Integrated transport

The government has recently started talking about the ultimate solution to the problems - an integrated transport system. This means improving public services and making sure that they all work together as a system, rather than a series of disconnected parts. At present, if you need to take a train, a bus and a ferry for your journey, you will often find that the bus station is kilometres away from the train station, and the bus timetable does not match the ferry timetable. You end up taking taxis between stations, and spending hours sitting in waiting rooms. In many parts of the country, trains and buses compete with each other on one route, while another route has no service at all. An integrated transport system is urgently needed to address all these problems. But it will take a great deal of time, money and political will to achieve such a system.

^{Protesting against road-building}

Britain in the 1980s and early 1990s, have a large road-building programme, but experience showed that more roads led to more traffic problems.

An increasing number of people, not just "green" activists or left-wingers, want money to be invested in public transport rather than new roads. They protest against the number of roads being built. In February 1994, 600 police were needed to end a demonstration against a motorway extension. The extension would have destroyed 300 houses to save 11 minutes' driving time.

The protests have forced the Government to abandon some of its road-building programme.

American symbols

The American flag is often called «The Stars and Stripes», it is also called «Old Glory». It represents the growth of the nation. It has 13 horizontal stripes,7 red and 6 white which stand for the original 13 states. In the top left hand corner there are 50 white stars on a blue background: one star for each state. The national anthem of the United States is «The Star Spangled Banner». The words written during the Anglo-American war of 1812—1814 and set to the music of an old song. Every state has its own flag, its own emblem and its own anthem too.

The eagle became the national emblem of the country in 1782. It has an olive branch (a symbol of peace) and arrows (a symbol of strength). You can see the eagle on the back of a dollar bill.

The Statue of Liberty is the symbol of American democracy. It stands on Liberty Island in New York. It is one of the first things people see when they arrive in New York by sea. This National Monument was a present from France to the USA. France gave the statue to America in 1884 as a symbol of friendship. Liberty carries the torch of freedom — in her right hand. In her left hand she is holding a tablet with the inscription «July 4, 1776» — American Independence Day.

Questions:

1.What do people often call American flag?

2.What are the colours of the American flag?

3.How many stripes has the flag got?

4.What is the national emblem?

5.Where is the statue of Liberty placed?

6.What country did gift to the USA?

Vocabulary: to represent — представлять background – фон anthem – гимн eagle – орел

olive branch – оливковая веточка to arrive – прибывать torch – факел