American economy

Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents before reading the text:

1.to extract (v)	извлекать
2. gross domestic product (n)	валовой внутренний продукт
3. to contribute (v)	делать вклад, способствовать
4. natural resources (n)	природные богатства
5. to involve (v)	включать в себя
6. manufacturing (n)	производство
7. to account (v)	считать
8.primary (a)	первичный

The United States ranks first in the world in the total value of its economic production. The nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) amounts to over $7 trillion. The United States economy is based largely on a free enterprise system. In such a system, individuals and companies are free to make their own economic decisions. Individuals and companies own the raw materials, equipment, factories and other items necessary for production, and they decide how best to use them in order to earn a profit.

The US economy consists of three main sectors: the primary, secondary and tertiary.

Primary economic activities are those directly extracting goods from the natural environment, including agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining. The primary sector contributes about 3 percent of annual GDP.

Agriculture accounts for 2 percent of the US gross domestic product and employs 3 percent of the nation’s workers. Yet, the United States is a world leader in agriculture production. The country’s farms turn out as much food as the nation needs, with enough left over to export food to other countries. About a third of the world’s food exports come from U.S. farms.

Beef cattle rank as the most valuable product of American farms. Other leading farm products include milk, soybeans, chickens and eggs, hogs, wheat, cotton. United States farms also produce large amounts of hay, tobacco, turkeys, oranges, tomatoes and apples.

A variety of natural resources provide the raw materials that support the economy of the United States. The most valuable resources are minerals, soils, water, forests and fish.

The United States has large deposits of coal, iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, which are vital to the country’s industrial strength. Its many other important minerals include copper, gold, phosphates, silver and zinc.

Secondary economic activities involve processing or combining materials into new products, and include manufacturing and construction. They account for 22 percent of the gross domestic product and employ 20 percent of workers. The leading categories of U.S. products are chemicals, transportation equipment, food products, non-electrical machinery, electrical machinery and equipment, printed materials, scientific and medical instruments, fabricated metal products, paper products, rubber and plastic products, and primary goods.

Construction accounts for 4 percent of the US GDP and provides jobs for 4 percent of the work force. This industry employs such workers as architects, engineers, contractors, bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, roofers, ironworkers and plasterers.

The tertiary sector includes the commercial services that help industry produce and distribute goods to the final consumers, as well as activities such as education, health care, leisure, tourism and so on.

Ex.1. Match the English words with the appropriate Russian equivalents:

1. secondary	a) нефть
2. soybeans	b) индейка
3. wheat	c) железная руда
4. iron ore	d) цинк
5. deposit	e) соевые бобы
6. turkey	f) пшеница
7. zinc	g) вторичный
8. petroleum	h) залежь

Ex.2.Give English equivalents from the text:

Валовой внутренний продукт, сырьё, окружающая среда, медь, третичный сектор экономики, строительство, переработка материалов, сантехник, сено, каменщик, химикалии, серебро, природные богатства, продукты питания, лесоводство, хлопок, жизненный, здравоохранение, оборудование, заработать прибыль.

Ex3. Say whether these statements are right or false:

1. The United States ranks second in the world in the total value of its economic production.

2. The United States economy is based largely on a free enterprise system.

3. The US economy consists of three main sectors: the primary, secondary and tertiary.

4. The primary sector contributes about 5 percent of annual GDP.

5. About a third of the world’s food exports come from Russian farms.

6. United States farms also produce large amounts of hay, tobacco, turkeys, oranges, tomatoes and apples.

7. The United States has large deposits of coal, iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, which are vital to the country’s industrial strength.

8. Secondary economic activities involve processing or combining materials into new products, and include manufacturing and construction.

9. Construction accounts for 7 percent of the US GDP and provides jobs for 8 percent of the work force.

10. This industry employs such workers as architects, engineers, contractors, bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, roofers, ironworkers and plasterers.

Ex.4. Answer the questions:

1. What system is the United States economy based on?

2. What is a free enterprise system?

3. What sectors does the U.S. economy consist of?

4. What do primary economic activities include?

5. What do the United States farms produce?

6. Does the country have enough natural resources to support the economy?

7. What do secondary economic activities involve?

8. What does the tertiary sector of economy include?

Ex.5.Complete the sentences:

1. The United States ranks first in the world… .

2. The United States economy is based largely … .

3. In such a system, individuals and companies are free… .

4. The US economy consists of three main sectors:…

5. Primary economic activities are those directly extracting goods from the natural environment, including… .

6. Yet, the United States is a world… .

7. The most valuable resources are… .

8. Secondary economic activities involve… .

9. The leading categories of U.S. products are… .

10. The tertiary sector includes… .

Ex.6.Make up a plan of the text and retell it.

