Geographical Position and Natural Resources

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ БЕЛАРУСЬ

УО «Белорусский государственный экономический университет»

О.В. ИВАНОВА, Н.Н. ЧЕРНИК

 

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ

БРИТАНСКАЯ ЭКОНОМИКА

GREAT BRITAIN

BRITISH ECONOMY

Электронное учебно-методическое пособие

по дисциплине «Иностранный язык (английский)»

 

Минск 2010

Рецензенты: зав. кафедрой теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ, канд. филол. наук, доцент Т.Ф. Солонович.

 

Рекомендовано кафедрой теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ

 

Иванова О.В., Черник Н.Н.

Великобритания. Британская экономика = Great Britian. British Economy: Электронное учебно-методическое пособие / О.В. Иванова, Н.Н. Черник – Минск: БГЭУ, 2010. – 35 с. (1,8 усл. печ. л.)

 

Учебно-методическое пособие содержит тексты для изучающего и ознакомительного чтения, лексический материал, комплекс упражнений и заданий для формирования англоязычных коммуникативных навыков студентов в рамках темы «Великобритания» по дисциплине «Иностранный язык (английский)». Предназначено для студентов БГЭУ дневной формы обучения.

GREAT BRITAIN

GETTING STARTED

1. Read the following quotations about the British. What national traits are brought to light by the authors? Comment on each quotation giving facts about the country and its citizens to support the author’s view.

1) Throughout the whole of England the drinking of tea is general. You have it twice a day and though the expense is considerable, the humblest peasant has his tea, just like the rich man (Francois de La Rochefoucauld).

2) I'm leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it's not raining (Groucho Marx).

3) When it's three o'clock in New York, it's still 1938 in London (Bette Midler).

4) The French and the British are such good enemies that they can't resist being friends (Peter Ustinov).

5) The English country gentleman galloping after a fox – the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable (Oscar Wilde).

6) An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one (George Mikes).

7) On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners (George Mikes).

8) The English know how to make the best of things. Their so-called muddling through is simply skill at dealing with the inevitable (Winston Churchill).

2. Answer the questions:

1) What do you imagine when you think of Britain and its people?

2) What places in Britain would you like to visit? Give your reasons. How can you explore these areas and broaden your knowledge of Britain?

3) Name any place in Great Britain that is internationally known. What is it noted for?

 

USEFUL VOCABULARY

Make sure you know the following words and word combinations:

authority n – власть, полномочия, права, компетенция (legislative authority – законодательный орган, ultimate authority – последняя инстанция)

bank branch – филиал банка

bond n – облигация

commodity n – предмет потребления, товар

commodity exchange – товарная биржа

competitive advantage – конкурентное преимущество

constituency, n – избиратели, электорат, избирательный округ

consumption, n – потребление

contractor, n – подрядчик, подрядная организация

cooperate, v – сотрудничать, вступать в партнёрские отношения, взаимодействовать

deposit, n, v – залежи; депозит, депозитный вклад; вкладывать, размещать

estimate, v – оценивать, устанавливать цену, стоимость; приблизительно подсчитывать

expenses, n – расходы, издержки

external market – внешний рынок. Syn: foreign market, overseas market

extract, produce, v – добывать

futures, n – фьючерс, срочный контракт, срочная сделка, финансовые инструменты, купленные/проданные на срок

government-sponsored, adj – поддерживаемый или финансируемый правительством

head office – головной офис; правление (корпорации, компании)

headquarters, n – управление, административное подразделение компании

insurance, n – страхование

internal market – внутренний рынок. Syn: domestic market, home market

international treaty – международный договор

labour force – рабочая сила, трудовые ресурсы

launch, v – начинать (to launch a campaign – развернуть кампанию), выпускать на рынок (товар)

margin, n – разница; преимущество (by a slim / narrow margin – с небольшим преимуществом,

by a considerable margin – со значительным отрывом)

national output – общий объем продукции, произведенной в данной стране, совокупный продукт

oversea(s) trade – внешняя торговля. Syn: foreign trade

per capita – на человека, на душу населения

percentage, n – процент; процентное отношение; доля прибыли; выгода (There's no percentage in it. – Это невыгодно / не даёт никаких преимуществ.)

