DESCRIBING A DESTINATION

New Zealand (variant 1)

Capital:Wellington

Population:4 million

Currency: New Zealand dollar

Official languages: English and Maori

New Zealand lies in the South Pacific Ocean and consists of two islands - North Island and South Island. It is located 1,600 km south-east of Australia and is nearly 2,000 km long.

The climate is generally temperate and damp, although the extreme north has got an almost subtropical climate and the extreme south is very cold. Winds can be a problem: the capital (Wellington) is known for its high winds.

The main attraction for tourists is the scenery. The landscape is largely unspoilt and very varied. There are mountains, lakes, glaciers, rainforests,dramatic coastlines, beaches, and geysers.

Other attractions include the Maori culture and outdoor activities such as river-rafting, fishing, skiing, whale-watching, and bungee-jumping (which was a local invention).

Tourists come mainly from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Tourism is the largest single foreign exchange earner and continues to grow. An increase in visitor numbers followed the huge success of the Lord of the Rings films, which were made in New Zealand.

The Balearic Islands - Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza,Formentera (variant 2)

Floating between Spain and the North African coast, the Balearic Islands offer the perfect location for a fantastic holiday. There are four main islands for you to choose from, each with their own special atmosphere.

The gorgeous climate boasts more than 300 days a year of guaranteed sunshine, making the islands the ideal setting for a beach holiday. The long hot summer stretches from May to October, with temperatures around 27"C - just right for relaxing and getting a tan.

The islands offer a number of attractions for tourists. Sun-seekers will love the fabulous beaches. Fun- seekers will enjoy the exciting nightlife - the clubs and discos of Ibiza provide plenty of entertainment for young people. But there's more to these islands than sun and fun. You can also enjoy wonderful architecture (the Gothic cathedral at Palma is well worth visiting), hilltop villages, olive groves, great food, and hidden beaches. You can take a relaxing fishing or sailing trip, or go to one of the many festivals. If you go in June, don't miss the spectacular Fiesta of San Juan at Ciutadella on Menorca. Whatever you want from a holiday, the Balearics will help you find it.

island остров

to be located быть расположенным

damp (climate) сырой (климат)

extreme крайний

scenery пейзаж

unspoilt неиспорченный

varied многообразный

glacier ледник

rainforest тропический лес

dramatic coastline потрясающая береговая линия

geyser гейзер

river-rafting сплав по горной реке

whale-watching наблюдение за китами

increase увеличение

to stretch тянуться

fabulous сказочный

spectacular захватывающий

sun-seekres ищущие солнце

fun-seekers ищущие развлечения