Match the words and phrases on the left with their definitions on the right

1. trade surplus a) put in an unfavourable position

2. massage v b) cause severe and disabling damage to

3. put out information/statistics c) lying or deliberately withholding information

4. economical with the truth d) produce information/statistics for people

5. disadvantage v e) the amount by which the value of the country's

exports exceeds the cost of its imports

6. myth f) manipulate (figures) to give a more acceptable

result

7. cripple v g) an exaggerated or idealized conception of a

person or thing

8. government cover-ups h) the prospect for the future

9. outlook i) government's attempt to conceal the truth about a

mistake or crime

 

Comprehension Check

 

a) Which of the following topics does the article discuss?

1. The boom-bust economy

2. American foreign policy

3. Global recession

4. Political extremism

5. Re-training the unemployed

6. Consumerism

7. The black economy

8. Government cover-ups

b) What are your personal reactions to the article

1. What interested me was............?

2. What surprised me was.............?

3. What shocked me was..............?

4. It annoyed me that...................

5. I wasn't aware that...................

6. I'm not sure about...................

c) Find the words and expressions in the article

1. no one has any idea

2. industrial strength

3. are on the point of economic collapse

4. severe deficits

5. to be made stricter

6. a mass entry

7. jobs without prospects

8. it's obvious

9. the pound is in a weak position

d) Read the text again. Find and learn by heart:

1. ten words you may need to use more often.

2. five word combinations you may need, with their equivalents in Russian.

3. three longer expressions with their equivalents in your own language.

 

VOCABULARY WORK

a) Complete the following notes on the article.

THE DEATH OF ECONOMICS

1. The world economy is..........apart.

2. No one has a..........what's going wrong.

3. Supply and demand always used to..........themselves out.

4. We now swing from hyperinflation to soaring...........

5. Government economic..........are more unreliable than ever.

 

THE WORLD ECONOMY

1. The US is unable to..........its trade gap with Japan.

2. Japan and Germany are sliding deeper into.

3. The former Communist countries are on the verge of economic

 

UNEMPLOYMENT

1. Unemployment poses the greatest..........to the world economy.

2. Western companies are exploiting cheap.......... in the East.

3. In the USA and Japan people are employed at well below the minimum.

4. The consequences are far-...........

 

ECONOMIC GROWTH

1. Contrary to popular opinion, economic growth is not the

2. Economic growth amongst the world's richest nations has been..........since the 60 s.

3. Current government figures point to an economic............but they can't be trusted.

b) Complete these words by adding the vowels. Each word can follow the adjective economic:

1. g r _ w t h 2. _nd_c_t_rs 3. с r_ s _ s

4. f_r_c_st 5. f_r c_ s 6. t h_ _г у

7. P-l-cy 8. _ _tl_ _k 9. r_c_ss_ _n

10. m__s_r_s 11. d_v_l_pm_nt 12. r__n

13. r_f_rm 14. s t r_ t _ g у 15. r_c_v_ry

16. _ n_ _n 17. s_nct__ns 18._ _d

c) Now complete the following sentences using the words from the previous excercise:

1. Economic..........such as the rate of inflation and the level of unemployment, are the signs that economists look for to help them produce their economic...........

2. Economic..........is what a country faces if it builds up too great a national debt.

3. The prospects for a country's economic future might be called its economic.

4. During a period of economic..........the government is forced to take strong economic..........to revitalize the economy.

5. Despite all the talk of political and economic..........Europe seems more divided than ever.

d) Here are some or the most common expressions yon need when reading or listening to business news. Try to learn their opposites as well. Choose verbs from the boxes which are the opposite of those on the left.

close impede scrap cut improve relax break off come out of harm privatize

 

1. nationalize	INDUSTRY
2. increase	SOCIAL BENEFITS
3. go into	RECESSION
4. damage	INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
5. tighten	IMMIGRATION CONTROLS
6. set up	AN INVESTMENT PROGRAMME
7. widen	THE TRADE GAP
8. enter into	NEGOTIATIONS / TALKS
9. promote	OUR IMAGE ABROAD
10. bring about	ECONOMIC RECOVERY