privately owned – находящийся в частной собственности

public debt – государственный долг

public finance – государственные финансы, государственный бюджет

revenue, n – доход; выручка

rival, n – соперник, конкурент. Syn: competitor

share, n – доля, часть, акция

stock exchange – фондовая биржа

subsidize, v – субсидировать, финансировать, дотировать, ассигновать

supply, n – снабжение, поставка (water supply – водоснабжение, power supply – электроснабжение, энергоснабжение)

taxation, n – налогообложение; взимание налога (double taxation – двойное обложение)

tackle, v – пытаться найти решение (каких-л. вопросов)

READING

Text 1

 

1.Read the text and get prepared to explain whether Great Britain has a favorable geographical position and is rich in natural resources.

Text 2

1. Read the text and pay attention to the main peculiarities of the political system in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Text 3

1.Read the text and give a brief description of the British party system.

Major Political Parties

The UK's three major political parties are the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Democrats.

The Labour Party is the current ruling party of the United Kingdom; it won a 179-seat majority in the 1997 general election under the leadership of Tony Blair, its first general election victory since October 1974. The party's large majority in the House of Commons was slightly reduced to 167 in the 2001 general election and more substantially reduced to 66 in 2005. Labour has 13 members in the European Parliament. Its current leader is Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The Labour Party has historically been a left-of-centre one. It emphasized social justice, equality of opportunity, economic planning and the state ownership of industries and services. It was supported by the trade unions, the working class and some of the middle class. Its electoral strongholds are historically in Scotland, south Wales and the Midland and northern English industrial cities.

But traditional class-based support has changed with more social and job mobility. Tony Blair modernized the party by moving to the centre, captured some voters from the Conservatives and distanced himself from the trade unions.

Currently the Conservatives are the largest opposition party in the United Kingdom and form Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament and the largest in terms of sitting councillors in local government. The current party leader is David Cameron, who acts as the Leader of the Opposition and heads the Shadow Cabinet.

The Conservative Party is a right-of-centre party. It regards itself as a national party and appeals to people across class barriers. It emphasizes personal, social and economic freedom, individual ownership of property and shares and law and order.

The party’s support comes mainly from business interests and the middle and upper classes, but a sizeable number of skilled workers and women vote Conservative. Its strongholds are in southern England, with scattered support elsewhere in the country.

The Liberal Democrats are the third-largest party in the UK Parliament, behind Labour and the Conservatives. Promoting social liberalism, Lib Dems seek to minimise state intervention in personal affairs: they oppose what they call the 'nanny state'. While objecting to state limitations of individual rights, they favour a welfare state that provides for the necessities and amenities of life.

They support multilateral foreign policy. They opposed British participation in the War in Iraq and support withdrawal of troops from the country. The Lib Dems are the most pro-EU of the three main parties in the UK. The party has strong environmentalist values – favouring renewable energy and commitments to deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Since their foundation, the Lib Dems have advocated an electoral reform to use proportional representation (a system which would increase their number of seats), replacing the House of Lords with an elected chamber, and cutting government departments.

 

2. Answer the questions to the text:

1) Name the major political parties in Great Britain.

2) What is the current ruling party in the UK? Who is its leader?

3) What is the largest opposition party?

3) Analyze the modern concept of the Liberal Democrats.

 

3. Agree or disagree with the statements.

1) The main political parties represented in Parliament today are the Labor Party, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Democrats.

2) The party with the most MPs after a general election usually forms the Government. The next largest party becomes the official Opposition.

3) The Liberal Party, under the leadership of Tony Blair, won a landslide victory in the general election of 1997.

4) The current leader of the Conservatives acts as the Leader of the Opposition, heads the Shadow Government, and is a left-of-center politician.

5) The Conservatives are a political party with centrist policies, advocating an electoral reform with a view to use proportional representation and replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.

 

4. Get ready to discuss the following points:

1. The role of the parties in British society.

2. Is a multi-party system necessary in the political life of a country?

 

 

Text 4

1. Read the text paying special attention to where the main British industries are located.

Text 5

1. Read the text and compare the state of the British economy 30-40 years ago and today.

Economy: Past and Present

The UK was the first country in the world to industrialize in the 18th and 19th centuries, and for much of the 19th century possessed a predominant role in the global economy. However, by the late 19th century, the Second Industrial Revolution in the United States meant the US had begun to challenge Britain's role as the leader of the global economy. The extensive war efforts of both World Wars in the 20th century and the dismantlement of the British Empire also weakened the UK economy in global terms, and by that time Britain had been superseded by the United States as the chief player in the global economy. At the start of the 21st century however, the UK still maintains an important role in the world, due to its large Gross Domestic Product and the financial importance that its capital, London, possesses in the world.

