II. Retell the text. Australia

I. Read and translate the text.

Australia is a large country positioned between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia is an island, like Britain, but unlike Britain it is vast. Australia is, in fact, nearly twenty-five times as large as the British Isles. Its area is about 8, 000, 0000 km. The population of Australia is about 22 million. Most of Australia is semi-desert. People cannot live where there is no water, and so most of people in Australia live in the temperate south-east.

The first Australian people were dark-skinned Aborigines, and though the coming of the white settlers destroyed their tribal lives, some sixty thousand still survive in Australia today. They account for about 1 percent of the population. They can be found in the inland areas of the country. Some live in modern cities but it is not really easy for them. They have to fight for their rights. The first Europeans to land in this country were Dutch sailors.

The national holiday, Australia Day, is now celebrated on January 26th in memory of the landing of the British in 1788. The young country grew very fast. Today Australia is an independent federated state consisting of 6 states and 2 territories. It is a member of the Commonwealth headed by the British Queen. The national language is English. The capital of Australia is Canberra; the largest cities are Sidney, Melbourne, = Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

II. Retell the text. New zealand

I. Read and translate the text.

New Zealand is situated in the Southwest Pacific Ocean, 1000 miles at Australia on two large islands: the North Island and the South Island. It has active volcanoes and that is why the Maoris (The Maoris, Polynesian people are the aborigines of New Zealand) called it the "Land of Long White Cloud". English and Maori are both official languages. Maori People also speak English, 10% of Pakeha (Europeans) speak Maori. The capital of the country is Wellington (350.000 citizens). This seaport, financial, commercial and transportation center was founded by British settlers. There are some educational and cultural institutions in Wellington.

New Zealand's population is about 4 million people.

The more populous North Island has fertile agricultural land, the largest man-made forest in the Southern Hemisphere, and a few isolated snow-capped volcanoes. It also boasts hot springs, mud pools, and geysers in its thermal region. On South Island, the Southern Alps provide opportunities for skiing and mountaineering. There are many glaciers, lakes, and rivers. Both Islands have many sandy beaches. NZ has 400 earthquakes a year, but only 100 of them are strong.

New Zealand national emblem is the kiwi. These grayish brown birds have nearly died out and only sometimes can be seen at a zoo. Many years ago kiwi were hunted for food. Now the government doesn't permit the hunting of kiwi. This bird lives in dark forests in thick bushes, it is nearly blind and prefers to live in the dark. It has a long, flexible, sensitive bill, which is used to find food. It has no wings, so it cannot fly. Kiwi is so popular that it became a nickname for a New Zealander. Small children are often called kiwis.

NZ is a self-governing state within the British Commonwealth. The Governor - General represents Queen Elizabeth II. He is appointed for a five-year term. The Parliament consists of one House only, The House of Representatives. The Head of the Government is the Prime minister. (What is interesting- this is the first country that gave women the right to vote.)

NZ has a modern economy. 5% of the population is employed in agriculture. NZ has million dairy cattle, 5 million beef cattle and 6 million sheep. The country is the world's largest producer of kiwi fruit. NZ farmers produce chicken and eggs, deer, goats and pigs. Chief crops are barley, potatoes and wheat. NZ exports wool, lamb, pork, mutton, and beef, fruit (including apples, bananas, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, and strawberries), fish and cheese. (New Zealanders believe their cheeses and ice- cream are the best in the world)

Tourism is a vital economic sector. New Zealand draws many thousands of tourists to its shores because of the beauty, diversity, and compactness of its natural attractions. Yachting along the coast is a popular activity. Fishing for barracuda, martin, shark or swordfish, rock lobster is popular too.