- •Английский язык
- •Содержание
- •Введение
- •I. Warm -up activities
- •1.1. Pronounce the words properly and state the part of speech:
- •1.2. Match the columns:
- •1.3 Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Fill in the gaps:
- •4.2. Put the verb into the correct tense-form:
- •4.3. Choose the appropriate verb:
- •4.4. Choose the appropriate pronoun:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Complete the short dialogues:
- •1.3. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the questions:
- •3.2. Find:
- •3.3. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Translate the sentences. Pay attention to the verbs in the Simple Active. Give the negative and question forms:
- •4.2. Put the verb in brackets into the Present, Past Simple or Future Simple Active. Make up all types of questions to the sentences if possible:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Complete the short dialogues:
- •5.2. Make up your own dialogues using the models from the task 4.1. These phrases and words may be helpful for you:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Match the type of a house with its definition.
- •3.3. Complete each sentence (a—h) with one of the endings (1—8):
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.2. Make up the different types of questions to the sentences:
- •4.3. Ask several questions to the text paying attention to «there is, there are».
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Explain your point of view.
- •5.2.* Read the quotations below. Choose any quotation and comment on it:
- •5.3. Comment on the proverbs.
- •5.4. Tell about the dwelling of your dream using all information you have got. You may use these phrases:
- •1. Read several interesting facts about houses. Transalte into Russian.
- •2. Translate into Russian:
- •3. Read and translate. State the suffixes:
- •1.2. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension checking
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •3.3. Complete the sentences. Use:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Translate the sentences with the Simple Passive. Give the negative and question forms:
- •4.2.*Put the sentences into the Passive:
- •4.3. Correct the mistakes using Present, Past or Future Simple Passive:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Read the short dialogues and try to dramatize them:
- •2. Name in English:
- •Module Control 1
- •Variant 1
- •1. State the part of speech:
- •2. Choose the English equivalent for the pronoun in brackets:
- •3. Choose the appropriate verb:
- •4. Put the verb in the brackets into the Present, Past or Future Simple Active:
- •5. Correct mistakes using Present, Past or Future Simple Passive:
- •6. Make up questions to the following sentences:
- •Variant 2
- •2. Choose the English equivalent for the pronoun in brackets:
- •3. Choose the appropriate verb:
- •4. Put the verb in the brackets into the Present, Past or Future Simple Active:
- •5. Correct mistakes using Present, Past or Future Simple Passive:
- •6. Make up questions to the following sentences:
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Find the appropriate equivalent:
- •2. Complete the gaps with the words and phrases below:
- •3. Match the words with their definitions:
- •1. Answer the questions:
- •2. Decide whether these statements are true or false :
- •1. Make up sentences paying attention to Simple and Continuous Tenses. Translate the sentences:
- •2. Complete the sentences with Simple or Continuous Active:
- •3. Сhange the Simple Tenses to the Continuous ones adding necessary adverbs or time attributives:
- •4. Make up the general and special questions to these sentences. Give the negative forms:
- •5. Put the verb in the brackets into the necessary tense form:
- •6. Put the verb to take part into the correct tense-form. Pay attention to the words given in the brackets:
- •7. Make up the degrees of comparison:
- •8. Match the columns:
- •V. Speaking Workshop
- •1. Complete the short dialogues:
- •2. Read and dramatize the dialogue:
- •3. Make up your own dialogues using the models from the tasks 4.1 and 4.2.
- •4. Comment on the following sayings.
- •5*. Work in groups. Discuss1 the studying at your University using all information you have got. Touch upon such issues:
- •1. Discussion is from the Latin word that means exchange of opinions.
- •2. Here you can see some discussion phrases. They may help you:
- •2. Do the tasks given to this text.
- •1. Make up sentences from these words:
- •2. Complete the sentences:
- •3. Translate into English. Determine the tenses and the voices of the verbs:
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Find the appropriate equivalent:
- •2. Match the words with their definitions:
- •2. Complete the sentences with the words and phrases below:
- •1. Answer the questions:
- •2. Match the sentence halves:
- •3. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •1. Translate the sentences paying attention to the different forms of Passive. Make up negative and question forms if it is possible:
- •2. Make up all possible questions to these sentences. Give the negative form:
- •4.3. Write the Passive Progressive of these sentences. Use words now, from … till, the whole month/morning etc:
- •4. Change the active sentences to the passive ones:
- •1. Read the following quotes from different articles about the problems of the higher education in Russia. Formulate the main idea of each statement. Do you agree with these opinions?
