Unit 14 globalization

Lead-in

1. Choose the variant which best defines the word “globalization”. Then explain your choice.

A. the process of exchanging information, ideas or feelings

B. the process enabling financial and investment markets to operate internationally, largely as a result of deregulation and improved communication

C. the process enabling people to cut their expenses and economize

2. Divide into 2 groups. Try to find some advantages and disadvantages of globalization. Then exchange your ideas.

Key Vocabulary

Study the following list of vocabulary.

1. business n	зд. – промышленное или торговое предприятие, фирма, компания
2. free trade	свободная торговля
3. prosperity n	процветание, преуспевание
4. less-developed country	слаборазвитая страна
5. developing country	развивающаяся страна
6. developed country	развитая страна
7. opportunity n	шанс, возможность, перспектива
8. major adj	главный, более важный, значительный
9. protect v	защищать, охранять
10. promote v	продвигать
11. living standard	жизненный уровень
12. welfare n	благосостояние, благополучие, социальное обеспечение
13. cross-cultural problems	межкультурные, межэтнические проблемы
14. issue n	вопрос, проблема
15. malnutrition n	недоедание, недостаточное питание

Pre-reading Activities

Translate the sentences into Russian. Mind the list of Useful Vocabulary.

1. Consortium is a group of companies in similar businesses working together.

2. Some people believe that free trade between nations can offer prosperity and growth for all countries and businesses.

3. India is the world’s major exporter of IT services.

4. Many economists from developed countries believe that globalization may be the explanation for key trends in the world economy.

5. Those who support anti-globalists say that globalization provokes cross-cultural problems in the world.

Reading

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow it.

Globalization is a word which has existed since the 1960s and it is on everyone’s lips these days from politicians to businessmen. The term “globalization” is used to describe certain processes in the world today. Globalization is defined as the process enabling financial and investment markets to operate internationally, largely as a result of deregulation and improved communication.

The accelerating pace of globalization is having a profound effect on life both in rich and in poor countries.

Of course, many governments and businesses see a lot of advantages in the process of globalization. They believe that increasing free trade between nations will offer prosperity and growth for all countries and businesses. Globalization, they state, has already brought many benefits: global food production has risen steadily over the last years and malnutrition rates have fallen accordingly; citizens in less-developed countries have access to health care which is often supplied by foreign businesses.

For companies globalization means increasing the number of countries of operation. For example, British Petroleum (BP) is probably the most global company in the world. It is interesting to see that in the USA its nationality has begun to disappear. Almost everybody in the US says BP, and not British Petroleum. It’s a local kind of company.

So, for its supporters, globalization offers an opportunity rather than a threat. The leaders of the world’s major economies and big businesses are committed to protecting and promoting global commerce and trade. They believe that the world is moving towards an era of global markets and global companies.

Together with this, anti-globalists emphasize that globalization threatens the environment as well as national cultures – they predict that it will make the rich nations richer and the developing countries poorer. Among other disadvantages of globalization there are such points as:

- It can lead to big employment problems.

- It lowers people’s living standards.

- It prevents governments from controlling their welfare systems.

- It creates cross-cultural problems between the East and the West.

As we can judge, nowadays globalization is a controversial issue for businesses and governments all over the world. But it goes without saying that it’s also an important issue for the 21^st century, which will continue to be the subject of debate among those who oppose, support or simply observe it.

Comprehension Check

1. Answer the following questions.

1. How is globalization defined in the text?

2. What advantages do businesses and governments see in the process of globalization?

3. What disadvantages do anti-globalists emphasize?

4. What other disadvantages of globalization are mentioned in the text?

2. Complete the sentences using the information from the text.

1. For companies globalization means ….. .

2. For its supporters globalization offers ….. .

3. The term “globalization” is used to describe ….. .

4. The world is moving towards an era ….. .

5. Globalization prevents governments from ….. .

3. Summarize all the advantages and disadvantages of globalization given in the text. Can you add any others?