1. NYELV GAZDASÁGI SZAKMAI NYELVVIZSGÁRA FELKÉSZÍTŐ II

1. NYELV GAZDASÁGI SZAKMAI NYELVVIZSGÁRA FELKÉSZÍTŐ II. 2012/2013-es tanév 1. félév LGB_IT 031_2, tantárgykód • •

Tanár: Vargáné Dr. Kiss Katalin A kurzus célja: Az 1 Nyelv Gazdasági Szakmai Nyelvvizsgára Felkészítő I. kurzusra épül. Komplex nyelvvizsgafeladatok gyakorlása: lexikai-grammatikai tesztek, szövegértési feladatok, esszéírás megadott szempontok alapján • Kötelező irodalom: - Erdei-Horvath-Rékási : Test by Test, Aula 2008 - Tansegédlet • Ajánlott irodalom: Gazdasági nyelvvizsga-felkészítő sorozat alábbi kötete - Schmidt-Soós-Fenyvesi-Polcz-Varga: Text by Text, Aula 2008 •

Értékelés: - aláírás feltétele: 4 db esszé beadása 2012. dec. 8-ig [email protected] címre - írásbeli vizsga: Test by Test 1-5 Test-ből összevágott feladatok és egy szabadon választott esszé kidolgozása a gyakorlófeladatok közül - ötfokozatú skála Beadandó esszék:

Szabadon választott esszék:

Szövegértési feladatok:

1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Szelektív hulladékgyűjtés Munkanélküliség Demográfiai változások Marketing a világhálón Eltérő forgatókönyvek a forint búcsújáról Kiskereskedelmi forgalom csökkenése Eurószkeptikusság Éghajlatváltozás

1. The richest person in the world 2. Mobile phones have transformed the way we communicate 3. The Heat is On 4. Supply chain management 5. The World’s biggest cities merging into ’mega-regions 6. Agriculture in the EU 7. Money-go-round 8. America’s Vulnerable Economy 9. No country is an island 1

IRÁNYÍTOTT FOGALMAZÁS ÍRÁSA CÉLNYELVEN, 160 SZÓBAN; ÁLTALÁNOS ÉS KÉTNYELVŰ SZÓTÁR HASZNÁLATA MEGENGEDETT (40 pont; 60 perc)

1. MINTAFELADAT Write your opinion using all the given prompts in 160 (+/- 10) words. Magyarország csatlakozott a megújuló energiai és energiahatékonysági együttműködéshez. A 2003 októberében indult brit kezdeményezés a megújuló energia hatékony felhasználását tűzte ki világszerte. A csatlakozással a magyar kormányzat és a magyar vállalkozások is hozzáférhetnek a világon a megújuló energiaforrások felhasználásának gyakorlatát felvonultató legnagyobb adatbankhoz. Az unió 2020-ra 20%-os megújuló energiafelhasználást ír elő ugyan, de hazánk csak 14-16 százalékot tud teljesíteni. Use the given prompts for your composition: − a csatlakozás előnyt jelenthet a lemaradás behozatalában − hazánk számára a biomassza, a geotermikus energia és szélenergia használata lehet megoldás − szükséges a társadalom környezettudatosságának elősegítése You have 60 minutes for this task. You are allowed to use a monolingual or bilingual dictionary. SAMPLE SOLUTION: I believe that Hungary’s commitment within the EU to use renewable energy sources is a crucial issue. It is important not only for the sake of its own future generations, but it is also essential to remain economically competitive and attractive to foreign investors. After long years of inefficiently protecting the environment Hungary has to think green in order to minimise pollution. In fact, Hungary is rich in geothermal energy; it has large open spaces for building windfarms and unused lands for growing crops to produce biomass-derived fuels. Obviously, each of these sources is costly, but in my opinion, the long-term benefits outweigh any initial costs. Moreover, because of the EU’s commitment to green energy, Hungary can expect to receive the funding that it needs for these investments. A growing green consciousness will make a positive impact on people too. Hopefully people will soon accept the fact that it is better to reduce energy consumption than to protest against the continuously rising energy prices. 166 words Értékelési szempontok a) szakmai feladatteljesítés, tartalmi kivitelezés: 10 p./ b) szakmai nyelvhasználat: 10 p./ c) szövegalkotás, koherencia: 10 p./ d) nyelvhelyesség: 10 p. összesen: 40p./

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2. MINTAFELADAT A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben fejtse ki véleményét az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. A bankok szinte kivétel nélkül elektronikus szolgáltatásuk dinamikus térnyeréséről számolnak be, az e-bankot használók tábora az elmúlt egy év alatt mintegy másfélszeresére emelkedett. Az Allianz Bank 2007 őszén indította el lakossági netbank szolgáltatását, és a szolgáltatás rövidesen már a kis-és középvállalkozói ügyfelek számára is elérhető. A bank lakossági ügyfeleinek mintegy ötöde rendelkezik netbanki szerződéssel. Írásában térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra: − − −

előfeltétel az Internethez való hozzáférés, ami nem mindenki számára elérhető kényelmes szolgáltatás, mellyel időt és energiát takaríthatunk meg a legnépszerűbb művelet a számlaegyenleg lekérdezése, de mind többen használják pénz átutalására is.

A feladat megírásához 60 perc áll rendelkezésére. Egy- és kétnyelvű általános szótár használható. SAMPLE SOLUTION: The banking sector is a key sector in influencing the economic development of a country. In Hungary we are in a good situation, as almost all banks can report on the dynamic development of their e-baning services. The number of e-banking users has more than doubled in the past year as it is a cheap and easy to use service, saving time and energy. The most often used transaction in home-banking is checking of the balance, but transfers are also gaining popularity. For example, Allianz bank is reported to have netbanking contracts with one-fifth of its customers. Although internet access is necessary for the spread of e-banking, internet penetration in Hungary stands still only around 10%. This is the reason that makes e-banking a more complex issue and dependent on factors other than just the innovation of banks. For example, the infrastructural development of small and medium-sized companies could be a factor in the increase in the number of users. 168 words

