高考英语专题阅读：Australia and England“Australia became prosperous （繁荣的） because of the wickedness （不道德） of England, ” someone said. What was meant by this? Simply that in the beginning Australia was a place to which convicts ( 罪犯 ) were sent . （澳大利亚原来是英国流放犯人的地方）It was expensive to keep them in prison so the British government was anxious to be rid of them. Before 1783 it had shipped convicts to the American colonies. But the United States of America did not want any more of these unruly （无法无天的） immigrants. For a year or two they were kept in disused rotting ships on the Shames, until the suggestion was made that Australia, 1,200 miles away, should be excellent country to harbour them. Captain Cook had sailed round the coast and discovered a place he called Botany Bay because the flowers there were so wonderful, and this was chosen for a convict settlement. A certain Captain Phillip was given charge of the first group to get there in 1788. After five months’ sailing they arrived at Botany Bay, but Captain Phillip decided it was not suitable and went farther on and landed at what is now called Sydney Harbour. The term Botany Bay was nevertheless used for this colony. The government had shown little imagination in beginning this venture. Captain Phillip begged for more supplies. He needed seeds, farm implements and food. Instead he was sent more convicts. After four years of unrewarding labour Captain Phillip retired because of ill-health.