- •2.* Work in groups. Study the advantages and disadvantages of the higher education in Russia given in the schedule below. Use the tips and phrases given in the Unit 4.
- •3. *Discuss these topics using all information you have got:
- •2. Do the tasks given to this text.
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Find the appropriate equivalent:
- •2. Match the words and phrases with their definitions:
- •3. Complete the gaps with the words and phrases below:
- •1. Answer the following questions:
- •Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not stated:
- •1. Give the correct translation of «it» .
- •2. Give the correct translation of «one»:
- •3. Give the correct translation of «that»:
- •Read the conversations and answer the questions below. Make up your own conversations using these models:
- •Taking Classes
- •2. Changing the Major
- •3. Match the words and phrases with their definitions:
- •2. Complete the gaps with the words and phrases below:
- •1. Answer the following questions:
- •2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •1. Choose the correct translation of «it» from the list below:
- •Choose the correct translation of «one» from the list below:
- •Choose the correct translation of «that (those)» from the list below:
- •V. Speaking Workshop
- •1. Read the conversations and answer the questions below. Make up your own conversations using these models.
- •The Student Service Center
- •Requirements for the Course
- •Module control 2
- •Variant 1
- •Choose the appropriate translation of «it» from the list below:
- •Choose the appropriate translation of «one» from the list below:
- •Choose the appropriate translation of «that (those)» from the list below:
- •Variant 2
- •1.Complete the gaps with the words below:
- •2. Fill in the gaps:
- •3. Choose the appropriate translation of «it» from the list below:
- •4. Choose the appropriate translation of «one» from the list below:
- •5. Choose the appropriate translation of «that (those)» from the list below:
- •Discuss the following with your partner:
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Find the appropriate equivalent:
- •2. Match the words with their definitions:
- •3. Complete the gaps with the words and phrases below:
- •1. Answer the following questions:
- •2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •1. Translate the sentences with Present, Past Perfect and Future Perfect Active. Give the negative and question forms:
- •2. Choose the necessary form of the verb (Present Perfect or Past Simple):
- •3. Correct the mistakes paying attention to the Perfect Tenses:
- •4. Put the verbs in brackets in the right forms of the Perfect Active:
- •1. Complete the following sentences and put them in order of importance:
- •I would be happy in a job where I could...
- •It is not important for me if I couldn’t …. In my future profession
- •3. Read and dramatize the dialogues with your partners. Make up your own dialogues on these models:
- •5.4*. Role-play the following situations:
- •1. Listen to the text Careers Search on http://www.Esl-lab.Com
- •2. Do the tasks given to this text.
- •1. Do you know? Translate the text into Russian:
- •2. Translate the following sentences into Russian:
- •3. Fill in the blanks with the words: career, job, work, profession, trade, vocation:
- •4. Say if these are professions or trades:
- •5. Which qualities best describe people who want to succeed in work or study?
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Find the appropriate equivalent:
- •2. Match the words and their definitions:
- •3. Complete the sentence with the words and phrases below:
- •1. Answer the questions:
- •2. Say what is true and what is false. Correct the false statements:
- •1. Compare the translation of the sentences. Pay attention to the different forms of the Passive Voice:
- •Complete the sentence with correct option paying attention to Active and Passive Voice:
- •3. Analyze the use of modal verbs and their equivalents. Translate the following sentences:
- •4. Substitute the modal verbs for the possible equivalents:
- •5. Insert the necessary modal verb or its equivalent:
- •1. Answer the following questions:
- •2. Speak about Karl Benz using his profile:
- •2. Change the active sentences to the passive ones:
- •3. Give the negative and question form of the following sentences:
- •4. Insert the modal verbs may or can:
- •3. Match the words and their definitions:
- •Complete the sentences with the words and phrases below:
- •1. Answer the questions:
- •2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •3. Make up a sentence of two parts:
- •1. Compare the translation of the sentences. Pay attention to the different forms of the Passive Voice:
- •2.Choose the right option paying attention to Active and Passive Voice:
- •3. Analyze the use of modal verbs and their equivalents. Translate the following sentences:
- •4. Substitute the modal verbs for the possible equivalents:
- •5. Insert the necessary modal verb or its equivalent:
- •2. Change the active sentences to the passive ones:
- •3. Give the negative and question form of the following sentences:
- •4. Insert the modal verbs may or can:
- •Module control 3
- •Variant 1
- •1. Find the odd word:
- •2. Correct mistakes paying attention to the Present Perfect and Past Simple Tenses:
- •3. Choose the right variant paying attention to the Active Voice:
- •5. Choose the necessary modal verb or its equivalent:
- •6. Choose the right verb:
- •Variant 2
- •1. Find the odd word:
- •2. Correct mistakes paying attention to the Present Perfect and Past Simple Tenses:
- •3. Choose the right variant paying attention to the Active Voice:
- •4. Choose the right variant paying attention to the Active and Passive Voice:
- •5. Choose the necessary modal verb or its equivalent:
- •6. Choose the right verb:
- •I. I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1.Read the words properly and state the part of speech:
- •1.2. Remind some proper and geographical names. Translate them:
- •1.3. Match the columns:
- •1.4. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •3.3. Choose the right variant (use the information taken from the texts 1 and 2):
- •3.4. Arrange the sentences according to the order in the text English as a World Language, Part II:
- •3.5. Make up adjectives:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the verbs
- •4.2. Translate the following word combinations in different forms of Participle:
- •4.3. Make up sentences matching the suggested parts. Pay attention to the participles:
- •4.4. Put the word in brackets into the appropriate form of participle. State the function of the participle:
- •4.5. Complete the sentences:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1*. Read and translate the following statements and jokes about English. Whose opinion do you appreciate best? Why?
