Vocabulary:

appropriate [ə‘prəupriət] – подходящий, соответствующий

Canadians – канадцы

Ceremonial [,seri’məuniəl] acts – церемониальные, протокольные действия

chamber [‘t∫æmbə] – зд.: палата парламента

to hold (held, held) – зд.: удерживать, сохранять

motto – девиз, лозунг

neighbour [‘neibə] – сосед

official language – официальный, государственный язык

prosperous [‘prosp(ə)rəs] – процветающий, успешный, благоприятный

representative [‘repri’zentətiv] – представитель

to achieve a high standard of living – достигать высокого уровня жизни

to be limited – быть ограниченным

Questions for self-examination:

1. What is the total area of Canada?

2. What is its capital?

3. What oceans is it boarded by?

4. What is the population of Canada?

5. What do you know about the political system of Canada?

6. How many official languages are there in the country?

(2) Australia

If you go to Australia it will seem to you rather an upside-down world. The seasons are the other way round. Summer is from December to February, autumn is from March to May, winter is from June to August and spring is from September to November.

New Year is celebrated at midsummer, and midwinter is in June. Hot winds blow from the north; cold winds blow from the south…

Australia is the world's largest island and its smallest continent. People often call Australia the "land down-under" because it lies entirely south of the equator. The capital of Australia is Canberra.

Australia is the oldest of all continents and the driest continent on earth. The four great deserts of central Australia cover 2,000,000 square kilometres. There are few rivers there.

Australia is also the flattest of all continents. Its most significant mountain chain is the Great Dividing Range running down most of the east coast. Because of its overall flatness and regular coastline, Australia is often called a "sprawling pancake".

An island continent, Australia was cut off from the rest of the world for millions of years. As a result, it was the last continent to be discovered and settled by Europeans.

Australia is the only continent that is also a country. As a country, it has the sixth largest area in the world after Russia, Canada, China, the United States and Brazil. It is famous for the magnificent landscapes and unusual plants. It will seem strange to you that trees lose their bark, but not their leaves, and a lot of flowers have no smell. Many of the Australian animals are found nowhere else in the world. There live kangaroo, koala, echidna, platypus and a lot of rare birds.

The country is the least populated of the continents. Only 0,3 per cent of the world's population live there. However, Australia is the most urbanized country in the world.

Names:

Australia [os’treiliə] – Австралия

the Great Dividing [di’vaidiŋ] Rangе – "Грейт Дайвинг Рейндж" – ряд горных хребтов и плато

Vocabulary:

bark – кора дерева

echidna [e’kidnə] – ехидна

entirely [in’taiəli] – совершенно, полностью

flatness – зд.: плоскость, пологость, гладкость

kangaroo [,kæŋgə‘ru:] – кенгуру

koala [kəu’a:lə] – коала

landscape – ландшафт, пейзаж

leaves [li:vz] (от leaf ) – листва

magnificent – великолепный, изумительный, величественный

midsummer – середина лета

midwinter – середина зимы

overall [‘əuvəro:l] – полный, общий, всеобщий

plant [pla:nt] – зд.: растение

platypus [‘plætipəs] – утконос

rare [reə] – редкий

regular coastline [‘kəustlain] – постоянная береговая линия

sprawling [‘spro:liŋ] pancake – растянувшийся, расползшийся блин

the equator [i’kweitə] – экватор

to be the least populated of the continents – быть наименее населённым среди других континентов

to be urbanized [‘ə:b(ə)naizd] – быть урбанизированным

to seem strange – казаться странным

unusual [ən’ju:3(ə)l] – необычный

upside-down world – мир, перевёрнутый вверх дном

Questions for self-examination:

1. How do the people often call Australia? Why?

2. What is the total area of the country?

3. What do you know about its landscape?

4. What Australian animals do you know?