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B2 szint - Írott szöveg alkotása célnyelven (BEADANDÓK) 1. A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben fejtse ki véleményét a szelektív hulladékgyűjtés fontosságával kapcsolatban. Naponta több mint egymillió nejlonszatyor kerül szemétdombra Magyarországon. Az áruházi zacskókat átlagosan húsz percig használjuk, lebomlásuk viszont 400-500 évig tart. Az ország szeméttermelése 1991 óta rendre két-három százalékkal nő, évente több mint négymillió tonna szilárd háztartási hulladék keletkezik. A féktelen fogyasztói társadalom szemete. Az ingyen kapott nejlonzacskót csak a legtudatosabb vásárlók utasítják vissza. És ez csak csepp a tengerben: a gondolkodásmód, a vásárlási szokások megváltozása tudatosságot igénylő, hosszú folyamat - ha egyáltalán sikerül. Írásában térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra: - a háztartások szerepe a hulladékok csökkentésében, a szelektív hulladékgyűjtés hatékonyabbá tétele - a kereskedelmi gyakorlat változásának a szükségessége, pl.: papírzacskók a nejlon helyett - az oktatás fontossága a környezettudatos gondolkodásmód kialakításában A feladat megírásához 60 perc áll rendelkezésére. Egy- és kétnyelvű általános szótár használható. B2 szint - Írott szöveg alkotása célnyelven 2. A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben készítsen rövid beszámolót a magyar munkaerőpiac helyzetéről az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. Miközben gödörben a foglalkoztatás, a megfelelően képzett szakemberek hiánya már akadályozza a gazdaság bővülését. Az egyes országrészek között növekszik az egyenlőtlenség, és egyelőre a képzési rendszer sem alkalmazkodik a változó igényekhez. A rendszerváltást követő években mintegy másfél millió, jobbára alacsony végzettségű ember kiszorult a munkaerőpiacról. Égető gond a versenyszférában dolgozók több mint kétharmadát foglalkoztató kis- és középvállalkozói szektor tőkehiánya, a cégvezetők zömének alulképzettsége. Írásában térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra: - a magyar munkaerő kismértékű mobilitásából származó problémák, regionális aránytalanságok - a valós gazdasági igényekhez igazodó (szak)képzés kialakítása - a foglalkoztatottság növelése a befektetők számára vonzó feltételekkel, pl. adókedvezményekkel A feladat megírásához 60 perc áll rendelkezésére. Egy- és kétnyelvű általános szótár használható.

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3. A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben készítsen rövid beszámolót a demográfiai változások és a foglalkoztatottság kapcsolatának problémájáról az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. A demográfiai folyamatok nem sok örömre adnak okot, nagyon kevés gyerek születik, és öregszik a társadalom, ráadásul több országban - hazánkban is - alacsony a foglalkoztatottság. Az európai népesség öregedése, az egyszemélyes háztartások számának növekedése egyre nagyobb terhet ró a nagy jóléti és elosztórendszerekre. Általános jelenség, hogy a szegénység leginkább az egyszülős háztartásokat fenyegeti, és a gyerekszám növekedésével ott is nő a szegénység kockázata, ahol a két szülő együtt él.

Írásában térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra: - egyre magasabb nyugdíj és egészségügyi kiadások, egyre kevesebb aktív kereső, adófizető - a születési ráta növelésének módjai, pl: munkalehetőség a GYES-en lévő kismamáknak - a szegénység problémájának a kezelése munkahelyteremtéssel, a munkaerő mobilitásának növelésével A feladat megírásához 60 perc áll rendelkezésére. Egy- és kétnyelvű általános szótár használható.

4. A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben fejtse ki véleményét az internetes marketingről az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. Netes marketing révén a kkv-k multikhoz hasonló hatékonysággal reklámozhatják terméküket vagy szolgáltatásukat. Saját honlapot bárki készíthet, az egyéb lehetőségek, bannerek, gyűjtőoldalak, keresztlinkek, fórumok használata is bárki előtt nyitva áll. Ráadásul a netreklám nem is kerül sokba. A reklámszakemberek azonban óva intenek attól, hogy az online marketinget olyan csodaszernek tekintsük, ami egyik pillanatról a másikra megsokszorozza forgalmunkat. A hirdetés eredményét ugyanúgy ki kell várni, mint a hagyományos marketing esetében. Írásában térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra: − − − −

az internetes marketing hatékonyságának okai az on-line marketing és a hagyományos reklám tendenciái napjainkban a jó honlap ismérvei magyarországi kkv-k és az internetes reklámozás

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Gyakorló feladatok I.

Eltérő forgatókönyvek a forint búcsújáról

A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben fejtse ki véleményét az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. A közép-európai országoknak minél előbb be kell vezetniük az eurót, vagy pedig a maastrichti kritériumok teljesítése a lényeg? - Egyre inkább ez a kérdés foglalkoztatja a közgazdászokat és a nemzetközi pénzügyi rendszer stabilitásáért felelős vezetőket. Az egyik érintett állam természetesen Magyarország, a gyorsított magyar eurócsatlakozásnak pedig szintén vannak támogatói és ellenzői is. Az illetékesek egyelőre nem hajlanak az engedékenységre, de ez akár változhat is. Írásában térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra: − − − −

az eurózónához történő csatlakozás előfeltétele (maastrichti kritériumok) az euró bevezetésének előnyei és hátrányai az eurózóna válsága napjainkban euróövezet jövőjének esélyei, Magyarország lehetséges csatlakozása II.

A kiskereskedelmi forgalom csökkenése

A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben fejtse ki véleményét az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. A kiskereskedelmi forgalom volumene - a naptárhatástól megtisztított adatok alapján - 2010. februárban 3,2 százalékkal, az év első két hónapjában 3,0 százalékkal csökkent az előző év azonos időszakihoz képest - közölte a KSH. Csak a használtcikk-üzletek és a csomagküldő hálózat eladásai mutattak növekedést. Írásában térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra: − − − −

a reál bérek befagyasztása a közszférában, tömeges elbocsátások a vállalati szférában a munkanélküliség hatása a fogyasztásra a fogyasztói szokások megváltozása vásárlások ösztönzésének lehetséges módjai

III. Euroszkeptikusság A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben fejtse ki véleményét az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. A magyarok, a lettek és a britek a leginkább euroszkeptikusok az európai uniós állampolgárok között –derül ki az Európai Parlament által megrendelt, az egész kontinensre kiterjedő felmérésből. Nekünk magyaroknak ellentmondásos a viszonyunk az Európai Unióval. Sokan ugyanis úgy gondolják, hogy vannak olyan területek, ahol Magyarország a csatlakozás által hátrányos helyzetbe került. -

Eu tagságunk előnyei/hátrányai a munkaerő szabad áramlása/ a magyar munkaerő mobilitása lehetőség feslőfokú tanulmányok folytatására az EU tagállamaiban 6

IV.

Éghajlatváltozás

A megadott szempontok figyelembevételével 160 (+/- 10) szó terjedelemben fejtse ki véleményét az alábbi szöveggel kapcsolatban. A kontinentális nyarak forróbbak és szárazabbak, a telek viszont nem olyan hidegek és csapadékosak, mint néhány évvel ezelőtt. Az éghajlati változások következményei, mint például a károsanyag-kibocsátás, a világtengerek felmelegedése, a tengerpartok eróziója, az élelmiszerek megteremtésének lehetőségei súlyosabbak, mint amire a szakemberek egy évtizeddel ezelőtt számítottak. -

a kormányom szerepe folyamat lassításában a környezetvédők növekvő szerepe Kína és India gazdaságának hatása a káros anyag kibocsátás növekedésében

USEFUL PHRASES FOR BUSINESS REPORTS/ARTICLES AND PROPOSALS Introduction: - The aim/purpose of this report/article is to ….. - This report/article includes/consists of …. - It is based on information gathered from the - Regarding/ with reference to/ in relation to Findings: - We have found that … - Our/the research shows that … - Our/ the research has revealed that … - The following key areas can be identified … - The survey carried out by … has revealed/shows that … - The data obtained will inevitably have an impact on … Conclusions: - In the light of the above findings we have reached the following conclusions. - On the basis of the above figures, the firm/ we should change our business policy. - It is clear that … - It has become obvious that … - In conclusion, … - Taking everything into consideration Recommendations: - There are three main recommendations to make. - We strongly recommend that … - Further research should be carried out to find out … - The next stage is … - It’s important/essential to change our business policy.

