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Reading Comprehension

It is thought that 200 years ago in Australia there were as many languages as there were tribes • which means about 500-600! Linguists have not found any other language in the world related to those of the Austraiian tribes. However, after years of study they were able to establish that the grammar of the old Austraiian languages was very complicated, comparable to those of ancient Greek or Latin.

Aborigines, the natives of Australia, did not wear any clothes and also slept naked. This was extremeły interesting for white ethnographers, who wanted to_ discover why the aborigines did not suffer from coid and did not get ill. After various medical examinations it turned out that the aborigines had developed an extraordinary blood

circulation system. The blood which reached the heart was warm, but the blood flowing through the limbs could be cooled down to 12 degrees Centigrade without any bad consequences for the individuai.The arms and legs of the natives might seem ice-cold, but it was enough for the aborigines to do some exercises in the morning to speed up blood circulation and the whole organism worked as normal.

In certain regions of Australia native girls had one of their front teeth pulled out, as a girl without her front tooth was considered much morę attractive. in some tribes, when ą girl reached a certain age, she had the smali finger of her left hand cut off. It was not only a fradition rooted deep in the past. connected with some long-forgotten religious rite. It was also a duty.

Answer the Que$tions:

1.    How many tribes were there in Australia 200 years ago?

2.    Are the languages of the Austraiian tribes comparable to any other known languages?

3.    What kinds of clothes did the aborigines wear?

4.    What was so special about the aborigines' blood circulation system?

5.    What purposes did this adjustment $erve?

ó. Why did some Austraiian native girls have their front tooth pulled out?

7, Can you find any other examples of Austraiian rituals in this text?

8.. What attributes make a girl particularly attractive in your society?

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