BRITISH ECONOMY

Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents before reading the text:

1.foodstuff (n)	продукт питания
2.consumer goods (n)	потребительские товары
3.abundant (a)	богатый, обильный
4.tin (n)	олово
5.lead (n)	свинец
6.limestone (n)	известняк
7.china clay (n)	глина
8.to raise (v)	выращивать

Great Britain is one of the world’s leading industrialized nations. It has achieved this position despite the lack of most raw materials needed for industry. Great Britain also must import about 40% of its food supplies. Thus the country’s prosperity is heavily dependent upon the export of manufactured goods in exchange for raw materials and foodstuffs.

Some years ago, manufacturing industries accounted for about a quarter of GDP, followed by financial industries, trade, transportation and communications, services, construction, mining and public utilities, and agriculture. Service industries employed about 60% of the workforce, while manufacturing accounted for just over 25%.

Within the manufacturing sector itself, the largest industries include machine tools; electric power, automation, and railroad equipment; ships; motor vehicles and parts; aircraft; electronic and communications equipment; metals; chemicals; petroleum; coal; food processing; paper and printing; textile; and clothing.

The country’s chief exports are manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semi-finished goods and transport equipment. The chief imports are manufactured goods, machinery, semi-finished and consumer goods, and foodstuffs.

Great Britain has abundant supplies of coal, oil and natural gas. Great Britain’s other mineral resources include iron ore, tin, limestone, salt, china clay and lead.

British agriculture is highly mechanized and extremely productive, with some of the highest crop yields of grains, sugar beets, fruits and vegetables. Sheep are Britain’s chief livestock. Farmers in almost every part of the country raise sheep for meat and wool. British farmers also raise beef cattle, dairy cattle and hogs. A little over 2 per cent of Britain’s working population is engaged in agriculture, which is a lower proportion than in any other major industrialized country.

In order to pay for the food and other materials it needs, Britain relies not only on the sales of manufactures. Of great importance is the “invisible export” – the provision of services such as banking, shipping, aviation and tourism. The heart of all these activities is the City of London, although there are other important centers in several large cities, especially in ports. The City contains probably the greatest concentration of financial expertise in the world.

The national economy of Britain is vitally dependent on foreign trade. The main trade partners are other developed countries – Germany, the United States, Japan, France, etc.

Ex.1. Match the English words with the appropriate Russian equivalents:

1. semi-finished goods	зерно, хлебные злаки
2. sugar beets	быть занятым
3. grain	процветание, благосостояние
4. dairy cattle	сахарная свекла
5. to be engaged in	специальные знания
6. prosperity	полуфабрикаты
7. expertise	горная промышленность
8. mining	молочный скот

Ex.2. Give English equivalents from the text:

Ведущее промышленное государство, промышленные товары, сырьё, торговля, горная промышленность, каменный уголь, нефть, железнодорожное оборудование, машинное оборудование, финансовые знания, свинья, урожай зерновых, железная руда, олово, глина, полуфабрикаты, шерсть, зависеть, сельское хозяйство, содержать в себе, коммунальные предприятия, невидимый экспорт, перевозка грузов морем, домашний скот.

Ex3. Say whether these statements are right or false:

1. Great Britain is one of the world’s leading industrialized nations.

2. Great Britain also must import about 60% of its food supplies.

3. The country’s prosperity is not dependent upon the export of manufactured goods in exchange for raw materials and foodstuffs.

4. Some years ago, manufacturing industries accounted for about a quarter of GDP.

5. Service industries employed about 25% of the workforce, while manufacturing accounted for just over 60%.

6. The country’s chief exports are manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semi-finished goods and transport equipment.

7. The chief imports are manufactured goods, machinery, semi-finished and consumer goods, and foodstuffs.

8. A little over 8 per cent of Britain’s working population is engaged in agriculture.

9. Of great importance is the “invisible export” – the provision of services such as banking, shipping, aviation and tourism.

Ex.4. Answer the questions:

1. What is the country's prosperity dependent on?

2. What do the largest industries include?

3. What are the country’s chief exports?

4. What are the chief imports?

5. What can you say about mineral resources in Great Britain?

6. What do British farmers raise?

7. What is “invisible export”?

8. What are the main trade partners of Great Britain?

Ex.5.Complete the sentences:

1. Great Britain is one of the world’s …

2. Great Britain also must import …

3. Within the manufacturing sector itself, the largest industries include …

4. The country’s chief exports are …

5. The chief imports are …

6. Great Britain has abundant supplies …

7. British farmers raise …

8. Of great importance is the “invisible export” – the provision of services …

9. The main trade partners are …

Ex.6.Make up a plan of the text and retell it.