Cultural Readers

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  Australia

  Level: Upper Intermediate (B2)

  Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and the only one that covers a whole continent. The largest state, Western Australia, is about the same size as Western Europe. Despite its size, Australia has a small population at just over 23 million. Today, the indigenous or native people of Australia, the Aborigines, make up nearly 3% of the total population. The rest is a mix of many different cultures.

  As well as being a big country, Australia is home to some of the world’s biggest things: Uluru, the largest rock in the world; the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system; and the saltwater crocodile, the world’s biggest reptile. Not content with naturally occurring big things, the Australians have actually built a number of ‘Big Things’ themselves as tourist attractions, including the Big Banana, the Big Merino and, the biggest of all Australia’s Big Things, Larry the Lobster.

  ISBN: 9780230470286

  English Type: British

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  Brazil

  Level: Elementary (A2)

  Brazil is a country that is changing quickly. Its economy is growing. It has modern industries like energy, electronics, cars, airplanes, and information technology, and lots of natural resources like iron, oil and rubber.
  To visit all of Brazil would be very difficult. At over 8.5 million square kilometers, it is the largest country in South America, and the fifth largest country in the world.

  This book will take you from the arrival of the first European colonists over 500 years ago to democratic, multi-ethnic, present-day Brazil. From the beautiful forests with their rich ecosystems to big, busy cities like São Paulo, and historic ones, like Recife and Salvador.

  ISBN: 9780230454194

  English Type: American

  Pages: 96

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  China

  Level: Intermediate

  China is the world’s third biggest country and the country with the largest population. It is a country of many different landscapes: high mountains, deserts, grasslands, big rivers, forests and some of the biggest cities in the world. It is famous for its culture, its food and, of course, its wall – the Great Wall of China.

  Welcome to China, where over 1.35 billion people live, where there are strong artistic and medical traditions going back over 5,000 years, where they have the world’s second largest economy and where there are more than 800 different types of tea! China is a unique mix of tradition and history and exciting progress – it is a country with something for everyone.

  ISBN: 9780230460409

  English Type: British

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  England

  Level: Pre-intermediate

  England is only a small country: about 640 kilometres from north to south, and 480 kilometres across its widest part. But some of the world’s greatest writers are from England, and many of the most popular sports started here. In England, you can find busy exciting cities, some of the oldest buildings in the world and also beautiful countryside. English society today is modern and multicultural, but the country also has an amazing and ancient history. And of course its language is one of the most widely spoken in the world.

  Welcome to England, where the first steam trains were built, where 100 million cups of tea are drunk every day and where you can visit some of the world’s most famous sights.

  ISBN: 9780230436428

  English Type: British

  Pages: 96

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  Italy

  Level: Pre-intermediate

  Italy is a country in Europe. Today, about ninety-four per cent of the people in Italy are Italian, and most people speak the Italian language. But this has not always been true. The Italy we know today became one country only in modern times.

  Italy has a rich history of empires and great thinkers, and has been a centre for Western culture for thousands of years. Italian art, fashion and food are extremely popular with the rest of the world, and tourists love to visit the exciting cities and beautiful countryside. There is something for everybody, from opera to architecture, to sunny beaches and skiing. Italians are very proud of their country, and in this book we invite you to discover why.

  ISBN: 9780230470163

  English Type: British

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  The United States of America

  Level: Pre-intermediate

  The United States of America (USA) is a very big country. People have big dreams, too. Everyone wants to live “the American Dream” – the idea that anyone who works hard can become successful and rich. Many have gone to the USA hoping they will become one of the lucky ones.

  Millions of visitors go to the USA every year and many people return again and again. This book will take you on a journey from the discovery of the New World over 500 years ago to the present day. From the wild forests to the busy cities, welcome to the United States of America – home of the movie industry, baseball, technology giants Microsoft and Apple, and some of the world’s most famous civil rights leaders.

  ISBN: 9780230436411

  English Type: American

  Pages: 96