Vocabulary

Exercise 9. Study the report on the problems of corruption again (Exercise 7) and match the words and phrases with their definitions:

1. a smoke screen	to steal something and escape
2. by contrast	artificial fog helping to hide something
3. to get away with something	vice versa
4. an elevated position	not paying taxes probably by means of some cunning schemes
5. to be harsh on somebody	sign of regret
6. a tax dodging	high status
7. a sign of contrition	to be strict to somebody

Exercise 10. Study the report on the problem of corruption again (Exercise 7) and find the adequate English equivalents of the following words:

1) поразительный, 2) соответственно, 3) проступок (нарушение), 4) злоупотреблять, 5) изобретать (придумывать), 6) мягкий (снисходительный), 7) применять к чему-либо, 8) перевернутый (обратный), 9) слабак, 10) иметь право, быть уполномоченным, 11) лицемерие, 12) нарушать налоговое законадательство.

Exercise 11. Discuss the difference between the following words, think of possible collocations: to warrant, to justify.

Listening

Exercise 12. Pre-listening discussion: What corporate crimes do you know? What are the reasons for these crimes?

Exercise 13. Listen to the report “Corporate crime is on the rise” and give your answers to the following questions (“The Economist” November 21^st 2009):

1. Why is this report most thorough and most worrying at the same time?

2. What are the three most common forms of corporate crime?

3. What does the rise of fraud stem from? What can be done to stamp it out?

4. What kind of doubts does the survey raise?

Exercise 14. Listen to the report again and number the statements below in the order they appear in the report.

• A growing number of executives, it seems, are discovering that the only way that they can hit their performance tar­gets is to break the law.

• The recession has taken its toll on morals as well as profits.

• Companies have been reducing the number of people employed to monitor workers at a time when employees are more tempted to break the rules because their living stan­dards are eroding and their jobs are looking shakier.

• The incidence was particularly high in devel­oping countries, notably Russia.

• PWC argues that senior managers should play a more active role in combating the problem.

Exercise 15. Study the script (p.122) and find the English equivalents for the following phrases: 1) нарушать закон, 2) сделать свое дело (нанести урон), 3) испытывать искушение, 4) развивающиеся страны, 5) бороться с проблемой, 6) черная бухгалтерия, 7) руководитель среднего звена, 8) стимул, 9) резкое повышение, 10) печальные последствия.

Exercise 16. Translate the following sentences into English using the target vocabulary (Exercises 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15):

1. Адвокат был строг с посетителем, он выслушал его историю, осудил его сомнительную, с точки зрения нравственности, деятельность и посоветовал избегать связей на стороне.

2. Новый член нашего клуба оказался слабаком и заслуживает только презрения.

3. Результаты расследования были поразительными – более 30% сотрудников фирмы регулярно завышали свои командировочные расходы.

4. Моральная неустойчивость является причиной большинства проступков и злоупотребления своим высоким положением.

5. Допустимо ли нарушать закон в борьбе с этой проблемой?

Exercise 17. Paraphrase the following sentences using the target vocabulary (Exercises 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15):

1. Was it typical of you to find excuses for your ex-wife when she was late for work?

2. He was carried away with the idea of a possible enormous income and his own profit that he can get concluding this contract.

3. We did not see any signs of regret on his face for not paying taxes.

Speaking

Exercise 18. Work in groups of three. Make a list of famous high-power personalities suspected in or officially found guilty of breaking laws and corruption. Make use of your target vocabulary (Exercises 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15). Share your opinions with other students.

Exercise 19. Free discussion.

a) Answer the following questions. Give your opinion and justify it.

1) What is corruption?

2) Do you agree that the level of corruption depends on the political system of the country?

3) Which countries are the most corrupt to your mind?

4) What are the common characteristics of countries with high corruption in your opinion?

5) What is the magnitude of corruption?

6) Do higher wages for bureaucrats reduce corruption?

7) Can competition reduce corruption?

8) Is it possible to eliminate corruption completely in a human society?

b) Write down a short summary based on the results of the discussion.

Exercise 20. Role play “At the Anti-Corruption Conference”.

Turn to page 104 to choose your role and get ready to present it.