Bài thực hành nghe Tiếng Anh nâng cao - Bài A2 - Thẩm Tâm Vy - Năm 2018 (Có âm thanh)

PRACTISE LISTENING FOR CHIDREN – LEVEL A2
I. The United States:- Facts and Figures
 The United States is made up of fifty states. The federal government of the US is in Washington, DC. The president is the head of the executive branch of the government. The other two branches are Congress and the Supreme Court. The United States is a multicultural society. There is no official language, but the vast majority of the people speak English. There are many different ethnic groups. People from all over the world live in the US.
 	A. Illinois
Location: is in the midwest of the US.
Area: 149,998 km2
Population: 12.8 million
Capital: Springfield
Main city: Chicago
Fun fact: The world’s first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885
B. California
Location: is in the west of the US.
Area: 423,970 km2
Population: 38.8 million
Capital: Sacramento
Main cities: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco
Fun fact: Frisbee, Barbie dolls and skateboards all come from this state
C. Washington D. C.
Location: is in the east of the US, between the states of Maryland 
and Virginia.
It’s the capital of the United States, 
And it has the status of a federal district.
Area: 177 km2
Population: 0.6 million
Fun fact: Washington, DC, is the only city
in the US that has a Spy Museum. It’s a great
place for James Bond fans!
D. New York
Location: is in the northeast of the US.
Area: 141,300 km2
Population: 19.7 million
Capital: Albany
Main city: New York City
Fun fact: The first pizza place in the US opened
in 1895 in New York City. Today som people say that
New York pizza is the best pizza in the world!
II. American Festivals and Holidays
Valentine’s Day
 Valentine’s Day falls on February 14. It’s a popular holiday in the US, celebrating love and friendship. People give each other cards and small gifts, such as chocolates, flowers or teddy bears, to show their love, friendship or respect. Some people also organize Valentine’s Day parties or dinners with their friends or family.
Independence Day
 This public holiday is also known as the Fourth of July. It celebrates the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Some cities and towns organize Fourth of July parades and fireworks displays. Many people also spend this holiday with their families and have a barbecue or a picnic.
Halloween
 Halloween is celebrated on October 31. It’s a popular holiday among children, who put on scary or funny costumes and visit their neighbors, asking them for candy. Teenagers and adults sometimes wear costumes too, but they usually celebrate Halloween by going to parties or by watching scary movies.
Thanksgiving
 Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November. On that day, Americans remember the early settlers—the Pilgrims—who held a big celebration to thank God for a good harvest. Most families have a special dinner and serve some of the foods that the Pilgrims had at their feast. The most popular Thanksgiving dishes are roast turkey with cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, along with cornbread and pumpkin pie.
III. Famous American People
Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
 Benjamin Franklin is best known as one of the politicians who signed the American Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. However, he was also an author, a printer, a scientist, a diplomat and an inventor. We still use some of Franklin’s inventions, such as 1.
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
 Emily Dickinson was a poet. She lived a quiet and private life, and she never got married or had children. She wrote 2 , but she only shared some of them with her family
and friends. When Dickinson died, her family decided to publish her poetry. Now Emily Dickinson is considered one of the greatest American poets.
Elvis Presley (1935–1977)
 Elvis Presley was an American singer and actor. He is often called the King of 3 , or simply the King. He sold 600 million of his albums around the world. He died almost 40 years ago, but his music still inspires artists today.
Martin Luther King (1929–1968)
 Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist and leader of the African-American 4 . He organized peaceful protests and demonstrations against racism and discrimination directed at African Americans. In 1964 he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Four years later, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
IV. American Food
Breakfast
 People often have a quick breakfast of cereal, milk, fruit and juice during the week. On the weekends, people have eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, toast and pancakes or waffles for breakfast.
American lunch
 People often have cold ham and cheese or turkey sandwiches for lunch with potato chips or fruit. Some Americans have fast food for lunch, like hamburgers and French fries.
Dinner
 Dinner is the traditional time for families to eat together. They cook a main dish like beef, pork or chicken and eat it with potatoes or vegetables. Many people also have Mexican, Italian or Chinese food for dinner.
Holiday meals
 Most families have their Thanksgiving or Christmas meals in the late afternoon. At Thanksgiving, people usually have roast turkey with cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. A typical Christmas dinner usually includes roast beef, ham or goose, mashed potatoes, fruitcake and gingerbread.
V. Education in the US
The school year
 The school year begins in late August or early September and ends in May or June. The main vacations are two weeks at Christmas, one or two weeks in spring and eight to twelve weeks in summer .
The school day
 School usually starts at 8:30 or 9 a.m., and it gets out at 3 or 3:30 p.m. Students have lunch at school. They have their own “bag lunch” or a cooked school lunch. In elementary and middle school, students often have recess after lunch— free time to play outside or in the school gym.
Interesting Facts
 * Education in the US is free for children 5 to 18 years old.
 * In American public schools, most children do not wear a uniform, but students in 
 some private schools wear them.
 * Students call their teachers by their last name - for example, Mr. Brown or Ms. Jones.
 * Most children go to public schools, but 10% go to private schools, and 3% are home-
 schooled.
 * Students take standardized tests every year.
 * In 11th grade, students take SAT or ACT exams for college admission.
VI. New York City Transportation
 New York is a very populous city, and there are a lot of ways to travel around it. Travelling by car is expensive and often slow because of traffic, so many people use public transportation.
A. Subway
There are 468 subway stations and 24different lines. New York has one of the largest subway systems in the world.
B . Water Transportation
Manhattan is an island. Over 19 million people a year take the Staten Island Ferry. Some take it to go to work, and other passengers are tourists. From the boat, you can see
the Statue of Liberty and the lower Manhattan skyline.
C. Biking And Walking
Over 200,000 city residents travel by bike every day. In fact, biking and walking together make up 21% of all trips in New York City.
D. Buses
More than 2 million people travel on the New York City buses every day. Over 5,900 buses run on over 200 local and express routes in the city. Passengers on a bus can use the same fare card that they use on the subway. There are also special yellow buses that take New York children to school.
E. Taxis (or Cabs)
New York City taxis, or cabs, are known for their distinctive yellow colour. Over 13,000 taxis operate in the city. The taxi drivers know every street in New York City. It’s a very hard job!