TEXAS

         Texas is the 28th American state, which is situated in the south of the country and could be denoted as the southeast continental part of the USA. Texas has border with other USA states: Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana. The State is washed by the Gulf of Mexico.

             Certainly, this state has its nickname: Lone Star State.

             The origin of state’s name comes from a word used by Cad­do Indians meaning «friends».

        Texas became an American State on December 28, 1845 af­ter the War with Mexicans. Its agricultural sector produces cotton, dairy products, poultry, corn, and wheat. If we speak about            Texas industry, we should mention chemical industry, machinery, electric equipment, mining, extracting of natural gas and petroleum.

            Texas geographic centre is McCulloch, 15 miles northeast of Brady. The highest point of Texas is Guadalupe Peak — 8,749 feet. Largest Cities are Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso.

         The population of Taxes is about 20 852 000 people (2001). Comparing the density of population of all American States Taxes occupies the second place. It is the motherland for the following presidents:

              Dwight David Eisenhower 1953-1961 (the 34th President of the USA), who was born in 1890, in Denison, Texas;

             Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1963-1969 (the 36th President of the USA), who was born in 1908, near Johnson City, Texas

                Present Governor of Texas is Rick Perry (2003).

QUESTIONS:

1. Is Texas an American state?
2. When did Texas become the state of the USA?
3. What is the origin of the word Texas?
4. How many presidents of the USA were born in Texas?
5. What is the nickname for Texas?
6. Where is Texas situated?
7. What part of the country does Tеxas occupy?
8. What are the biggest Texas cities?

VOCABULARY:

to denote — обозначать

border — граница

nickname — прозвище, кличка

origin — происхождение

meaning — значение

dairy — молочный

poultry — домашняя птица

corn — зерно

wheat — пшеница

to mention — упоминать

machinery — машиностроение

equipment — оборудование

to extract — добывать

petroleum — нефть

density of population — плотность населения

to occupy — занимать

motherland — родина