TheCommonwealth of Australia
I. Learn to pronounce the geographical names:
the Indian Ocean Индийскийокеан
theРасific Ocean Тихийокеан
the Arafura Sea Арафурскоеморе
the Coral Sea Коралловоеморе
the Tasman Sea Тасмановоморе
the Timor Sea Тиморскоеморе
the Bass Strait Бассовпролив
the Torres Strait Торресовпролив
theMolongolo River p. Молонголоу
theMurrumbidgee River p. Мурамбиджи
the Murray p. Муррей
the Darling River p. Дарлинг
the Lachlan River p. Лаклан
theAustralianAlps Австралийские Альпы, горный
массив
the Great Dividing Range Большойводораздельный
хребет
Mount Kocsciusco (223o) гораКосцюшко
Flinders хребетФлиндера
the Great Sandy Desert БольшаяПесчанаяпустыня
the Great Victoria Desert БольшалпустыняВиктория
the Ecuator Экватор
the Southern Hemisphere Южноеполушарие
II. Read and translate the text.
TEXT 1.Geographical outline of Australia
Australia is an island continent located in the Southern Hemisphere south of Asia. It is the only country in the world which occupies the territory of an entire continent. Australia covers an area of 7.7mln sq. km., almost as large as the continental US and is more then 30 times large than Great Britain. The coastline is 36, 735 km. (23 000 mi.) and is washed by two oceans and four seas.
The Australian continent is bounded on the north by the Timor and the Arafura Seas and the Torres Strait, on the east by the Tasman and Coral Seas, on the south cy the Bass Strait and the Indian Ocean and on the west by the Indian Осеan. Australia is the smallest continent, and the largest island in the world.
The continent and the island of Tasmania, off the eastern part of the south coast, make up the Commonwealth of Australia.
The flattest of ail the continents, Australia's most significant mountain chain is the Great Dividing Range (the eastern projection of which is known as the Australian Alps) running down most of the east coast. Mount Kosciusco (2,230 m), in the Australian Alps, is the Australia's highest point.
Australian landscape have a deep richness of colour: bronze, yellow and olive green are the dominant tones. Hills are generally rounded with plains undulating.
There are few rivers and lakes in Australia. Its best-known river is the Murray (2,600 km.). The longest is the Darling River (2,740 km.). These rivers with the Murrumbidgee, the Lachlan and a number of smaller rivers form the continent's river system.
Australia is located between 10 and 40 degree south latituce. Its largess region is in the tropical belt which includes the tropical desert climate (in the western and in the central parts of the country) and the tropical wet climate (in the eastern part).
In the subtropical belt there are three types of сlimate: subtropical wet in the south-eastern part, subtropical with dry summer in the south-western part and continental climate with low rainfall all the year round and sharp changes of temperatures in the central southern part. Thus great parts of the interior (the outback) of the country are very dry. Most of these areas are desert country. In fact, the, Great Sandy and Great Victoria Deserts rank among the largest deserts in the world.
The continent is south of the equator, so the seasons are the opposite way round in that part of the world. In December, January and February, when people are sledging and ice-skating in North America and the European countries, Australians are enjoying summer-time. The winter season is from June to August. Temperatures in summer can reach 40 degree Celsius.
It is not surprising that Australia has little extensive forest. The tallest trees are the blue gums of Tasmania. The commonest trees of Australia are the eucalyptus, of which there are over 500 kinds. The Australian acacia or mimosa is the national emblem of the country. There are also the queer bottle-brush trees, which conserve moisture in their trunks.
Even stranger than the plants are the native animals. The unusual appearance of the kangaroo struck the very first Europeans who stepped onto the coast of the continent. The platypus or duck-bill remained a biological mystery for a long time. The koala or koala-bear is loved by all. The kangaroo is incorporated in the National Emblem of Australia.
Australia is rich in mineral resources. It ranks second in its deposits of iron ore and bauxite, and third in its deposits of copper, lead and zinc ores. Besides, there are significant reserves of coal, gas, nickel, titanium, gold and diamonds.
Australia is the least populated of the world's continent, its population being only 17 min people (1990). The distribution of the population is determined by the vast inland deserts. Thus more than 80 per cent of the people live on the eastern coast and less than 15 per cent live in other parts.
The capital of the country is Canberra.
Vocabulary notes:
entire полный, целый
be bounded ограничиваться
flat плоский, ровный
projection выступ
latitude широта (географ.)
sharp резкий
interior внутренний.
tosledge кататься на санках
gum каменное дерево
eucalyptus Эвкалипт
асасiа акация
mimosa мимоза
queer странный
moisture влага
trunk ствол (дерева)
kangaroo кенгуру
platypus утконос
koala коала