Comprehension check

Ex. 1. Search the text for the English equivalents of the word combinations.

Восточное плоскогорье, южное полушарие, единственная страна, плодородная почва, обширные пустыни, минеральные ресурсы, поддержка большинства, палата представителей, генерал-губернатор, высокий уровень жизни, австралийские аборигены, вечнозеленые растения, демократическая система управления, по совету премьер-министра, промышленные товары, молочные продукты, сахарный тростник.

Ex. 2. Read the statements and say if they are true or false.

1. Australia is a country in the Northern Hemisphere.

2. Free settlers and former prisoners established six colonies.

3. Deserts cover about a half of Australia.

4. The climate is significantly influenced by ocean currents.

5. The hottest month in Australia is January.

6. The Queen is represented by the Prime Minister.

7. The Commonwealth Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

8. Australia has become rich chiefly from farming and mining.

9. The country has rich mineral resources.

10. The Greens is the main political party in Australia.

Ex. 3. Complete the following sentences using information from the text.

1. Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising … .

2. The name Australia is derived from … .

3. The highest and most mountainous land lies … .

4. Australia is a member of … .

5. The parliament consists of … .

6. The main political parties are …

7. The leading farm products are … .

8. Australia is rich in mineral resources such as … .

9. An iconic Australian pair is … .

10. Oz is colloquial for … .

Ex. 4. Rearrange the words below into grammatically accurate sentences.

1. animals, of, full, is, Australia, rare

2. has, history, interesting, long, and, Australia

3. rains, at, year, any, come, time, of, the, may

4. mechanized, highly, farms, are, the

5. Australia, a member, many, is, of, organizations, international

Ex. 5. Make questions to which the underlined words are the answers.

1. Aboriginal people make up about 2.7 per cent of Australia’s population.

2. Stone tools discovered in New South Wales show that humans lived in Australia at least twelve thousand years before they appeared in Europe.

3. Sydney is a busy seaport situated in a huge deep harbour.

4. Australia imports more manufactured goods than it exports.

5. Farmers use modern agricultural methods to make the cropland highly productive.

6. In winter many parts of the south have occasional frosts.

7. Australia’s only large permanent lakes have been artificially created.

Ex. 6. Translate into English.

1. Австралия расположена на юге Азии, и это единственная страна, которая занимает целый континент.

2. Население страны – 22 млн. человек.

3. Два путешествия к Австралии совершил А.Тасман, первым доказавший, что она представляет собой отдельный материк.

4. Долгое время Австралия являлась колонией Великобритании и служила для ссылки каторжников.

5. Большую часть страны занимают пустыни и низменные территории.

6. Австралия — самая жаркая часть всей суши южного полушария.

7. Австралия имеет двухпалатный федеральный парламент, состоящий из Сената (верхней палаты) и Палаты представителей (нижней палаты). В парламент также входит королева Великобритании (представленная генерал-губернатором).

8. В 2008 году рекордное число австралийских городов вошли в десятку (World's Most Livable Cities) наиболее комфортных для проживания городов мира, где Мельбурн занял 2-е, Перт — 4-е, Аделаида — 7-е и Сидней — 9-е место соответственно.

9. Основное природное богатство страны — минеральные ресурсы.

10. Большая часть австралийских растений является вечнозелеными.

Ex. 7. Answer the following questions.

1. Where is Australia situated?

2. What major land regions can Australia be divided into?

3. Which of the regions can be used as croplands?

4. What territory do the deserts cover?

5. Is the climate in Australia mild?

6. Why are the Australian seasons opposite to those we have in our country?

7. Who were the first settlers in Australia?

8. Australia is a developed country with a multicultural society, isn’t?

9. What organizations is Australia a member of?

10. What is the population of Australia?

11. Is Australia a monarchy?

12. Who represents the Queen?

13. What does the Commonwealth parliament consist of?

14. Which party is in office now?

15. What are the chief branches of industry?

16. What are the main farm products?

17. What rare animals live in Australia?

18. What is the famous iconic Australian pair?

19. What are the largest Australian cities?

20. Is Australia good for tourism? How can you prove it?

Texts for extra reading

A. A typical Australian?

Given the diverse nature of today’s Australia, some people question whether there is a ‘typical’ Australian. There is, of course, no shortage of popular stereotypes, some of which contradict each other.