Following the end of World War II, there was a long interval without a major recession (1945 – 1973) and a growth in prosperity in the 1950s and 1960s. However, following the severe shock of the 1973 oil crisis and the 1973–1974 stock market crash, the British economy went into recession in 1974. A new period of neo-liberal economics began with the advent of the government of Margaret Thatcher of 1979. Most state-owned enterprises in the industrial and service sectors, which since the 1940s had been nationalised, were privatised. As a result, the British Government owned very few industries or businesses. According to the IMF, GDP rose to 5% at its peak in 1988 as banks and other financial institutions in the UK enjoyed the liberalisation of the regulatory structures and greater freedom to explore new investment vehicles with less oversight.

After a mild recession in the early 1990s, there followed the longest period of sustained economic growth Britain had seen for more than 150 years, achieving growth in every quarter between 1992 and 2007, one of the highest economic growth rates of major developed economies during that time.

This boom ended in 2008 when the United Kingdom entered a recession brought about by the global financial crisis. Beginning with the collapse of Northern Rock, which was taken into public ownership in February 2008, major banks failed and were nationalised.

During August 2008 the IMF warned that the UK economic outlook had worsened due to a twin shock: financial turmoil as well as rising commodity prices. Both developments harm the UK more than most developed countries, as the UK obtains revenue from exporting financial services while recording deficits in finished goods and commodities, including food.

In 2008, the UK had the world's third largest current account deficit, despite significant oil revenues, according to the IMF. This was mainly the result of a large deficit in the trade in manufactured goods.

In May 2009 the European Commission (EC) stated: "The UK economy is now clearly experiencing one of its worst recessions in recent history." The EC expected GDP to decline and projected that growth would remain negative in 2009. It predicted "virtual stagnation" in early 2010, followed by a gradual return to "slight positive growth by late 2010".

Today the United Kingdom is one of the world's most globalised countries. The capital, London, is a major financial centre for international business and commerce and is one of three "command centres" for the global economy (along with New York City and Tokyo). The British economy is made up (in descending order of size) of the economies of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In 1973, the UK acceded to the European Economic Community which is now known as the European Union after the ratification of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993.

The United Kingdom is also a member of the G8, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Trade Organisation, and the European Union.

 

2. Answer the questions to the text:

1) When did the UK possess a predominant role in the global economy?

2) Why did the position of Great Britain in the world economy weaken in the 20^th century?

3) What factors allow Great Britain to maintain an important role in the modern world?

4) Describe main economic and political trends that took place after World War II.

5) Describe the state of the British economy in the 1990s.

6) What trends characterize the UK economy at the present period of its development?

 

3. Agree or disagree with the statements.

 

1) The UK was the first country in the world to industrialize in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

2) The extensive war efforts of both World Wars in the 20^th century improved the UK economy in global terms.

3) A new period of neo-liberal economics began with the advent of the government of Tony Blair.

4) In 2003 the UK entered a recession brought about by the global financial crisis.

5) In 2008 the UK had the world’s second largest current account deficit.

6) Today the UK is one of the world’s most globalised counties.

 

Text 6

 

1. Read the text and be ready to say what makes London the world’s largest financial center.

 

Text 8

1. Read the text and explain why the government of Great Britain abstains from joining the eurozone.

DEVELOPING VOCABULARY

1. Match up the words on the left with their definitions on the right:

2.

