KONKURS JĘZYKA ANGIELSKIEGO
„Be cool with S-cool”
DLA UCZNIÓW KLAS 6 ORAZ I - II GIMNAZJUM
ZAKRES MATERIAŁU WYMAGANY DO III ETAPU KONKURSU 2017
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Alcatraz
Alcatraz is a small island in
San Francisco Bay, California. It
served as a fortress and military
prison to defend San Francisco Bay.
In 1854 West Coast’s first lighthouse
was built there but it was soon
decided that the island would be
perfect for a prison. It became a
military jail in the 1870s. In 1934 it was converted into a high-security federal prison and the
name Alcatraz became an international symbol of punishment. Today prison buildings are no
longer used (last prisoners left in 1963), but many visitors come every year to see this famous
place.
At Alcatraz, a prisoner had four rights: food, clothing, shelter, and medical care.
Everything else had to be earned. They could earn working, corresponding with and having
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visits from family members, access to the prison library, and recreational activities such as
painting and music.
The most disliked rule in Alcatraz was rule of silence. Inmates were not allowed to
talk to one another except during meals and recreation periods. Some of them commonly
emptied out the water from their toilets and created a primitive communications system
through the sewage piping.
Alcatraz’ most feared prisoner was Robert Stroud, better known to the public as the
“Birdman of Alcatraz.” He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing a bartender in a bar.
During his 17 years in Alcatraz, he was not allowed any cellmates, human or animal, so he
began writing and illustrating two books. One of his books “Diseases of Birds”, published in
1943, is a classic book in the field of ornithology. One of the guards said about him “Stroud
loves birds and hates men.”
The most famous prisoner of Alcatraz was Al Capone. He was manipulating and
buying off the guards at the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta and that’s why he was moved to
Alcatraz. He spent four and a half years at Alcatraz. Finally, he began showing symptoms of
syphilis and mental problems and he was released.
According to the National Park Service, which has supervised Alcatraz Island, 36
prisoners were involved in escape attempts from the prison. Of those:
- 7 were shot and killed
- 2 drowned
- 5 are unaccounted for but assumed dead,
- and the rest were recaptured.
The highest number of inmates ever recorded was 302, and the lowest number 222.
The average number of inmates during the 29 years of service was around 260. There were
approximately 1545 total men imprisoned there.
Alcatraz was closed mainly because of rising costs. It was the most expensive prison
of any state or federal institution. It was said that other institutions could serve the same
purpose for less cost.
Learn more:
http://www.history.com/topics/alcatraz
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Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, in the
New York harbor and it is the symbol of freedom.
The Statue of Liberty (official name: “Liberty
Enlightening the World”) is a 225-ton female figure. It is
46.05 m high. The right hand holds aloft a torch, and the left
hand carries a tablet upon which is inscribed: “July IV
MDCCLXXVI.”, which is the day of American Independence.
The torch is a symbol of enlightenment, it lights the way to
freedom, showing the way to Liberty. The seven spikes on the
crown represent a radiant halo, called also “aureole”.
The Statue of Liberty looks southeast in order to welcome ships coming into New
York Harbor.
The statue was designed by Fredéric Auguste Bartholdi of Alsace as a gift by the
French people to the Americans to celebrate the relationship between the two countries and
the 100th anniversary of America's independence. It was designed and put together in France
from 1881 to 1884, and then taken apart, shipped by boat to the United States, and put
together again. The French people paid $250,00. Only the pedestal was built entirely in the
United States. Finally, after many years, the Statue of Liberty was officially completed and
named the Statue of 'Liberty Enlightening the World' on October 28, 1886. A smaller Statue
of Liberty can be found in Paris and faces New York.
The Statue of Liberty was designated a National Monument in 1924 and a World
Heritage Site in 1984.
Imagine that it is 1890 and you are on a boat. You have left your home and some
family behind. For days, all around you is ocean. Finally, as you reach New York Harbor, one
of the first things you see is the Statue of Liberty---a woman wearing a crown and standing
taller than any other building in sight at over 305 feet high. This was the experience of
millions of immigrants entering the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Learn more:
http://mocomi.com/statue-of-liberty/
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Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is located in
Arizona. It is 446 km long, up to 29 km
wide and about 1850 meters deep. Most
of the tourists come to the South Rim
where the most popular overlooks are
located.
Until recently, the Grand Canyon, one of the most mysterious natural wonders of the
world, was thought to be about six million years old. First research showed that six million
years ago, a river started from the west and another from the east and they met in the middle
to form what is now the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.
With improved techniques, geologists now believe that Grand Canyon started to form
about 17 million years ago. In 2008, Victor Polyak led a team of geologists from the
University of Mexico to do new research on the Grand Canyon. Polyak and his team hiked
and climbed to access caves. Many of them were difficult to reach—some were hundreds of
meters high. In the caves, they found mineral deposits that contain larger amounts of uranium.
