English-Speaking Countries

Part I

English is the language of the people of England. England is in the south of the island of Great Britain. In the north of this island lies Scotland. To the west of England is Wales. The island of Ireland lies to the west of Great Britain. More than a thousand years ago, the people who lived in these four countries were different, and they spoke different languages.

Great Britain is not a large country. It is much smaller than France or Norway, and also smaller than Finland. England is the largest part of Great Britain, and it has always been the strongest. Today, the official name of Great Britain is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. English is the official language in all parts of the country.

In the United States of America, English is called the national language, the language of the American nation. About 400 years ago, some English people sailed to North America to live there, and they brought the English language to this new land. After them came people from many countries of Europe, and they all learned English. Over time, the language changed a little, and today, people in the USA speak American English. Many words are the same in American and British English, but Americans and British people pronounce some words differently.

Part II

Canada is to the north of the United States of America. It is a very large country, larger than the United States. In Canada, many people speak English because their ancestors came from England many years ago. But in some parts of Canada, people speak French. The people who live in these parts came from France. Canada has two official languages: English and French.

If you look at Australia on the map of the world, you will see that it is to the south of the Equator. It is the smallest continent and the largest island on the map. It is sometimes called the fifth continent. Australia is also an English-speaking country. In all countries which lie to the south of the Equator, the seasons are not the same as in the countries north of the Equator. In Australia, the hottest summer month is January, and the coldest winter month is June. But June is not very cold. Snow falls only on the mountains there, and there are not many mountains in Australia. It is colder in the south of Australia and hotter in the north.

New Zealand is not far from Australia, but it is a great distance from Britain. When it is the middle of the night in Britain, it is the middle of the next day in New Zealand. The seasons in New Zealand are also different from those in Britain. From December to February it is summer. From March to May it is autumn. From June to August it is winter, and from September to November it is spring. The weather in summer is not very hot in most parts of the country, and the days in winter are not very cold. Snow falls on the mountains and sometimes in the far south of the country. The national language in New Zealand is also English. Many people from England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland came to live in Australia and New Zealand many years ago.