Ten Misconceptions Australia

www.anglophonie.fr
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10 Misconceptions About Australia
(5min.com, 2012)
http://www.5min.com/Video/10-Misconceptions-About-Australia-517284472
Welcome to Australia (Hugh Jackman)
Hi, I’m Catherine, discussing ten misconceptions about Australia.
Myth number ten.
All Australians are rugged bushmen. As a matter of fact, statistics show that only about ten percent of the
population lives in the outback.
Myth number nine.
All kangaroos are loved. On the contrary, they are considered a menace to farmers who harvest livestock.
Increasingly they’ve been used for commercial hunting.
Myth number eight.
The wildlife is dangerous. Although Australia has the world’s most venomous snakes and spiders, very
few people are killed by them.
Myth number seven.
There’s no culture. However Australia is rich with art, theater, literature and music, and is home to
aboriginal arts created thirty thousand years ago.
Myth number six.
Australia is an offshoot of Britain. When in fact, due to an increasing amount of Asian immigrants, there is
an eclectic mix of cultures.
Myth number five.
Koalas are bears. However the truth is that koalas are marsupials with pouches and they only eat
eucalyptus leaves.
Myth number four.
Australia was discovered by England. In reality it was discovered by the Chinese in the fifteenth century,
followed by the Dutch.
Myth number three.
All Aussies say, let’s put some shrimp on the barbie. In fact this phrase started in a 1984 commercial with
Paul Hogan. Australians call shrimp prawns.
Myth number two.
Toilets swirl in the other direction when flushed. Actually the water goes straight down with no swirl due to
different-shaped toilets.
Myth number one.
Australians are beach bums. The fact is that most of the population lives on the coast, but in very urbanized
areas.
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Vocabulary
1. a misconception
2. rugged bushmen
3. as a matter of fact
4. in the outback
5. a menace
6. farmers who harvest livestock
7. increasingly
8. commercial hunting
9. wildlife
10. is home to
11. offshoot of Britain
12. bears
13. pouches
14. eucalyptus leaves
15. the Dutch
16. Aussies
17. let’s put some shrimp on the barbie
une idée reçue
un broussard
à vrai dire, en fait
à l’intérieur du pays
une plaie
les agriculteurs qui élèvent du bétail
de plus en plus
la chasse sportive payante
la vie sauvage
est le berceau
une « retombée », un essaimage de l’Angleterre
des ours
poche ventrale
feuilles d’eucalyptus
les hollandais
(fam.) les australiens
(expression) shrimp = crevette
barbie = short for barbecue
18. a commercial
19. swirl
20. when flushed
21. actually
22. different-shaped toilets
23. beach bum
une publicité à la télé
tourbillonne
quand on tire la chasse
en fait
toilettes formées différemment
(expression) jeune qui passe son temps à
traîner sur les plages
bum = clochard