Is Australia the world’s largest island or its smallest continent? Actually, it’s both. In fact, Australia is the only country that is also a continent. Although roughly the size of the United States mainland, Australia has a population of about 16.5 million people. That makes this island nation one of the least densely populated countries. What ethnic groups make up the Australia population? The majority of Australians are of English, Irish, Italian, Greek, Dutch, and Polish descent. However, over the past 50 years some four million people from more than 120 countries have made Australia their home. This includes a large number of Asian and African immigrants. In addition to being the smallest, Australia is also the driest inhabited continent. Lush green pastures may be typical in sheep farming areas. However, much of the land, particularly in the Outback, is so arid that people are unable to live on it in its undeveloped state. That explains why most Australians live in metropolitan areas, many of which line the coast, and why Australia is considered one of the world’s more urbanized countries. New words: descent (n): nguồn gốc, dòng dõi arid (adj): khô cằn (đất) 9. What does the passage mainly discuss? A. The history of Australia B. The population of Australia C. The natural resources of Australia D. The geographical features of Australia 10. “That makes this island nation one of the least densely populated countries” means ________. A. Australia has the largest population in the world. B. Australia has more population than other countries. C. Australia is one of the countries that has the highest population density. D. Australia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. 11. Over the past 50 years, some four million people from many countries ________. A. left their countries and moved to Australia B. left Australia and moved to Asia or Africa C. built their houses in Australia D. bought houses in Australia 12. Why do most Australians live in cities or towns? A. Because much of the land is used for sheep farming. B. Because much of the land is extremely dry. C. Because most of the land is covered with green pastures. D. Because most of the land is already being cultivated. 13. Which of the following sentences is not true about Australia? A. It is the smallest continent in the world. B. It is the largest island in the world. C. It consists of islands. D. It is the only coutry that is also a continent.