Task 10. Answer the QUESTIONS

1. What happened to Australia's flora and fauna? Why did it happen?

2. Is Australian climate and land varied?

3. Are Australian animals unique? Name some of them.

4. How many species of birds are there in Australia? Name some of them.

5. How dangerous are Australian snakes?

6. What other reptiles are common there?

Task 11. Read and translate

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DOGS?

Of all animals the dog is the most companionable and the one best suited to share the life and home of its master or mistress as one of the family. This is not surprising, for the dog was probably the first animal to be domesticated by man. Throughout centuries men and dogs have walked together and shared the same food and fire; hunted side by side, and the dog guarded its master's life and property.

On an Egyptian tomb fresco, there is a hunter with a hound at his side painted by an unknown artist 3,400 years ago. In ancient inscriptions carved in stone about 6,000 years ago, we can read about the Pharaohs' hounds chasing gazelles and dogs guarding flocks. To those ancient people, however, the dog was more than a household pet or assistant in the chase. Egyptians worshipped him as symbolic guide and protector in the realm of the dead. They gave their god Anubis the body of a man and a doglike head. Ancient Egyptians even mummified dogs.

Romans distinguished among house dogs, shepherd dogs, hunting dogs and fighting dogs. Little dogs such as Maltese and Pekingese are among the oldest of breeds, and they lived in noble homes and royal palaces from the Mediterranean to the Orient.

The dingo is the oldest living race of dog. It probably entered Australia with the first men who crossed a land bridge that once linked the island-continent to Asia

Task 12.Find in the text the English for:

жить вместе; делить кров; есть одну пищу; вместе охотиться; охранять жизнь и имущество; надгробная фреска; древние письмена; поклоняться кому-л.; в обители мертвых; Средиземноморье; Восток.

Task 13. Give the Russian for:

master; mistress; companionable; to be domesticated; a hunter; hounds; an assistant in the chase; to chase; to guard flocks; a household pet; a symbolic guide and protector; house dogs; shepherd dogs; hunting dogs, fight­ing dogs; a breed; a race of dog.

Pick out three most interesting facts from the history of dogs. Do you know any other facts which were not men­tioned in the text?

Task 14. Complete the sentences using the words in the box. А.

teeth, wings, neck, mane, legs, hair, fur, feathers, heads, leaves, hoof, horns

feet (3), eyes (3), nose (2), tail, ears (2), fur, toes (2), nails, thumb

THE MOLE

In some ways the mole is like a rat, though its body is smaller, its... is much shorter, and its... is as soft as velvet. In one way, it is like a very little pig, for it has a sharp..., which is very useful for digging. Its... are very small, and they are deeply hidden in its fur. Its... are of little use to it. But its ears are very keen indeed. It finds its way more with its... and... than with its.... The mole has strong front... to dig the earth with. These feet are very broad. There are five... on each, with strong... at the end. The hind... are very small, with five... and a small thumb on the inside.

Task 15. Say what kind of animals:

1. have long legs, a long neck, a long tail, soft hair/fur, etc.

Example 1: Deer have long legs.

2. are beautiful, friendly, kind, savage, wild, dangerous, poisonsous, etc.

Example 2: Cats are very beautiful but they are not very friendly.

Task 16.. What can these creatures do? Match A and В to make sentences.

Example: Eagles can fly at a great height.

A B

monkeys swim very long distances

leopards run very fast

dogs change their skin

camels understand lots of human commands

whales travel throught the desert

for long distances without water snakes eat fruit from all trees

Task 17. Under each drawing fill in the correct verb from the box.

Example: A cat meows.