Natural resources and industry

From land comes a variety of riches. Forests are a source of the lumber industry. The central plains form the prairie and one of world's best wheat-growing regions. Canada is one of the leading producers of nickel, zinc, silver, asbestos, uranium, potash and platinum.

Canada is one of the world's richest nations. Canadians enjoy one of the world's highest standards of living. Canada’s wealth comes from the exploitation of its rich resources and labour of its citizens. The chief industry is petroleum extraction. The province of Alberta has rich oil fields. Canada exports motor vehicles and machines, petroleum and natural gas, food and animals. The metal, machine-building and chemical industries are highly developed. Canada's largest ports Vancouver, Victoria, Montreal, St. Johns, Quebec and Sydney are centers of export of canned meat and fish, furs, timber, metals, paper and machines to many countries.

Political system

Canada is a democracy, a constitutional monarchy. The head of the state is the Queen who is also the Queen of Britain, Australia and New Zealand. All her powers are exercised by her representative the Governor General. Canada is a federal state with ten self-governing provinces and two territories controlled by the central government - Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon and the North-West Territories.

The federal Government consists of the Senate and the House of Commons. The Cabinet is headed by the Prime Minister, usually the leader of the party which has the majority in the House of Commons. The capital of Canada is Ottawa.

VI. Find the words in the text which mean:

1. to spread over an area, to extent;

2. the outside limit or boundary of a surface/area;

3. to find/learn about something for the first time;

4. to take control of something by force;

5. to become greater in number;

6. to keep something in the original state;

7. to be different;

8. of different kinds; varied;

9. the greater number; the most.

VII. Find the English equivalents of the following word combinations in the text:

1. одна з найбільших країн світу;

2. на кордоні між Канадою та США;

3. великий водний шлях;

4. вздовж західного краю;

5. відомий своїми льодовиками;

6. за ними прийшли англійці;

7. захопити більшу частину Канади;

8. корінне населення;

9. з усіх куточків світу;

10. офіційні мови;

11. регіон, де вирощують пшеницю;

12. ведучі виробники;

13. праця громадян;

14. головна гілка промисловості;

15. експортувати транспортні засоби;

16. голова держави;

17. виконувати повноваження;

18. федеральний уряд;

19. мати більшість у палаті громад;

20. очолювати кабінет.

VIII. Complete the sentences using the information from the text:

1. The Cabinet is headed by ­­­­______________

2. The head of the state is _________________

3. The province of ___________ has rich oil fields.

4. Canada is one of the world’s leading producers of ________

5. Canada is a constitutional _________________

6. The central plains form____________________

7. The ________ discovered Canada more than a thousand

years ago.

8. The Appalachians stretch from ______________

10. Canada exports_______________________