Упр.2 Unit 1 Reader ГДЗ English Кузовлев 10-11 класс
The states of the USA also got their names in different ways. Read the information about the nicknames of some of the states on page 6 and fill in the table. (reading for specific information/making notes)
Four-fifth of Maine is covered by forests that feed its wood-processing industry. Hence its nickname the “Pine-Tree State”. The official nickname of New Hampshire is the “Granite State” because of her extensive granite quarries, and the people there are called “Granite Boys”. Vermont, the only New England state lacking an ocean coastline, is famous for its green mountains. Vermont is generally, by simple translation of the original French name, called the “Green Mountain State” and Vermonters — “Green Mountain Boys”. The name “Rhode Island” is derived from the Dutch, and means “the island”. Rhode Island, the nation’s smallest state, is not an island. “Little Rhody” is the nickname of Rhode Island. Because more than one-third of the area of the state are the Allegheny Mountains, West Virginia is called the “Mountain State”. It’s also known as the “Panhandle State” because the shape of the state is like a pan with a handle on it. The palmetto grows abundantly in South Carolina, especially along the coast, and is pictured on her coat of arms; as a result it has given the nickname to South Carolina — the “Palmetto State”. Florida was named by Ponce de Leon in 1512 due to the fact that the whole region which he saw was covered with flowers. Florida’s nicknames are: the “Alligator State”, the “Everglade State”, the “Land of Flowers”, the “Mocking-Bird State”, the “Orange State”. The state Virginia is named after the Queen of England Elizabeth I (the “Virgin Queen”). The names the “Ancient Dominion” and the “Old Dominion” are still widely applied to Virginia, having originated in colonial days, when Virginia was the oldest British colony in America. Because Virginia is the most northern of the South Atlantic States, located south of the Potomac River, radio broadcasters call it “Down Where the South Begins”. Her nickname the “Mother of Presidents” is thanks to the fact that so many of the early presidents of the United States were native Virginians, and because Virginia has produced such a great number of statesmen, she is called the “Mother of Statesmen”. Pennsylvania was named after William Penn, the founder of the colony. The term means “Penn’s woods”, or “Penn’s forest”. Five nicknames are given to the State of Pennsylvania: the “Coal State”, the “Keystone State”, the “Oil State”, the “Quaker State” and the “Steel State”.
The information does not explain how the states got some of their nicknames. Can you guess? If necessary, consult the LCG (Linguistic and Cultural Guide).
| State | Nickname | Why it got this nickname |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | The Pine-Tree State | It is covered by forests of pine trees. |
| New Hampshire | The Granite State | It has many granite quarries. |
| Vermont | The Green Mountain State | It is famous for its green mountains. |
| Rhode Island | Little Rhody | It is the smallest state in the USA. |
| West Virginia | The Mountain State | More than one-third of its area is covered by the Allegheny Mountains. |
| South Carolina | The Palmetto State | The palmetto grows abundantly there. |
| Florida | The Land of Flowers | The region was covered with flowers when it was seen by Ponce de Leon. |
| Virginia | The Old Dominion | It was the oldest British colony in America. |
| Pennsylvania | The Keystone State | It was an important central state among the colonies. |
Possible guesses for the nicknames not directly explained in the text:
- Panhandle State — because the shape of the state looks like a pan with a handle.
- Alligator State — because alligators live there.
- Everglade State — because of the Everglades in Florida.
- Mocking-Bird State — because mocking-birds are common there.
- Orange State — because oranges are grown there.
- Ancient Dominion — because Virginia was one of the oldest colonies.
- Mother of Presidents — because many early U.S. presidents were born in Virginia.
- Mother of Statesmen — because Virginia produced many famous statesmen.
- Coal State — because coal is mined there.
- Oil State — because oil is produced there.
- Quaker State — because William Penn and the Quakers were connected with Pennsylvania.
- Steel State — because of its steel industry.
