TEN THINGS ABOUT CANADA
1 Canada means “village” or “land” in the Iroquois language. The Iroquois were some of
the original inhabitants of Canada.
2 People speak English and French in Quebec. They are both the country’s official
languages.
3 The capital city isn’t one of Canada’s big cities like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver.
Since 1857, the capital has been Ottawa. The British Queen Victoria chose it at random
by looking at a map. She liked it because it was the centre of the country at the time.
4 Canada has only had its flag since 1965. Before that, their flag was the British flag,
the Union Jack. The Canadian flag shows a Maple leaf.
5 Canada is bigger than the USA. It’s the world’s second largest country.
6 Canada has produced many of the world’s most famous people, but the public have
often thought they were Americans. Some film and music stars that are actually
Canadian include actor Ryan Gosling and singer Justin Bieber.
7 The Vikings invaded Canada 500 years before Columbus. We know this because
archaeologists have found the ruins of their houses.
8 Canada doesn’t have a president. The head of state is the British monarch. The
country is a member of the British Commonwealth – an organization of countries that
has replaced the old British Empire.
9 Canadians use dollars, just like the Americans, but their currency is called Canadian
dollar. Just like in America, the slang name for a Canadian dollar is “Loonie”.
10 For centuries, people have called the Canadians “Canuks”. It’s a slang word. Everyone
likes the word, but nobody knows where it comes from.
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ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? CORRECT THE FALSE ONES.
1 Canada means “village” or “land”. __
2 Canada and Britain once had the same flag. __
3 Canada is the biggest country on Earth. __
4 Queen Victoria did not choose the capital city carefully. __
5 Experts have found Viking clothes in Canada. __
6 Canada is part of the British Empire. __
7 The word “Canuck” is not an insult. __
NOW ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
1 Which language does the word “Canada” come from?
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2 How many languages are spoken in Canada? List them.
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3 What are the biggest cities of Canada?
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4 Why did Queen Victoria choose Ottawa as capital city?
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5 What does the Canadian flag show?
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6 Who were the first people to invade Canada?
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7 Who is the Canadian head of state?
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8 What is the Commonwealth?
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9 What is the Canadian currency?
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10 Have you ever been to Canada? If yes, tell your experience. If not, would you like to
visit this country? Explain.
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