A、7 years. B、9 years. C、12 years. D、16 years. D

Sydney recorded history began with the arrival of the First Fleet and its English criminals and soldiers on January 26, 1788. Transportation of criminals to Sydney did not stop until 1840 and shortly afterwards, in 1842, Sydney was declared a city. The population grew rapidly during this period, helped by the discovery of gold and the gold rush of 1850.
    Sydney suffered little during WWII. After the war, European immigrants flooded into the city, and Sydney spread rapidly westwards. It also picked up one of its most famous landmarks in 1957. The architect Jorn Utzon won a competition to design the Sydney Opera House. In 1966, before the completion of the Opera House, Utzon resigned in frustration. Another architectural team took over, and the Opera House was opened in 1973.
    During the Vietnam war, Sydney became a major resting stopover for US soldiers and an entertainment area developed by King’s Cross maintains to this day. The Bicentennial celebrations in 1988 and the massive Darling Harbour redevelopment project boosted the city’s development, and today the economy is doing well.
    After winning the bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney put vast amounts of money into city construction and this is evident when walking through the city today. Nowadays Sydney has people from over one hundred countries. It has a population of nearly 4 million. The city provides excellent places to satisfy any visitor’s needs.