit. Houses and
buildings were empty. Poverty and crime increased. Plants and trees grew in the
empty houses. What happened in Detroit?
The city’s population fell for several reasons. One reason is people moved to
the suburbs in the 1950s. Another reason is that in 1967 there were terrible riots. A
lot of people were scared of coming to the city. Also, the big car companies like
General Motors and Chrysler had huge problems. And in 2008, the world financial
crisis had a big effect on many cities, especially Detroit. Now, a lot of people in
Detroit are poor. Half of the city’s families have less than 25,000 dollars a year.
In 2013, the city of Detroit was bankrupt. It was the biggest bankrupt city in
American history. But then something began to change. It was a new beginning for
the city. It had some money to improve small things like lights in the streets and so
people felt safe. The police came quickly when there were problems. Old, empty
buildings were demolished. There is now space for new buildings. And there are
new businesses too. The city gave 10,000 dollars to 30 new small businesses. Now
there are grocery stores, juice bars, coffee shops and even bicycle makers. Finally,
the city is working again.

1. Why is it called “Motor City ” ?

2. What happened in Detroit?
3. When was the city bankrupt?
 TEXT 13
Comment on the text “The Statue of Liberty” and answer the questions

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous monuments of the USA.
The people of France gave in 1886 in recognition of their friendship. The statue is
situated on the Liberty Island in New York.
It is the statue of a woman with the torch in her right hand and a tablet
evoking the law in her left hand. She also wears a crown with seven spikes that
symbolize the light of liberty shining on the seven continents.
The Statue of Liberty is designed by the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste
Bartholdi in Neoclassical style. It is 93 meters high and weighs more than 200
tons. The statue stands on the platform inside which there is a museum dedicated
to the history of immigration to the US.
The crown of the statue is also a viewing platform which is open to visitors.
However, you will have to overpass 356 steps to reach it. Nevertheless, the view
from the top of the statue is stunning. You will see the whole city and will admire
its beauty and unique architecture.
Moreover, The Lady Harbour, as the statue is usually called, is one of the
most favourite tourists’ souvenirs. Thousands of people buy copies of the statue
and many other souvenirs and even clothes with this symbol.

1. Where is the Statue of Liberty?

2. Who designed the Statue of Liberty?
3. Who gave the Statue to the people of the US?
 TEXT 14
Comment on the text “The Grand Canyon” and answer the questions

The Grand Canyon is one of America's main tourist attractions. It is so big

that you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty. The Colorado River
formed the Grand Canyon over millions of years. Slowly, the river cut down
through hard rock. Today, the canyon is one mile deep and 200 miles (320 km)
long. It's interesting that there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite
sides of the canyon. The south side is dry and desert country. The north side has
tall forests. The canyon looks different at different times of day, and in different
seasons and weather. At sunrise and sunset the red, gold, brown and orange clouds
of the rocks are especially clear and bright. In winter, the canyon is partly covered
with snow, you can walk down into the Grand Canyon, or you can go down flown
on the back of a mule. But be careful to carry enough water because inside the
canyon, it is very hot much hotter than at the top.
The people of the United States are a mixture of many different nationalities.
Every American schoolchild learns that the United States is a big melting pot of
countries. In a melting pot, different metals are melted together to make a new
metal. The United States is like a melting pot for people. In the past, people from
many different countries came to the US and made one country out of many. In
one city you can find people whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents
came from China, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and every European
country. These different people brought to their new land a wonderful mixture of
customs and traditions. The Germans brought Christmas trees. The Irish brought
St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The Scots brought Halloween.

1. Where is the Grand Canyon?

2. What is the name of the River that flows through the Grand Canyon?
3. Describe how the Grand Canyon formed.
 TEXT 15
Comment on the text “Yellowstone National Park” and answer the questions

Yellowstone National Park, America's first National Park, offers truly

unique experiences like spectacular hiking trails, beautiful views, Old Faithful, and
geysers shooting water 100 feet into the air. Plan your visit with NPF's resources.
When the first visitors to Yellowstone tried to report what they saw, news
magazines responded, “Thank you, but we do not print fiction.” Peppered with
colorful hot springs, mudpots, and breathtaking waterfalls, it is easy to understand
how one might think it otherworldly. Nothing else on Earth is quite like
Yellowstone--and there is something for everyone, from children to grandparents.
Established in 1872 and located primarily in Wyoming, Yellowstone
National Park was America's first national park. To this day, Yellowstone remains
one of the country's most popular national parks with millions of annual visitors.
Yellowstone spans almost 3,500 miles, and extends into parts of Montana and
Idaho, making it one of the largest national parks in the US.

1. Is Yellowstone the largest national park?

2. What is the difference between a national park and a national forest?