1) expense 2) constituency 3) responsible 4) legislate 5) futures 6) competitive 7) stock exchange 8) revenue 9) authority 10) share 11) treaty

a) a place where securities are regularly traded b) a part or portion of something owned c) a person or group of people having the power or right to control, judge, or prohibit the actions of others d) to make or pass laws e) a formal agreement or contract between two or more parties f) the whole body of voters who elect one representative to a legislature or all the residents represented by one deputy g) being accountable for one's actions and decisions (to) h) income from a business enterprise, investment, property, etc i) a particular payment of money j) sufficiently low in price or high in quality to be successful against commercial rivals k) commodities or other financial products bought or sold at an agreed price for delivery at a specified future date

2. Complete the table with the derivatives of the given words.

Agent	Noun	Verb	Adjective
contractor
			consumptive
			cooperative
			deposited
	distribution
	estimation
extractor
governor
		manufacture
	performance
			productive
		supply

3. Insert the following words to complete the sentences:

DISCOVERING LANGUAGE

 

1. Choose the correct form of the predicates in brackets.

1) Blake worked without a contract which (prevented/had prevented) him from receiving a golden parachute pay.

2) Kay figured that Rolls-Royce’s prices (left/had left) plenty of room for low-price competitors.

3) Mr. Smith said that much of the apparent growth in profits that (occurred/had occurred) in the 80s (was/had been) the result of creative accounting.

4) Cray Research Inc reported surprisingly weak results for the second quarter which (indicated/had indicated) lower earnings for the year.

5) Dunhill was sitting on a share capital of £179 mln last year, then it (shrank/had shrunk) to £120 mln due to standings in Europe.

6) Pittard’s share price tumbled when the price of sheepskins (collapsed/had collapsed).

7) Howard Klein said that the fall in the Airtours share price(raised/had raised) serious concerns.

 

2. Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets in the proper tense form (the Past Simple or the Past Perfect).

1) I couldn’t get into the office because I (to lose) my key.

2) We couldn’t use that logotype, because one of our competitors already (to choose) it.

3) I found about the vacancy too late. When my application form arrived, they (to appoint) another person.

4) By the time he sold off the shares, his original investment (to fall) by 13 per cent.

5) When I returned to the firm, I was surprised to hear that the boss (to put) my colleague in charge of the project.

6) The bank returned the cheque because I (not to sign) it.

7) The office was empty because everybody (to go) home.

 

3. Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets in the proper tense form.

1) Managers in British companies needed to understand that they (to deal) with human beings and not machines.

2) They said that the UK business people (to lose) their way and the things (to go) downhill fast.

3) Many people claimed that Japanese companies (to make) products cheaper and better quality than UK ones.

4) Frank Farrant, a finance director, said the first task (to be) to increase Adidas’ profitability into about 10 per cent in two or three year’s time.

5) I wondered how much the model (to cost).

6) His colleagues knew the real reason for Sloan’s success: he (to be) a man who always (to put) business first.

7) LBS Ltd. researchers believed deregulation and technological advance (to add) to the concentration of the three main financial centers: London, New York and Tokyo.

 

LISTENING

 

The Union Jack

Pre-listening

 

1. Explain the difference between these names: Great Britain, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the British Isles. What did ‘the United Kingdom’ originally refer to?

 

2. Circle the suitable words

1) The UK is ….

a) an isle b) a country

2) Great Britain is ….

a) an isle b)a country

3) The whole of Ireland is independent.

a) yes b) no

4) How many crosses is the flag of the UK made up of?

a) 3 b) 2 c) 5

 

3. Listen to the recording and be ready to answer the following questions:

1) What’s the abbreviation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

2) What parts is the United Kingdom made up of?

3) What parts is Great Britain made up of?

4) Are all the isles off the British coast part the United Kingdom?

5) How are the people from the British Isles called?

6) When were the parliaments of England, Wales and Scotland united?

7) Which part of Ireland belongs to the UK?

 

4. Listen to the recording again and complete the sentences using the words and phrases given.

in general	armed struggle	armed struggle	abbreviated	united
diagonal	refer	were united	union	made up of
complicated	crosses	upright	inherited the crown

1) “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is … to “UK”.

2) Great Britain is an island which is … England, Scotland and Wales.

3) We use “the United Kingdom” when we … to the country in a political way.

4) People from Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the British Isles are called “British” ….

5) The formation of the UK took centuries and a lot of … was involved.

6) King Henry VIII … England and Wales under one parliament in 1536.

7) The King of Scotland … of England and Wales in 1603.

8) The Parliaments of England, Wales and Scotland … in 1707.

9) The story of this particular … of the United Kingdom is long and ….

10) The flag of the United Kingdom is made up of three ….

11) The … red cross is the cross of St. George.

12) The white … cross is the cross of St. Andrew.