 

help adopt put off divide pushup neglect launch reduce payoff resist

 

11. raise	TAXATION
12. unite	PUBLIC OPINION
13. bring down	UNEMPLOYMENT
14. hit	THE UNEMPLOYED
15. give in	PRESSURE
16. attract	FOREIGN INVESTORS
17. come under	AN ATTACK
18. accumulate	DEBTS
19. abandon	A POLICY
20. invest in	EDUCATION

 

e) Now complete the following newspaper headlines using words from the previous exercise. The abbreviations marked * are explained below.

1. Britain set to come out of........... before rest of Europe, promises Chancellor.

2. Widening..........must be closed, says DTI *.

3. Unions furious as Employment Minister cuts...........for out-of-work.

4. Montreal relaxes.......for French-speakers.

5. Third World investment programme...........

6. Europe sinks deeper into

7. Football hooligans can only harm............warns Home Secretary.

8. Washington resists...........to intervene in North Korea.

9. British Euro-Skeptics will put off............warn CBI *.

10. MEPs * come under...........in Brussels corruption scandal.

11. Socialists prioritize bringing down.......

12............united on Northern Ireland.

 

*DTI = Department of Trade and Industry

* CBI = Confederation of British Industry

*МЕР = Member in the European Parliament

 

Discuss

Do you have strong political views? Is there anything you're strongly in favour of or violently opposed to? Are politicians really strangers to the truth? Would you like to see more honesty in politics?

Think of your strong belief, hope, memory or regret about your country which you don't mind sharing with your groupmates.

Role Play

Election Campaign

Country Profile

Study the map below, which depicts the fictitious state of Deltaland and its neighbouring countries. Using the economic statistics from the previous exercise and the information shown here, draw up a profile of the country. What do you think are its economic, social and political prospects?

Things you might consider include:

• the country's principal industries

• its transport system and infrastructure

• the location of industrial and commercial centres

• natural resources

• environmental hazards

• demographics

• the threat of war from a hostile foreign power political unrest at home

• the Northwest-Southeast divide

Outlining proposals

We are committed to.... Above all, we must.... Unless we... Basically, what we're proposing is.... In no circumstances must we allow... If elected, we aim to... by....

We need to be thinking in terms of.... We see no alternative but to.... A vote for us will mean....

Political strategies

In two weeks time the troubled country of Deltaland is to hold a general election. What political parties do you imagine would exist in such a country? A right wing or nationalist party? A left wing socialist or communist party? A liberal democratic party? A green party?

Work in groups, each representing a different political party. First, hold a strategy meeting to decide on your general policies. Then, in note form, put together a manifesto. Finally, give a five-minute election broadcast to the nation outlining what measures you intend to take to rebuild your country, if elected.

 

THE GENERAL ELECTION

Hold the election. You should vote for the party whose policies (apart from those of your own party) you most strongly support. Announce the winning party and interview them on their election victory.

Road and rail links

Mountain range

Rivers

Lakes

 

 

POINT OF GRAMMAR

a) Many prefixes in English have a specific meaning. Match up the following with their meanings:

PREFIX MEANING

1. pre- a. in favour of

2. post- b. many

3. pro- c. not

4. anti- d. new

5. non- e. before

6. ex- f. against

7. neo- g. former

8. multi- h. after

b) Which of the prefixes above commonly precede the following words?

1. European 9. fascist

2. industrial 10. essential

3. nuclear 11. media

4. lateral 12. payment

5. wife 13. specialist

6. conformist 14. government

7. terrorist 15. national

8. communist era 16. war

c) The words in capitals can be used to form another word which will fit in the space. Complete the sentences in this way.

ECONOMICS

1. She's a leading...........

2. You can call it being..........with the truth, if you like. I call it lying!

3. We need to think of practical ways in which we can...........

 

POLITICS

1. Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the...........

2. The whole thing is..........motivated.

3. They've..........the issue by involving the government.

UNIT 19