英語國家概況助學(xué)PPT Australia Unit1.

1、Do You Know?Focus InDo You Know?Based on the following video, what impression do you have on Australia?Do You Know? Have a general idea of the geographical features of Australia Be familiar with the climatic patterns in Australia Have a general idea of the states and territories in Australia Have a

2、general idea of the ethnical composition of the Australians Be informed of the statistics about the Australian population Focus InWhere is Australia located?What are the states and territories in Australia?What are the unique plants and animals in Australia?What do you need to know about Australia?W

3、hat are the types of climate in Australia?What are the geographical regions in Australia?How is the population distributed in Australia?What are the major ethnic groups in Australia?1. National flag of Australia The national flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Fla

4、g in the canton (upper hoist quarter), and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter. The fly contains a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars.

5、 The flags original design was chosen in 1901 from entries in a worldwide competition held following Federation. It was first flown in Melbourne on 3 September 1901. A slightly different design was approved by King Edward VII in 1902. Over the next few years, the exact specifications of the flag wer

6、e changed several times. The current specifications were formally gazetted in 1934, and in 1954 the flag became recognised by, and legally defined in, the Flags Act 1953, as the “Australian National Flag”.1. National flag of AustraliaFlag of Australia2. National anthem of Australia “Advance Australi

7、a Fair” is the official national anthem of Australia. Created by the Scottish-born composer, Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, but did not gain its status as the official anthem until 1984. Until then, the song became a patriotic song. Where is Australia located? The Commo

8、nwealth of Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world after Russia, Canada, China, Brazil and the U.S.A. It includes the mainland and a number of islands, the largest of which is Tasmania. Mainland Australia, with an area of 7.69 million square kilometres, is the Earths largest island but s

9、mallest continent. It stretches about 3,700 kilometres from north to south and about 4,000 kilometres from east to west. Lying southeast of Asia, it is bound by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Coral Sea to the northeast, the Timor Sea to the northwest, the Indian Ocean to the west and theTasman S

10、ea to the southeast. Australias neighboring countries include Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea to the north, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the northeast, and New Zealand to the southeast.Where is Australia located?Map of AustraliaWhat are the geographical regions in Australia? Geographic

11、ally, the Australian continent can be divided into three regions: the Western Plateau, the Central Lowlands, and the Eastern Highlands.Western Plateau Australians often use the term “Outback” for the interior and the centre of the Western Plateau and its northern plains. The Western Plateau is a vas

12、t desert and semi-desert region that covers about 60% of the land area and comprises ancient rocks similar to those of Africa. Located on the plateau are the countrys four major deserts the Gibson, Great Sandy, Great Victoria and Simpson as well as a massive monolith known as Ayers Rock which rises

13、over 335 metres (1,100 feet). A vast, dry, treeless plain, the Nullarbor, which derived from the Latin for “no trees”, extends for over 600 km along the southern edge of theregion. Although higher than the Central Lowlands, most of the land is also flat. There are few major rivers, the most importan

14、t being the Fitzroy, Ashburton, Gascoyne, Murchison, and Swan Rivers.Western PlateauAyers Rock The Central Lowlands stretch from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north to Western Victoria in the south. The land is generally flat with an average elevation of only 152 metres. The climate is hot; rainfal

15、l is infrequent; much of the land is dry or desert, and many of the rivers flow only intermittently. The west-central part of the region is a barren, sandy desert. Lake Eyre, the lowest point in Australia, lies 16 metres below sea level along the southern edge of the desert. It is a great salt lake

16、more than 9,000 square kilometres in area and is dry for lengthy periods. The Great Artesian Basin beneath the CentralCentral LowlandsEastern Lowlands is the largest and deepest artesian basin in the world and accounts for approximately 20% of the continent.Lake EyreCentral Lowlands The Eastern High

17、lands extend from the Cape York Peninsula in northeastern Australia to the southern coast of Tasmania. The highlands consist mainly of high plateaus with many gorges, hills, and low mountain ranges. These highlands are also called “the Great Dividing Range”, because rivers that flow down the eastern

18、 slopes empty into the ocean and rivers that run down the western slopes flow to the Central Lowlands. The most important rivers flowing toward the east coast are the Burdekin, Fitzroy and Hunter, while the Murray, Darling and Murrumbidgee are the more important ones flowing inland. The Murray andEa

19、stern HighlandsDarling rivers, the two longest river systems in Australia, together form the Murray-Darling Basin, which covers more than one million square kilometres 14% of the mainland. Great Dividing RangeEastern HighlandsWhat are the types of climate in Australia? Australia is a dry continent w

20、here rainfall is unreliable compared with Europe and North America. Recurring droughts and floods are a natural feature of the landscape. The Australian continent has a number of distinct climaticzones: the summer dominant tropics and sub tropics to the north; the Mediterranean climates to the south

