19. 37. Australia. Geography

Australia is entirely situated in the Southern hemisphere.

'Australis' means 'Southern' in Latin. Australia is the only country occupying a whole continent, the smallest one, lying on and extending north and south from the Tropic of Capricorn. With an area covering 7,682,300 km2 it is the sixth largest country of the world after Russia, Canada, China, the US and Brazil.

The coastline consisting of tranquil bays, wonderful beaches with pounding surf, rocky outcrops and dramatic sheer cliffs is 36,735km long. Australia is bounded by the dark blue wafers of the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Arafura Sea to the north, lapped by the turquoise waves of the Indian Ocean to the west, and the mighty Southern Ocean to the south.

Australia occupies one of the oldest landmasses and the flattest of all continents, the highest point, Mount Kosciuszko being 2228m in the Australian Alps. The fertile coastal strip hides a dry and inhospitable centre, the Outback with its colours of red, brown, yellow and orange in­terspersed by green colour of low scrub and white trunks of gum trees. This seemingly endless land is broken by stark beautiful mountains like the MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs, Flinders Ranges in South Australia and the mysterious rock formations of Ayers Rock/Uluru, Mount Olga/Kata Tjuta, and Mount Augustus.

19. 38. Outstanding Events frorn the History of America

The first voyages along the coast of modern South and Central America were made by Americus Vespucius. That is why, in the 16th century German cartographer named this fourth part of the world after the explorer. At the beginning of the 17th century European colonies were founded or the territory of the modern USA.

In 1620 first colonists landed at Plymouth Rock. They came from England on board the «Mayflower». Most of them were puritans or former Anglicans who were called pilgrims. Their hopes were connected with (lie promises of the Bible about the land of honey and milk, 3nd America w.ks thought to be this land.

Later on Dutch, Spanish and Swedis h colonies appeared. People who came to America were mostly farmers, who wanted to exploit the new lands.

The development of trade, industry and agriculture in the colonies constantly conflicted with the economic policy of Britain. After constant pressure on the colonies on July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress declared the United Colonies to be independent of Great Britain. The new state was called the United States of America and July 4 became its national holiday. The Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

The Battle of Saratoga in 1777 when the American forced a large British army to capitulate, was a turning point in the long War of Independence. In this War the Americans were supported by France. In 1783 Britain finally recognized American independence.

At the beginning of 1861 the Southern states left the Union and founded the Confederation. That was the beginning of the war between the South and the North. The results of the war were the abolishing of slavery and establishment of «lndivisible union of indivisible states». The states lost their right to leave the union.

The 1930s were the years of Great Depression in the USA. Franklin Roosevelt set up government organizations called agencies. They found work for people, gave money to help the unemployed and homeless and helped the nation to recover from the Depression.