The Long White Cloud

What is the name of the country which has volcanoes and rivers of ice, deer and sea-elephants?

It is New Zealand, called the Land of the Long White Cloud by the Maoris.

As you now, New Zealand is an island country. Most of its people live in North Island, and that is where you find the big volcanoes and geysers.

South Island is larger than North Island and has the highest mountains. South Island is very beautiful with its mountains and lakes and fiords.

So you can see there is plenty to look at in New Zealand. Plenty of things to do for a rich tourist, because New Zealand is also famous for its fishing, snow sports and hiking.

The climate is pleasant in all seasons, without much difference between winter and summer.

What do the people do? The farm, mostly. The main exports are dairy produce, meat and wool. There are many factories there too.

North Island is where you find the Maoris, the fine people who lived in these islands hundreds of years before the white man came.

NOTES:

– an island –остров

– volcanoes and geysers - вулканы и гейзеры

– is famous for - известна

– the Maoris – Маори

Questions

1. What kind of country is New Zealand?

2. Which of the two New Zealand islands is larger?

3. Where do the Maoris live now?

3.

An upside-down World

You know that Australia is an English-speaking country. And you know that it is on the other side of the world.

Australia became an English colony after it was visited by captain James Cook. When the early settlers came to Australia, they began to kill the Aborigines or to drive them away from the best parts of their land.

What will you find if you go to Australia? It will seem to you an upside-down world. New Year is in the middle of summer, the middle of winter is in June, and the winter months are never cold. Hot winds blow from the north; cold winds blow from the south. The native trees look very strange, and they never lose their leaves in winter.

Australia is a land of birds and animals which cannot be found in other parts of the world. You certainly know those animals and perhaps you have seen some of them at the Zoo. They are the kangaroo, koala, echidna, dingo and many others.

What about the climate? Australians say that they can sleep out of doors all the year round. The sun shines brightly in winter and it is very hot in summer. Snow can be seen only on the highest mountains. There is not much rain in many parts of the country. In bad times, and in the driest parts, many animals may die for want of water.

NOTES:

– upside-down world – мир “вверх ногами”

• the other side of the world – другая сторона света

• settlers - поселенцы

– becоme (became, become)- становиться

Questions

1. Whose colony was Australia in the past? What did the early settlers do to the Aborigines?

2. Why does Australia seem an upside-down world?

3. What kind of animals are found in Australia? What do you know about climate?

4.