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Balanced careful style: - In general, … however, … - Many/some/several/A majority of … - usually, typically, often … - would/could/may/might - It is possible that - It seems that - Production is expected to … - The sales are likely to … - Substantially/considerably/significantly - Moderately/ to some extent - Marginally/slightly

Analysing and giving reasons 1. from reason to result - Because of/ Due to/ As a result of + noun phrase - Because + clause/ Due to the fact that - Because of this,/ As a result,/ Therefore,/For this reason, … - to lead to / to result in … 2. result from reason - Because of/ due to/ as a result of - to result from… 3. contrasting - …, while/ whereas - in contrast,/on the other hand 4. giving a surprising or unexpected idea - However, /Nevertheless,/Even so, … - In spite of/ Despite + noun phrase - In spite of the fact that/ Despite the fact that - Although/ Even though … - …, although/ even though 5. saying the real situation - In fact,/ Actually, /As a matter of fact 6. giving an example - e.g., such as, for example, for instance, in particular, especially 7. giving additional information - Moreover, /Furthermore, / In addition, …

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Reading comprehension The Guardian Weekly from: onestopenglish.com THE RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD I.

WARMER

1. Who is the richest person in the world? 1. a. Slim Shady b. Slim Pickings c. Carlos Slim d. Bill Gates 2. What line of business is he in? 2. a. computer software b. mobile phones c. oil d. steel II. KEY WORDS Write the words from the article into the gaps. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. conglomerate

tycoon

vast

distribution

commodities

titan

entrepreneurs

lucrative

magnate

affluent

1.

a person who is very important or successful ______________________ (title)

2.

people who use money to start new businesses and make business deals ______________________ (para 1)

3.

extremely large ______________________ (para 3)

4.

the way in which something such as money is shared among people or spread over an area or country ______________________ (para 4)

5.

a successful and important person with a lot of power in a particular industry ______________________ (para 7)

6.

used about a place where people have a lot of money ______________________ (para 9)

7.

A business that makes a lot of money is ______________________. (para 9)

8.

a large business organization formed when several different businesses join together ______________________ (para 9)

9.

things that can be bought and sold, especially basic food products or fuel ______________________ (para 10)

10. a rich and powerful person who is involved in business or industry ______________________ (para 10) Extra question: Which three of these words have very similar meanings? _______________________ _______________________ ______________________ 9

FORBES RICH LIST TOPPED BY MEXICAN MOBILE PHONE TITAN CARLOS SLIM Andrew Clark in New York 10 March, 2010 1. Things are changing in the world’s billionaires club. Traditionally dominated by Americans and Europeans, the top ranks of the world’s richest people now include many ultra-rich entrepreneurs from the developing world. At the top of the list is Mexican telecoms tycoon, Carlos Slim. 2. Today, Slim, the titan of mobile phones in Mexico, was crowned as the richest person in the world by American business magazine, Forbes, which calculated his net worth at $53.5bn (£35.7bn). Helped by an increase in the share price of his America Movil empire, Slim’s wealth edged ahead of Microsoft boss Bill Gates’ $53bn fortune, making the portly cigar-smoking 70year-old the first non-American to hold the top spot since 1994. 3. In third place was the legendary Nebraska-based investor Warren Buffett with $47bn. Britain’s top entrant into the global rich list, the Duke of Westminster, could only manage 45th position as his vast landownings gave him a net worth of $12bn. 4. Below the top few individuals, the lower ranks of Forbes’ annual list showed a substantial change in the distribution of wealth. The number of billionaires from Asian and Australasian nations leapt from 130 to 234 last year, with the net worth of the region’s super-rich doubling from $357bn to $729bn. 5. “Asia is leading the comeback,” said Forbes’ editor-in-chief, Steve Forbes. “There are remarkable changes taking place in the global economy.” 6. He pointed out that as the number of billionaires in the world increased from 793 to 1,011, the proportion of Americans dropped from 45% to 40%: “The US still dominates but it’s not doing as well as the rest of the world in coming back from the financial crisis.” 7. Asia’s richest man, Indian, Mukesh Ambani, became the fourth-richest person on the planet with $29bn, from his textiles-to-petrol Reliance Industries empire. Pakistan also produced its first billionaire, banking magnate Mian Muhammad Mansha, and the number of Chinese billionaires leapt by 27 to 64. 8. Among those enjoying an increase in fortunes was Robin Li, founder of the Chinese internet search engine, Baidu, whose wealth reached $3.5bn when Google withdrew from China due to censorship concerns. Another Chinese tycoon, property magnate Wu Yajun, has emerged as the world’s richest self-made woman with $3.9bn from her Longfor Properties empire, which includes apartments, town houses, luxury villas and commercial property across China. 9. The increase in the number of super-rich individuals from less affluent nations went beyond Asia. The number of billionaires from Russia almost doubled from 32 to 62. The owner of the London newspaper, Evening Standard, Alexander Lebedev is worth $2bn. And Alisher Usmanov enjoyed a lucrative year at his metals conglomerate with his net worth increasing from $1.7bn to $7.2bn. 10. Turkey saw its number of billionaires grow from 12 to 28. And from South America, a commodities tycoon, Eike Batista, became the first Brazilian to make the world’s top ten for wealth. Batista, 52, a college dropout who made his fortune from gold, oil and diamonds is ranked eighth in the world with $27bn.

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11. In British terms, little changed among the ranks of the super-rich. Behind the Duke of Westminster came property developers David and Simon Reuben, the clothing store chain Topshop’s boss Sir Philip Green and Virgin supremo Sir Richard Branson. Two new British names joined the billionaires’ club – financier Alan Howard and China-based property developer Xiu Li Hawken of Renhe Commercial Holdings, who holds British citizenship. 12. For the newly crowned richest person on the planet, topping the rich list cements a rapid rise to global fame. However, he is only top thanks to the generosity of a rival – if Bill Gates had not chosen to hand a huge chunk of his wealth to his Gates Foundation to fight disease in the developing world, the software supremo would be worth as much as $80bn. © Guardian News & Media 2010 First published in The Guardian, 10/03/10 III.

FIND THE INFORMATION

Bill Gates

Eike Batista

Wu Yajun

Carlos Slim

Warren Buffett

Alisher Usmanov

Put these people into the table according to their wealth (richest first), then add their net worth, their type of business and their nationality. Scan the article to find the information you need to complete the table. name

worth (in US dollars) 53.5bn

type of business

nationality American

47bn Mukesh Ambani 27bn Duke of Westminster metals 3.9bn Robin Lee

V.

