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Unit 23. People of Australia




23.1. Read and translate the text

Australias aboriginal inhabitants arrived about 40,000 years ago. Their technical culture depended on wood, bone, and stone tools and weapons, their spiritual and social life was highly complex. Most spoke several languages. Aboriginal population density ranged from one person per square mile along the coast to one person per 35 square miles in the arid interior. Today, tribal aborigines lead a settled traditional life in remote areas of northern, central, and western Australia. Most settlers came from the British Isles, and the people of Australia are still predominantly of British or Irish origin. Since the end of World War II, however, the population has more than doubled; non-European immigration, mostly from the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, has increased significantly since 1960. In 1995-1996, Australia accepted more than 99,000 regular immigrants.

Religion

During the 1800s, European settlers brought their traditional churches to Australia. In 1996 Australian religions were 27% - Catholic, 22% - Anglican, 22% - other Christian denominations and 3% non-Christian religions, with some 25% uncommitted or professing no religion.

On the 10th January, 2001 at 06:37:28 (Canberra time), the resident population of Australia was projected to be 19,272,053.

Aborigines

The world Aborigine is derived from Latin and means from the beginning. This is the name given to the native Australians by the Europeans. The first human inhabitants of the Australia were the Aborigines. They are a dark-skinned people belonging to the Australoid group. They may have walked and sailed here from Asia. They gathered fruits, nuts and yam, which they ate. In Melbourne and Sydney, the sparse Aboriginal population includes many militants. The whites who have little experience of Aboriginal traditions an appealing theoretical alternative to western societys moneymaking and rule by the clock. And public policy tends to be generous towards Aboriginal causes and claims.

Facts & Figures

Languages Ehglish
Ethnic groups Caucasian - 92%, Asian7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Birth rate 13.47 births/1,000
Death rate 6.89 deaths/1,000
Fertility rate 1.82 children/woman
Life expectancy  
Life expectancy  
Mortality rate 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Australian people accept guests with openness and cordiality. It is just characteristic of their life there.

In Australia, everyone is allowed to visit the building of the State Parliament, for example. Enormous posters invite everyone to visit the local museums of space exploration.

Also surprising is the way the Australian people treat each other. White people go to demonstration to protect the rights of aborigines (who are seldom seen on the streets of big cities) in general, their total number is about 2% of the population of the continent. People on the train, who are really far from agriculture, gladly welcome clouds as possible rains are a blessing to farmers. The harvest there depends on the amount of precipitation, since Australia is the driest continent in the world.

Its uncommon to surround a house with a high fence, with the exception of the Prime-Ministers residence (which is strictly guarded). It is also a tradition to appear with a smile on your face in public, a common thing for Americans and probably to some extent for English people as well. And if you need some help, and then even people whom you dont know well will be glad to help you without saying too much. Thats what we are here for is the key phrase to understanding Australia.

People live there as if to help and protect each other and maintain the land of their ancestors in its unique and indescribable beauty. Of course, one can speak a lot about the difficulties of living in the southern hemisphere, but to experience it all, one would need live there longer as an ordinary citizen, rather than as a visitor.

Australia townspeople are bright and sunny, full of light and surrounded by the care and warmth of peoples relationships, even if its a bit idealized there.

UNIT 24. OUTSTANDING HISTORICAL EVENTS OF AUSTRALIA

24.1. Read and translate the text

Geologically Australia is the most ancient of the continents. But for many centuries it was marked on the maps as terra incognita. The first man who reached the Australian coasts was Willem Jansz,

a Dutch seaman. He landed on the northern coast of the continent in 1606.

The northern and western coasts were investigated by the Dutch in the 17th century. The sailors named the continent New Holland.

In 1770 James Cook, a British navigator, reached the coasts of Australia. He was the first to investigate Australia and named a lot of its mountains and bays.

The beginning of the British colonization of Australia was connected with the loss of the thirteen American colonies during the War of Independence. The British government lost the right to send criminals from England to North America. The loss was compensated by seizing new territories.

24.2. Answer the questions:

1. How did they call Australia for many centuries?

2. Who was the first man who reached the Australian coasts?

3. When did James Cook reach Australia?

4. What years were the turning point in the history of Australia?

5. What deposits were found?





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