CANADA

Read the text "Canada" and match its paragraphs with their names.
Use a dictionary when necessary.

       a) PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES
     b) POPULATION
     c) GENERAL FACTS
     d) NATURAL RESOURCES
     e) CLIMATE
     f) EDUCATION
     g) POLITICAL SYSTEM







1. ______________________________
     The name Canada is believed to come from the Indian word Kanata, meaning "village" or "community". This fact alone shows that the native population of the country consisted mostly of Indian tribes. Now Canada is the world's second largest country after Russia and the largest country in the Western Hemisphere. The country is so wide that six distinct time zones lie within its borders. Some part of the country is beyond the Arctic Circle. The capital of the country is Ottawa. Its currency is the Canadian dollar, which is divided into 100 cents. The country's most important symbol is the maple leaf. One can see it on the Canadian flag.

2. ______________________________
     The populated southern areas of Canada have a moderate climate when in the north the climate is characterized by very long, cold winters with average temperatures far below freezing and cool summer months. The most humid areas are in the west, where winds from the Pacific Ocean bring a lot of rain.

3. ______________________________
     Canada has a population of over 30 million, about 80% of which live in the south. About three quarters of Canada's population live in towns and cities. Canada's largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa. The French were the first to settle in the country in large numbers during the 17th and early 18th centuries. People of British origin came to stay there mainly after 1763, the year when the British conquered the French Colony of New France. As a result Canada has a dual cultural heritage and both French and English are official languages. Other groups of population are Germans, Italians, Ukrainians, Scandinavians, Poles, the Dutch and Eskimo (Inuits).

4. ______________________________
     Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories, each with its own capital city. French Canadians are mostly concentrated in the provinces of Quebec (capital - Quebec City) and New Brunswick (capital - Fredericton). They have kept not only their language, but also their own culture. Both Ottawa, the country's capital, and the largest city of Canada Toronto are situated in the province of Ontario.

5. ______________________________
     The country is rich in natural resources: gas, oil, coal, gold, copper, iron ore, nickel, uranium, zinc, along with wood and water. It is one of the world's leaders in mineral exports. Its soils, which are especially rich in the three prairie provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are intensively utilized and make Canada one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural products. Forests cover about half of Canada. They are the basis for such important industries as lumbering and paper production. Forests also give home to deer and caribou, squirrels, minks, skunks, mooses, beavers, black bears and other animals.

6. ______________________________
     Canada is a constitutional monarchy. Elizabeth II, Queen of England, is also Canada's Queen and sovereign of a number of realms. The Queen is the head of state, and is represented in Canada by the governor-general.
     Legislative power is vested in Parliament, which includes the Queen, the Senate of 104 appointed members and the House of Commons with about 300 elected members. National elections are held at least once every 5 years. The leader of the political party with the largest number of seats in the House of Commons usually becomes prime minister and forms the government.
     There are three main political parties represented in the House of Commons: they are the Liberal Party, the Progressive Conservative Party, and the New Democratic Party.

7. ______________________________
     Each of the provinces and territories administers its own educational system. Schools are operated by local education authorities and generally give 6 to 8 years of elementary and 3 to 5 years of secondary schooling. Any child can be educated in either of the two official languages. Canada has community colleges that offer technical and vocational training and a number of universities and four-year colleges. Among the largest universities are the University of Toronto (Toronto), University of British Columbia (Vancouver), University of Alberta (Edmonton), in which the language of instruction is English. Prominent French language universities are the Universite de Montreal, Loval Universite, and the Universite du Quebec.

Remember the text "Canada" and say:
what information about the country you found new;
what other facts on Canada (apart from those mentioned in the text) you know;
what kind of information is missing in the text;
make a list of ten questions answers to which you can't find in the text, see if your friends can answer them. If they can't do it, find the required information in reference books yourself and then share it with your friends.

Complete these sentences from the text "Canada".

1. Now Canada is the second largest country after ... .
   
2. The country's most important symbol is ... .
   
3. The French were the first to settle in the country in large numbers during ... .
   
4. Both .... and ... are official languages.
   
5. Canada has ... provinces and ... territories, each with its own ... .
   
6. Forests cover about ... .
   
7. Legislative power is vested in Parliament, which includes ... , ... of 104 appointed members and ... with about 300 elected members.
   
8. ... can be educated in either of the two official languages.
   
   

 
     Largest cities: Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg
     Languages: English and French

 
Canadian National Anthem