Раздел 1. Страноведение. Англоязычные страны.

Тема 15. Новая Зеландия

Ex.1 Repeat after me:

New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, the Tasman Sea, Cook Strait, Wellington, the North Island, the South Island, East Polynesia, Maori, Captain James Cook, Abel Tasman, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Queenstown, Rotorua. Now read these words in a chain-like way.

The Text:

New Zealand

New Zealand is situated midway between the Equator and the South Pole in the southern Pacific Ocean. Its nearest western neighbour is Australia. New Zealand is separated from Australia by the Tasman Sea.
The area of the country is about 270,000 sq km. It is a small, quiet and green country, which consists of two large islands – the North Island and the South Island, and numerous small islands. The two main islands are separated by Cook Strait
Three fourths of New Zealanders live in the warmer North Island. That is where you can find active volcanoes, many rivers and lakes, numerous mineral hot springs and geysers, subtropical forests and sandy beaches.
The South Island is larger that the North Island and has the highest mountains. The chief mountain range of the South Island is the Southern Alps.

Sometimes people say that the North Island means beaches and the South Island means mountains.

New Zealand was settled over 1,000 years ago by voyagers from East Polynesia. These settlers were the ancestors of today’s Maori.

Europeans first came in 1642. Dutchman Abel Tasman was the first European navigator to visit the islands. Then between 1769 and 1777 Captain James Cook visited the islands 4 times and claimed the land for the British crown.

At the time of Captain James Cook’s visit in 1769, the Maori population was about 250,000 people. Traditional art forms included storytelling, dances and songs. Maori was declared an official language in 1987.

Although the country is about the same size as Great Britain or Japan, it is not as densely populated. The population of New Zealand is about 4 million people. About 14% are Maori, 80% of New Zealanders are white people. (Учитель предлагает учащимся рассмотреть диаграмму “New Zealand Ethnicity”: Look at the diagram.)

English and Maori are the official languages, although the country is predominantly English-speaking. Almost all of the Maori speak English. New Zealand English is pure and clear; it is easily understood everywhere in the world.

Most of New Zealanders live in cities and towns.

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It is the administrative centre and the seat of the government with a population of 200,000 people.

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city. It is a major industrial and commercial centre with a population of over a million people.

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island with a population of over 300,000 people. It is an inland city with an English atmosphere, Oxford-style buildings, many parks and gardens.

Dunedin is the second largest city of the South Island with a population of 120,000 people. The city is also called the “Edinburgh of the South”.

Hamilton lies on both banks of the Waikato River in the North Island. The population of the city is about 190,000 people. Hamilton Gardens is the most popular tourist attraction every year. Queenstown lies on Lake Wakatipu in the South Island and has a population of about 11,000 people. It is a resort town and a centre for adventure tourism (jet boating, mountain biking, skiing, etc.).

Rotorua is a town on Lake Rotorua in the North Island. Its population is about 65,000 people. The town is well known for geothermal activity.

New Zealand is an independent state (1947) and a member of the Commonwealth. It is a constitutional monarchy. The British monarch is the head of state, represented by the governor-general.

The flag of New Zealand is blue with the flag of the UK, with four red-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag. The coat-of-arms depicts a woman and a Maori man standing on leaves of fern and looking at each other over a shield with five badges. Shield supports Crown of St. Edward.

Ex. 2 Answer the following questions:

1. Where is New Zealand situated?
2. Is the area of New Zealand 270,000 square km?
3. Which country is its nearest western neighbour?
4. What islands does the country consist of?
5. Who are the Native people of New Zealand?
6. Was James Cook the first European to visit New Zealand?

7. What are the official languages in the country?
8. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, isn’t it?
9. Is Christchurch the largest city in the country?)
10. Who is the head of New Zealand?