For example, some people see Australians as egalitarian, irreverent people with a deep suspicion of authority while others regard them as mostly law-abiding and even conformist. Some people, particularly those living overseas, believe Australians live mainly in country areas, the Australian outback or the bush. In fact, more than 75 per cent of Australians live a cosmopolitan lifestyle in urban centers, mainly in the capital cities along the coast. Others see Australians as people who live in a ‘lucky country’ who love their leisure, particularly sport, both as spectators and as participants. In fact, Australians are among the hardest-working people in the world with some of the longest working hours in the developed world.

Another common perception of Australians is that they are informal, open and direct and say what they mean. They are also seen as people who believe in the principle of giving people a fair go and standing up for their mates, the disadvantaged and the underdog.

Many of these popular images have some truth to them and most Australians conform to at least some of them. But Australians, like people everywhere, cannot be so easily stereotyped. There are ‘typical’ Australians everywhere. But they are not all the same.

Notes:

shortage – нехватка, недостаток

to contradict – противоречить

egalitarian – поборник равноправия

irreverent – непочтительный, неуважительный

suspicion – подозрение

law-abiding – законопослушный

outback – малонаселенная, необжитая местность

bush – зд. cельская местность

leisure – досуг, свободное время

perception – восприятие

underdog – неудачник, аутсайдер

Ex. 1. Answer the following questions.

1. Is there a typical Australian?

2. How do other people see Australians?

3. Where do most Australians live?

4. Do you think that Australians live in “a lucky country”?

5. What is another common perception of Australians?

6. Do Australians correspond to these popular images?

B. A national cuisine?

Australia has one of the most diverse cuisines in the world, thanks to Asian and European migrant influences, a dining public that is happy to try innovative dishes and access to a plentiful supply of fresh and high–quality produce.

Australia, one of the world’s most efficient agricultural nations, produces high–quality vegetables, fruit and grains, meat, poultry, seafood, and cheeses and other dairy products. In addition, many new industries have been established to accommodate the growing Australian taste for exotic foods, including Asian greens, pears, lychees, olives and herbs. Aquaculture products such as farmed Atlantic salmon and southern bluefin tuna are now available as well as the great range of seafood that comes from the ocean surrounding Australia, including Moreton Bay bugs (shellfish), ‘banana’ prawns, barramundi fish and oysters.

Australians enjoy a huge range of food in restaurants and homes, reflecting the country’s cultural diversity. Southern Europe has combined with Asia and the Pacific for new flavours and tastes. Italian, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Greek, Thai, Malay, French and Vietnamese restaurants are common, particularly in the capital cities. Middle Eastern flavours are also rapidly emerging, with Moroccan and Lebanese flavours being used with local ingredients in mainstream cooking with notable success.

Traditional Australian bush tucker is also becoming more common, particularly in northern Australian restaurants, where kangaroo, buffalo, crocodile and emu can often be found on menus.

Historically, there has never been a cuisine typically regarded as Australian. Instead, Australian fare has evolved with the distinct layers of flavours that each new culture has added. Homesick expatriate Australians sometimes hanker for Australian food such as lamingtons (a sponge cake square dipped in chocolate and coconut), pavlovas (a meringue dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova) and vegemite (a commercially produced spread made from yeast products).

The Australian wine sector is recognized internationally as producing a full range of high-quality wine styles and varietals to match any dish, from full-bodied reds and deep fruity whites to sparkling, dessert and fortified wines.

Notes:

lychee – личи китайский

salmon – лосось

bluefin tuna - голубой тунец

bug - насекомое, жук

shellfish – моллюск

prawn – креветка

barramundi fish - белый морской окунь

oyster – устрица

bush tucker - дневной рацион золотоискателя, еда

fare – режим питания, диета

expatriate - покинувший родину, эмигрировавший

hanker – страстно желать, очень хотеть

meringue - меренга (сладкое блюдо)

spread – мажущиеся, пастообразные продукты

yeast - дрожжи

varietals - зд. сортовые вина

fortified – крепленый

Ex. 1. Answer the following questions.

1. Why does Australia have one of the most diverse cuisines in the world?

2. What agricultural products does Australia produce?

3. What aquaculture products are available in Australia?

4. What restaurants are there in the capital cities?

5. Where can you find kangaroo, crocodile and emu on menus?

6. Can you say that there is Australian cuisine?

7. Is the wine sector of Australia recognized internationally?

NEW ZEALAND