WRITE FIVE COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT FOR OTHER STUDENTS TO ANSWER.

Who ________________________________________________________________? Where ________________________________________________________________? Why ________________________________________________________________? What ________________________________________________________________? How ________________________________________________________________?

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MOBILE PHONES HAVE TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE I. WARMER Answer these questions and then talk about your answers in class. 1. Do you have a mobile phone? Did you have a mobile phone five / 10 / 15 years ago? 2. 3. Do you know anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 who does not have a mobile phone? How many mobile phones are there in your home? 4. II. KEY WORDS Write the words from the article into the gaps. The paragraph numbers will help you choose the right words. novelties

tariff

boom

culminating

masts

projected

customize

potential

iconic

subsidizing

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

_______________ are tall metal structures used for broadcasting radio and television, and telephone signals. (para 3) the possibility to develop or achieve something in the future _______________ (para 3) calculated how big or successful something would become in the future using information that was available at the time _______________ (para 4) A _______________ is a sudden increase in the popularity of something. (para 6) paying some of the cost of goods or services so that they can be sold to other people at a lower price _______________ ( para 7) the prices charged for supplying gas or electricity or for providing a telephone service _______________ (para 7) new and unusual things _______________ (para 9) very famous and well known, and believed to represent a particular idea _______________ (para 11) to change the way something looks or works so that it is exactly what you want or need _______________ 9. (para 11) happening or existing as the final result of a process or situation _______________ (para 12)

MOBILE PHONES HAVE TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE In just 25 years, the mobile phone has transformed the way we communicate Richard Wray Friday 1 January 2010

1.

2.

3.

On New Year’s Day, 1985, Michael Harrison phoned his father, Sir Ernest, to wish him a happy new year. Sir Ernest was chairman of Racal Electronics, the owner of Vodafone, and his son was making the first-ever mobile phone call in the UK. Later that morning, comedian Ernie Wise made a very public mobile phone call from St Katherine’s Dock, east London, to announce that Vodafone was now open for business. A few days later, its only rival, Cellnet, a joint venture between BT and Securicor, was in business. At the time, mobile phones weighed almost a kilogram, cost several thousand pounds and, in some cases, provided only 20 minutes talktime. The networks themselves were small; Vodafone had just a 12

dozen masts covering London and the area west of London, while Cellnet started with a single mast, stuck on the BT Tower. Neither company had any idea of the huge potential of wireless communication and the dramatic impact that mobile phones would have over the next quarter century. 4. “We projected there would only be about a million ever sold and we would get about 35% of the market and BT projected there would be about half a million and they would get about 80% of the market,” remembers Sir Christopher Gent, former Vodafone chief executive who was at St Katherine’s Dock a quarter of a century ago. “In the first year, we sold about 15,000 to 20,000 phones. The portable Motorola was about £3,000 but most of the phones we sold were car phones from companies such as Panasonic and Nokia.” Hardly anyone believed there would come a day when mobile phones were so popular that there 5. would be more phones in the UK than there are people. But in 1999 one mobile phone was sold in the UK every four seconds, and by 2004 there were more mobile phones in the UK than people. 6. The boom was a result of increased competition – which pushed prices lower and created innovations in the way that mobiles were sold, which helped put them within the reach of the mass market – and the move to digital technology. In 1986 BT did something which was to change the way that mobile phones were sold in the UK. “We 7. started subsidizing handsets and bringing down the price of phones,” Sir Christopher recalls. Ever since then, the mobile phone networks have subsidized the price of a phone, hoping to recover the costs over the lifetime of a customer’s contract. Cellnet also changed its prices, reducing its monthly charge and relying instead on actual call charges. It also introduced local call tariffs. 8. But there was still a basic block to mobile phones going mass market: not enough capacity. “But when digital came along, that really opened up the market,” said Sir Christopher. 9. When the government introduced more competition, companies started cutting prices to attract more customers. The campaign, “The future’s bright, the future’s Orange”, created by Wolff Olins, and the introduction of such novelties as per second and itemized billing helped give Orange a strong position in the market. In 1999, Virgin Mobile had a big success with the new idea of pre-pay phones. 10. The way that handsets themselves were marketed was also changing and it was Finland’s Nokia who made the leap from phones as technology to phones as fashion items with the Nokia 3210 device. 11. The Nokia 3210 is iconic because it is the first phone that deliberately did not display any sort of external aerial. In the late 1990s Nokia realized that the mobile phone was a fashion item: so it offered interchangeable covers which allowed you to customize and personalize your handset. 12. The mobile phone industry has spent the later part of the past decade trying to persuade people to do more with their phones than just call and text, culminating in the fight between the iPhone and a succession of touch screen rivals – including Google’s Nexus One. 13. John Cunliffe, chief technology officer at Ericsson in north-west Europe, believes the next wave of growth for mobile telephony will come not from persuading more people to get a phone – because many already have one – but connecting machines to wireless networks. Everything from company vehicles and smart electric and water meters to people’s fridge freezers will one day be able to communicate. “At the moment there are 4.5 billion handsets worldwide. At Ericsson we believe there will be 50 14. billion by 2020,” reckons Cunliffe. “This is all about machine-to-machine communication, touching all aspects of our lives.” © Guardian News & Media 2010 First published in The Guardian, 01/01/10

13

III.

COMPREHENSION: FIND THE INFORMATION ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F) ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE? CORRECT ANY FALSE STATEMENTS? 1. The first-ever mobile phone call in the UK was made by a comedian. 2. Vodafone and Cellnet were the first two mobile phone providers in the UK. 3. In 1985, car phones cost £3,000. 4. There are now more mobile phones than people in the UK. 5. Digital technology and increased competition allowed the mobile phone to become available to everyone. 6. Interchangeable covers and itemized billing made Nokia’s 3210 handset a fashion item. 7. Providers Orange and Virgin introduced itemized billing and pre-pay phones. 8. According to the chief technology officer at Ericsson we will no longer want to buy mobile phones in the future. 9. Touch screen phones are no longer being produced. 10. The future of the mobile phone lies in machine to machine communication. •

IV. LANGUAGE: COLLOCATIONS Match the words in mobile phone A with the words in mobile phone B to make collocations from the article. A 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

joint wireless dramatic increased monthly pre-pay fashion itemized mobile phone company

B a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

item network competition vehicles communication venture impact phones charge billing

Check your answers by finding the word pairs in the article: Look at how they were used in the context of the text and then write example sentences of your own for five of the collocations. a. ________________________________________________________________________________ b. ________________________________________________________________________________ c. _________________________________________________________________________________ d. _________________________________________________________________________________ e. _________________________________________________________________________________

THE HEAT IS ON 1) The Kyoto protocol, which tried to get the world’s big polluters to commit themselves to cutting emissions to 1990 levels or below, was not a complete failure. European Union countries and Japan 14

