A typical Australian has the following characteristicsWord文档格式.docx

1、 and sticking by ones mates （friends） Enjoys barbeques and beer （but not all of us like beer!） enjoys a day at the beach appreciates and respects the dry outback, with all its dangers and its raw, untouched beauty, even though not all Australians have the opportunity to travel through it hard-workin

2、g and often hard-playing And enjoys a nice lemon or coffee ice-cream on a hot dayPeople, culture and lifestyleAustralias diverse culture and lifestyle reflect its liberal democratic traditions and values, geographic closeness to the AsiaPacific region and the social and cultural influences of the mi

3、llions of migrants who have settled in Australia since World War II.Australia is a product of a unique blend of established traditions and new influences. The countrys original inhabitants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, are the custodians of one of the worlds oldest continuing c

4、ultural traditions. They have been living in Australia for at least 40 000 years and possibly up to 60 000 years.The rest of Australias people are migrants or descendants of migrants who have arrived in Australia from about 200 countries since Great Britain established the first European settlement

5、at Sydney Cove in 1788.In 1945, Australias population was around 7 million people and was mainly AngloCeltic. Since then, more than 6.5 million migrants, including 675 000 refugees, have settled in Australia, significantly broadening its social and cultural profile.Today Australia has a population o

6、f more than 21 million people. More than 43 per cent of Australians either were born overseas themselves or have one parent who was born overseas. Australias Indigenous population is estimated at 483 000, or 2.3 per cent of the total.Many of the people who have come to Australia since 1945 were moti

7、vated by a commitment to family, or a desire to escape poverty, war or persecution. The first waves of migrants and refugees came mostly from Europe. Subsequent waves have come from the AsiaPacific region, the Middle East and Africa.Migrants have enriched almost every aspect of Australian life, from

8、 business to the arts, from cooking to comedy and from science to sport. They, in turn, have adapted to Australias tolerant, informal and broadly egalitarian society.Shared valuesThe defining feature of todays Australia is not only the cultural diversity of its people, but the extent to which they a

9、re united by an overriding and unifying commitment to Australia.Within the framework of Australias laws, all Australians have the right to express their culture and beliefs and to participate freely in Australias national life.At the same time, everyone is expected to uphold the principles and share

10、d values that support Australias way of life. These include: respect for equal worth, dignity and freedom of the individual freedom of speech and association freedom of religion and a secular government support for parliamentary democracy and the rule of law equality under the law equality of men an

11、d women equality of opportunity peacefulness a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces tolerance, mutual respect, and compassion for those in need. Australia also holds firmly to the belief that no one should be disadvantaged on the basis of their country of birth, cultural heritage, language, gender

12、 or religious belief.An egalitarian societyIn most practical ways, Australia is an egalitarian society. This does not mean that everyone is the same or that everybody has equal wealth or property.But it does mean that there are no formal or entrenched class distinctions in Australian society, as the

13、re are in some other countries. It also means that with hard work and commitment, people without high-level connections or influential patrons can realise their ambitions.The unemployment rate is relatively low （in December 2007 it was 4.3 per cent） and the gross per capita income is around $39 000.

14、 All people are equal under the law in Australia and all Australians have the right to be respected and treated in a fair manner.A typical Australian?Given the diverse nature of todays Australia, some people question whether there is a typical Australian. There is, of course, no shortage of popular

15、stereotypes, some of which contradict each other.For example, some people see Australians as egalitarian, irreverent people with a deep suspicion of authority while others regard them as mostly law-abiding and even conformist. Some people, particularly those living overseas, believe Australians live

16、 mainly in country areas, the Australian outback or the bush. In fact, more than 75 per cent of Australians live a cosmopolitan lifestyle in urban centres, mainly in the capital cities along the coast. Others see Australians as people who live in a lucky country who love their leisure, particularly

17、sport, both as spectators and as participants. In fact, Australians are among the hardest-working people in the world with some of the longest working hours in the developed world.Another common perception of Australians is that they are informal, open and direct and say what they mean. They are als

18、o seen as people who believe in the principle of giving people a fair go and standing up for their mates, the disadvantaged and the underdog.Many of these popular images have some truth to them and most Australians conform to at least some of them. But Australians, like people everywhere, cannot be

19、so easily stereotyped. There are typical Australians everywhere. But they are not all the same.LanguageAll people in Australia are encouraged to learn English, which is the national language and an important unifying element of Australian society.However, languages other than English are also valued

20、. In fact, more than 15 per cent of Australians speak languages other than English at home.The most commonly spoken languages after English are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin. Australians speak more than 200 languages, including Indigenous Australian languages.Australian

21、EnglishWhile English is Australias national language, there are certain words and expressions that have become regarded as uniquely Australian through common usage. Some of them might seem strange to non-Australians.The use of these colloquial or slang words, often coupled with an Australian sense o

22、f humour that is characterised by irony and irreverence, can sometimes cause confusion for international visitors. There are a number of books on Australian colloquialisms and slang, including the Macquarie Book of Slang.Religious worshipAustralia is a predominantly Christian country, with around 64

23、 per cent of all Australians identifying as Christians. However, most other major religious faiths are also practised, reflecting Australias culturally diverse society.Australias earliest religions or spiritual beliefs date back to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have inhabite

24、d Australia for between 40 000 and 60 000 years. Indigenous Australians have their own unique religious traditions and spiritual values.Australia has no official state religion and people are free to practise any religion they choose, as long as they obey the law. Australians are also free not to ha

25、ve a religion.Vibrant arts sceneAustralia has a vibrant arts scene that reflects both the nations Indigenous cultural traditions and its rich mosaic of migrant cultures. All forms of the visual and performing arts have strong followings, including film, art, theatre, dance and music.According to one

26、 survey, almost 13 million or 88 per cent of adult Australians attend at least one cultural event or performance every year. The most popular art form is film, attended by about 70 per cent of the population each year. More than 26 per cent attend a popular music concert; 25 per cent go to an art ga

27、llery or museum; 19 per cent see an opera or musical; 18 per cent attend live theatre; 11 per cent attend a dance performance; and 9 per cent attend a classical music concert.Visual artists have played an important role in shaping and reflecting Australias image. They range from Aboriginal and Torre

28、s Strait Islander artists to the nationalist painters of the Heidelberg School in Victoria, symbolic surrealists such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd and Albert Tucker and modern artists reflecting issues confronting contemporary Australia. Other notable Australian artists include John Brack, William D

29、obell, Russell Drysdale, Margaret Olley, John Olsen, Margaret Preston, Clifton Pugh, Jeffrey Smart, Brett Whiteley and Fred Williams.Australia has a strong literary tradition, which started with the storytelling of Indigenous Australians and continued with the oral stories of convicts arriving in Au

30、stralia in the late 18th century. Australia has one Nobel Prize for Literature to its credit, with novelist Patrick White receiving the award in 1973. Other recent Australian novelists whose work has a particularly Australian flavour include Peter Carey, Bryce Courtenay, Kate Grenville, Elizabeth Jo

31、lley, Thomas Keneally, Christopher Koch, David Malouf, Colleen McCullough, Christina Stead, Morris West and Tim Winton.A sporting cultureAustralians love their sport, both playing it and watching it.Australia has often achieved impressive results at the elite level. In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games,

32、 Australia ranked fourth overall in the medal tally behind the United States, China and Russia. In the 2006 Football World Cup, Australia reached the final 16. Australia is also ranked the top cricketing nation in the world.But its not just at this top level that Australians enjoy their sport. A recent national