chapter 1 geography and ecological environment 1.1 overview: an old continent and a uniqueenvironment 1.2 reading passage: australian lungfish, neocreatodusforsteri, threatened by a new dam chapter 2 the aborigines and australian history 2.1 overview 2.2 reading passage: war and national survival chapter 3 politics and economics 3.1 overview 3.2 reading passage: getting a grip on bonecrushers chapter 4 education and globalization of australia's highereducation 4.1 overview: a well-developed system with highquality 4.2 reading passage: globalization and australia's highereducation chapter 5 mass media and film industry 5.1 overview: vigorous development and free expression 5.2 Rreading passage: creative nation: approachingaustralian cinema and cultural studies chapter 6 multiculturalism 6.1 overview: a cohesive and diverse country 6.2 reading passage 1: is australia a multicultural nation?reading passage 2: cultural attitudes and aussie communicativestyle chapter 7 literature 7.1 overview: from the bush myth to internationalrecognition 7.2 reading passage: the drover's wife chapter 8 recreations and sports 8.1 overview: the recreational society and a sportinglife 8.2 reading passage: a brief historical overview of sportand recreation keys to exercises references