本书精选美国课堂教材“社会学科·历史与地理”“科学”“数学”“语言与文学”“观赏艺术”“音乐”中的材料，阅读主题丰富多彩，让英语学习变得更加轻松、有趣。每篇阅读材料都配有大量的练习。除了随堂练习外，还特别设置课后练习、学科综合练习，帮助学习者理解文章主旨，抓住阅读重点，逐步提升阅读能力。词汇是阅读的基础，本书专门制作了单词表，收录阅读中的重要单词，让学习者可以反复学习，直至掌握。本书收录的阅读材料都配有听力，扫描二维码即可收听地道英语，课后练习还专门设置了听写题，让学习者的阅读和听力水平同步提升。
The Regions of the United States
The United States can be divided into five geographic regions. Each region has its own physical environment, such as landforms and climate. These features set each region apart from the other ones.
The Northeast region includes 11 states and the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia). The Atlantic Coastal Plain and mountain ranges are the Northeast’s major landforms. The Northeast is often divided into two subregions: New England and the Middle Atlantic States.
In American history, many of the first settlers from Europe settled in the Northeast. New England is known for the early settlements by the Pilgrims and Puritans. The Middle Atlantic has some of the most densely populated areas and largest urban areas in the U.S., including New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
The Southeast includes 12 states. The Mississippi River flows through the western part of the region. A warm climate and a long growing season in the Southeast help farmers grow many different kinds of cash crops. Tobacco and cotton were some of the first cash crops for early plantation owners. Peaches in Georgia and oranges in sunny Florida are two important cash crops for modern Southeast farmers.
The Midwest is a region of plains and prairies. TheGreat Plains and the Central Plains are known for their rich fields of corn, soybeans, and wheat that stretch as far as the eye can see. The Mississippi River begins there, and four of the Great Lakes are in the Midwest. Its flat land and fertile croplands make this region a center for agriculture. People often call the Midwest “the Breadbasket of the United States”.
The Southwest includes Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. The region has many arid and range areas, so it contains several deserts. There are also numerous plateaus, canyons, mesas and buttes. The Grand Canyon, one of the best known landforms in the U.S., is located in the Southwest.
Finally, the West includes California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and the Mountain States. Alaska and Hawaii are in the western region, but they are separate from the continental United States. The region is a diverse area with many different environments. The Northwest is known for its long coastlines along the Pacific Ocean while the Southwest is dry and contains many deserts. Much of the Mountain States is dominated by the Rocky Mountains.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Social Studies • History and Geography
Unit 01 ………………………………… 7
The U.S. Geography
The Regions of the United States
Unit 02 ………………………………… 11
The United States
A Nation of Diversity
Unit 03 ………………………………… 15
The U.S. Economy
From Farming to Technology
Unit 04 ………………………………… 19
People and Culture
The Native People of North America
Unit 05 ………………………………… 23
The European Exploration of Asia and
the Americas
The Age of Exploration
Unit 06 ………………………………… 27
Europeans in the Americas
The Spanish Conquerors in the Americas
Unit 07 ………………………………… 31
Colonial America
The First French and English Colonies
Unit 08 ………………………………… 35
The Declaration of Independence
The American Revolution
Wrap-Up Test 1 ……………………… 39
Chapter 2 Science
Unit 09 ………………………………… 43
How Are Living Things Classified?
The Five Kingdoms of Organisms
Unit 10 ………………………………… 47
Classification
The Seven Levels of Classification
Unit 11 ………………………………… 51
How Plants Meet Their Needs
Plant Structures and Functions
Unit 12 ………………………………… 55
How Do Plants Reproduce?
Flowers and Seeds
Unit 13 ………………………………… 59
What Are Some Types of Plants?
Plants with Seeds
Unit 14 ………………………………… 63
Plants without Seeds
Seedless Vascular Plants and
Nonvascular Plants
Unit 15 ………………………………… 67
Plant Responses and Adaptations
How Do Plants Respond to Their
Environments?
Wrap-Up Test 2 ……………………… 71
Chapter 3 Mathematics • Language • Visual Arts • Music
Unit 16 ………………………………… 75
Numbers and Number Sense
Understanding Numbers
Unit 17 ………………………………… 79
Geometry
Geometric Figures
Unit 18 ………………………………… 83
Myths and Legends
The Iliad and the Odyssey
Unit 19 ………………………………… 87
Learning about Language
Figures of Speech
Unit 20 ………………………………… 91
Classical Art
Greek and Roman Art
Unit 21 ………………………………… 95
Classical Music
The Western Musical Tradition
Wrap-Up Test 3 ……………………… 99
• School Textbook 102
• Answers and Translations 145
• Word List 161
