Following three centuries of Portuguese rule, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. It is the largest and most populous country in South America.

Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers.

Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem with an unemployment rate of 9.6 per cent (2006 est.) and 31 per cent (2005) living below the poverty line.

Capital: Brasilia

Population: 188,078,227 (July 2006 est)

National holiday: Independence Day, September 7 (1822)

Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English and French

1. Names of oceans: __________ Atlantic Ocean and _________ Atlantic Ocean

B

The Sport - Taekwondo (tahy-kwon-doh)

Use these words to complete the sentences: century, internationally, definitive, Korean

Various 1. ______________ forms of martial arts have existed but in the early 20th 2. ______________ taekwondo became the dominant form. In 1955 a group of Korean martial arts leaders chose taekwondo as the 3. ______________ Korean martial art in an attempt to promote its development 4. ______________

The Olympic format includes four weight classes for both men and women, half the number used in world championships. It involves a single-elimination tournament to decide the gold and silver medals.

Taekwondo became an Olympic sport in the year 5. ______________ (1964, 1986, or 2000) and is said to be similar to karate.

C

Cross match - Foot, hand, art

1. Tae means

2. kwon means

3. do means

a. punch or smash with the hand or fist

b. to kick or destroy with the foot

c. way or art

Hong Kong International Taekwondo Federation for information about classes and tournaments

A modern martial art and combative sport that emphasises high-kicking and body-punching

Did you know?

The only time in Olympic history when animals were killed on purpose was at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games in the Live Pigeon Shooting Competition.

The winners were:

Leon de Lunden (Belgium) 21 pigeons killed

Mauric Faure (France) 20 pigeons killed

Donald MacIntosh (Australia) 18 pigeons killed

Answers:

A. North and South; B. 1. Korean; 2. century; 3. definitive; 4. internationally; 5. 2000; C. 1. b, 2. a, 3. c