Unit 1 What is it all about?

Students take up economics for different reasons. Some students are preparing for a career in business, some wish a deeper understanding of government policy, and some are concerned about the plight of the poor or the unemployed. In fact, the economics is a live subject offering powerful insights about the world in which we live.

We’d like you to be immediately introduced to the latest ideas in economics. Our aim is to allow students to understand the economic environment in the nineties. Most of the examples, applications, and extensions are drawn from the real world.

It takes many years to become a complete economist with a professional command of the subject . Most of you probably have no wish to become professional economists. Fortunately, the basic issues studied by economists, the framework of analysis, and many of the conclusions can be understood very quickly. We’ll try to convince you that the economics you are learning is about the real world. It is not just a set of textbook exercises.

There is an old complaint that economists never agree about anything. This complaint is simply wrong. The press, taxi drivers, and politicians love to talk about topics on which there is disagreement. It would be boring television if the participants on a panel discussion held identical views. Producers of TV programmes search for economists who will disagree about some things. But economics is not a field in which there is always an argument for everything. There are answers to many questions.

There is a world of difference between reading about economics and actually doing and understanding economics. Students must learn how to use economics and understand how to attack and analyze problems.

To do economics you have to learn actively. Reading is not enough. You should be questioning the text.

Be on guard against our attempt to make the text clear. Each paragraph may be easy reading, but you also have to keep check on how the paragraphs add up to a complete picture.

Notes

1. take up — решить заняться;

2. some are concerned about the plight of the poor or the unemployed — некоторых тревожит бедственное положение обездоленных или безработных;

3. in fact — на самом деле;

4. offering powerful insight about the world in which we live — позволяющий глубже понять мир, в котором мы живем;

5. the economic environment — экономическая ситуация;

6. applications — зд. примеры применения на практике;

7. extensions — обобщения, более широкая трактовка проблемы;

8. a complete economist with a professional’s command of the subject — настоящий экономист, профессионально владеющий предметом;

9. the basic issues — основные проблемы;

10. the framework of analysis — ход рассуждений;

11. if the participants on a panel discussion held identical views — если бы гости — участники дискуссии в телестудии имели бы одинаковые взгляды и мнения;

12. a world of difference — огромная разница;

13. to attack and analyse problems — подступиться к анализу и решению проблем;

14. you should be questioning the text — вам следует постоянно задаваться вопросами по ходу чтения текста;

15. be on guard against our attempt to make the text clear — Не спешите подумать, что текст слишком понятный и простой.

16. Have to keep check on how the paragraphs add up to a complete picture — должны ясно сознавать, что именно добавляет каждый абзац к полному пониманию всей картины.