Australia is the world's smallest continent and largest island, a relatively young nation established in an ancient land. Its development represents a triumph(胜利)over remoteness and a harsh landscape.It is generally accepted that Australia's original inha

Australia is the world's smallest continent and largest island, a relatively young nation established in an ancient land. Its development represents a triumph(胜利)over remoteness and a harsh landscape.

It is generally accepted that Australia's original inhabitants, the aboriginal(土著的)people, have lived on the continent for 40,000 to 60,000 years. They were also its sole(唯一的)human inhabitants until two centuries ago. Indonesian traders probably visited Australia's northwest but it was unknown to the rest of the world until the 1600s. A huge south land appeared on maps before 200 AD but its existence was not confirmed until the 17th century when Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch merchants ventured into Asia.

The first European settlement of the continent--by the British--began in 1788, on the site now occupied by Sydney, Australia's largest city. There were then about 1500 Europeans and an estimated 300,000 aboriginal people in Australia. The population has reached 2.25 million by 1881, 5.41 million by 1921 and 7.4 million by the end of World War II(1945). It increased sharply, partly because of a large postwar immigration program, and reached more than 17 million in 1991, despite a decline that began in the 1970s in the natural increase and net immigration. The rate of population increase in the 40 years after world war II, about two percent, has halved.

Australia is one of the most urbanized countries in the world, with about 70 percent of the population living in the 10 largest cities. Australians have a high standard of living by world standards. The flag of Australia is the only one to fly over a whole continent in the world. The small Union Jack represents the historical link with Britain, the largest star has six points for each of the states and one point for the territories, and the small stars form. the Southern Cross - a prominent of the southern hemisphere night sky.

1. The passage is written to _____.

A. present a general picture of Australia

B. persuade people to travel in Australia

C. tell people the history of Australia

D. describe the characteristic of Australia

2. The first sentence in paragraph 1 mainly suggests that _____.

A. Australia is a strange country

B. it is not easy to find Australia

C. Australia has contradictory(矛盾的)features

D. Australia is a continent and a country as well

3. Which statement about Australia's population can NOT be inferred? _____

A. The population change is a gradual increase.

B. The population increased rapidly for a time owing to the government's special policy.

C. The rates of population increase in different periods varied.

D. The rate of population increase before World War II was about one percent.

4. The word urbanized means _____.

A. of towns or cities

B. of emergency

C. of suburbs

D. of the countryside

5. Which of the following statements is NOT true? _____

A. The large star on the flag of Australia has seven points.

B. People were certain of Australia's existence before 200 AD because it had appeared on maps.

C. Australia enjoy relatively high standard of living compared with people in other countries.

D. The aboriginal people of Australia were its only human inhabitants before the 18th century.