5. Read, translate and retell the text. People in Australia

Population. The population of Australia is about 18.000.000. 85% of the people live in the urban areas. 40% of Australians live in Sydney and Melbourne. 15 of population live in rural areas. All farms are cattle or sheep stations. The largest station covers 2.600 sq.km., 160 km to the nearest town.

Australia has a young population. 95 percent of the people are Caucasian. 60% of these have Anglo-Celtic heritage /British and Irish/. Because of immigration Australia is a mosaic of many nationalities.

Language. English is the national language and is taught in all schools. The Aborigines had 250 languages but only 50 survived. Aborigines have their own radio system. In Aborigine schools Aborigine languages are used for instructions at first. English is introduced later. Australian English uses many words that are expressions of Australia’s unique culture.

Education. Public education is administered by state governments and financed by federal funds. Each state and territory makes its own laws about education. Schooling is compulsory from 6 to 15/16 in Tasmania/. Elementary schools – Grades 1-6. Secondary schools-Grades 7-12.

Correspondence instruction by two-way radio reaches children in remote areas. They attend “Schools of the Air”. They listen to the teacher on the radio each day at school time. Students have their own books and answer over the microphone. The teacher corrects and gives home assignment. The completed homework is to be mailed to the teacher. The homework is discussed over the radio, corrected and mailed back.

25% of all Australian children attend private schools. The school year is divided into 4 terms of 10 weeks each. Breaks occur in April, July and October. Tasmania has 3 terms with breaks in June and September. Australian students don’t have hot lunch at school. The fourth term ends around December 20. The Christmas holidays begin the summer vacations. The students return to school in February.

School begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:10 p.m. The students have lunch in the middle of the day. Some schoolchildren ride their bicycle or take the school bus on rainy days. The students have a strong sense of belonging. They enjoy spending time with their friends and schoolmates. All students learn computer Science.

It is the expectation of the school community that all students in years 7 to 11 wear the full uniform. Boys – green pullover, grey trousers and shirt, black shoes and the College baseball jacket. Girls-school dress or green shorts and white shirts /in winter school tartan skirt or green tailored trousers/.

As to the Religion. 76% of the people are Christians /Anglicans 26%, Catholics 26%/. Other religions – 24%. Religion does not play a strong role in daily life.

6. Translate and learn the new words.

Population, sheep stations, covers, Caucasian, heritage, immigration, English, Aborigine languages, Each state, own laws, compulsory, Correspondence instruction, two-way radio, remote, corrects, private schools, school year, occur, lunch at school, Christmas, summer vacations, sense of belonging, community, uniform.