Ex. 5. Question for discussion. What other treaties concluded between the Europeans and the natives in other parts of the world do you know?
What other treaties concluded between the Europeans and the natives in other parts of the world do you know? Did the signatories always comply with their terms?
UNIT 6
WARM UP
Ex. 1. What general trends are characteristic of the 20th – early 21st century political and economic development?
READING
Ex. 2. Read the following text and name the main events in New Zealand’s contemporary history:
New Zealand in the 20th – early 21st century
Initially under British rule, New Zealand had been part of the colony of New South Wales. Hobson initially selected Okiato as the capital in 1840, before moving the seat of government to Auckland in 1841, when New Zealand became a separate colony, and there were increasing numbers of European settlers to New Zealand particularly from the British Isles. Representative government for the colony was provided for in 1852 when the United Kingdom passed the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852. The 1st New Zealand Parliament met in 1854. In 1856 the colony became effectively self-governing with the grant of responsible government over all domestic matters. In 1893 the country became the first nation in the world to grant women the right to vote.
Th century
In 1907 New Zealand became a Dominion within the British Empire, and an independent Commonwealth realm in 1947 when the Statute of Westminster was adopted, although in practice Britain had long since ceased to play a significant role in governing New Zealand. As New Zealand became more politically independent it became more dependent economically; in the 1890s, refrigerated shipping allowed New Zealand to base its economy on the export of meat and dairy products to Britain.
New Zealand was an enthusiastic member of the British Empire, fighting in the Boer War, World War I and World War II, especially in the Battle of Britain, and supporting Britain in the Suez Crisis. The country was very much a part of the world economy and suffered as others did in the Great Depression of the 1930s. The depression led to the election of the first Labour government, which established a comprehensive welfare state and a protectionist economy.
New Zealand experienced increasing prosperity following World War II. However, some social problems were developing; Māori had begun to leave traditional rural life and move to the cities in search of work. A Māori protest movement eventually developed, which criticised Eurocentrism and worked for more recognition of Māori culture and the Treaty of Waitangi, which they felt had not been fully honoured.
Recent history
Historically New Zealand enjoyed a high standard of living which relied on its strong relationship with the United Kingdom, and the resulting stable market for its commodity exports. New Zealand's economy was also built upon on a narrow range of primary products, such as wool, meat and dairy products. High demand for these products created sustained periods of economic prosperity, such as the New Zealand wool boom of 1951. However, in 1973 the United Kingdom joined the European Community which effectively ended this particularly close economic relationship between the two countries. During the 1970s other factors such as the oil crises (1973 and 1979) undermined the viability of the New Zealand economy; which for periods before 1973 had achieved levels of living standards exceeding both Australia and Western Europe. These events led to a protracted and very severe economic crisis, during which living standards in New Zealand fell behind those of Australia and Western Europe, and by 1982 New Zealand was the lowest in per-capita income of all the developed nations surveyed by the World Bank.
Since 1984, successive governments have engaged in major macroeconomic restructuring, transforming New Zealand from a highly protectionist and regulated economy to a liberalised free-trade economy. These changes are commonly known as Rogernomics and Ruthanasia after Finance Ministers Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson. A recession began after the 1987 share market crash and caused unemployment to reach 10% in the early 1990s. Subsequently the economy recovered and New Zealand’s unemployment rate reached a record low of 3.4% in the December 2007 quarter, ranking fifth from twenty-seven OECD nations with comparable data. In 2009, New Zealand's economy ranked as the fifth freest in the world according the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom.
The current government's economic objectives are centred on pursuing free-trade agreements and building a "knowledge economy". On 7 April 2008, New Zealand and China signed the New Zealand China Free Trade Agreement, the first such agreement China has signed with a developed country. Ongoing economic challenges for New Zealand include a current account deficit of 7.9% of GDP, slow development of non-commodity exports and tepid growth of labour productivity. New Zealand has experienced a series of "brain drains" since the 1970s, as well as educated youth leaving permanently for Australia, Britain or the United States. In recent years, however, a brain gain brought in educated professionals from poor countries, as well as Europe, as permanent settlers.
COMPREHENSION CHECK
Ex. 3. Answer the following questions:
1. Describe the main steps in New Zealand’s movement towards self-government and virtual independence from Britain.
2. What was New Zealand’s position in the major military conflicts of the 20th century?
3. What was the basis of New Zealand’s economy up to the 1980s?
4. Why did the government of New Zealand adopt a more liberalized free-trade economic policy in the last decades of the 20th century?