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

will probably hit their targets, even if Canada does not. But it will not have much impact on emissions, and therefore on the speed of climate change, because it does not require developing countries to cut emissions, and because America did not ratify it. The United States is the world’s biggest polluter of greenhouse gases, though not for long. Every year China is building power-generating capacity almost equivalent to Britain’s entire stock, almost all of its burning coal –the dirtiest fuel. It will shortly overtake America, and India is not far behind. Developing countries argue that, since the rich world created the problem, it must take the lead in solving it. So, if America continues to refuse to do anything to control its emissions, developing countries won’t do anything about theirs. Two measures are needed. One is an economic tool which puts a price on emitting greenhouse gases. That could be a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system, such as Europe’s Emissions-Trading Scheme, which limits how much producers can emit, and lets them buy and sell emissions credits. Ideally, politicians would choose the more efficient carbon tax, which implies a relatively stable price that producers can build into their investment plans. The more volatile cap-and-trade system, however, is easier to sell to producers, who can get free allowances when the scheme is introduced. Either of these schemes should decrease the use of fossil fuels and increase the use of alternatives. In doing so, they are bound to raise energy prices. To keep down price rises, and thus ease the political process, governments should employ a second tool: spending to help promising new technologies get to market. Carbon sequestration, which offers the possibility of capturing carbon produced by dirty power stations and storing it underground, is a prime candidate. Although George Bush now argues that America needs to wean itself off its dependency on oil, his administration still refuses to take serious action. But other Americans are moving, California’s state assembly has just passed tough Kyoto-style targets. Many businesses, fearing that they will end up having to deal with a patchwork of state-level measures, now want federal controls. And conservative America, once solidly sceptical, is now split over the issue, as Christians concerned about mankind’s stewardship of the Earth, neo-cons keen to reduce America’s dependency on the Middle East and farmers who see alternative energy as a new potential source of energy come round to the idea of cutting down on carbon. 2280n adapted from The Economist

I.

On the basis of the text are the statements TRUE (T) or FALSE (F)? (6x2) 12 p 1. The Kyoto agreement is likely to reduce CO2 emission significantly. 2. India will soon become the biggest polluter in the world. 3. The developing countries are only willing to take action if the US does the same. 4. Both the carbon tax and the cap-and-trade system encourage the use of alternative energy. 5. Governments should try to offset the likely rise in energy prices. 6. Conservatives have always supported the idea of reducing emissions.

II.

Match the following heading with the paragraphs. Write the number of the paragraph on the answer sheet. (6x2) 12 p 1. The world’s biggest polluters 2. Rising demand for federal legislation on emissions 15

3. 4. 5. 6. III.

Ways of reducing the use of fossil fuels Changes in conservatives’ attitude Impacts and limitations of the Kyoto protocol Counterbalancing energy price rises

Answer the questions with a maximum of 7 words. Longer answers are not accepted. (6x2) 12 p 1. What are the positive effects of the Kyoto protocol? 2. Why can the Kyoto protocol not bring about sweeping changes? 3. How does the cap-and-trade system operate? 4. Why is the cap-and-trade system more attractive to producers? 5. What is the downside of putting a price on emissions? 6. Which population groups now believe that carbon emissions ought to be reduced?

SUPPLY-CHAIN MANAGEMENT Walk into almost any big supermarket in America, and you will find an abundance of food. The mountains of fresh produce on display are a testament to shoppers’ desire for choice and freshness – and retailers’ desire to relieve them of their dollars. But behind the mouth-watering offerings lies a distasteful reality; billions of dollars’ worth of food is dumped each year because of retailers’ inefficiency. It is difficult to calculate quite how much waste- known as “shrink” in the industry’s jargon – there is. Oliver Wyman, a consulting firm, puts the figure at 8-10% of total perishable goods in America. In a recent report the United Nations estimated that retailers and consumers in America throw away food worth $48 billion each year, and called upon governments everywhere to halve food wastage by 2025. With food prices soaring and consumers tightening their belts, supermarkets’ margins are under pressure. Many retailers need to cut costs and tackling shrink seems a good way to do so. Yet some firms are coy about the issue: they point out that not all food is dumped. Kroger, a retailer based in Ohio with sales of $70 billion, gives 3,600 tons of fresh food a year to food banks, Impressive though this ids, it raises the question of why so much food is going to waste in the first place, After all, American supermarket chains have spent the past ten years or so installing inventory-management software, cold storage systems and other supply-chain equipment. Yet their shrink rates are still twice as big as those of European retailers. One reason for this is structural. Food in America travels farther increasing the risk it will rot in transit. Another reason is that American firms are less adept at capturing and using customer data to predict demand. And many American store managers believe high shrinkage is inevitable, given their enthusiasm for huge displays and wider possible range of produce. This feeds a vicious circle of more and more choice. And it can backfire if displays disguise rotten food or too much choice overwhelms customers. A few firms have made a concerted effort to reduce shrink. One is Stop & Shop, a retailer with sales of $17 billion. Launched in 2006, its initiative stressed that making its supply.-chain leaner would enable the chain to offer customers the freshest possible products. Stop&Shop looked across its entire fresh-food supply chain and reduced everything from the size of suppliers’ boxes to the number of products on display, which fell by almost a fifth. Last year the chain cut shrink by almost a 16

third, saving over $50m and eliminating 36,000 tons of rotten food, while improving customer satisfaction. Other retailers would do well to follow Stop & Shop’s example – or watch as shrink takes an even bigger chunk out of their profits. The Economist, May 15th 2008

2346n

I.

On the basis of the text are the following statements true (T) or False (F)? 1. A lot of fresh food is produced in the mountains of the USA. 2. The waste is caused by ineffective retailers. 3. Shrink means discarded. 4. The American government calls for halving food wastage by 2025. 5. Customers are pleased with the steps taken by Stop & Shop.

(5x1) 5 p

II.

Answer the questions briefly (max.10 words) on the basis of the text. Full sentences are not required. (5x2) 10 p 1. Why is it vital for supermarkets to cut costs? Give two reasons. 2. How was Kroger able to save part of the surplus of food? 3. What question should be answered first if we want to reduce the amount of food thrown away? 4. In what ways have American supermarkets tried to reduce the amount of waste? 5. What will happen if American retailers do not try to reduce the amount of waste?

III.

Finish the sentences with one of the given alternatives. (5x2) 10 p 1. The author of the article A, thinks ill of Kroger. B, considers Kroger to be the solution to the problem of shrink. C, acknowledges Kroger’s benevolent action. 2. There is more shrink in the USA than in Europe, because A, rising prices. B, American managers produce waste with enthusiasm. C, of longer distances to transport food and the companies’ inability to foresee customer demand. 3. Too much choice may have drawbacks such as A, rising prices. B, making it impossible for customers to choose. C, more and more tasteless food appearing on the shelves. 4. According to Stop & Shop, fewer products on display A, may guarantee the freshness of food. B, takes a big chunk out of their profit. C, will reduce their turnover by a third.