 

5. Fill in the necessary prepositions.

1) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island is abbreviated ……“UK”.

2) “The British” are people living in any part of the United Kingdom …… general.

3) The parliaments of England, Wales ad Scotland were united …. 1707.

4) The whole …… Ireland was untied ….. Great Britain …… 1922.

5) The United Kingdom is the name to use if you refer …… the country …… a political way.

 

6. Give the English equivalents for the following.

1) образован из ….

2) покровитель Англии…

3) в политическом аспекте…

4) в географическом аспекте…

5) унаследовал корону…

6) ссылаться

 

 

FOCUS ON FUNCTIONS

 

Working with economic information, analyzing trends of economic development economists are often faced with the task of presenting data in the form of tables. They must be skilful in interpreting table data, able to describe it and discuss with colleagues.

To refer to a table the following phrases may be used:

As can be seen from the table, …

According to Table 1, …

As (is) shown in Table 2, …

It can be seen from the table, that …

From Table 3 it may/can be seen that…

concluded

shown

estimated

calculated

inferred

 

1. Using the above phrases, describe the information about Gordon Brown? Former Prime Monister of the UK given in Table 1.

Table 1

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Assumed office27 June 2007
Preceded by	Tony Blair
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office2 May 1997 – 27 June 2007
Born	20 February 1951 Govan, United Kingdom
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Sarah Brown
Children	Jennifer Jane (Deceased) John Macaulay James Fraser
Residence	10 Downing Street (Official) North Queensferry (Private)
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh
Religion	Church of Scotland
Signature

2. Make up a similar table filling it in with data about current Prime Minister or other well-known people of the UK. Get prepared to describe it to the group.

3. Give a brief sketch of the UK’s major political parties making use of the following table.

Table 2

Labour Party
Leader
Founded
Headquarters	39 Victoria Street, London
Ideology	Democratic socialism, Social democracy, Third Way
Official colours	red
Conservative Party
Leader	David Cameron
Founded	Historical 1678, Modern 1912
Headquarters	30 Millbank, London
Ideology	Traditionalist conservatism, British unionism Liberal conservatism Thatcherism Euroscepticism
Official colours	Blue
Liberal Democrats
Leader	Nick Clegg
Founded	3 March 1988
Headquarters	4 Cowley Street, London,
Ideology	Liberalism Social liberalism Social democracy Enviromentalism
Official colours	Gold, Turquoise

4. Say it in English:

4/5, 2/3, 1/2, 3/7 тонны, 1/4 километра, 2/3 процента, 1 ½ часа, 1/2 доллара, 4 ½ евро, 2 ¾ процента, 2 2/3 дюйма, 0.105 метра, 2.18 фута, 17.562 тонны, 5 процентов, 23 процента, 0.36 процента, 2.5 процента, 2,674 миллиона рублей, тысячи людей, сотни автомобилей, 0.97 триллионов долларов, 3/8 процента, ½ процента, 0.5 процента.

5. Table 3 describes the economy of Great Britain in terms of main economic indicators. Look at the information and then get prepared to describe it drawing attention to the most significant items.

Table 3

Economy of the United Kingdom
Currency	Pound sterling (GBP)
Trade organisations	EU, BCN, OECD and WTO
Statistics
GDP	$2,674 billion (2008 est. nom.)
GDP per capita	$43,785 (2008 est. nom.) (20th)
GDP by sector	agriculture (1%), industry (23%), services (76%) (2008 est.)
Inflation (CPI)	1.8% (July 2009)
Population below poverty line	14% with household income below 60% of UK median income (2006 est.)
Labour force	31 million (includes unemployed) (2007 est.)
Labour force by occupation	Services (81%), industry (18%) and agriculture (1%) (excludes unemployed) (2007)
Unemployment	7.5%
Main industries	machine tools, industrial equipment, scientific equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronic machinery, computers, processed metals, chemical products, coal mining, oil production, paper, food processing, textiles, clothing and other consumer goods.
External
Exports	$442.2 billion (2007 est.)
Main export partners	USA 15%, Germany 11%, France 10%, Ireland 7%, Netherlands 6%, Belgium 6%, Spain 5%, Italy 4% (2007)
Imports	$621.4 billion (2007 est.)
Main import partners	Germany 14.2%, US 8.6%, China 7.3%, Netherlands 7.3%, France 6.9%, Belgium 4.7%, Norway 4.7%, Italy 4.2% (2007)
Public finances
Public debt	$864 billion (2007)
Revenues	$0.97 trillion (2007)
Expenses	$1.04 trillion (2007)
Economic aid	$8 billion (donor)
Main data source: CIA World Fact Book All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars

 

6. Draw up a similar table for your own country. Get prepared to describe it to the group.

 

SPEAKING

1.Read the following quotations about the economy and explain in your own words what you think the authors meant. Say whether you agree or disagree with them and give your arguments.

