Chapter 1 Geography and ecological environment 1
1.1 Overview:An old continent and a unique environment 1
1.1.1 Geographical features 1
1.1.2 Rivers and lakes 2
1.1.3 The climate 3
1.1.4 States and territories 3
1.1.5 Ecological environment 3
1.2 Reading passage:Australian lungfish,Neocreatodus Forsteri,threatened by a new dam 8
Chapter 2 The Aborigines and Australian history 20
2.1 Overview 20
2.1.1 The earliest Australian history and cultural heritage 20
2.1.2 From British colony to an independent nation 26
2.2 Reading passage:War and national survival 32
Chapter 3 Politics and economics 46
3.1 Overview 46
3.1.1 Australian politics:A British past and an Asian future 46
3.1.2 Australian economics:From a country riding on the sheeps'back to a stable and competitive economy 51
3.2 Reading passage:Getting a grip on bonecrushers 56
Chapter 4 Education and globalization of Australia's higher education 65
4.1 Overview:A well-developed system with high quality 65
4.1.1 The primary and secondary education 65
4.1.2 The higher education(Tertiary education) 65
4.1.3 International students 67
4.2 Reading passage:Globalization and Australia's higher education 69
Chapter 5 Mass media and film industry 77
5.1 Overview:Vigorous development and free expression 77
5.1.1 Newspaper 77
5.1.2 Television 78
5.1.3 Film industry 80
5.2 Reading passage:Creative nation:approaching Australian cinema and cultural studies 82
Chapter 6 Multiculturalism 96
6.1 Overview:A cohesive and diverse country 96
6.1.1 Australian multiculturalism 96
6.1.2 The historical progress of multiculturalism 97
6.2 Reading passage 1:Is Australia a multicultural nation? 100
Reading passage 2:Cultural attitudes and Aussie communicative style 112
Chapter 7 Literature 118
7.1 Overview:From the bush myth to international recognition 118
7.1.1 The period of colonialism(1788—1888) 118
7.1.2 The period of nationalism(1889—1913) 121
7.1.3 The period of the world wars(1914—1945) 127
7.1.4 The contemporary period(1946—now) 128
7.2 Reading passage:The drover's wife 132
Chapter 8 Recreations and sports 143
8.1 Overview:The recreational society and a sporting life 143
8.1.1 Australian national public holidays 143
8.1.2 A sporting life 145
8.2 Reading passage:A brief historical overview of sport and recreation 146
Keys to Exercises 152
References 175