2 Семестр
Самостоятельная работа № 4
CANADA
Read, translate in-writing text about Canada, answer the questions after the text.
Canada is a very big country, 10,000,000 sq km. It stretches for over 3,000 miles between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic to the east. In the north Canada reaches the Arctic Circle and the North Pole. In the south the country borders on the United States of America. The summers here are hot and the winters are severely cold.
The landscape is really amazing. One can find here very high mountains and low-lying hills; fertile valleys and broad plains; rivers that flow into three oceans and thousands of different lakes. The mountains are covered with forests. Fertile valleys are worked on by farmers. There are cities and towns, villages and farms where people are active and busy.
The capital of Canada is Ottawa, its commercial and industrial city with the population of 1 million people. Montreal is a port and major commercial centre. Vancouver is a railroad, shipping and forest products manufacturing centre. Winnipeg is a major wheat market and railroad hub. Quebec City is a shipping, manufacturing and tourist centre.
Canada is a growing country. The population, 32 million people, is growing too, as people from many lands and countries have come here to make Canada their home. Canada’s industries are developing rapidly to supply the needs of the population. The country trades with many countries and is open for all the nations of the world.
Questions
How many oceans is Canada washed by?
What is the capital of Canada?
Why is Canada called ‘a growing country’?
What is the population of Canada?
What can you tell about the Canadian landscape?
Самостоятельная работа № 5
Australia
Read and translate the text in writing, answer the questions after it.
Australia, or the Commonwealth of Australia, as it is officially called, is situated on the island continent. It also occupies the Island of Tasmania and some minor islands round the coast of the continent. Australia is lying south-east of Asia, between the Pacific and the Indian oceans. It is a highly developed industrial and agrarian country. Its total area is about 8 million square kilometers. It is the world’s smallest continent, which is almost completely surrounded by ocean expanses. And it is the only state in the world that occupies the territory of a whole continent.
The capital of Australia is Canberra which became the capital only in1927. From 1787 to 1867 Australia was the place where criminals were sent from Britain. That’s why the official language of Australia is English. Nowadays almost 99% of Australian population speak English.
Almost one half of Australian territory is occupied by deserts and semideserts. That’s why for a long period of time it was thought to be useless for economic development. But it is rich in coal, iron ore, bauxite, uranium, lead and many other mineral resources. For almost a century the production of sheep wool was the basis of the economy of the country. Now the most important industries are oil, chemical, ore mining, radioelectronics and food industry. The country exports agricultural products and raw materials.
As for the nature, the commonest trees of Australia are the eucalyptus and the Australian acacia and mimosa, the national emblem of the country. Such unusual animals as kangaroo or koala-bear originate from Australia.
Australia is one of the most unusual and exotic countries in the world. A significant feature of modern Australian society is the representation of a lot of cultures drawn from many lands by its people.
Historically part of the British Empire and now a member of a Commonwealth of Nations, it is a relatively prosperous and independent nation.
Questions
1. What is the official name of Australia?
2. Why is it different from other countries in its geographical position?
3. What is the capital of Australia?
4. What kind of climate is there in Australia?
5. What are the main branches of the Australian economy?
6. What unusual animals and trees originate from Australia?
7. Is English the official language of Australia? Why?
Самостоятельная работа № 6