21、; the arid and semi-arid regions in the middle of the continent; and areas of high rainfall on coastal fringes and in the ranges of the east of Australia. Climate of Australia1. Unique plants Due to the wide range of different environments and plant communities, the native flora of Australia is the

22、most diverse and varied in the world, growing in tropical, rainforest, stony inland deserts, alpine meadows and sandy heath lands. It has been estimated there are about 20,000 to 25,000 different plants native to Australia. Most Australian plant species are evergreen and many are adapted to fire and

23、 drought, including the eucalypts and acacias.Eucalypts2. Unique animalsThe animals of Australia are particularly interesting because many of them are distinctly primitive. There are groups of animals whose relatives have long since disappeared from other parts of the world. Many of the animals foun

24、d in this country are unique. Australia is home to a variety of native mammals both on land and in the surrounding oceans. They consist mainly of marsupials and monotremes. Almost half of the mammals are the marsupials, which include the kangaroo, koala and wombat. The word “marsupial” is derived fr

25、om the Latin marsupium, which means pouch. The pouch givesprotection to the very young animal and contains the teats from which it feeds. Nourished on its mothers milk, it grows in the pouch to a well-developed stage before it leaves the pouch. 2. Unique animals Koala and kangarooWhat are the states

26、 and territories in Australia? Politically, Australia is divided into six states and two territories, each of which has their own physical and cultural features. They are, from West Coast to East Coast, Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Australian C

27、apital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania.Australia states and territoriesWestern Australia Western Australia covers a third of Australia and is the largest state in Australia. Separated from the eastern states by vast stretches of scrub and desert, Western Australia has a distinctive individuality th

28、at sets it apart from the other states. It is a sparsely populated area with a population of just over 1.8million; around 80% of the entire population live in Perth, its capital city on the Southwest Coast, or the areas immediately around it. Western Australia is known as “the state of excitement” a

29、s its vast expanse of red dust and desert contains most of the countrys mineral wealth. PerthNorthern Territory The Northern Territory forms the essence of the Australian Outback. It comprises almost one-sixth of Australias land mass and can be divided into two areas the Top End and the Red Centre.

30、It spans from lush, green tropical rainforest among the savannah woodlands at the Top End, spectacular waterfalls, andbillabongs, to the dry and arid landscapes of the Red Centre and the Simpson Desert. Additionally, Northern Territory is also known as “the land of aborigines”, as aborigines form a

31、larger proportion of the population here than elsewhere. The capital of the Northern Territory is Darwin, a main port on the northwest coast.DarwinSouth Australia South Australia is the countrys driest state, with 60% of it being desert. It is a land rich in mineral resources where most of the world

32、s opals (the Australian national gem stone) are mined. The vineyards and wineries of South Australia are noted for producing wines of international quality and reputation. And thewine-producing areas, most notably the Barossa Valley, are major tourist attractions. Adelaide, the capital, was a planne

33、d city that retains much of its early architecture. It is surrounded by numerous parklands and gardens, open spaces and wide roads. The Adelaide Festival is an internationally renowned arts festival. AdelaideQueensland Queensland, located in northeast Australia, is the second largest state. Known as

34、 “the sunshine state”, it has 7.5 hours of sunshine daily. With its magnificent coastline, endless sandy beaches, national park forests, vast plains, lush tropical rainforests rainforests in the far north, forested mountains and massive wilderness areas, Queensland ranks as Australias No.1 tourist d

35、estination. And the coral of the Great Barrier Reef fringes the eastern coastline for more than 2,000 kilometres, forming one of the worlds greatest natural wonders. Great Barrier ReefNew South Wales New South Wales is the first white settlement in Australia known as “the premier state”. It leads th

36、e country in industry, shipping and agriculture. As the most populous area of the country, it is home to nearly 6.5 million people, most of who livealong the temperate coastline and in Sydney, the state capital. In fact, Sydney is the countrys largest and most cosmopolitan city with ethnic communiti

37、es from more than 100 countries and is the countrys largest seaport and major international gateway. The citys icons include the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.SydneyAustralian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory was established in 1911 within the borders of New South Wales

38、 as the site for the future national capital, Canberra. Canberra is situated between Sydney and Melbourne. A well-planned city, it is laid out around an artificial lake. The Territory became self-governing in 1989. National government remains its main industry, but private sector employment has expa

39、nded and includes production of sophisticated scientific and communications equipment, and computer software.CanberraVictoria In the southeastern corner of Australia, Victoria is the smallest mainland state but the most densely populated and highly urbanized of all the states. Also enjoying the fame

40、 of “the garden state”, Victoria is a land of tourist attractions, with spectacular coastal spectacular coastal formations and historical heritage settlements, where the lifestyle and atmosphere of colonial times has been reproduced. Its capital, Melbourne, sprang up as the primary city of the Victo