- •5.3. Topics to discuss
- •Most widely spoken language by number of native speakers
- •I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1. Read the following words properly:
- •1.2. Pronounce the words properly and state the part of speech:
- •1.3. Translate the words and words combinations given in the text in bold.
- •1.4. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Choose the appropriate form of the Participles:
- •4.2. Translate the sentences paying attention to the different forms of Participles. State its function:
- •4.3. Translate into Russian paying attention to the Participle Constructions:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Read and dramatize the dialogues with your partners. Make up your own dialogues on these models:
- •5.2*. Role-play the following situation:
- •2. State the functions of the words with -ed and translate the sentences:
- •3. Translate the dialogue. Make up questions to the dialogue:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available::
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Open the brackets using the appropriate form of the Participle:
- •4.2. Read and translate the sentences paying attention to the Participles Constructions:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Read a well-known English idiom and say:
- •5.2. Read and dramatize the dialogues with your partner. Make up your own dialogues on these models:
- •5.3. Name three places in English speaking countries you would like to live in and say three reasons that make you want to live there.
- •5.4*. Role-play the following situation:
- •2*. Translate into English:
- •3. Write all forms of Participle of the following words and choose suitable nouns:
- •Module control 4
- •Variant 1
- •State the function of the verb «be»:
- •2. State the function of the verb «have»:
- •3. Choose the appropriate form of Participle:
- •4. Choose the appropriate translation of the words in italics:
- •State the function of the Participle:
- •Find 3 sentences with the absolute participial construction and translate them into Russian:
- •Module control 4
- •Variant 2
- •State the function of the verb «be»:
- •2. State the function of the verb «have»:
- •3. Choose the appropriate form of Participle:
- •4. Choose the appropriate translation of the words in italics:
- •5. State the function of the Participle:
- •6. Find 2 sentences with the absolute participial construction and translate them into Russian:
- •I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1. Read the words properly and state the part of speech:
- •1.2. Find the Russian equivalents for the following:
- •1.3. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •3.3. Arrange the sentences according to the order in the text:
- •3.4. Make up your own sentences (not taken from the text) with the following word-combinations. Pay attention to the usage of the Infinitive:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Put «to» if necessary. Translate the sentences:
- •4.2. Choose the appropriate form of the Infinitive.
- •4.3. State the function of the Infinitive:
- •4.4. Translate the sentences with the Complex Object and Complex Subject into Russian:
- •4.5. Transform these sentences using the Complex Subject with the verb in the appropriate form. Translate them:
- •4.6. Complete the sentences using the Complex Object:
- •4.7. Complete the sentences using the Complex Subject:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.2. A message board on a weather website asked its readers to say their views on global warming and climate change. Here is selection of their messages. Read and dramatize them.
- •5.3. Read the following quotes of different people about the environmental problems. What is their position towards this problem? What opinion do you agree with?
