1、美国概况,General knowledge of America,Contents:,Basic information American geography,Full name National flag National emblem National anthem National day National flower Capital Nickname,I. Basic information,Name of the Country,The full official name of the country is the United States of America, usual
2、ly referred to as the U.S.A. The United State of America, with the capital of Washington D. C., is the biggest country in North America.,National flag： Stars and Stripes,The Star-Spangled Banner,made up of 13 alternating red and white stripes and 50 white stars on a blue field Stars are considered a
3、 symbol of the heavens and the divine goal the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light from the sun,White: Signifies purity and innocence Red: Signifies valor and bravery Blue: Signifies Vigilance, perseverance, and justice,Star Spangled Banner 星条旗之歌,Oh, say can you see, by the dawns early light, Wh
4、at so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, Oer the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? 啊! 在 晨 曦 初 现 时， 你 可 看 见是 甚 么 让 我 们 如 此 骄 傲?在 黎 明 的 最 后 一 道 曙 光 中 欢 呼，是 谁 的 旗 帜 在 激 战 中 始 终 高 扬!,And the rockets red glar
5、e, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave?,烈 火 熊 熊， 炮 声 隆 隆， 我 们 看 到 要 塞 上 那 面 英 勇 的 旗 帜 在 黑 夜 过 后 依 然 耸 立! 啊! 你 说 那 星 条 旗 是 否 会 静 止， 在 自 由 的 土 地 上 飘 舞， 在
6、 勇 者 的 家 园 上 飞 扬。,National emblem： Bald eagle,Motto: In God We Trust (official) E Pluribus Unum (traditional) (Latin: Out of Many, One),The Great Seal,Olive branch and arrows (peace and power),美国的国徽是由威廉巴顿William Barton和查尔斯汤姆逊Charles Thomson设计的，美国政府于1782年6月20日开始用这个国玺来鉴定重 要文件。国徽的图案，正中是一只象征独立、自由精神的白头鹰，
7、前面盾牌状的国旗，代表了1777年加入美国联邦的十三个州。白头鹰的右爪持着希望和平的橄榄枝，左爪握着决心自卫的利箭。白头鹰衔着一条用拉丁文写着“合众国” 字样的彩带，国徽顶端则是透过云雾，闪闪发光的十三颗金星。,The Great Seal shows a wide-spread eagle, faced front, having on his breast a shield with thirteen perpendicular red and white stripes, surmounted by a blue field with the same number of stars.
8、In his right talon the eagle holds an olive branch, in his left a bundle of thirteen arrows, and in his beak he carries a scroll inscribed with the motto: “E Pluribus Unum“, meaning “out of many, one“ The Eagle appears in the Seals of many of our States, on most of our gold and silver coinage, and i
9、s used a great deal for decorative patriotic purposes. The eagle represents freedom.,National Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner 星条旗永不落 National Day: July 4 National flower: rose National bird: bald eagle Capital: Washington D.C. (as a memorial to George Washington and Christopher Columbus) Nickname:
10、Uncle Sam,In 1986, President Regan issued a proclamation to declare that the rose became the official flower of the America.,National BirdThe Eagle,The bald eagle was chosen on June 20, 1782 as the symbol of America, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks. The eagle, full of the
11、 spirit of freedom, living above the valleys, strong and powerful in his might, has become the national symbol of U.S.A.,George Washington,Christopher Columbus,Uncle Sam,Uncle Sam,a figure symbolizing the United States portrayed as a tall, white-haired man with a goatee often dressed in red, white,
12、and blue, and wears a top hat “Uncle Sam” to the United States is “John Bull” to UK,John Bull,Uncle Sam,Mexico,The Pacific Ocean,The Atlantic Ocean,1.Location and size 2. Topography (地形,地质)Major mountains and riversthree geographical divisions 3.Climate 4. Natural resources 5.Population 6.Geograpica
13、l regions 7.Major cities,II. American Geography,1. The United States is made up of District of Columbia and_ states. A. 48 B. 49 C. 50 D. 512. What are the names of the two states of the United States which are noncontiguous? A. Alaska and Hawaii B. Alaska and Ohio C. Ohio and Kansas D. Hawaii and K
14、ansas,48 contiguous states + 2 noncontiguous states + D.C,1. Location and Size,1. Continental United States lies in central North America with Canada to its north, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to its south, the Atlantic Ocean to its east and the Pacific Ocean to its west. 2. The 2 newest states: Al
15、aska and Hawaii separated from continental United States Alaska borders on northwestern Canada, Hawaii lies in the central Pacific.,3. the advantages of the location of the US The US has an ideal location for its development. -Its Atlantic coast faces the developed countries of Western Europe, and i
16、ts Pacific coast and Hawaii give the nation an approach to the Far East and Australasia - In the past the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans served as natural barriers between the US and the rest of the world. This allowed the US to grow and become strong with little outside interference. - And today the d