1) In the new economy, information, education, and motivation are everything (Bill Clinton).

2) If we only have great companies, we will merely have a prosperous society, not a great one. Economic growth and power are the means, not the definition, of a great nation (Jim Collins).

3) Education is both a tool of social justice as well as a fundamental driver of economic development (Kevin Rud).

4) Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidise it (Ronald Reagan).

5) In the end it may well be that Britain will be honoured by historians more for the way she disposed of an empire than for the way in which she acquired it (Lord Harlech).

WRITING

Write an essay of at least 500 words making a forecast of the nearest economic trends in the UK.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

Text 1

The economic geography of the UK reflects not only its current position in the global economy, but its long history both as a trading nation and an imperial power.

The UK led the industrial revolution and its highly urban character is a legacy of this, with all its major cities being current or former centers of all forms of manufacturing. However, this in turn was built on its exploitation of natural resources, especially coal and iron ore.

The UK's primary industry was once dominated by the coal industry, heavily concentrated in the north, the Midlands and south Wales. This is all but gone and the major primary industry is North Sea oil. Its activity is concentrated on the UK Continental Shelf to the north-east of Scotland.

The UK's heavy manufacturing drove the industrial revolution. A map of the major UK cities gives a good picture of where this activity occurred, in particular Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham.

Today there is no heavy manufacturing industry in which UK-based firms can be considered world leaders. However, the Midlands in particular remains a strong manufacturing centre.

More recently, high technology firms have concentrated largely along the M4 motorway, partly because of access to Heathrow Airport, but also because of agglomeration economies.

Finance and services. Once, every large city had a stock exchange. Now, the UK financial industry is concentrated overwhelmingly in the City of London and Canary Wharf, with back office and administrative operations often dispersed around the south of England. London is one of the world's greatest financial centers and is usually referred to as a world city.

Regional disparity. The combined effect of changing economic fortune has created the so-called North-South divide, in which decaying industrial areas of the north of England contrast with the wealthy, finance and technology led southern economy. This has led successive governments to develop regional policy to try to rectify the imbalance.

 

Text 2

James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party. Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007, after the resignation of Tony Blair and three days after becoming leader of the governing Labour Party. Immediately before this he had served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour government from 1997 to 2007 under Tony Blair.

Brown has a PhD in history from the University of Edinburgh and spent his early career working as a television journalist. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1983. As Prime Minister, he also holds the offices of First Lord of the Treasury and the Minister for the Civil Service.

Brown's time as Chancellor was marked by major reform of Britain's monetary and fiscal policy architecture, transferring interest rate setting powers to the Bank of England, by a wide extension of the powers of the Treasury to cover much domestic policy and by transferring responsibility for banking supervision to the Financial Services Authority. Controversial moves included the abolition of Advance Corporation Tax (ACT) relief in his first budget, and the removal in his final budget of the 10 per cent "starting rate" of personal income tax which he had introduced in 1999.

After an initial rise in opinion polls, Brown's time as Prime Minister has seen his approval ratings fall and the Labour Party suffer its worst local election results in 40 years. Despite public and parliamentary pressure on his leadership, he remains leader of the Labour Party.

 

 

Text 3

Text 5

CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT, LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION (UK)

"The manager who knows only his or her own country is doomed to become obsolete. Most organizations can no longer afford to employ culturally myopic managers."