- •Environmental Protection in Great Britain
- •Vocabulary
- •2. Read the text and translate it into Russian. Make up different types of questions to the text. Protection of Environment in the usa
- •Module control 5
- •Variant 1
- •1. Put «to» if necessary
- •2. Choose the appropriate form of the Infinitive:
- •3. Choose the English equivalent:
- •4. Find the sentences with Complex Object (5) and translate them into Russian:
- •5. Choose the right translation of the Infinitive:
- •6. State the function of the Infinitive:
- •Variant 2
- •1. Put «to» if necessary:
- •2. Choose the appropriate form of the Infinitive:
- •3. Choose the English equivalent:
- •4. Find the sentences with Complex Object (5) and translate them into Russian:
- •5. Choose the right translation of the Infinitive:
- •6. State the function of the Infinitive:
- •Module 6 «social-cultural field of communication, part 2» unit 12. Positive and negative aspects of globalization
- •I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1. Read the words properly and state the part of speech:
- •1.2. Match the columns:
- •Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the questions:
- •3.2. Match the parts of the sentences:
- •3.3. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Translate the sentences, state the form and function of the Gerund:
- •4.2. State the part of speech of the word in italics а) participle, b) gerund, с) noun
- •4.3. Choose the appropriate form of the Gerund:
- •4.4. Complete the sentences using the Indefinite Gerund:
- •4.5. Complete the sentences using the Perfect Gerund:
- •4.6. Choose the right preposition:
- •4.7. Translate the sentences paying attention to the forms of the Gerundial Constructions
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Read the following quotes of different people about globalization. What is their position towards the globalization (pro, contra, indifferent, anxious)? What opinion do you agree with?
- •5.3*. Imagine you are the participant of the international forum devoted to the problems people face in the global world. There are the topics to be discussed.
- •Module control 6
- •Variant 1
- •State the part of speech of the word in italics а) participle b) gerund с) noun
- •2. Choose the appropriate form of the Gerund:
- •3. Fill in the gaps:
- •4. Choose the right translation of the Gerund:
- •5. State the function of the Gerund in the sentence:
- •6. Find 2 sentences with the Gerundial Construction and translate them into Russian:
- •Variant 2
- •1. State the part of speech of the word in italics а) participle b) gerund с) noun:
- •2. Choose the appropriate form of the Gerund:
- •3. Fill in the gaps:
- •4. Choose the right translation of the Gerund:
- •5. State the function of the Gerund in the sentence:
- •6. Find 2 sentences with the Gerundial Construction and translate them into Russian:
- •Module 7 «scientific field of communication, part 1»
- •I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1. Make sure you know the words given in the text in italics.
- •1.2. Read and translate the names of the international organizations properly:
- •II. Reading
- •2.1. Fill in the schedule:
- •2.2. Answer the following questions:
- •Read and translate: Top 10 of Intergovernmental and Nongovernmental Organizations
- •1.4. Match the words with their definitions:
- •Secretariat
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •3.3. Match one of the six principal organs of uno with its fun-ction:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. State the principal and secondary parts of the following simple sentences:
- •4.2. Make up a composite sentence from two simple ones using the words in brackets. State the type of the sentence:
- •4.3. Translate the sentences with the Subject Clauses:
- •4.4. Translate the sentences with the Predicative Clauses:
- •1.3. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. After you have read
- •3.1. Answer the questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •3.3. Make up sentences from these words:
- •3.4. Find the synonyms:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus:
- •4.1 Translate the sentences with the Object Clauses:
- •4.2. Translate the sentences with the Attribute Clause:
- •V. Speaking
- •2. Translate the sentences paying attention to the verbs to have, to be:
- •I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1. Read the words properly and state the part of speech:
- •1.2. Match the columns:
- •1.3. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1. Pronounce the words properly:
- •1.2. Match the columns:
- •1.3. Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Translate the sentences into the Russian. State the type of the Clauses:
- •4.2. Read and analyze the sentences with the Object Clause:
- •4.3.* Translate the sentences with the Attribute Clause. Fill in the suitable connecting words:
- •2. Translate the time prepositions in brackets:
- •3. Change the active sentences to the passive ones:
- •4. Translate the sentences with the Absolute Participle Construction from English into Russian:
- •5.Translate the Text Research Institute of Robotics
- •Module control 7
- •Variant 1
- •1. State the composite sentences:
- •Variant 2
- •2. State the type of Clauses:
- •3. Translate the sentences № 2, 3, 5, 7, 8,10 from task 1:
- •4. Fill in the gaps using the appropriate words for the Object Clauses:
- •5. Choose the appropriate word given in italics:
- •6. State the unnecessary word in the sentence:
- •I. Warm-up activities
- •1.1. Pronounce the following words properly and state the part of speech:
- •Find the Russian equivalents
- •1.3.Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension check
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Translate the sentences with the Adverbial Clause and state the its types:
- •4.2. Fill in the suitable connecting words:
- •4.3. Choose the suitable connecting word from the given in brackets:
- •V. Speaking
- •5.1. Translate the following quotes of Marshall McLuhan about it. Comment them. What quotes do you agree with and why?