17、evelopment of means of communication and transportation makes the U.S. well connected to the rest of the world.,Size of the US,-a land area of 9.3 million square kilometers. - stretches 2,575 kilometers from north to south and 4,500 kilometers from east to west. - the 4th largest country in the worl
18、d in size after Russia, Canada and China. -All together there are 50 states in the US. -Of all the states Alaska is the largest in area and Rhode Island the smallest. -on the mainland Texas is the largest.,2. topography: Mountains in U. S. A.,Appalachian Mountains 阿巴拉契亚山脉,Rocky Mountains 落基山脉,The Ap
19、palachian Mountains-run slightly from the northeast to southwest -old (have been worn out over millions of years) and low (the highest peak is only a little over 2,000 metres) -noted for virgin forests and mines -served as a natural barrier for westward movement during the early settlement.,The Appa
20、lachian Mountains,the great mountain system of eastern North America;one sixth of the national territory on the continent;From province of Quebec in Canada to Northern Alabama.,The Rocky Mountains - run slightly from the northwest to southeast-younger (are considered as young as Chinas Himalayas) an
21、d high (with the higher peak Elbert of about 4,500 metres)- the backbone of the North American continent and is known as the Continental Divide. -famous for lots of natural national parks -It is also known as the Continental Divide (大陆分水岭), because it separates the major river systems of the United
22、States.,Rocky Mountains-great backbone of North America,the great mountain system of western North America;5000kms from New Mexico to Canada;average altitude: more than 3000ms above sea level.,Appalachian Mountains VS Rocky Mountains,2.Topography: Rivers in the USA,The rivers in the country are main
23、ly lying between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains.1. The Mississippi -3,782 kilometres long -The Mississippi and its tributaries drain one of the richest farm areas in the world -They form a 19,000-kilometre system of waterways and serve as important means of transportation. -called “father of wa
24、ters” and the “old man river”,Rivers in U.S.A.,Mississippi River Father of all Waters,2. The Missouri -over 6,000 kilometres and is one of the longest rivers in the world -runs 3,725 kilometres before it joins the Mississippi 3. The Ohio -about 1,500 kilometres long - called the American Ruhr (after
25、 the Ruhr River鲁尔河in Germany), famous for its rich valuable deposits -The area is well known for its steel industry 4. On the Pacific side there are 2 great rivers: the Colorado in the south, and the Columbia rises in Canada. 5. The Hudson,“father of waters”,The most important and longest river in t
26、he U.S. The Missouri and the Ohio are two of its largest tributaries.,The Great Lakes,Niagara Falls 尼亚加拉瀑布,The five Great Lakes,Lake Michigan Lake Superior Lake Erie Lake Huron Lake Ontario-the worlds largest Group of freshwaterlakes -They are all located between Canada and the US except Lake Michig
27、an,They are :,Lake Superior苏必利尔湖：the largest fresh water lake in the world. Lake Michigan密歇根湖：the only one entirely in the US Lake Huron休伦湖 Lake Erie伊利湖 Lake Ontario安大略湖,2.Topography: Three Geographic Divisions,The Eastern Part,The eastern partthe highlands formed by the Appalachian Range (阿巴拉挈亚山脉).
28、,one sixth of the territory relatively low, with an average altitude of 800 meters above sea level,The Western Part,High plateaus (高原) and mountainsextending from Canada through the western part of the United States to Mexico and further south. One third of the countrys territory Rocky mountains,The
29、 Great Central Plain,Between the Appalachians in the east and the Rocky Mountains in the west.,half of Americas landmass on the continent stretch from the Great Lakes in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south drained by the Mississippi and its tributaries five great lakes and Niagara Falls,The
30、 Great Central Plain,The Great Central Plain is between _ and _, occupying about1/2 of Americas landmass on the continent.Keys: Rocky Mountains The Appalachian Mountains One second,3. Climate,The northern states are the coldest; The southern states are sunbelt; Temperate states are in the Pacific No
31、rthwest.,Climate in the United States,Maritime climate,Continental desert climate,Continental steppe (西伯利亚草原）climate,Humid continental climate,Sub-tropical climate,Sub-arctic climate,Tropical climate,Climate,Mainly temperate with some mild subtropical zones with only the southern Florida and Hawaii
32、being tropical. 50 centimeter rainfall line in the eastcomparatively more rain, so easy agriculture; in the westmuch less rain (less than 50 cm. a year) with the exception of the coastal areas along the Pacific.,4. Natural Resources,rich in mineral resources among the countries with the greatest res