Philip R. Harris & Robert Moran, Managing Cultural Differences

 

In the global marketplace, knowledge and skills not only mean power, it can also mean survival. Understanding the need for cultural awareness and sensitivity is just the ante to get into the game of global business. How well you play depends upon your level of cultural savvy. It is estimated that more than half of all international joint ventures fail within two or three years. The reason most often given is cultural myopia and lack of cultural competency – not the lack of technical or professional expertise. What is effective in one culture may be ineffective, or even inappropriate, in other cultures. In today’s global marketplace, being culturally savvy is no longer just “nice to have” but a key ingredient in building and maintaining a competitive global advantage. The “one size fits all approach” is not effective.

References

O’Driscoll, J. Britain [The country and its people]. – Oxford, 1995. – 224 p.

Bromhead, P. Life in modern Britain. – Harlow: Longman, 1991. – 580 p.

McDowall, D. An illustrated history of Britain. – Longman, 1994. – 188 p.

Сатинова, В.Ф. Британия и британцы / В.Ф. Сатинова. – Мн.: Выш. шк., 2004. – 334 с.

Барановский, Л.С., Козикис, Д.Д. Страноведение. Великобритания: Учеб. gособие. – Мн.: Выш. шк., 1990. – 343 с.

Tenson, I.A., Voitova, G.A. Habits and Ways in Great Britain and the United States. – М.: Международные отношения, 1978. – 216.

www.projectbritain.com

www.parliament.uk

www. wikipedia.com

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ БЕЛАРУСЬ

УО «Белорусский государственный экономический университет»

О.В. ИВАНОВА, Н.Н. ЧЕРНИК

 

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИЯ

БРИТАНСКАЯ ЭКОНОМИКА

GREAT BRITAIN

BRITISH ECONOMY

Электронное учебно-методическое пособие

по дисциплине «Иностранный язык (английский)»

 

Минск 2010

Рецензенты: зав. кафедрой теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ, канд. филол. наук, доцент Т.Ф. Солонович.

 

Рекомендовано кафедрой теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ

 

Иванова О.В., Черник Н.Н.

Великобритания. Британская экономика = Great Britian. British Economy: Электронное учебно-методическое пособие / О.В. Иванова, Н.Н. Черник – Минск: БГЭУ, 2010. – 35 с. (1,8 усл. печ. л.)

 

Учебно-методическое пособие содержит тексты для изучающего и ознакомительного чтения, лексический материал, комплекс упражнений и заданий для формирования англоязычных коммуникативных навыков студентов в рамках темы «Великобритания» по дисциплине «Иностранный язык (английский)». Предназначено для студентов БГЭУ дневной формы обучения.

GREAT BRITAIN

GETTING STARTED

1. Read the following quotations about the British. What national traits are brought to light by the authors? Comment on each quotation giving facts about the country and its citizens to support the author’s view.

1) Throughout the whole of England the drinking of tea is general. You have it twice a day and though the expense is considerable, the humblest peasant has his tea, just like the rich man (Francois de La Rochefoucauld).

2) I'm leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it's not raining (Groucho Marx).

3) When it's three o'clock in New York, it's still 1938 in London (Bette Midler).

4) The French and the British are such good enemies that they can't resist being friends (Peter Ustinov).

5) The English country gentleman galloping after a fox – the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable (Oscar Wilde).

6) An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one (George Mikes).

7) On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners (George Mikes).

8) The English know how to make the best of things. Their so-called muddling through is simply skill at dealing with the inevitable (Winston Churchill).

2. Answer the questions:

1) What do you imagine when you think of Britain and its people?

2) What places in Britain would you like to visit? Give your reasons. How can you explore these areas and broaden your knowledge of Britain?

3) Name any place in Great Britain that is internationally known. What is it noted for?

 

USEFUL VOCABULARY

Make sure you know the following words and word combinations:

authority n – власть, полномочия, права, компетенция (legislative authority – законодательный орган, ultimate authority – последняя инстанция)

bank branch – филиал банка

bond n – облигация

commodity n – предмет потребления, товар

commodity exchange – товарная биржа

competitive advantage – конкурентное преимущество

constituency, n – избиратели, электорат, избирательный округ

consumption, n – потребление

contractor, n – подрядчик, подрядная организация

cooperate, v – сотрудничать, вступать в партнёрские отношения, взаимодействовать

deposit, n, v – залежи; депозит, депозитный вклад; вкладывать, размещать

estimate, v – оценивать, устанавливать цену, стоимость; приблизительно подсчитывать

