Unit 29. Nature at our doorstep
29.1. Read the text and try to guess: where has this text come from?
- A leaflet about a guided tour?
- A book about one of the greatest cities in Australia?
- A geography book?
Sydney is Australia’s largest city, with over four million residents. It covers more than1500 square kilometers – one of the largest city areas in the world. From the famous beaches to the distant Blue Mountains, Sydney’s suburbs spread out in a network of houses, roads, shopping centers and office blocks. But if you look at a satellite photo of this booming metropolis, the dominant colour is green.
National parks have much to do with this. From any high point in the city you’ll see them – large areas of protected bush land, enveloping and giving life to Sydney. Even in the metropolitan area, national parks can be found in many places – beside the rivers, among the houses, around the harbour. The largest wilderness area in New South Wales – in Wollemi National Park – begins barely 70 kilometers from the CBD.
Sydney’s environmental wealth is no accident. It’s the legacy of more than a century of conservation efforts by concerned citizens, conservation groups and the state government. Since the creation of Royal National Park – the world’s second national park – in 1879, Sydney’s parks and reserves have been growing in number. They are now part of a large network of some 500 protected areas across New South Wales, working towards the conservation of the state’s amazing natural diversity.
Managed by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney’s national parks exist for a variety of reasons. They give Sydneysiders a chance to relax and enjoy themselves in the great outdoors. They provide habitat for the countless animals and plant species that are native to the region. And they protect Sydney’s cultural heritage – Aboriginal sites, colonial relics, and monuments of the often troubled history that Aboriginal and non – Aboriginal people share.
If you’re in Sydney for the Olympics and Paralympics, you won’t be getting into the spirit of these Games without a visit to a national park. Of course there are many other parks to experience throughout NSW. They include the World Heritage-listed rainforests of the north coast, the red desert landscapes of the far west, and the fragile alpine herb fields of the Snowy Mountains. If you are interested in traveling beyond Sydney to discover more of the state’s huge variety of landscapes, we can help you plan a more extensive trip. Welcome to the sandstone, water and bush land that lie at the heart of this Olympic city!
29.2. According to the text which of the following is true?
The dominant color of the booming metropolis is
a. green
b. yellow
c. brown
d. black
From any high point in the city you can see
a. a network of houses, roads, shopping centers and office blocks
b. large areas of protected bushland
c. countless industrial sites
d. historic defence installations
There is a large network of
a. 200 protected areas
b. 100 protected areas
c. 500 protected areas
4.From any high point in the city you’ll see
a. distant Blue Mountains
b. large areas of protected bushland
c. the Sydney Harbour
NSW Parks include
a. the World Heritage-listed rainforests of the north coast
b. the red desert landscapes of the far west
c. the fragile alpine herbfields of the Snowy Mountains
29.3. Give the reasons for :
1. existence of conservation groups and their efforts to protect Sydney’s environmental wealth
2. existence of Sydney’s national parks
29.4. According to the text which two of the following statements are wrong? Find them.
a. Sydney’s environmental wealth is an accident.
b. The area of Sydney is one of the largest city areas in the world.
c. Sydney’s parks give Sydneysiders a chance to relax and enjoy themselves.
d. Since the creation of RNP the number of Sydney’s parks and reserves has remained the same.
e. There is a large network of parks in NSW.
29.5. Match the words and expressions from the text with their definitions:
| The population of a city or a town To occupy a territory Situated at some distance from a place A number of objects situated in a certain way and connected with each other Nature reserves protected by the government An area where the natural habitat is preserved A rich variety of plant and animal species Groups of volunteers who aim at preserving the environment A resident of Sydney Rare things inherited from the times when Australia was a British colony To feel the atmosphere | to get into the spirit relics residents a network protected bush land to cover wilderness area environmental wealth natural diversity distant a Sydneysider conservation groups |
UNIT 30. ЗАДАНИЯ ПО ТЕМЕ «АВСТРАЛИЯ»
Put the missing letters.