New Zealand

1. New Zealand is an island nation, situated midway between the Equator and the South Pole in the southern Pacific Ocean. New Zealand is situated the same distance east from Australia as Moscow is from London. Australia is New Zealand’s nearest western neighbour. The distance between the two countries is more than 1,600 km. New Zealand consists of two large islands, one smaller island and numerous much smaller ones.

2. It is difficult to say when and from where the first people of New Zealand came; but it is generally agreed that Polynesians reached New Zealand more than 1,000 years ago, possibly by AD 800 or even earlier. The first European to sight New Zealand in 1642 was Dutch navigator Abel Tasman. His attempt to land brought a clash with a South Island tribe in which several of his men were killed. New Zealand remained unknown to Europe until rediscovered in 1769-70 by James Cook, the British naval officer and explorer. His initial contact with the Maori was violent, but good relations were established later. Cook’s journal published as A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World (1777), brought the knowledge of a new land to Europeans. Systematic immigration began about 1840.

3. Although the country is about the same size as Japan, Italy or Great Britain, it is not as densely populated. In 1997 the total population numbered over 3.8 million people, including about 0.5 Maori with an overall population density of about 13 persons per square kilometre. The majority of New Zealanders live in cities and towns. Three fourths of the population live on the warmer North Island.

4. Auckland is the largest city with a population of over a million. It was established in 1840 as the capital of the British colonial government. Auckland remained the capital until it was replaced in that role by Wellington in 1865. Auckland is the major industrial and commercial port of New Zealand. It is a modern city with a beautiful, clear harbour where people go boating or swimming many months of the year.

5. Wellington is the country’s second-largest city and a main port. It is situated on the southern coast of North Island. Wellington is the nation’s capital, its administrative centre and the seat of the government with the population less than 200,000 people. The two most striking features of the city are its piercing winds and constant danger of earthquakes.

6. New Zealand is a sovereign, independent state and a member of the British Commonwealth. Its form of government reflects its historical association with Great Britain. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy. The British monarch is the head of state, represented by the governor-general[4]. As in Great Britain, the legislature is called the Parliament. In New Zealand, however, Parliament consists only of a single chamber, the House of Representatives[5]. Its members are elected every three years. The parliament seats in Wellington in the building which is called the Beehive because of its form. The party gaining the majority of parliamentary seats forms the government. The leader of the party in power becomes the prime minister.

7. The country’s isolation has played an important part in its development. Nevertheless, in the 20^th century New Zealand has been involved in international affairs, being an active member of both the League of Nations and the United Nations. It has also participated in several wars, including World War I and II. Economically, the country has long been dependent on the export of agricultural products, especially to Great Britain, for much of the 20^th century. The entry of Britain into the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1971, however, forced New Zealand to expand its trade relations with other nations. Industrial development has also become much more extensive and varied.

VI. Прочтите 2-ой абзац текста и вопрос к нему. Из приведенных вариантов ответа укажите номер предложения, содержащего правильный ответ на поставленный вопрос.

Which of these sentences is about Abel Tasman?

1. He was a navigator from Holland.

2. He was a British naval officer and explorer.

3. He established good relations with the Maori later.

VII. Прочтите 6-ой абзац текста и закончите предложение, выбрав соответствующий вариант.

The head of the government in New Zealand is …

1. …the governor-general.

2. …the prime minister.

3. …the British monarch.

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