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The Constitution of Ukraine includes the preamble and 102 clauses. They reflect the
main principles of the state system of Ukraine, the rights and duties of its citizens. The main
law of our state exists not only on paper. Despite the definite difficulties, the Constitution has
already come in force. For example, the national monetary unit – Hryvnia – has been put into
operation, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Constitutional Court have been formed.

T: Right now let us answer the following questions on the text.

Task 12. Answer the following questions.
1. When were the first constitutions adopted?
2. What was the first prototype of modern constitutions?
3. When was the Main Law of Ukraine adopted?
4. What does the Constitution include?
5. Why should pupils and students study the Constitution ?

Task 13. Read and translate.
Colonies to States
The birth of the US goes back to 1776, when 13 British colonies were established on the
Atlantic coast. Today it is a federation that consists of fifty states, 48 of them on the mainland.
The two last states to be included in 1959 were Alaska and Hawaii, both physically separate
from the other states. In addition to the fifty states, the US also consists of Washington DC
(District of Colombia), the free Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and some
Pacific Islands, like Guam.
Vastness
The nation is huge, with enormous distances; it is the third largest country by size in the
world (after Russia and Canada) and 30 times the size of Norway. If you were to drive a car the
4,500 km from the eastern to the western coast, it would take you five to six days. A coast-to-
coast trip by train takes you three days. From Canada to Mexico it is 2,500 km. In comparison,
the distance from Oslo to Paris is 1,600 km.
The landscape, climate and topography can vary even within a short distance. In
California, for instance, it does not take long to travel from sun and sea to mountains and snow
or to the desert.
The USA has approximately 304 million inhabitants, making its population the world’s
third largest (after China and India). The US is also much more sparsely populated than
Western Europe. Each American – in theory – has more space than people in Western Europe.
Geographical Regions
We can divide the nation into the following four main regions: the Northeast, the
Midwest, the South and the West. There are great differences in size and population between
the regions.
Although Americans tend to relocate a lot, each region has its own distinct
characteristics, especially when it comes to race and cultural background. We also see that
people within a region share common values. They share concerns over economic questions,
and they identify with the history and traditions of their region. Food is one example of such
traditions. Local dishes may vary a lot, from the seafood dishes of coastal states like California,
or the Creole dishes of New Orleans, to the piles of steaks devoured by meat-loving Texans.
Dialects Vary
Dialects also vary greatly. It is not difficult to recognize the difference between a man
from the Northeast, for example a city like Boston, and an American from the Midwestern
State of Kansas. In addition, the styles of speaking may be different. Farmers of New England
are known for their short, concise sentences, and for being men and women of few words,
while others, for example people from the South, often talk in a very slow manner.

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