TOEIC - Level 3

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1. Louis Pasteur 3:06
2. Psychology 3:23
3. Corruption 2:46
4. Canada: Provinces and Territories 3:55
5. Two Great Artists : Leonardo and Michelangelo 3:17
6. The Vikings 3:06
7. William Shakespeare 3:02
8. Ice Hockey 2:28
9. Chinese People in North America 3:12
10. The History of the English Language 2:50
11. African Slavery in the Americas 3:04
12. Worries about Physical Appearance 2:42
13. Physical Fitness 3:28
14. The History of Trial by Jury 3:06
15. Benjamin Franklin 3:12
16. Preservation of Forests 3:39
17. Violence on Television 3:01
18. The Inuit 3:11
19. Kings and Queens of England 3:28
20. Alcohol 3:02
21. The Origins of Canada and The United States 3:19
22. Hawaii 3:26
23. Charles Darwin 3:22
24. Jazz 3:22
25. Australia: Nature 3:18
26. Australia: People 3:18
27. The Earth Revolves around the Sun 3:12
28. George Washington Carver 3:08
29. The Rights of the Accused 3:35
30. New York City 3:11
31. California 3:08
32. Drug Use Among Athletes 3:00
33. Scotland 3:00
34. London 2:29
35. Soccer 2:37
36. Extinctions 3:09
37. Obesity and Nutrition 2:47
38. Sexual Harassment 3:02
39. Cultural Differences: Individualism and Collectivism 2:52
40. The Protestant Reformation 2:39
41. Modern Engineering Wonders 3:14
42. Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller 2:58
43. The Automobile, or Car 3:27
44. Sexual Attitude and Behavior 3:09
45. The Mississippi River 3:08
46. Doctors Without Borders 3:13
47. Chicago 2:57
48. Women and the Right to Vote 3:24
49. Charles Dickens 3:31
50. Samuel Clemens, or Mark Twain 3:19
51. The Islands of the Caribbean 2:51
52. North American Indians 3:25
53. How the First World War Started 2:37
54. Abraham Lincoln 3:32
55. Two Great Musicians: Mozart and Beethoven 3:32
56. Amelia Earhart 3:36
57. Life in Academia 2:11
58. Education Systems in Canada 3:01
59. Business Education 3:13
60. Strategic Uses of Information Technology 2:52
61. E-Commerce 3:17
62. The First Five Years of My Life in Canada 2:56
63. Great Lakes 2:32
64. Canadian Rocky Mountains 2:38
65. For the Record 2:36
66. Canadian Universities 2:50
67. Banff National Park 2:31
68. Sport Canada 2:34
69. The National Hockey League 2:56
70. Drug Use in Sport 2:43
71. Participation 2:07
72. The Olympic Games 2:36
73. Sport in Canada 3:14
74. Professional Sport in Canada 2:59
75. Ned Hanlan 2:30
76. Rowing 2:54
77. Tiger Woods 3:01
78. Globalization and Sport 2:51
79. Women in Sport 2:54
80. Sport and Television 2:44
81. Nike 2:51
82. Arthur Ashe 2:35
83. Bjorn Borg 2:30
84. “Babe” Didrikson 2:26
85. The Dubin Inquiry 3:06
86. FIFA 2:36
87. International Olympic Committee 3:01
88. Earvin “Magic” Johnson 2:18
89. Michael Jordan 2:52
90. Billie Jean King 2:43
91. Marathon 2:50
92. National Football League 2:43
93. Jackie Robinson 2:51
94. Title IX 3:05
95. O. J. Simpson 3:04
96. Fosbury Flop 2:01
97. Free Agency 3:01
98. New Zealand 3:07
99. Track and Field 3:11
100. Thomas Edison 2:56
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During the 1600s and 1700s people from England settled on the east side of what is now the United States, while people from France lived in the area that is now Quebec, Canada. After a big war, the English defeated the French and took control of most of North America. The English colonies later grew unhappy because they paid taxes to a king who did not represent them, and in 1776 they declared independence, forming the United States. France helped the new United States defeat England, but England kept Canada, and many loyal English colonists moved north to live there. In 1867 the English‑speaking colonies and Quebec joined together, creating the country we now know as Canada.

