1、New ZealandANew ZealandNew Zealand is an island that lies off the eastern coast of AustraliaIt is made up of two large islands：North Island and South IslandNew Zealand is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the north and east，and the Tasman Sea to the south and westIt is about the same size as JapanW
2、ellington，the capital city，lies on the NorthIslandOther important cities are Auckland in the north，Christchurch on the South Island and Queenstown，further to the southNew Zealand has a mild sea climate, while the north is subtropicalIt rains quite a lotThe warmest months are December to FebruaryThe
3、coldest months are June to AugustThe ocean and seas surrounding the islands are deep blue and many of New Zealands cities lie on a bay and have a natural deep harbourThe sand beaches in New Zealand are also very cleanNew Zealand has a very beautiful natural landscape with green hills and mountainsSo
4、me of the mountains are dead volcanoesThe North Island is famous for an area of hot springs，some of which throw hot water high into the airSome of this heat near the earths surface is used to make electricityThere are many plants and animals that only live in New ZealandThe most famous animal is a l
5、ittle bird that cannot flyIt is called a kiwi and it is New Zealands national birdThe Maori were the earliest people to come to New ZealandWhen they discovered it about 1,000 years ago，they called it Aotearoa，which means“Land of the long white cloud”The Maori came from the islands of Polynesia in th
6、e PacificIt is some 3，500 kilometres from Polynesia to New Zealand, which they travelled in narrow boatsThey brought dogs，rats and plants with them and settled mainly on the North Island where the weather was warmerAround 1421，Chinese sailors discovered the islands on one of their voyages around the
7、 worldThe Dutchman Abel Tasman named the islands New Zealand in 1642More than 120 years later，Captain James Cook took possession of the islands in 1769 and from that time British people started to settle in New ZealandBy 1840 about 2,000 Europeans，mainly British，had come to settle in New Zealand and
8、 the Maori signed an agreement with these settlersThat day is still celebrated as a national holidayIt is every year on the sixth of FebruaryToday there are still many people in New Zealand who call England “the home country”, although it is a place where most of them have never beenBLife In New Zea
9、landNew Zealand has a population of about 3.8 million people，of which about fourteen percent are MaoriSince the mid-1980s growing numbers of Asians have settled in New Zealand，and they make up about six percent of the total populationThe majority of the people speak EnglishHowever，Maori，which is the
10、 native language of the Maori people，is also an official languageAll street signs，names of cities and places must be written in both languagesThey also have Maori newspapers，radio and TV programmesThe common meeting place for Maori is on the marae，an area of land with a meeting house，where all impor
11、tant events take placeMaori children are taught at an early age what to do when they come to the maraeSpecial days for the Maori are called huisA hui may be a wedding，burial or conferenceThe happier events are marked with speeches，singing and dancingWhen someone dies，all the relations，old and youngc
12、ome to the marae for the Maori burial serviceMaori people believe that the spirit stays with the body for three days, so during this time someone always stays with the dead personMany people will sleep and eat on the marae during these three days and share their memories of the dead personNew Zealan
13、d is an important agricultural country, with cattle farming on the North Island, while the hilly South Island has more sheep farmsThe main exports of the country are wool，lamb，beef, butter，forest products，fruit and vegetablesSome farmers have turned to keeping deer，and there are now about 4,500 deer
14、 farms in the countryThe deer are farmed for their meat and furWhich are then shipped to many other countriesNew Zealand wine is of high quality and is sold all over the worldLiving in a country with plenty of space and a good climate，New Zealanders love all kinds of sport and outdoor activitiesIn s
15、ummer，people like to go sailing，swimming，horse-riding and rock-climbing in the mountainsThe main school holidays are from mid-December till early February when the days are long and warmMany families spend this time at a cottage by the seaside or go camping in the hills or on the coastNew Zealand，with its natural beauty，mountains，rivers and national parks，also attracts tourists from all over the world .精品资料。欢迎使用。高考资源网w。w-w*k&s%5￥u高考资源网w。w-w*k&s%5￥u