33、erves of coal, iron ore and oil. abounds in lead, copper, zinc, aluminum, silver, and gold. one fourth of the territorycovered with forests which mainly concentrate upon three areas: the area along the north western coast of the Pacific the area in the south the area in the northrich in oilonce the
34、largest oil producing country. oil reservealong the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma,5. population,“Melting Pot” Among the Caucasians, the most influential people are WASP: the white Anglo-Saxon Protestants. Aborigines: the Indians 80%-90% of immigrants are from Asia and H
35、ispanic countries. Hispanic groups mainly came from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.,Nation of immigration,Language Spoken at Home (U.S. Census),6. Geographical Regions,New England,Middle Atlantic states,The American South,The Mid-West,The American West,The Pacific Coast,New States,New England 新英格兰,Ma
36、ine 缅因州New Hampshire 新罕布什尔州Vermont 佛蒙特州 Massachusetts 马塞诸塞州(麻省) Rhode Island 罗得岛Connecticut 康涅狄格州,Middle Atlantic States,West Virginia 西弗吉尼亚州 New Jersey 新泽西州 New York 纽约州 Pennsylvania 宾夕法尼亚州Maryland 马里兰州 Delaware 特拉华州,The Mid-West States,Wisconsin 威斯康星州South Dakota 南达科他州North Dakota 北达科他州 Ohio 俄亥俄州
37、Illinois 伊利诺伊州 Indiana 印第安纳州 Iowa 艾奥瓦(衣阿华)州Kansas 堪萨斯州 Missouri 密苏里州 Minnesota 明尼苏达州 Michigan 密歇根(密执安)州 Nebraska 内布拉斯加州,The American South,Virginia 弗吉尼亚州North Carolina 北卡罗来州Oklahoma 俄克拉何马州South Carolina 南卡罗来州 Tennessee 田纳西州 Texas 得克萨斯州 Alabama 亚拉巴马州Arkansas 阿肯色州 Florida 佛罗里达州 Georgia 佐治亚州 Kansas 堪萨斯
38、州 Louisiana 路易斯安那州Mississippi 密西西比州,The American West,Wyoming 怀俄明州New Mexico 新墨西哥州Arizona 亚利桑那州Idaho 爱达荷州Montana 蒙大拿州 Nevada 内华达州 Colorado 科罗拉多州 Utah 犹他州,The Pacific Coast,Washington 华盛顿州Oregon 俄勒冈州California 加利福尼亚州,The New States,Alaska 阿拉斯加州 Hawaii 夏威夷,The Top List : exercise,The largest state: Th
39、e smallest state: The most populous state: The least populous state:The largest cities: ？,7. Major cities,1. Washington D.C. 2. New York City (in New York) 3. Los Angeles (In California) 4. Chicago (in Illinois) 5. Houston (in Texas) 6. Philadelphia (in Pennsylvania) 7. Detroit (in Michigan) 8. San
40、Francisco (in California) 9. Boston (in Massachusetts),1. In the United States, _, which is a city of Texas, is nicknamed “ the Space City”.A. New York City B. Detroit C. Philadelphia D. Houston 2. Harvard is located in _, which is also called “ The Athens of America” from the teaching and research
41、carried out in over 100 colleges and universities. A. Detroit B. Houston C. Boston D. Los Angeles3. Which of the following cities is NOT located in the Northeast U.S.? A. Houston B. Baltimore C. Philadelphia D. Boston,Washington D.C.,CapitalHeadquarters of all the branches of the American federal sy
42、stem: Congress (Capital Hill), the Supreme Court and the PresidencyThe World BankThe International Monetary FundLincoln Memorial,New York City (in New York),“The Big Apple” The largest city both in term of size and population The business and financial capital of the world. Wall Street The New York
43、Stork Exchange,Los Angeles (In California),2nd most populous citya city of fantasy,known for motion-picture, aeronautics and aerospace industries,Chicago (in Illinois),Windy city; the 3rd populated city Financial, transportation, cultural capital of Midwestern America the foremost transportation hub
44、,Houston (in Texas),The largest city in Texas; The 4th largest city in USA; “the Space City” at the forefront in space technology 60年代初，美国最大的宇航中心约翰逊宇航中心在休斯敦市建立,Philadelphia (in Pennsylvania),5th largest city in terms of population the birthplace of the nation The Declaration of Independence and the
45、Constitution were drafted here.,Detroit (in Michigan),The largest city in Michigan The Motor City,San Francisco (in California),4th largest city in California The birthplace of the United Nations Organization(1945) The Chinatown of the city is one of the largest Chinese communities in the U.S.,Bosto
46、n (in Massachusetts),Capital and the largest city of M. “Cradle of Liberty” “the Athens of America”,7. Major city: Major tourist attraction,Yellowstone National Park Grand Canyon Niagara Falls Great Salt Lake Statue of Liberty,Yellowstone National Park,The first and oldest national park in the world
47、 the largest wildlife preserve in the U.S. Lies in three states: Wyoming (91%), Montana (7.6%), Idaho (7.4%),Grand Canyon,one of the great natural wonders of the world Located in Arizona,Niagara Falls,located on the Canadian boundary between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.,Great Salt Lake,the largest inland salt lake in North America,Statue of Liberty,Located at New York Harbor,