  • colonies
    • Definition: Groups of people living in North America under English or French control before the nations formed.
    • Example: The English colonies grew larger than the French colonies by 1750.
  • war
    • Definition: The armed conflicts between England and France that determined control of North America.
    • Example: The English assembled a large force and attacked the French at Quebec during the war.
  • independence
    • Definition: The status the American settlers declared for themselves, separating from English rule.
    • Example: In 1776 the Americans declared their independence.
  • Loyalists
    • Definition: Colonists who remained faithful to the English king and left America after the war.
    • Example: The Loyalists moved northward to Canada after the conflict ended.
  • Canada
    • Definition: The country formed in 1867 when Quebec and English‑speaking colonies united.
    • Example: By 1867, Quebec and the English‑speaking colonies agreed to form a single country, Canada.
  1. Which European nations' settlers are mentioned as establishing colonies in what is now the United States and Canada?
    1. Spain and Portugal
    2. England and France
    3. Netherlands and Sweden
    4. Italy and Germany
  2. According to the passage, what was a primary reason the American colonists felt dissatisfied with the English government after the war that gave England control of North America?
    1. They were forced to adopt French language
    2. They were not represented in the English government but had to pay taxes
    3. They were required to serve in the French army
    4. They were denied access to trade with Spain
  3. In what year did the Americans declare their independence, as stated in the text?
    1. 1750
    2. 1775
    3. 1776
    4. 1783
  4. Who assisted the American colonies by sending ships and soldiers, leading to the defeat of English forces?
    1. The king of Spain
    2. The king of France
    3. The king of Portugal
    4. The king of the Netherlands
  5. What significant political change occurred in 1867 according to the passage?
    1. The United States and Canada merged into one country
    2. Quebec and the English‑speaking colonies formed the country of Canada
    3. France regained control of Quebec
    4. The Loyalists returned to the United States
  • Do you think the American colonists were right to demand independence from England? Why or why not?
  • Have you ever felt that a tax was unfair? Share your experience.
  • What might have happened to the United States if France had not helped the Americans in the war?
  • Why do you think the English were able to gain control of all of North America after the battle at Quebec?
  • Is it fair that the Loyalists had to leave the United States after the war? Explain your opinion.
  • Should Canada have become independent from Britain earlier, or was it better to stay a British colony for a longer time? Argue your view.
  • If you could change one event in this history, which event would you choose and how would it change the two countries?
  • Imagine you are a French settler in Quebec in 1750. What would you think about the English armies approaching?
  • Rewrite the ending of the 1812 conflict between the United States and Canada in a different way.
  • Do you think the old rivalry between the United States and Canada still affects their relationship today? Why?
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0:00 / 3:19 -3:19

100
2 years, 5 months and 20 days ago Level: Upper-Intermediate (B2)

The Origins of Canada and The United States

Most people are aware that Canada and the United States are two very large countries in North America. However, most people do not know how these countries came to exist. The story of the creation of these countries is a very interesting one.

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, some people from England and from France moved across the Atlantic ocean. English people lived on what is now the east coast of the United States, and French people lived in what is now Quebec, in the eastern part of Canada. The kings of England and France were often at war with each other. This meant that there was often fighting in North America between the soldiers of England and France.

By about the year 1750, there were many more people in the English colonies than in the French colonies. When the next war began, the English king was determined to defeat the French and gain complete control of North America. The English assembled a large force of ships and soldiers and attacked the French at Quebec. The French fought bravely, but they were too few in numbers, and the English won the war. England then gained control of all of North America.

After this war, the people of the English colonies in North America began to feel dissatisfied with their government. They were not represented in the English government, but they had to pay taxes to the English king. The taxes were used to pay for English soldiers who defended the American colonies, but the Americans did not want these soldiers.

In 1775, the American settlers began to rebel, and in 1776 the Americans declared their independence.

For several years, there was much fighting between the Americans and the English soldiers. For a while, it appeared that the Americans would lose, even though they fought bravely. Then, the king of France decided to help the Americans. He sent his ships and soldiers to America, and they helped the Americans to defeat the English forces. England recognized the United States of America as an independent country in 1783. However, England kept control of Canada. When the American colonies rebelled against England, some of the people who lived in those colonies did not rebel. Those people were called “Loyalists” because they were loyal to the king. When the war ended, the Loyalists had to leave the country. They moved northward to Canada, where they started new English-speaking colonies. During the year 1812, the Americans invaded Canada, but they were not able to conquer the country.

During the nineteenth century, the people of Quebec continued to speak French and to maintain their French culture. Meanwhile, many more people moved to the English-speaking areas of Canada. In the year 1867, Quebec and the English-speaking colonies agreed to form a single country, Canada. By this time, there were two very large countries in the northern part of North America!

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