expenses, n – расходы, издержки

external market – внешний рынок. Syn: foreign market, overseas market

extract, produce, v – добывать

futures, n – фьючерс, срочный контракт, срочная сделка, финансовые инструменты, купленные/проданные на срок

government-sponsored, adj – поддерживаемый или финансируемый правительством

head office – головной офис; правление (корпорации, компании)

headquarters, n – управление, административное подразделение компании

insurance, n – страхование

internal market – внутренний рынок. Syn: domestic market, home market

international treaty – международный договор

labour force – рабочая сила, трудовые ресурсы

launch, v – начинать (to launch a campaign – развернуть кампанию), выпускать на рынок (товар)

margin, n – разница; преимущество (by a slim / narrow margin – с небольшим преимуществом,

by a considerable margin – со значительным отрывом)

national output – общий объем продукции, произведенной в данной стране, совокупный продукт

oversea(s) trade – внешняя торговля. Syn: foreign trade

per capita – на человека, на душу населения

percentage, n – процент; процентное отношение; доля прибыли; выгода (There's no percentage in it. – Это невыгодно / не даёт никаких преимуществ.)

privately owned – находящийся в частной собственности

public debt – государственный долг

public finance – государственные финансы, государственный бюджет

revenue, n – доход; выручка

rival, n – соперник, конкурент. Syn: competitor

share, n – доля, часть, акция

stock exchange – фондовая биржа

subsidize, v – субсидировать, финансировать, дотировать, ассигновать

supply, n – снабжение, поставка (water supply – водоснабжение, power supply – электроснабжение, энергоснабжение)

taxation, n – налогообложение; взимание налога (double taxation – двойное обложение)

tackle, v – пытаться найти решение (каких-л. вопросов)

READING

Text 1

 

1.Read the text and get prepared to explain whether Great Britain has a favorable geographical position and is rich in natural resources.

Geographical Position and Natural Resources

 

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It comprises the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and the northeastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland (Northern Ireland), together with many smaller islands. The UK comes within 35 km of the northwest coast of France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. Northern Ireland shares a 360 km international land boundary with the Republic of Ireland. The Channel Tunnel ("Chunnel") bored beneath the English Channel, now links the UK with France.

The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 245,000 square kilometers. England is the largest country of the United Kingdom, at 130,410 square kilometers accounting for just over half the total area of the UK. Scotland at 78,772 square kilometers is second largest, accounting for about a third of the area of the UK. Wales and Northern Ireland are much smaller, covering 20,758 square kilometers and 14,160 square kilometers respectively.

The UK has a variety of natural resources including coal, petroleum, natural gas, limestone, chalk, gypsum, silica, rock salt, china clay, iron ore, tin, silver, gold, lead.

Its coal, natural gas, and oil reserves are large; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation.

The UK has a small coal reserve along with significant, yet continuously declining natural gas and oil reserves. Over 400 million tonnes of proven coal reserves have been identified in the UK. In 2004, total UK coal consumption (including imports) was 61 million tonnes, allowing the UK to be self-sufficient in coal for just over 6.5 years, although at present extraction rates it would take 20 years to mine. An alternative to coal-fired electricity generation is underground coal gasification (UCG). North Sea oil and gas have supplied much of the UK's energy needs in recent decades.

Due to the island location of the UK, the country has great potential for generating electricity from wave power and tidal power, although these have not yet been exploited on a commercial basis. Great Britain is expected to launch the building of new nuclear reactors to replace existing generators and to boost UK's energy reserves.

 

2. Explain whether the following statements are true or false:

1) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign naval power situated on the north-west coast of continental Europe.

2) The English Channel and the Channel Tunnel separate Great Britain from France.

3) England is the largest country of the United Kingdom accounting for over a half of its total territory.

4) Great Britain is rich in natural resources as it possesses a wide variety and large reserves of minerals and fossil fuels.

5) The UK has great potential in developing the alternative energy sector.

 

3. Answer the questions to the text:

1) What are the advantages of Great Britain’s insular position?

2) Describe the main features of the physical geography of the British Isles.

3) What non-metallic minerals are produced in Britain?

4) Give an account of the coal production and consumption in Britain.

5) What measures are taken by the government of Great Britain to tackle the energy problem?

 

Text 2

1. Read the text and pay attention to the main peculiarities of the political system in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.