In this section of the book you will find some facts
Type of government - federal parliamentary state.
• Capital - Canberra.
• Administrative division - 6 states and 2 territories.
• Australia is the smallest continent.
• Most Australians live near the coast.
• It is the only continent that is an island.
• It is the only continent that is just one nation.
• Australia is surrounded by oceans and seas.
• There are huge deserts called the “Outback.”
• It is sometimes called the land “Down Under” because of its location below the equator.
• Australia comes from a Latin word meaning “southern.”
• June, July, and August are the winter months; and December, January and February are the summer months in Australia.
National Holidays
• Hew Year’s Day: 1 and 2 January.
• Australia Day: 2 January.
• Good Friday: moves around.
• Easter Monday: moves around.
• Queen’s Birthday: 9 June.
• Christmas Day: 25 December.
• Boxing Day: 26 December.
• ANZAC Day 25 April
Find the places and mark them on the map of Australia on the next page. Use a map, a globe, or an atlas to help you find the answers.
Hamersley Range Ashburton River Great Dividing Range Flinders River MacDonnell Range Mount Kosciusko Musgrave Ranges Great Victoria Desert Darling Range Bass Strait Great Barrier Reef Coral Sea Lake Eyre Timor Sea Ayers Rock Gulf of Carpentaria Murray River Indian Ocean Darling River Tasman Sea
A Physical Map of Australia
Read the text and do the exercises.
CANBERRA
Canberra, the capital of Australia, is located in the Australian Capital territory. Eighty years ago, Canberra did not exist. Today it is a beautiful city, the capital of a young and prosperous Australia.
The Canberra - Yass district was chosen as the site of the new national capital in 1908. The area was chosen to appease arguments between Melbourne and Sydney as to what city should be the capital. An international competition for a city plan was launched, attracting 137 entries. First prize was awarded to the American landscape architect W.B.Griffin from Chicago.
The city is built around Lake Burley Griffin, which was named after the American architect. Canberra is surrounded by its own territory - the Australia Capital territory - which is, in turn, surrounded by the state of New South Wales. The city is built around the hills and the lake. It hasn’t been laid out in neat squares, so if you are going to visit it as a tourist, be sure to grab a map. The roads are excellent, linking the city with its four satellites - Belconnen, Wooden, Tuggeranong and Gunghalin - in minutes. Forget about traffic jams and exhausted fumes and enjoy the sense of wide-open spaces right in the center of the town.
Canberra depends somewhat on how you want to travel. You could choose to hire a limousine with a knowledgeable driver who will tailor the itinerary to your needs. You can even hire a guide to ride along with you in your own car, showing you the best of the city. If you are more energetic, hire a bicycle. Canberra has more than 900 km of bike paths and pedal power. Walking and cycling tours let you explore the secret places you will never spot from a car or a coach. There is also Canberra Explore - a bus route that makes the rounds of the main attractions. Buy an all day ticket, and break your journey as often as you wish. In Canberra there are many places of interest to see. Australia now has a striking new Parliament House undoubtedly one of the world’s most impressive buildings. It was opened by the Queen in May 1988. The flag mast is the pinnacle of the building, standing 81 meters above the roof and flies a huge Australian flag, about the size of a double-decker bus. (See the picture above.) Government offices are dotted around the lake. Then you may go to National Library to read what you want. Or maybe you prefer Questacon - National Science and Technology center, where you will want to spend some time enjoying the hands-on science extravaganza*. High Court, National Gallery of Australia, Australia War Memorial, and many more sights are at your disposal.
Approximately 308,000 people live in Canberra. In general they tend to be more affluent, better educated and younger (median age is 29) than other Australians.
Ex.1. Read, translate and use these words in your own sentences.
Prosperous, to appease, to grab, exhausted fumes, to tailor itinerary, a coach, striking, pinnacle, affluent.
Ex.2. Choose the synonyms for the words given in Ex.1.
Rich, thriving, the highest point, to take, to calm, released gases, a bus, to make schedule.
Ex.3. Answer the questions about the text.
1. How old is Canberra?
2. What is the population of the capital of Australia?
3. How do the people living in Canberra differ from other Australians?
4. The city has been perfectly planned, hasn’t it?
5. Picture yourself touring the capital. Would you grab a map before you start sightseeing?
6. How would you like to travel if you were in Canberra? (to hire a limousine, a guide, a bicycle, to take a bus route)
7. What would you like to see in Canberra?
Crossword Puzzle
Note: You can make this crossword puzzle more difficult by covering the word box before reproducing the page.
Word Box
Aborigine
island
on
Australia
kangaroo
platypus
back
koala
sheep
Bass
lake
Tasmania
echidna
land
Wales
emu
nine
ACROSS
1. the desert areas of Australia are called the out _________.
4. the name of the smallest continent
9. this spiny animal catches termites with its long tongue
10. a large inland body of water
11. the number following eight
14. an egg-laying mammal
15. New South ___________, a state in Australia
16. the opposite of off
DOWN
1. ___________ Strait, the water separating Tasmania from the continent
2. the name for the native people of Australia
3. Australia's island state
5. Australia is called the __________ down under
6. this marsupial lives in eucalyptus trees
7. these animals are raised for their wool
8. a large, hopping marsupial
12. Tasmania is one of these
13. a large flightless bird
Let's Go on an Animal Hunt
Match each riddle to its answer.
I am a large lizard.
I have a bright blue tongue.
I make a hissing sound if I am disturbed.
During the day I hunt for insects, snails and berries.
I am a large marsupial.
I have strong back legs that help me jump.
My long, heavy tail helps me keep my balance.
I carry my baby called a joey in my pouch.
I live in the desert.
I am a kind of lizard.
I eat ants.
I have sharp spines all over my body.
I am a mammal that lays eggs.
I have a bill and webbed feet like a duck's.
I have a tail like a beaver's.
I live along rivers and streams.
I eat crayfish I find on river bottoms.
I am a tall, large bird.
I cannot fly, but I run very fast.
I lay very large eggs.
Aborigines use my eggshells as containers.
I am an unusual mammal.
I lay eggs.
My body is covered with long, sharp spines.
I use my sticky tongue to catch termites.
I have sharp claws for digging.
Note: This word search contains the names of things found in Australia.
Word Search
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Aborigine
dingo
New South Wales
Australia
echidna
Northern Territory
Ayers Rock
emu
outback
banyan
eucalyptus
platypus
baobab
frilled lizard
Queensland
Barrier Reef
geyser
sheep
Bass Strait
Gulf of Carpentaria
South Australia
Canberra
kangaroo
Tasmania
continent
kiwi
Timor Sea
coral
koala
Victoria
Coral Sea
kookaburra
Western Australia
Darling River
Lake Eyre
wombat
desert
marsupial
wool
Bonus:
How many times can you find Australia in this word search?
Underline all of the animal names.
Put a check by the names of the states and territories.
