Text c: the good (and bad) model guide
Before reading
If we classify economic models basing on countries’ geographical location, do you think the countries within one group - American, Asian and European economic models – have the same features? How can you briefly characterize them?
Reading
Read an article from The Economist and do the tasks following the text.
A SUMMARY of economic models' best and worst features:
(1) The American model. Good points: flexible labour and product markets; low taxes; fierce competition; and shareholder capitalism, which puts pressure on managers to maximise profits. Bad points: wide income inequalities; low welfare benefits; poor quality of “public goods”, such as primary and secondary education; low investment and very low savings rates.
(2) The Japanese model. Good points: lifetime employment encouraged loyalty and high skill levels; public services, especially education, of high quality; close relations between banks and other firms; corporate cross-shareholdings shelter managers from impatient shareholders, allowing them to take a long-term view of investment. This, it was once argued, gave Japan an advantage over American capitalism, obsessed with short-term profit. Bad points: these “virtues” are now seen as vices at the root of the country's problems: firms sheltered from the full force of the market feel little pressure to use capital efficiently.
(3) The East Asian model. The region has long been an intellectual battleground for economists. Some saw East Asia's rapid growth as proof of the virtues of market-friendly policies—low taxation, flexible labour markets and open trade. Others argued that South Korea's industrial policy was evidence of the possible gains from selective government intervention. The truth is that there is no single “East Asian model”: economic policies vary hugely from relatively liberal Hong Kong to heavy-handed South Korea; from widespread government corruption in Indonesia to squeaky-clean Singapore. What the East Asian countries shared was an openness to trade and higher savings than in other emerging economies.
(4) The German social-market model. Good points: excellent education and training; a generous welfare state and narrow wage dispersion breed social harmony; close relations between firms and banks assist high investment. Bad points: overly powerful trade unions, high taxes, overgenerous jobless benefits and widespread labour and product market restrictions have led to persistently high unemployment.
(5) The Swedish model. Once advertised as a “third way” between capitalism and socialism. Good points: relatively open markets combined with a comprehensive welfare state, narrow wage dispersion and employment schemes that pushed the jobless back into work. Bad points: rising inflation and recession increased the budget deficit, and as unemployment rose, costly job schemes were no longer affordable; high personal taxes blunted incentives to work.
(6) The New Zealand model. Radical reforms in the 1980s transformed the rich world's most regulated and closed economy into one of the most free-market, with the lowest tax rates, lowest trade barriers and widespread privatisation. Bad point: a big increase in inequality.
(7) The Dutch model: Once an extreme example of Eurosclerosis, some now see the Netherlands as a model for the rest of Europe. Workers have accepted smaller pay rises in return for more jobs; rules on part-time and temporary jobs have been relaxed; and social-security taxes have been trimmed. The result has been a dramatic fall in unemployment—to 3.6%, compared with an average in the euro-11 area of 10.6%. The Dutch model appears to offer a way to cut unemployment without big cuts in the welfare state or wide pay differentials. However, the headline jobless rate paints too rosy a picture: one-third of workers are part-time, the highest proportion in the rich world, and an unusually large number of people receive disability or sickness benefits and so are excluded from the jobless count.
Task 1.Compare European models − German, Swedish and Dutch: what they have in common and in what they are different.
Task 2.Compare European economic models with American, Asian (Japanese and East Asian) and New Zealand. Say which of the models you consider the most effective.
Task 3.If somebody is obsessed with an idea (para.2), is he
a) disagreeing strongly with it;
b) refusing to support it;
c) having the mind excessively preoccupied with this idea.
Task 4.How do you understand the term “emerging economies” (para.3)? Give other examples of emerging economies.
Task 5.Choose the best synonym for the verb “to trim (taxes)” (para.7):
a) to enlarge;
b) to reduce;
c) to keep stable.
Business communication
FINDING THE WAY. GIVING DIRECTIONS
A Describing location
Ex.1. Answer the questions.
How do you get to the university? (by bus, car, train, bike, on foot)
How far is the university from your home?
How long does it take you to get to the university?
Can you describe where your university is situated and how to get there?
Ex.2. Look at the plan. Is the information true or false?
* you are here
The jewelry store is behind the Italian restaurant.
The bar is on Second Avenue.
The police station is on the left of the fire department.
The toy store is across from the Chinese restaurant.
The movie theater is opposite the book store.
The sporting goods store is behind the furniture store.
The bar is next to the Chinese restaurant.
The women’s wear store is between the Italian restaurant and the sporting goods store.
The men’s wear store is on/at the corner of Pine Street.
Ex.2. Fill in the missing preposition.
The women’s wear store is _____ the jewelry store.
The movie theatre is _____ the book store.
The women’s wear store is _____ the jewelry store and the bar.
The toy store is _____ of Main Street and Forest Street.
The jewelry store is _____ the Italian restaurant.
Ex.3. Study the language of describing position below and use the information to answer these questions.