IV. 1. 2. 3. 4.

5. The year before last Stop and Shop produced waste A, worth over $150m B, amounting to 36,000 tons. Find words in the text with similar meaning. take away, thrown away, dealing with sg, e.g. solving a problem it cannot be avoided,

C, worth about $50m

17

5. removing sg. completely

WORLD’S BIGGEST CITIES MERGING INTO ‘MEGA-REGIONS’ I.

KEY WORDS Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. The paragraph numbers are given to help you.

urban sprawl 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

II.

1.

urbanization merge

migration segregation

rural ghetto

unrest sanitation

If two cities __________________, they combine to form a bigger city. (para 1) __________________ is the process by which towns and cities grow bigger and more and more people go to live in them. (Para 3) __________________ is the process of moving to another place or country. (para 5) __________________ means relating to the countryside, or in the countryside. (para 5) __________________ means relating to towns or cities, or happening there. (Para 5) __________________ is a part of a city that starts to spread into the countryside in a way that is ugly and not carefully planned. (Para 5) __________________ is angry or violent behaviour by people who are protesting against something. (Para 7) __________________ means the conditions and processes that relate to people’s health, especially the systems that supply water and deal with human waste. (Para 8) __________________ is the policy of keeping people from different groups, especially different races, separate from each other. (Para 9) A __________________ is an area of a city where people of a particular type live, usually in poor conditions. (Para 9)

FIND THE INFORMATION Find the following information as quickly as possible. 1. Where is the largest mega-city in the world? 1. 2. How many people live there? 2. 3. What percentage of the world’s population will live in cities by the year 2050? 3. 4. How many cities account for half the world’s wealth? 4. 5. Which city is the least equal city in the world? 5. 6. What percentage of American households earns more than 72 times the average income of the poorest 20% of 6? the population WORLD’S BIGGEST CITIES MERGING INTO ‘MEGA-REGIONS’ John Vidal, environment editor 22 March, 2010 According to a major new UN report, the largest cities in the world, known as ‘mega-cities’, are merging to form huge ‘mega-regions’ which may stretch hundreds of kilometres across countries 18

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

and be home to more than 100 million people. The phenomenon of the so-called ‘endless city’ could be one of the most significant developments – and problems – in the way people live and economies grow in the next 50 years, says the report. The largest of these mega-regions, says the report, is the Hong Kong-Shenhzen-Guangzhou region in China, which is home to about 120 million people. Other mega-regions have formed in Japan and Brazil and are developing in India, West Africa and elsewhere. The trend helped the world pass a tipping point in the last year, with more than half the world’s people now living in cities. The UN said that urbanization is now unstoppable. Anna Tibaijuka, outgoing director of UNHabitat, said, “Just over half the world now lives in cities but by 2050, over 70% of the world will live in cities. By then, only 14% of people in rich countries will live outside cities and 33% in poor countries.” The development of mega-regions is regarded as generally positive, said the report’s co-author, Eduardo Lopez Moreno. “Mega-regions, rather than countries, are now creating wealth. Research shows that the world’s largest 40 mega-regions cover only a very small part of the habitable surface of our planet and are home to fewer than 18% of the world’s population but account for 66% of all economic activity and about 85% of technological and scientific innovation,” said Moreno. “The top 25 cities in the world account for more than half of the world’s wealth,” he added. “And the five largest cities in India and China now account for 50% of those countries’ wealth.” The migration to cities, while making economic sense, has an effect on the rural economy too. “Most of the wealth in rural areas already comes from people in urban areas sending money back,” Moreno said. The growth of mega-regions and cities is also leading to unprecedented urban sprawl, new slums, unbalanced development and income inequalities, as more and more people move to smaller towns or cities near bigger cities. “Cities like Los Angeles grew 45% in numbers between 1975 and 1990, but tripled their surface area in the same time. This sprawl is now increasingly happening in developing countries as real estate developers promote the image of a ‘world-class lifestyle’ outside the traditional city,” say the authors. Urban sprawl, they say, is wasteful; it adds to transport costs, increases energy consumption, requires more resources and destroys farmland. “As cities become more unequal, there is a greater risk that economic differences will result in social and political tension. Urban unrest in unequal cities is likely. The cities that are the most successful are generally those that are reducing inequalities,” said Moreno. In a sample survey of world cities, the UN found the most unequal were in South Africa. Johannesburg was the least equal in the world, only a little ahead of East London, Bloemfontein and Pretoria. Latin American, Asian and African cities were generally more equal, but mainly because they were uniformly poor, with a high level of slums and poor sanitation. Some of the most equal cities were found to be Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh. The US is one of the most unequal societies with cities like New York, Chicago and Washington less equal than places like Brazzaville in Congo-Brazzaville, Managua in Nicaragua and Davao City in the Philippines. “The marginalization and segregation of specific groups in the US creates a city within a city. The richest 1% of households now earns more than 72 times the average income of the poorest 20% of the population. In the ‘other America’, poor black families live together in ghettos, lacking access to quality education, work and political power,” says the report. © Guardian News & Media 2010 First published in The Guardian, 22/03/10

III.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 19

Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text? Correct any false statements. 1. More than half the world’s population now lives in cities. By 2050, 86% of people in rich countries will live in cities. 2. 3. The process of urbanization can be stopped. 4. The world’s largest 40 mega-regions cover most of the habitable surface of the planet. 5. Fifty per cent of the wealth of China and India is produced by their five biggest cities. Cities in the US are more equal than cities in poor countries like Bangladesh and Congo-Brazzaville. 6.

IV.

FIND THE WORD

Look in the text and find the following words and phrases. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

a two-word noun meaning the critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible situation (Para 2) an adjective meaning possible to live in (Para 4) a noun meaning new ideas and methods (Para 4 an adjective meaning never having happened or existed before (Para 5 a noun meaning a poor area of a city where houses are in a very poor condition (Para 5) an adverb meaning more and more over a period of time (Para 6) an adverb meaning to the same degree everywhere (Para 8) a noun meaning the process of preventing people from having power or influence (Para 9)

V.

TWO-WORD EXPRESSIONS

Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make two-word expressions from the text. a. b. c. d. e. f.