5. How do you understand a “knowledge economy”?
6. What are the underlying reasons why a country may experience a brain drain or a brain gain?
VOCABULARY
Ex. 4. Find the Russian equivalents for the following:
the seat of government, domestic matters, the right to vote, to play a significant role, dairy products, welfare state, protectionist economy, commodity export, high demand for, to undermine the viability of, per-capita income, free-trade economy,
share market, unemployment rate, GDP (gross domestic product)
WRITING
Ex. 5. Write an essay on the following topic:
Why do both Australia and New Zealand opt for remaining the Commonwealth realms and do not aspire at complete independence from the United Kingdom? Consider the historical preconditions, advantages and disadvantages in the current state of affairs.
UNIT 7
WARM UP
Ex. 1. Answer the pre- reading questions:
1) What is the capital of India?
a) Mumbai b) New Delhi c)Delhi
2) What is the most popular style of dress for women in India?
3) Indira Gandhi was :
a) Prime – minister b) President c) Queen
READING
Ex. 2. Read the text and complete it with the statements below:
INDIA
India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area , the second-most populous country, and (a)__________. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 7,517 kilometres It is bordered by Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal to the north and Bangladesh to the east. Home to the Indus Valley Civilization and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires , the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Hinduism, Buddhism originated here, while Christianity and Islam arrived in the first millennium CE. (b)__________ and colonized by the United Kingdom from the mid-nineteenth century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by widespread non-violent resistance. India is a republic consisting of 28 states and seven union territories with a parliamentary system of democracy. Economic reforms since 1991 have transformed it into one of the fastest growing economies; however, (c) ___________ .
The name India is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu. Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at the Bhimbetka rock shelters in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared over 9,000 years ago and (d)__________, dating back to 3400 BC in western India. In the third century BCE, most of South Asia was united into the Maurya Empire by Chandragupta Maurya and flourished under Ashoka the Great . From the third century CE, the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient "India's Golden Age." Science, technology, engineering, art, logic, language, literature, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy flourished under the patronage of these kings.
Following invasions from Central Asia between the 10th and 12th centuries, much of North India came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate. Under the rule of Akbar the Great, India enjoyed much cultural and economic progress as well as religious harmony. From the 16th century, European powers such as Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom established trading posts and later took advantage of internal conflicts to establish colonies in the country. By 1856, most of India was under the control of the British East India Company. A year later, a nationwide insurrection of rebelling military units and kingdoms, (e)__________, seriously challenged the Company's control but eventually failed. As a result of the instability, India was brought under the direct rule of the British Crown.
In the 20th century, a nationwide struggle for independence was launched by the Indian National Congress and other political organizations. Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi led millions of people in several national campaigns of non-violent civil disobedience. On 15 August 1947, India gained independence from British rule. On 26 January 1950, India became a republic and a new constitution came into effect. India is the most populous democracy in the world. For most of the years since independence, the federal government has been led by the Indian National Congress (INC).
India's culture has managed to preserve established traditions while absorbing new customs, traditions, and ideas from invaders .Traditional Indian society is defined by relatively strict social hierarchy. The Indian caste system describes the social stratification and social restrictions in the Indian subcontinent, (f)__________.
Traditional Indian family values are highly respected , and multi-generational patriarchal joint families have been the norm, although nuclear family are becoming common in urban areas. An overwhelming majority of Indians have their marriages arranged by their parents and other respected family members, with the consent of the bride and groom Marriage is thought to be for life, and the divorce rate is extremely low. Child marriage is still a common practice, with half of women in India marrying before the legal age of 18.
Indian architecture is one area that represents the diversity of Indian culture. Much of it, including notable monuments such as the Taj Mahal comprises a blend of ancient and varied local traditions from several parts of the country and abroad. The earliest works of Indian literature were transmitted orally and only later written down. These included works of Sanskrit literature – such as the early Vedas. Among Indian writers of the modern era active in Indian languages or English, Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in 1913.
a) gradually developed into Indus Valley Civilisation;
b) it still suffers from poverty, illiteracy and diseases;
c) the most populous democracy in the world;
d) known as India’s First War of Independence;
e) Gradually annexed by the British East India Company from the early 18th century …;
f) in which social classes are defined by thousands of groups, often named as castes
COMPREHENSION CHECK