Where is the office? Is it in building A, B, or C? Describe the position of the other two.
- The office is near the station. (It’s only two minutes on foot.)
- It's in / on Liberty Avenue, on/at the corner, on the left.
- It's next to the post office. (They are side by side.)
- And it's opposite / across from the bank. (On the other side of the road.)
Ex.4. You are in the University. If someone gives you some instructions, where would you arrive? 1. Go straight on, take the second turning on your left. Pass the pub. It’s opposite the stadium.
2. Go straight on, turn right on Cliff Street. Go up Oxford Street. Turn left. It is between the station and the pub.
3. Go ahead. Turn the second turning on your right. Pass the bank and the chemist. It’s at the corner of Oak Street and Oxford Street.
4. Go ahead. Turn right. Go along Cliff Street. Turn right again. It is on your right next to the baker.
5. Go along Pine Street. Cross Cliff Street. It is between the hospital and the bank.
B. Giving directions.
Memorise the language of giving directions:
- come out of the General Post Office on Eighth Avenue,
- turn left into / onto Eighth Avenue,
- go along /up / down Eighth Avenue,
- take the first right onto West 33rd Street.
- walk past Madison Square Garden and Penn Station,
- go across Seventh Avenue, Avenue of the Americas, and Broadway,
- go into the last building on the left,
- take the lift (AmE elevator) to the 102nd floor.
Ex.5. Read the following conversations with visitors to the town.
Conversation 1
A: Excuse me, how do I get to the shopping centre?
B: Go along Princes Street, turn first left at the crossroads, then turn second right. The shopping centre is about 50 metres along that road, in the pedestrian area.
A: So, down Princes Street, left at the crossroads and then second right?
B: Yes, that's right.
A: Thanks a lot.
Conversation 2
A: Excuse me, how do I get to the museum?
B: Let me see ... yes. Go along this road. At the traffic lights turn left into Green Street and go straight on to Abbey Square. The museum is in the Square, on the right.
A: Sorry, could you say that again?
B: Yes. Go along this road. At the traffic lights turn left into Green Street. Then go straight on to Abbey Square. The museum is in the Square, on the right.
A: Thank you very much.
Conversation 3
A: Excuse me, is this the way to the sports centre?
B: No, the sports centre is in the opposite direction. Go along this road. There's a bridge on the left. Go over the bridge, then turn first right, then first left. The sports centre is at the end of the road, on the left, past the cinema.
A: Many thanks.
Conversation 4
A: Excuse me, can you give me directions to the convention center?
B: Yes, sir. It’s really close to here. Actually it’s within walking distance.
A: That’s what I heard. It’s a nice morning so I wanted to walk there.
B: Ok. Well, when you leave the hotel, cross the street and go right. When you see the library, turn left. That should be one Forty Second Street West (142nd W.) Head straight for a block and the convention center will be there on your right.
A: Thank you so much
B: You’re welcome.
Ex. 6. Using the map below, explain to a person new to your town how to get the desired thing. Choose from among:
get some hiking boots, get some cat food, buy some milk, work out, buy some pants, grab a hamburger, get some aspirin, see a movie, buy a book, mail a letter, buy some CDs, get a bite to eat.
The first dialogue is an example.
1. A: Do you know where I can get a cup of coffee? B: Sure. You could try the Starry Café. A: Where’s that? B: It’s on 2nd Avenue across from the pharmacy. A: Thanks. B: No problem.
2. A: Do you know where I can __________?
B: Sure. You could try the ___________.
A: Where’s that? B: It’s on 2nd Avenue above the Grocery. A: Thanks. B: You are welcome.
3. A: Do you know where I can __________?
B: Sure. You could try the ___________.
A: Where’s that?
B: It’s at the end of Elm Street below the Town Pub. A: Thanks a lot. B: That's OK.
4. A: Do you know where I can __________?
B: Sure. You could try the ___________.
A: Where’s that?
B: It’s right on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Elm Street. A: Thanks. B: No problem.
5. A: Do you know where I can __________?
B: Sure. You could try the ___________.
A: Where’s that?
B: It’s just at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Elm Street above the Chemist's. A: Thank you. B: Not at all.
6. A: Do you know where I can __________?
B: Sure. You could try the ___________.
A: Where’s that?
B: It’s on 2nd Avenue just opposite Max Records on the second floor. A: Thanks. B: You're welcome.
Ex.7. Work in pairs. Use the words below to complete the dialogues. You don’t need to use them all.
start get on come finish stop change get off go take go to
A: Excuse me.
B: Yes?
A: I want to ______ New Road.
B: Go to the right platform. ______ the first train. ______ at Yellow Circle to the train for Youth’s Gardens. ______ at Jankie’s which is on the New Road.
A: Thank you. How many stations from Yellow Circle? B: It’s the second station.
A: Thank you very much.
B: You’re welcome.
A: Excuse me.