6. Washington d.C.

New words and word-combinations to be remembered:

to be founded бути заснованим

choice вибір

to accept схвалювати

to establish засновувати

Federal District of Columbia Федеральний округ Колумбія

to complete завершувати

to move переїздити

In honour of на честь

marble мармур

sky-scraper хмарочос

law закон

to forbid забороняти vast великий

modern scientific equipment сучасне наукове обладнання

headquarter штаб-квартира

huge величезний

pentagon п'ятикутник

executive виконавчий

legislative законодавчий

judicial юридичний

Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States of America. It was founded in 1790. The site of the city was chosen by George Washington as the national capital when he was the President. His choice was accepted by Congress in the act of 1790 having established the Federal District of Columbia. The District of Columbia was named in honour of Christopher Columbus who discovered America. It is a piece of land ten miles square which does not belong to any state. By 1800 the north section of Washington was completed and Congress moved from Philadelphia to the new capital. The city was named in honour of the first President George Washington.

Washington is a beautiful city. The houses of marble and white stone make a great impression on those first visiting it. The city was planned carefully and differs from some other cities of the USA with their sky-scrapers. The buildings are not very high because of the law forbidding to build houses more than 90 feet high. The wide avenues

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are lined with old shady trees and in parks there are many beautiful flowers.

Washington is the residence of the President and the Congress of the United States, of all government departments and other important institutions. The Congress seats in the Capitol. Washington is known to be a centre of culture and science as there are many research institutes, some universities and the National Academy of Science.

The Library of the USA Congress, built to hold five million books, is as known all over the world as the Library of the British Museum. It is famous for its vast collections of books, documents and modern scientific equipment.

Washington is the headquarter of the USA Military Department — the Pentagon. Pentagon is a huge building in the shape of five pentagons. It is situated in the south of the Potomac River. Washington is the centre of atomic, electronic, light and food industries. The places of interest in Washington are the Washington Monument, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, there are many museums and theatres.

In the political scene Washington is the centre and the most important city in the United States. It is the centre of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the Federal Government of the United States of America.

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the capital of the USA?

2. When was it founded?

3. Where is the capital situated?

4. What differs Washington from others cities in the USA?

5. What is the Library of the USA Congress famous for?

6. What is the Pentagon?

7. Where does the President of the USA work and live?

8. Where does the Congress of the USA seat?

9. Why is Washington the most important city of the USA?

10. What are the places of interest in Washington?