Their findings also showed that instead of one large river, small streams caused the erosion
and they joined to make one large river, the Colorado River.
The first people known to live in the area of Grand Canyon were the Ancestral
Puebloans - a native American culture. This cultural group has often been referred to in
archaeology as the Anasazi.
There are several historic buildings located along the South Rim of Grand Canyon.
One of them is Hopi House built by Mary Jane Colter in 1905. It served as a residence for the
Hopi Indians who sold arts and crafts to South Rim visitors.
Lookout Studio is another Mary Colter design. Photography, artwork, books,
souvenirs, and rock and fossil specimens are sold there. This stone building is at the edge of
the canyon and a great view of can be seen there.
At the eastern end of South Rim there is 21 meters tall Desert View Watchtower. The
top of the tower is 2293 meters above sea level, what makes it the highest point on the South
Rim. It offers one of the few full views of the bottom of the canyon and the Colorado River. It
was designed to mimic Anasazi watchtowers. However, with four levels, it is significantly
taller than historical towers.
Although Grand Canyon is in a desert state, it has a wide variety of plants and animals.
There are 1,500 different types of plants and about 550 types of animals.
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The eastern part of the Grand Canyon is in high elevation, which has evergreens such
as pine and spruce. There are also oak and ponderosa pine trees on the South Rim. You can
also find various types of cactuses and willows on the banks of the river.
Some of the mammals that live in the Grand Canyon are squirrels, coyotes, and
bobcats. Bald eagles are also found there, in addition to various reptiles, such as snakes and
lizards.
Learn more:
http://www.history.com/topics/grand-canyon
http://mocomi.com/grand-canyon/
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore, located in the state
of South Dakota, is a giant sculpture carved
in a granite mountain. It presents the faces of
four
United
States
presidents,
George
Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore
Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson.
The man who had the idea for Mount Rushmore was Doane Robinson. He was a
historian from South Dakota and he wanted to create something that would bring people to the
area. Robinson found Gutzon Borglum, who was an artist. Borglum was the one who found
the perfect spot for the memorial, designed it, and oversaw construction. Borglum's son,
Lincoln, finished the details after his father passed away just before Mount Rushmore was
completed.
Other key people involved were Rapid City Mayor John Boland, Senator Peter
Norbeck, and Congressman William Williamson. These men all helped with either
fundraising, government funding, or making sure the necessary laws and support were there to
begin and finish the memorial. And, let's not forget Charles Rushmore who had visited the
area in the 1880s, and was so impressed with the mountain that the locals named it after him.
How can you carve faces out of a mountain? Most of the mountain was carved out by
using dynamite to blast away the rock. Then workers used drills to weaken the rock enough
that it could be carved by hand. To get to work every day, the workers had to climb 506 steps!
That's right, there was no elevator! It took 14 years, from 1927 to 1941, to build Mount
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Rushmore. There were over 400 people working on the memorial, and amazingly not a single
person died in an accident.
Gutzon Borglum selected these four presidents because from his perspective, they
represented the most important events in the history of the United States.
George Washington was the first president of the United States. He led the colonists in
the American Revolutionary War to win independence from Great Britain. He was the father
of the new country and leader of American democracy. Borglum chose Washington to be the
most prominent figure on the mountain and represent the birth of the United States.
Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. He was the primary
author of the Declaration of Independence, a document which inspires democracies around
the world. He also purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 which doubled the
size of USA. Gutzon Borglum chose Jefferson to represent the growth of the United States.
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States. He was a leader when
America experienced rapid economic growth as it entered the 20th Century. Borglum chose
Roosevelt to represent the development of the United States.
Abraham Lincoln was the16th President of the United States. He led the nation
through its greatest constitutional, military, and moral crisis – the American Civil War. He
was also responsible for the end of slavery in the United States.
Lincoln believed his most sacred duty was the preservation of the union. It was his
firm conviction that slavery must be abolished. Gutzon Borglum chose Lincoln to represent
the preservation of the United States.
Do you know that Borglum had planned to make a secret room behind the hairline of
Abraham Lincoln? It was supposed to be a doorway to a chamber, originally intended to hold
some of America's most treasured documents Unfortunately Borglum didn’t finish it due to
his death.
Learn more:
http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/mount-rushmore
White House
The White House is the official
residence and workplace of the president
of
the
United
1600 Pennsylvania
States,
located
avenue
at
in
Washington D.C. It has been the
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residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. At various times in history, the
White House has been known as the "President's Palace," the "President's House," and the
"Executive Mansion." President Theodore Roosevelt officially gave the White House its
current name in 1901.