- •1.3.Match the words with their definitions:
- •II. Reading
- •III. Comprehension Check:
- •3.1. Answer the following questions:
- •3.2. Decide whether these statements are true, false or information is not available:
- •IV. Grammar in Focus
- •4.1. Read and translate the sentences with the Abverbial Clause. State the types of the sentences with the Abverbial Clause:
- •4.2. Read, translate and analyze the sentences with the Clause paying attention to the word that:
- •4.3. Match the two parts of the sentences:
- •2. Put the sentences into the interrogative and negative forms:
- •4. Translate the sentences paying attention to the complex forms of the Gerund and the Gerundial Constructions:
- •Module control 8
- •Variant 1
- •1. State the types of the sentences with the Abverbial Clause:
- •2. Translate № 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 from Task 1:
- •3. Fill in the gaps using words of Adverbial Clauses
- •4. Open the brackets using Conditionals 1, 2, 3:
- •5. Find the odd word:
- •Variant 2
- •State the type of the Abverbial Clause:
- •2. Translate № 2, 3, 5 , 6 ,8 , 9 from Task 1:
- •3. Fill in the gaps using words of Adverbial Clauses:
- •4. Open the brackets using Conditionals 1, 2, 3:
- •5. Find the odd word:
- •Литература
- •Presentation Evaluation
- •Appendix 2 Supplementary reading
- •To be read after Unit 3
- •To be read after Unit 6
- •To be read after Units 7 – 8
- •To be read after Unit 9 The Importance of Learning Foreign Languages
- •1. Артикль (the article)
- •1.1 Неопределенный артикль (The Indefinite Article)
- •1.2 Определенный артикль (The Definite Article)
- •2. Глагол (the verb)
- •2.2 Глагол to have (the verb to have)
- •2.5 Времена неопределенной группы (the indefinite tenses)
- •Английский язык для бакалавров
- •302030, Г. Орел, ул. Московская, 65.
- •Английский язык для бакалавров
V. Speaking
5.1. Read the following quotes of different people about globalization. What is their position towards the globalization (pro, contra, indifferent, anxious)? What opinion do you agree with?
1. «One day there will be no borders, no boundaries, no flags and no countries and the only passport will be the heart» (Carlos Santana, a Mexican and American musician who became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered a fusion of rock and Latin American music).
2. «It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity» (Kofi Annan, the 7th General Secretary of the UNO, 1997 – 2006).
3. «Globalization is a fact of life. But I believe we have underestimated its fragility» (Kofi Annan).
4. «This is a very exciting time in the world of information. It’s not just that the personal computer has come along as a great tool. The whole pace of business is moving faster. Globalization is forcing companies to do things in new ways»
(Bill Gates , the founder of Microsoft)
5. «We are in a struggle against a globalization that has no place for principles, values and standards» (Bill Jordan, Professor of Social Policy at Plymouth University in the South West of England).
6. «We cannot wait for governments to do it all. Globalization operates on Internet time. Governments tend to be slow moving by nature, because they have to build political support for every step» (Kofi Annan).
7. «We must take care that globalization does not become something people become afraid of» (Gerhard Schroeder, a German politician, ex-Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005, member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany).
8. « Globalization has changed us into a company that searches the world, not just to sell or to source, but to find intellectual capital - the world’s best talents and greatest ideas.”
(Jack Welch, a retired American business executive, author, and chemical engineer).
9. «Globalization is seen as another word for Americanization. All the big multinational brands are American» (Christopher Mesnooh, specialist in media & entertainment and technology & telecommunications industries, particularly in the internet, new media, software and e-commerce).
10. «The globalization in its American version is dangerous and absurd. 40 % of total income belongs only to 1000 families. The Mass-Media are also controlled by the certain group of people which supervises the political situation in the world. Slowly the process of taking away the freedom of the human being is taking place. Soon the whole mankind will be involved into the total control system» (Alexey Osipov, Professor of the Moscow Spiritual Seminary and Academy).
5.2*. Read and dramatize the extract from the Interview given by Jerry Mander to the reporter Scott London of HopeDance magazine and formulate the main matters were discussed. What other questions could you ask?