VI.

mega urban surface energy social average

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

income area region sprawl consumption tension

WORD BUILDING

Complete the opposites of these words using prefixes. Check your answers in the text. 1. equal ___equal 2. equality ___equality 3. balanced ___balanced What are the adjectival forms of these nouns? 1. tradition _______________ 2. economy _______________ 3. significance _______________

AGRICULTURE IN THE EU

20

1) The common agricultural policy (CAP) is historically the most resource-consuming of Community policies. Among its aims are to ensure reasonable prices for consumers and fair incomes for farmers. The CAP is implemented in particular by establishing common agricultural market organization and by applying the principles of single prices, financial solidarity and Community preference. The transfer of responsibility from the Member States to the European Union is particularly marked here, as a result of which the EU provides a large proportion of funding for European agriculture. However, in recent years agricultural spending has accounted for a diminishing proportion of the EU budget as a result of the development of other community policies and the political desire to stabilize agricultural spending. 2) The proportion of the budget allocated to agriculture is justified by the objectives of the CAP, as laid down by the Treaties, which are to increase agriculture’s competitiveness, guarantee the agricultural population a fair standard of living, stabilize the markets, provide security of supply, and ensure reasonable prices for consumers. These objectives have largely been achieved, but policy has been reformed in recent years to take account of the new international and environmental situation in which agricultural activities are situated. Two major CAP reforms took place in 1992 and 1999. Certainly, not only the agricultural sector, but the whole European Union with its institutions is in need of urgent reforms in all areas to stay competitive or become more efficient than they have been so far. 3) Based on the principles of more competitive prices and direct aid for farmers, these reforms have made it possible to reduce surpluses, and should also slow down the rural exodus and preserve the environment, in particular by discouraging intensive farming and encouraging traditional crop growing and the development of new activities such as tourism. For these same reasons, the CAP also has a second pillar i.e. rural development policy – for which a substantial level of resources has been earmarked – more than 10% of total agricultural spending between 2000 and 2006. From ‘Europe on the Move’, Feb. 2006 I.

On the basis of the text are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? (5X2) 10p 1. The CAP costs the EU a great deal. 2. The EU delegates all the responsibility to the Member States in the agricultural sector. 3. Funds in the EU budget have been regrouped. 4. Only some of the CAP requirements have so far been met. 5. The institutions of the EU have been reformed.

II.

Answer the questions briefly on the basis of the text. Full sentences are not required. (5X4) 20p 1. How does the public benefit from the CAP? 2. What kind of institutional background is necessary for the implementations of the CAP? 3. Where were the CAP targets formulated? 4. What is the goal of the CAP concerning farmers? 5. What new area will be given more importance in the future?

III.

Finish the sentences with one of the given alternatives. 1. Agricultural expenditures have …. A, always been low. B, decreased during the past years 2. The CAP reform focused on …

(5X4) 20p C, increased substantially

21

A, the new international situation B, the changes in EU institutions C, the EU budget 3. Less extra stock is … A, supposed to be the most important target B, responsible for higher prices, C, the result of reforms 4. The reform slowed down … A, migration to towns B, the flow of funds C, the fall in prices 5. Traditional crop growing should contribute to A, the spread of intensive farming, B, the preservation of the environment, C, the exodus to towns IV.

Find the words in the text with a similar meaning. 1. given to be used for a specific purpose 2. make steady, normalize 3. financial support 4. set aside 5. supply of money for something

(5x2) 10p

MONEY-GO-AROUND WHY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS SPENDING BILLIONS IN RICH COUNTRIES 1) August can be a trying time for hardline Eurosceptic. When they motor to picturesque corners of the continent after months of fretting about the powers of the European Union, they find themselves enraged by countless billboards bearing the blue-and-gold European flag, announcing the EU’s generosity in building some bridge, highway or waterworks. 2) These are the traces of the EU’s “cohesion policy”, a gigantic redistribution scheme that will eat up more than a third of the EU budget, about €350 billion ($480 billion) over seven years. Since its beginning, the EU has sent money to far-flung, rural and poor parts, to help them catch up with the rest. The money goes mostly into regions rather than national governments, and there are rewards for cross-border schemes involving more than one country. All this has long bred suspicions among sceptics that regional funding is a Euro-wheeze to minimize (or erase) ancient national frontiers, in preparation for a federal Europe. 3) Eurosceptics are currently very cross about the tens of billions being transferred annually from rich “old Europe” to the newest members. To quote Nigel Farage, a member of the European Parliament: “Why should our money go to the new sewers in Budapest and a new underground in Warsaw when public services in London are crumbling?” 4) Not for the first time, however, the angry brigade is aiming the wrong target. True, the European Commission has created a “client base of regional actors who swarm around Brussels, and don’t trust national treasuries, “in the words of EU diplomat. But national states rule the roost. The EU always requires nations on regions to put up some (often quite hefty) matching funds. Any regional scheme too extravagant, or daft, to attract national matching funds usually withers and dies. 5) Rich countries have much to gain from an EU single market that strives for free movement of people, goods and capital. And there are sound economic and political arguments for investing in backward parts high rate of such an open economic zone. EU projects in poor neighbourhoods are notoriously prone to corruption and waste, but the risks are matched by high rates of return.

22

Invest the right funds in new members and you can create new consumers and new markets, stabilize fragile democracies and limit the risk of massive, uncontrolled migration within the EU. 6) The scandal is not that the EU shifts money from rich countries to poorer newcomers, but that it recycles large sums straight back to wealthy countries. Some of the least needy countries in the EU reimburse tens of billions of euros. This usually because they have some relatively poor regions (e.g. Germany’s eastern states, or Italy’s south). I.

On the basis of the text are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? (5X1) 5 p 1. Eurosceptics are happy to see lots of billboards announcing the EU’s generosity all over the continent. 2. The cohesion policy of the EU spent €350 billion in the last seven years, 3. Projects involving more countries receive extra benefit. 4. The public transport in London is in very bad condition. 5. The projects are financed jointly by regions or countries and the EU.

II.

Answer the questions briefly on the basis of the text. Full sentences are not required. 1. Which regions are the targets of the cohesion policy? 2. What are Eurosceptics afraid of? 3. What is likely to happen to EU projects in the very poor countries or regions? 4. Why is it worth investing in poor regions? 5. Why are some rich countries to be blamed or often criticized?

III.

Finish the sentences with one of the given alternatives. (5X2) 10p 1. Euroscptics are … A. fascinated by the countless billboards with the European flags. B. very angry because the landscapes are spoilt by the billboards. C. angry because the countless billboards with European flags remind them of how much the EU spends. 2. The EU’s cohesion policy … A. is a system of allocating funds to poor nations or regions. B. is a redistribution scheme to be introduced in 7 years. C. is a third of the EU’s budget. 3. Sceptics fear … A. that the EU’s “cohesion policy” might abolish traditional borders. B. that the EU budget will be minimized. C. that not enough euros will be allocated to the new members.

(5X2) 10p

4. According to the principles of the EU … A. poor nations or regions can always get money from the EU. B. poor nations or regions have to co-finance the projects. C. the EU doesn’t trust poor nations. 5. EU projects … A. never fall because of corruption. B. are very risky. C. are risky but may be very profitable in poor countries. IV.

Find the words in the text with a similar meaning.

