Australia

1. The official name of the country is the Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth of Australia is composed of six states and two territories and it occupies the world’s smallest, flattest, and driest continent.

2. Australia is an island continent washed by three oceans and four seas. It is located in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons are the other way round. Summer is from December to February and winter is from June to August. Because of the country's great size, the climate of Australia ranges from tropical regions of the Northern territory to the cool temperate conditions in the southeast, where it frequently snows in winter. Most of the country's weather pattern is characterized by clear skies and low rainfalls.

3. Australia is the least populated of the world's continents, its population being only 18,3 million people. Australia is a land of immigrants. Its population is subdivided into "original Australians" (known as the Aborigines), "old Australians" and "new Australians". More than 80% of the people live in the six capitals on the coastal strip (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart) and less than 15% actually live in the rural areas.

4. Australia is an independent sovereign nation within the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II is formally Queen of Australia and is represented by a Governor-General and six state governors.

5. The constitution came to an effect January 1, 1901. As is in the British system, the executive comprising the Prime Minister and the Cabinet is drawn from the federal parliament and answerable to it. The Parliament consists of two chambers: an elected Senate of 76 (12 from each of the six states, two for the Australian Capital Territory, and two for the Northern Territory); and the House of Representatives of 148, elected by universal adult suffrage. Voting is compulsory.

6. Each state has its own constitution, governor (the monarch's representative), executive, legislative and judicial system. Each territory has its own legislative assembly.

7. The question whether Australia should become a republic with an Australian Head of the State is a matter of current debate in Australia. A change to a republic would require the assent of the Australian people at a referendum.

5. Выполните лексико-грамматические задания на базе текста №1:

5.1. Выпишите из текста эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений: сельская местность; палата (парламента); представитель; голосование; обязательный; согласие; прения (дискуссия); исполнительный; законодательный; судебный, независимый, составлять (документ).

Выпишите из текста 2 предложения, содержащие сказуемое в активном залоге. Подчеркните сказуемое и определите его видовременную форму. Измените предложения таким образом, чтобы сказуемое имело все возможные грамматические формы.

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