UNIT 6 CANADA

I. Read and memorize the following words and word combinations.

to occupy	займати
to influence	впливати
to share with	поділяти з
mountain ranges	гірські хребти
settlement	поселення
to occur	відбуватись
domestic policy	внутрішня політика

II. Read the text. Use dictionary if necessary.

Canada is the country occupying the northern part of the North American continent, bounded in the south by the USA, in the north – by the Arctic Ocean, in the northwest – by Alaska, in the east – by the Atlantic Ocean.

Canada is over 3.9 million square miles in area. It is the second largest country in the world including five major geographical regions. Canada is divided into ten provinces, of which Quebec is the largest, and two territories.

The population of Canada is 30 million people.

The capital of Canada is Ottawa. Other major cities include: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. Canada is very rich in rivers and lakes: the St.Lawrence, Nelson, Churchill and Mackenzie rivers are the most important. Its largest lakes are four of the Great Lakes which Canada shares with the United States – Ontario, Superior, Huron and Erie.

Canada’s climate is greatly influenced by its mountain ranges, plains and water surfaces. The mountain ranges of the Cordilleran region prevent humid Pacific air from reaching the interior. The central plains of the North American continent form a corridor for the flow of warm air north from the Gulf of Mexico and cold air from north to south and east. This air movement creates sudden and drastic weather changes in Canada’s interior.

Canada was first inhabited by Asian tribes that migrated across the Bering Strait many thousands of years ago. The descendants of these people are today’s Eskimos and Indians.

The name “Canada” originated with its first inhabitants, since Indians used the world kanata to describe a settlement. The story of modern Canada began about 500 years ago, when an Italian navigator, John Cabot, landed on Cape Breton Island and claimed the area for England. Cabot was followed by a French navigator Jacques Cartier. The true founder and settler of French Canada, however, was the French explorer Samuel de Champlain, who founded Quebec in 1608.

The American Revolutionary War of the 1770’s, with the birth of an independent nation was an event as important for future of Canada as for the USA..

Economically, the country’s iron-and-steel industry, its shipbuilding and new aircraft industries as well as vast networks of communications (railways, highways, waterways, telegraph, telephone, wireless etc.), came into being, and the young country took its first step towards modern industrialization.

Nowadays the western part of Canada is known as the “bread-basket of the world”. The discovery of gold, nickel, silver, and other ores revealed Canada as one of the world’s great storehouses of natural resources.

Canada is a self-governing federal union within the British Commonwealth of Nations. The British monarch, i.e. Queen Elizabeth II, is Head of State and is represented in the country by the Governor-General. The Canadian Parliament is composed of two Houses, the Senate and the House of Commons. The head of the Government is the Prime Minister. The two official languages are English and French.

OTTAWA

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada situated on the Ottawa River. The population of Ottawa is about one million people.

In 1613 the site was reached by S. Champlain, a French explorer and first Governor of French Canada. It was originally named Bytown. Ottawa was established as a city under its present name in 1854. It was elected by Queen Victoria as the capital in 1858.

Today Ottawa is an industrial and commercial centre of Canada. Chief among its manufactures are lumber, cement, furniture and paper. To this is added a printing and publishing trade, food and beverage products, and iron and steel products, clothing and chemicals.

Many notable public organizations, the national government and several educational and cultural organizations are situated in Ottawa.

There are two universities in the city — the bilingual Roman Catholic University of Ottawa and Carleton University. Special educational advantages may be derived from such institutions as the National Gallery of Canada, National Museum of Man, National Library, Public Archives and the National Museum of Science and Technology. In addition to these institutions, residents and visitors are attracted by the Royal Mint, the Canadian War Museum, the Canadian Tulip Festival each spring and the daily Changing the Guard ceremony on Parliament Hill each summer.

The National Arts Centre is a complex of concert halls and theatres. The National (Victoria Memorial) Museum of Canada, containing exhibits of geology, anthropology and natural history, lies across the city. It includes the National Art Gallery which was founded in 1880, The Art Gallery contains a notable collection of Canadian and other paintings and sculptures.

Other features include Observatory and Rideau Hall (the governor general’s residence).

III. Think of 7-10 questions about Canada and its capital.

IV. Did any facts about Canada surprise you? Why?

V. Work in pairs. Make a list of key words to talk on history, agriculture, geography, history of Canada.

VI. Make reports on the following topics:

- History of Canada

- Province of Quebec

- Political system of Canada

VII. Think of 2-3 questions to ask your group-mates about your reports.

VIII. Write a letter to your friend about:

- Why you’d like to visit Canada.

- Which cities/regions you’d like to visit and why.

- Modern branches of industry.