(5X1) 5 p 23

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

use large amounts of money in the countryside large, substantial make a lot of effort to achieve sg. a profit on money

AMERICA’S VULNERABLE ECONOMY: RECESSION IN AMERICA INCREASINGLY LIKELY 1) In 1929, days after the stockmarket crash, the Harvard Economic Society reassured its subscribers: “A severe depressions is outside the range of probability”. In a survey in March 2001, 95% of American economists said there would not be a recession, even though one had already started. Today, most economists do not forecast a recession in America, but the profession’s pitiful forecasting record offers little comfort. Our latest evaluation suggests that the United States may well be heading for recession. 2) Granted, GDP grew by a robust 3.9%, at an annual rate, in the third quarter. Granted also, revisions may well push this figure up. But that was the past. More timely signs suggest that the economy could stall in this quarter. By early next year, output and jobs could be shrinking. The main cause is the weakening housing market. Experts said that house prices could never fall nationwide. But they have fallen, by 5% in the past 12 months. Residential investment has collapsed, but a great number of unsold homes means that prices have much further to drop. Americans’ spending is likely to be dented much more by a fall in house prices that it was in 2001 by the stockmarket’s collapse. With house prices smaller and credit conditions tighter as a result of the subprime crisis, households can no longer borrow to support their spending. 3) Dearer oil is set to squeeze households further (in spite of this week’s drop in crude prices). Consumer confidence has already fallen sharply. It cannot be long before consumer spending stumbles, which in turn would hurt companies’ profits and investment. The weak dollar will boost export, but only 12% of GDP, exports are too small to make up for a weakening of consumer spending, which accounts for 70%. 4) Will an American recession pull the rest of the world down with it? The economies of Europe and Japan look likely to slow down. Although both should be able to keep chugging along, neither is likely to set any great pace. 5) The best hope that global growth can stay strong lies instead with emerging economies. A decade ago, the thought that so much depended on these crisis- prone places would have been terrifying. Yet thanks largely to economic reforms, their annual growth rate has surged to around 7%. This year they will contribute half of the globe’s GDP growth, over three times as much as America. In the past, emerging economies have often needed bailing out by the rich world. This time they could be the resources. 6) America’s importance as an engine of global growth has been exaggerated. America is no longer pulling the rest of the world. 2234n I.

On the basis of the text are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? (5X1) 5 p 1. Economists in general have become renowned as successful forecasters. 2. Banks are less eager to make mortgage loans to home buyers in 2007. 24

3. Exports, as well as companies’ profits, are suffering from the weakening of the dollar. 4. The fall in consumer spending accounts for 12 % of US exports. 5. In our day, the USA contributes about 15% to the globe’s GDP growth. II.

Answer the questions briefly on the basis of the text. Full sentences are not required. (5X2) 10p 1. Who is forecasting a recession for the US economy in the near future? 2. Which period will see the first signs of a slowdown in the US economy? 3. How did house prices change due to the collapse of residential investment? 4. What happened to oil prices at the time the article was written? 5. How much, compared to the US, do developing markets contribute to the world’s GDP growth?

III.

Finish the sentences with one of the given alternatives. 1. In March 2001 … A. most US economists forecast a recession. B. a recession was on already. C. the Harvard Economic Society predicted a depression. 2. The 3.9% annual growth rate might … A. be revised and lowered. B. be revised and increased. C. not be changed any more. 3. Mortgage loans in the US became …. A. tighter to restructure . B. harder to get. C. easier to receive.

(5X2) 10p

4. When consumer confidence falls sharply, people … A. buy more than previously. B. stop making any purchases. C. buy less than previously. 5. EU projects … A. drag themselves along. B. soar at a never-before-seen speed . C. face a deep crisis.

IV.

Find the words in the text with a similar meaning. 1. paying members 2. slow down 3. burden (verb) 4. have trouble walking 5. rescue someone from an emergency

(5X1) 5 p

NO COUNTRY IS AN ISLAND: 25

JAPAN IS RELUCTANTLY EMBRACING GLOBALISATION 1) Throughout its history Japan has oscillated between openness to foreign ideas and fierce isolation. This ambivalence is still reflected in its attitude to globalization. Despite the worldwide presence of companies such as Toyota, Honda, Canon and Sony, Japan’s integration into the world economy is surprisingly weak. 2) Japan has the lowest level of import penetration and inward foreign direct investment. Foreign affiliates’ share of turnover in manufacturing and services, at 3% and 19% respectively, is the lowest in the OECD. Nor has Japan participated in the global wave of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In 2004 the sale of companies in the European Union to foreign firms accounted for 47% of global M&A by value. The Japanese share, by contrast, was just 2.3%. In an era of unprecedented mobility of people, goods and services, Japan’s net migration since the Second World War has been approximately zero. 3) Why is Japan such an outlier? Part of the reason is a regulatory hangover from the post-war period. Rules restricting inward flows of goods and investment to protect growing domestic industries after the Second World War have hindered economic integration. So have complicated regulations, which deterred foreign firms from entering the Japanese market. 4) Heang Chhor, the head of the Tokyo office of McKinsey says: „Many Japanese firms have been so busy with the domestic crisis that they have forgotten to remain connected with the rest of the world.” Having been so enthusiastic about overseas expansion in the 1980s, many Japanese companies entrenched at home during the dark days of the 1990s. Now that the domestic market has matured and the population has started to shrink, Japanese firms must look abroad for growth opportunities. 5) That is the main reason for Japan to globalize more vigorously, but not the only one. As well as seeking new markets, Japanese firms will be able to benefit from foreign ideas, which could help to boost innovation. “There should have been a Japanese Silicon Valley, „says Mr Chhor. But during the 1990s, he explains, Japan’s connection to the world economy actually weakened, “so the engine for innovation became much less powerful.” 6) Globalisation should also speed internal reform as more efficient foreign firms, particularly in services, shake up the domestic market. The government has duly set about dismantling regulations that hindered tighter integration with the rest of the world and in 2006 the Council of Economic and Fiscal Policy even produced a “globalization strategy” for Japan to enhance the country’s international competitiveness.

I.

On the basis of the text are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? 1. The Japanese have mixed feeling concerning globalization. 2. Multinationals have 1% share I the Japanese service sector. 3. Protectionist regulations prevented foreign firms from entering Japan. 4. Mr. Chhor does not long for a Japanese Silicon Valley. 5. The government plans to revise regulations soon.

(5X1) 5 p

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II.

Answer the questions briefly on the basis of the text. Full sentences are not required. (5X2) 10p 1. Has japan contributed to globalization? How? 2. What does the figure 2.3% refer to? 3. What are the consequences of the domestic crisis for Japan at a global level? 4. How are demographic changes affecting Japan economically? 5. What impact might tighter integrations with the world have on Japan?

III.

Finish the sentences with one of the given alternatives. (5X2) 10p 1. The Japanese have … between openness to foreign ideas and fierce isolationism. A. varied B. continuously changed feelings, opinions C. modified 2. After the Second World War the free flow of labour … in Japan. A. was non-existent B. was steady C. raise problems 3. Many Japanese companies withdrew from overseas expansion … A. due to a decline in population. B. in the 1980s. C. during the domestic crisis. 4. Japan should globalize more enthusiastically in order to … A. create a Silicon Valley. B. find new markets and ideas. C. defeat its competitors. 5. The new globalization strategy won’t be effective without …. A. improving the service sector. B. tighter regulations. C. deregulation.

IV.

Find the words in the text with a similar meaning. 1. a country’ policy of not having a political relationship with other countries 2. the amount of business done 3. never having existed of happened before 4. to push something forward and improve it 5. stop something from making progress

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