Reference:
Jerry Mander, an American activist and author, is regarded as one of today's most articulate and outspoken critics of technology and economic globalization. His books include Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television, In the Absence of the Sacred, and The Case Against the Global Economy (co-edited with Edward Goldsmith). In this interview, Mander makes a forceful case against economic globalization, arguing that we need to examine the hidden costs of free trade and deregulation and search for more enlightened economic models to guide us into the twenty-first century.
The Perils of Globalization:
An Interview with Jerry Mander
Scott London: The case, as it's usually presented, is that the globalized economy is a good thing that will secure jobs, allow us to remain competitive, and promote democracy abroad. Isn't there some truth to that?
Jerry Mander: The people who are making that case are the people who are promoting globalization – corporations and banks and governments. They are saying that globalization can solve the world's problems, that it's going to give people something to eat and so on. They are redesigning an economy that they say works. But it doesn’t work. We’ve had globalization for quite a while, it’s just being accelerated right now. Wherever the rules of free trade and economic globalization are followed, you have economic and ecological disasters immediately thereafter.
London: Some people feel that now that communism has collapsed, free-market capitalism may be next. After all, the economy can't continue to grow forever – at some point, an exponential curve has to either level off or crash.
Mander: I think that if I say «Yes, we have to rethink capitalism», then it gets reduced to, «Oh, he's anti-capitalist». The global economy is not capitalism. I have a master's degree in economics, and I know this is not capitalism. What we have now is a centrally controlled economy. The only capitalism that takes place is among the people who have no part in the real benefits of the system – you know, the people at the lower rungs have some capitalism going with small stores and so on. But, basically, the great part of the system doesn't function in a capitalist manner. It's not a socialist manner either. It's some kind of hodge-podge of connections that have been put together for greasing the skids of advanced development and growth and corporate benefit.
Free trade? Free market? We don’t have either of those either. We have some kind of combination. What we have is a corporate take-over of the rules and a lot of corporate authority.
London: Corporatism?
Mander: Yes, a corporate economy – an economy that is good for corporations. It’s not capitalism exactly, and it’s not socialism exactly, and it’s not anarchy either. It's a different of system of organization in which corporations exercise the control and reap the benefits.
London: You’ve written that one of the insidious effects of the global economy is the creation of monocultures defined by satellite television and global marketing. What’s wrong with kids in Nepal wearing Reebok shoes and wearing Madonna T-shirts if we here in the States are eating sushi and listening to Brazilian pop music?
Mander: There is nothing really wrong with any of it. That’s not the point. I don’t think that any human being is wrong for wanting something, or even using something. Why shouldn?t a kid wear Nikes? What we have to take a look at is the multiplicity of rearrangements and new rules that creates kids in Nepal dying to get hold of Air Jordan sneakers, and what that expresses in terms of homogenized viewpoints and the loss of cultural diversity and so on. Are we gaining more or losing more? That’s what people really need to focus on, and that's what we need to decide.
London: How do we respond to the forces of globalization?
Mander: Well, if the car is about to go off the cliff, the first thing you do is stop the car. We’re about to go off the cliff and we've got to stop the car. That's number one. Then we have to find a road map – where to go next. A lot of people are already looking for this road map.
The question that is most interesting to me, and the only that seems to make sense is: if globalization doesn’t work, what about localization? I think relocalization is absolutely inevitable. It’s going to happen one way or another because the global economy will break down, even if we don’t organize a mass movement about it. It simply doesn’t work. It can’t sustain itself. It's going to fall apart and disintegrate – I hope sooner rather than later – so a certain degree of relocalization is going to take place automatically. I’m a little worried that it might also entail the growth of fascism here and there, as local powers gain real control. But I don't think that’s an argument against relocalization, just against the wrong kind of localization.
What’s necessary is that real power and real economic control be reduced very far down so that people have real control of their lives, and so that the technologies and forms of organization that they use don't assist the process of globalization.
London: And what about advertising, which has a great deal to do with the global economy? You used to be an advertising executive but made a conscious decision to get out back in the 1960s. Why?
Mander: I began to feel that doing advertising and promoting greater consumption and greater use of resources and more cars (we had a car count at the time) was the problem, not the solution. I was also beginning to relate to the world according to the kinds of movements that were developing at the time. We began to do advertising for the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and some other groups in those days. The ecology movement was growing up and I started to take it seriously. Then I formed the country’s first non-profit advertising company, which was called Public Interest Communications, which no longer exists. But now I work for the Public Media Center, which started up on its own a few years after that. My relationship to this subject is really rooted in what began at that time, because I now see that the consumption orientation is a major part of the problem, and that it’s now being expressed globally to such a degree that it’s become an advertising man’s greatest fantasy.