COMPREHENSION CHECK

Ex. 3. Answer the following questions:

1. Describe the main steps in New Zealand’s movement towards self-government and virtual independence from Britain.

2. What was New Zealand’s position in the major military conflicts of the 20^th century?

3. What was the basis of New Zealand’s economy up to the 1980s?

4. Why did the government of New Zealand adopt a more liberalized free-trade economic policy in the last decades of the 20^th century?

5. How do you understand a “knowledge economy”?

6. What are the underlying reasons why a country may experience a brain drain or a brain gain?

VOCABULARY

Ex. 4. Find the Russian equivalents for the following:

the seat of government, domestic matters, the right to vote, to play a significant role, dairy products, welfare state, protectionist economy, commodity export, high demand for, to undermine the viability of, per-capita income, free-trade economy,

share market, unemployment rate, GDP (gross domestic product)

WRITING

Ex. 5. Write an essay on the following topic:

Why do both Australia and New Zealand opt for remaining the Commonwealth realms and do not aspire at complete independence from the United Kingdom? Consider the historical preconditions, advantages and disadvantages in the current state of affairs.

UNIT 7

WARM UP

Ex. 1. Answer the pre- reading questions:

1) What is the capital of India?

a) Mumbai b) New Delhi c)Delhi

2) What is the most popular style of dress for women in India?

3) Indira Gandhi was :

a) Prime – minister b) President c) Queen

READING

Ex. 2. Read the text and complete it with the statements below:

INDIA

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area , the second-most populous country, and (a)__________. ­ Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 7,517 kilometres It is bordered by Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal to the north and Bangladesh to the east. Home to the Indus Valley Civilization and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires , the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Hinduism, Buddhism originated here, while Christianity and Islam arrived in the first millennium CE. (b)__________ and colonized by the United Kingdom from the mid-nineteenth century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by widespread non-violent resistance. India is a republic consisting of 28 states and seven union territories with a parliamentary system of democracy. Economic reforms since 1991 have transformed it into one of the fastest growing economies; however, (c) ___________ .

The name India is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu. Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at the Bhimbetka rock shelters in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared over 9,000 years ago and (d)__________, dating back to 3400 BC in western India. In the third century BCE, most of South Asia was united into the Maurya Empire by Chandragupta Maurya and flourished under Ashoka the Great . From the third century CE, the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient "India's Golden Age." Science, technology, engineering, art, logic, language, literature, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy flourished under the patronage of these kings.

Following invasions from Central Asia between the 10th and 12th centuries, much of North India came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate. Under the rule of Akbar the Great, India enjoyed much cultural and economic progress as well as religious harmony. From the 16th century, European powers such as Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom established trading posts and later took advantage of internal conflicts to establish colonies in the country. By 1856, most of India was under the control of the British East India Company. A year later, a nationwide insurrection of rebelling military units and kingdoms, (e)__________, seriously challenged the Company's control but eventually failed. As a result of the instability, India was brought under the direct rule of the British Crown.

In the 20th century, a nationwide struggle for independence was launched by the Indian National Congress and other political organizations. Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi led millions of people in several national campaigns of non-violent civil disobedience. On 15 August 1947, India gained independence from British rule. On 26 January 1950, India became a republic and a new constitution came into effect. India is the most populous democracy in the world. For most of the years since independence, the federal government has been led by the Indian National Congress (INC).

India's culture has managed to preserve established traditions while absorbing new customs, traditions, and ideas from invaders .Traditional Indian society is defined by relatively strict social hierarchy. The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian subcontinent, (f)__________.

Traditional Indian family values are highly respected , and multi-generational patriarchal joint families have been the norm, although nuclear family are becoming common in urban areas. An overwhelming majority of Indians have their marriages arranged by their parents and other respected family members, with the consent of the bride and groom Marriage is thought to be for life, and the divorce rate is extremely low. Child marriage is still a common practice, with half of women in India marrying before the legal age of 18.

Indian architecture is one area that represents the diversity of Indian culture. Much of it, including notable monuments such as the Taj Mahal comprises a blend of ancient and varied local traditions from several parts of the country and abroad. The earliest works of Indian literature were transmitted orally and only later written down. These included works of Sanskrit literature – such as the early Vedas. Among Indian writers of the modern era active in Indian languages or English, Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in 1913.

a) gradually developed into Indus Valley Civilisation;

b) it still suffers from poverty, illiteracy and diseases;

c) the most populous democracy in the world;

d) known as India’s First War of Independence;

e) Gradually annexed by the British East India Company from the early 18^th century …;

f) in which social classes are defined by thousands of groups, often named as castes

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 907