Читать книгу Anglo-American Cultural Studies - Jody Skinner - Страница 13

further south than you thinkComparing the size of the US with European countries probably wasn’t very surprising since almost everyone knows the US is a really big country, so why not try and fool your friends with this question: If you were to draw a very straight line from Mainz (which conveniently lies directly on the 50-degree line of latitudelatitude) due west, which American city would be the first one you’d hit? Answer: Regina (which curiously enough has almost the same population as Mainz) but only if you interpret the word “American” to mean “North American” and thus include the Canadian province of Saskatchewan with its capital city of Regina. Mainz and of course all other parts of GermanyGermany north of Mainz are further north than the entire continental UScontinental US. Pick an American city, say New YorkNew York or Washington, DC or MiamiMiami. What are the corresponding European cities? New YorkYork is on the same line of latitude as Madrid, Washington DCWashington DC’s equivalent is Athens, and Miami’s equivalent would either be slightly south of the Canary Islands in the West Sahara desert or if you insist on a “twin city of latitude” for Miami, then you’d have to choose Dubai.

If most of GermanyGermany lies farther north than the entire lower 48lower 48 states of the United States, then why is it not only much hotter but also much colder in the US than in most of Germany? A very good question!