IV. Read the passage carefully and do the tasks. New Zealand is located in the south-west Pacific Ocean, 1,600 kilometres south-east of Australia. It consists of two main islands called the North Island and the South Island and a number of small islands. The Maori - Polynesian race - were the first people who settled in New Zealand before the year 750 A.D. The first European, a Dutch man called Abel Tasman arrived in New Zealand in 1642. Over a hundred year later, in 1769, Captain James Cook who belonged to the British Royal Navy discovered Fiordland in the South of New Zealand. Then came the navigators, sealers, whalers, explorers and miners. From 1840, New Zealand was a British Colony. It became an independent nation in 1947. New Zealand is as large as the United Kingdom or Japan, but it has a much smaller population, only about 4.9 million. Most people live on the North Island where there are two biggest cities: Wellington, the Capital City, and Auckland, the biggest City in terms of population. New Zealand is a beautiful country of snow-capped mountains, beaches and waterfalls. It’s also famous for its large population of sheep. There are about 45 million sheep living in farms all over the country. New Zealand has many special birds. The best known is the kiwi. This lightless bird is the national emblem of New Zealand. New Zealanders call themselves “kiwis”; it’s their nicknames! A. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). 1. New Zealand is an island country in the Pacific Ocean. 2. New Zealand was first discovered by James Cook in 1642. 3. New Zealand used to be part of the United Kingdom. 4. The alternative name for a New Zealander, Kiwi, is named after a fruit. 5. The Capital of New Zealand also has the highest population. 6. There are more sheep than people in New Zealand B. Answer the questions. 1. Where’s New Zealand? 2. Who were the first people to arrive in New Zealand? 3. When did Captain James Cook arrive in New Zealand? 4. How many people live in New Zealand? 5. What is the national icon of New Zealand?