Вариант 2.

Задание 1.

Прочитайте текст и скажите: а) о какой стране идет речь; б) что вы поняли из текста, прочитав его без словаря.

If you go to that country it will seem to you rather an up-side – down world. The seasons are the other way round. Summer is from December to February, autumn from March to May, win-ter from June to August, and spring from September to November. New Year is at midsummer, midwinter is in June. Hot winds are blowing from the north; cold winds are blowing from the south. The farther north you go, the hotter it gets.

Magnificent landscapes and unusual plants may dazzle you. It must seem strange to you that trees lose their bark, not their leaves, and a lot of flowers have no smell. Even stranger than plants are animals. You cannot find some of them anywhere else. There live kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, platypi and a lot of rare birds.

It is world’s largest island and its smallest continent. People often call the country the “land down - under” because it lies entirely south of the equator. It is the oldest of all continents. Its mountains were once higher than the Himalayas; its desert rose from the waves of the sea millions of years ago. Its animals are ancient and unique. Its wandering aboriginal tribes still live like the men of the Stone Age.

It is the driest continent on earth. The four great deserts cover 2000000 square kilometers. There are few rivers there. Its lakes which look impressive on the map, contain much clay and salt.

It is the flattest of all continents. Unlike any other continent, it lacks mountains of truly alpine structure. Its most significant mountain chain is the Great Dividing Range running down most of the east coast.

It is the only continent that is also a country. As a country, it has the sixth largest area in the world after Russia, Canada, China, the United States and Brazil.

It is the least populated of the continents. Only 0,3% of the world’s population live there. However, it is the most urbanized country in the world. Two out of there of its citizens live in the eight largest cities.

It lies so far from other continents that Europeans have discovered it recently in comparison with the history of mankind. You have to spend a lot of time to get there even by air.

Задание 2

Прочитайте текст, пользуясь словарем. Выпишите английские соответствия следующих слов и словосочетаний.

«мир, где все наоборот; земля на другом конце света; кочевое племя; каменный век; горный рельеф; Большой Водораздельный Хребет; урбанизированный».

Задание 3.

Ответьте на вопросы.

1. Почему эту страну иногда называют «страной, где все наоборот»?

2. В чем особенности растительного и животного мира этой страны?

3. Какие географические характеристики страны приведены в тексте?

4. Какую новую для себя информацию о населении страны вы узнали из текста?

5. Можно ли сказать, что по своей территории это одна из крупнейших стран мира?

Задание 4

Определите основную видовременную форму глаголов – сказуемых текста. Объясните ее использование.

Задание 5

Найдите в тексте предложение, в котором глагол-сказуемое представляет действие как процесс. Объясните использование этой формы.

Задание 6.

Выпишите все прилагательные в превосходной степени; дайте их положительную и сравнительную степени.

Задание 7.

Найдите в тексте предложения, в которых действия представлены как: возможное; невозможное; вынужденное. Как Вы это определили?

Задание 8. Ответьте на вопросы.

• Where is Australia situated?

• How can you get there?

• What is the capital of the country? 4. What is the biggest city of Australia?

• Is it a continent or a country?

• Are the English the native people there?

• 8. What other countries have English as their national language?

• Why is English the national language of the country?

• Which of them are situated south of the equator?

• What are their capitals?

• Have you ever been to Australia?