41、rian Gold Rush in the middle of the 19th century. After Federation it served as the national capital until Canberra was established.MelbourneTasmania Separated from the continent by the waters of the Bass Strait, Tasmania and its many companion islands form the smallest Australian state. Tasmania ha

42、s substantial farming, forestry, hydroelectric, mining and fishery industries. Despite tremendous development and industrial expansion, the island still retains much of the beauty of its original colonial architecture, villages, old coach houses and roadside inns. The colonial erabuildings along wit

43、h the unique wilderness landscape are major tourist attractions, which bring Tasmania the fame of the “Holiday Isle”. The capital Hobart, located at the foot of the Mount Wellington, is a renowned tourist city. Every year, yacht races from Sydney and Melbourne bring ocean racers from around the worl

44、d to Hobart.TasmaniaHow is the population distributed in Australia? Compared with other countries, Australias population is small relative to its size. For every square kilometre of land, there are approximately two Australians. Most of Australias population, however, is concentrated in two coastal

45、regions the southeast region and the southwest parts of the continent. In both coastal regions, the population is heavily concentrated in urban centres, particularly centres, particularly the state and territory capital cities, which makes Australia one of the most urbanized countries in the world.

46、This settlement pattern is largely influenced by the climate and environmental factors. As the northern and central parts of Australian continent are generally hot and dry and unable to support a large population, more than 80% of Australians settle in the cooler coastal regions.Population density1.

47、 ImmigrantsFrom the time of European settlement which began in 1788, migration continued at a steady pace peaking at 50,000 a year during the Gold Rush period of the 1850s until the population reached over 7 million in the 1940s. Most early settlers were from a British or Irish background. After the

48、 Second World War, however, the Australian Government began a formal migration program that has brought more than 6 million migrants to Australia. Since then, people from some 200 different countries have made Australia their home. Over the past 40 years, there has been a significant change in the s

49、ource countries for people who choose to settle in Australia. In the 1960s, 46% of all settler arrivals were born in the United Kingdom and Ireland. By the 1990s, only 13% were born in these two countries. At the beginning of the 21st century, less than 10% of the Australian population had been born

50、 in northwest Europe, three-quarters of whom were born in the United Kingdom. And there has been an increasing proportion of Asian immigrants to Australia.Ethnic composition1. Immigrants2. Indigenous population Australias indigenous population comprises Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders,

51、 who are ethnically and culturally different from one another. Historically, Aboriginal people are from mainland Australia and Tasmania. The name “aborigine” derives from Latin, meaning “original inhabitants”. Torres Strait Islanders come from the islands between the tip of Queensland and Papua New

52、Guinea, and they share many cultural similarities with the people of Papua New Guinea and other Pacific islands. It is estimated there were some 750,000 Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia at the start of European settlement in 1788. This population declined dramatically durin

53、g the 19th and early 20th centuries due to a2. Indigenous populationnumber of factors, including the removal of people from their traditional land and the impact of new diseases. An increasing number of Australians are now identifying themselves as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descendants. A

54、ustralias Indigenous population in 2006 reached 500,000.AboriginesTrue or FalseMultiple ChoiceDiscussion 1. Australia is sometimes called “the Land Down Under” because it lies south of the equator.2. Australia is the only continent occupied entirely by a single nation. 3. Australias southern coasts

55、are washed by the Coral Sea, the Arafura Sea and the Timor Sea.4. Although Australia is a small continent, it is a large country: only Russia, Canada and China have larger areas. 5. The Eastern Highlands tend to be low and broad in the north and get higher in the south. T( )T( )F( )F( )T( )True or F

56、alse6. Lake Eyre, Australias largest lake, is known as a part-time lake, because most of the time it has no water at all.7. Australia is hot and dry, because it lies in the Southern Hemisphere.8. New South Wales is called “the premier state”, because it has the largest population. 9. Though the smal

57、lest state, Victoria has an importance in the countrys economy far greater than its size might indicate. 10. The northern area of Western Australia is called the Red Center of Australia. T( )F( )F( )F( )F( )True or False1. With regard to its size, Australia is _ country in the world.A. the third lar

58、gest B. the fourth largestC. the fifth largest D. the sixth largestMultiple Choice2. Most Australians live on the cool, wet, forested _.A. southeast coastland B. southwest coastlandC. northeast coastlandD. northwest coastlandMultiple Choice3. Australia is politically divided into _ states and _ terr

59、itories. A. four / three B. five / two C. six / three D. six / twoMultiple Choice4. The only city on the western coast which has a population of more than one million is _.A. Darwin B. Perth C. the Gold Coast D. Brisbane Multiple Choice5. Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is internationally

60、known for its _.A. wine B. beautiful scenery C. valuable minerals D. arts festivalMultiple Choice6. Tasmania is an island which lies of the Australian mainland. A. north of the northeastern corner B. south of the southeastern corner C. east of the northeastern corner D. west of the southeastern corn