There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels to accommodate all the people who
live in, work in, and visit the White House. Two basements, two public floors, and two floors
for the First Family. There are also 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3
elevators. I was the biggest house in the United States until the Civil War.
For recreation, the White House has a variety of facilities available to its residents,
including a tennis court, a jogging track, a swimming pool, a movie theater, a billiard room,
and a bowling lane.
The White House caught fire twice and was destroyed once. British soldiers burned
down the White House during the War of 1812. It was rebuilt after the war using the same
design as the original. It caught fire again in 1929, causing extensive damage.
Only one item from the original White House is still there
today. As British army approached in 1814, Dolly Madison,
President Madison's wife, took George Washington's portrait with
her. Everything else was destroyed. After the war, that painting
was once again put in its place in the White House, where it still
hangs today.
Learn more:
http://mocomi.com/white-house/
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0877632.html
Hollywood
Hollywood Boulevard seen from the Kodak Theatre
The Hollywood Sign
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Hollywood is a district in Los Angeles, California. It is famous around the world as a
place where movies and television series are made. It has many different attractions such as
the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios and the famous Hollywood Sign. The word
Hollywood
can
also
mean
the
movie industry that
is
in
Hollywood.
Many tourists come to the area.
It is a popular destination for nightlife and tourism and home to the Hollywood Walk
of Fame. The Hollywood Walk of Fame was created in 1958 and the first star was placed in
1960. It is a sidewalk along the Hollywood Boulevard and the USA. There are more than
2000 five-points stars on the walk featuring the names of artists working in the entertainment
industry.
On the mountain overlooking Hollywood, there is a sign that is made of very big
letters, spelling out its name. It is called the "Hollywood Sign". The huge Hollywood sign was
built in 1923.
The Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre) is a live-performance
auditorium in the Hollywood and Highland Center shopping mall and entertainment complex,
on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Since its opening on November 9, 2001, the
theater has hosted the Academy Awards ceremonies (the Oscars.
Learn more:
http://mocomi.com/hollywood-sign/
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is
located in the corners of Wyoming,
Montana, and Idaho. Almost all of the
park (96%) is found in Wyoming. It is
the world's first national park. Over 3
million people visit the park each year,
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with July being the busiest month.
Most of the land in Yellowstone is forested with lodgepole pines, which can live up to
200 years. Many of the buildings in Yellowstone National Park are made from these trees.
Yellowstone National Park has an extraordinary amount of animals. These animals
include grizzly bears, moose, wolves, wolverines, bison and mountain lions. It's common to
experience traffic jams caused by bison walking in the middle of the road.
Yellowstone has 17 rivers and 290 waterfalls that are 4,5 meters or higher.
It has the largest:
 dormant (but active) volcano in the world
 collection of geysers in the world (over 50% of the world's geysers)
 concentration of wolves in the world
 collection of free-roaming bison in the world
 alpine lake (above 2100 meters) in the US
Learn more:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/travel-source/yellowstone-overview
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls sits between two countries, the
United States of America and Canada. There are two
cities that border it as well: Niagara Falls, Ontario, on
the Canadian side, and Niagara Falls, New York, on
the United States' side.
Niagara Falls is formed because two of the
Great Lakes flow into each other through the Niagara River. Lake Erie is higher than Lake
Ontario, and the water flowing from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario creates Niagara Falls.
Learn more:
http://mocomi.com/niagara-falls/
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Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge got its
name from a strait on the west coast
of North
America that
connects San
Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean.
Golden Gate Bridge was built
with cables that are strong but flexible so
that
it
won’t
break
during
the
earthquakes and high winds, which are really common in the area. The bridge can move side
to side, and the middle of the bridge can move down more than ten feet and up more than five
feet. This also helps the bridge take on every day load. A lot of cars drive over it--about
110,000 automobiles daily.
Learn more:
http://mocomi.com/golden-gate-bridge/
Empire state building
The Empire State Building is located on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New
York City. It has 102 floors. Its name comes from the nickname for New York, the Empire
State. It was the world's tallest building for nearly 40 years, from its completion in early 1931
until the World Trade Center's North Tower has been built in late 1970. Following
the September 11 attacks in 2001, the Empire State Building was again the tallest building in
New York, until One World Trade Center reached a greater height in April 2012. The Empire
State Building is currently the fifth-tallest completed skyscraper in the United States and
the 34th-tallest in the world.
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You can see Empire State Building in many movies. Perhaps the most famous
representation of the building is in King Kong (1933), in which the title character, a giant ape,
climbs to the top to escape.
It was constructed during a race to create the world’s tallest building. The main
competition was between 40 Wall Street’s Bank of Manhattan building and the Chrysler
Building.
The design, planning and construction of the Empire State Building took just 20
months from start to finish.
Learn more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDL0ImZjeQc
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