Language Points | Comprehension Questions
Text A    Australia—the World's Largest Island
       The one third of Australia that lies north of the Tropic of Capricorn has tropical temperatures. Darwin on the north coast has an average monthly temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The rest of Australia has a moderate climate. Summers are generally hot and winters mild. As it is often warm enough in winter, Australians usually enjoy tennis, lawn bowling, and even surf-riding then. Because Australia lies in the Southern hemisphere, winter comes in July and summer in December. Australians spend their Christmas holidays sunbathing on the beach or swimming in the ocean.
      Most Australians live near the coast, mainly in the southeast, south, and southwest, where the climate and soil are best suited to their needs. And eighty-five percent of the people live in cities, especially in the six states capitals-Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Hobart. The cities have tree-lined streets, lovely parks, large department stores, and supermarkets. They look little different from cities in other parts of the English-speaking world and are often compared with such British cities as London and Edinburgh. Life for most Australians is congenial. Few are so rich that they need not work; few are so poor that they cannot afford a good standard of living.
 
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