Unit 12 Ethical problems

Read and discuss the text. Learn the new vocabulary.

The Goose Story

Next autumn when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying along in V formation (ключ), think about what science has learnt about why geese fly that way. As each bird flaps (махає) its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following it. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock (табун) can fly at least 70 percent farther in a day than if each bird flew on its own. Perhaps people need to find a common direction to go in together and co-operate with each other so they can get where they’re going faster and more easily.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it feels how hard it is to try to fly against the wind on its own, and it quickly gets back into formation to fly with the flock. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will work with others who are going the same way we are and encourage them to work with us.

When the leading goose gets tired, it gets back in the wing and another goose flies in the front of the point (на чолі ключа). It pays (варто) to take turns doing hard jobs for our group. The geese in the back honk (кричать) in order to encourage those at the front to keep up (підтримувати) their speed.

When a goose weakens or is hurt and falls out of the formation, two geese follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with the goose until it is able to fly or until it dies. Then they set out (вирушають) again, either on their own or with another formation, until they catch up with the group. If we had the sense of a goose, we would stand by each other this way.

Unit 13 Earning a living

Read and discuss the text. Learn the new vocabulary.

Since 1928 they have supplied shoes for Olympic athletes, Muhammad Ali, hip hop stars and rock musicians famous all over the world. But the story of these two companies begins in one house in a small town in Germany.

Adolph and Rudolph Dassler were the sons of a shoemaker. They loved sport but complained that they could never find comfortable shoes to play in. So they started making their own. In 1920 Adolph made the first pair of athletics shoes with spikes, produced on the Dasslers’ kitchen table.

On the 1^st July 1924 they formed a shoe company, Dassler Brothers Ltd. The company became successful and it provided the shoes for Germany’s athletes at the 1928 and 1932 Olympic Games.

But in 1948 the brothers argued. No one knows exactly what happened but family members have suggested that the argument was about money or women. The result was that Adolph left the company. Using his nickname Adi and the first three letters of the family name, Dassler, he founded Adidas.

Rudolph relocated across the river Aurach and founded his own company too. At first he wanted to call it Ruda, but eventually he called it Puma, after a wild cat. The famous Puma logo of the jumping cat has survived until now.

After the big split of 1948 Adolph and Rudolph never spoke to each other again and since then their companies have always been in competition. Both companies were for many years the market leaders. In 1970s new American companies Nike and Reebok arrived to rival them.

The terrible family argument should really be forgotten, but ever since it happened the town has been split into two. Even now, some Adidas employees and Puma employees don’t talk to each other.