Self-study Term I

ФиК, БУАиА

№2 (6 hours)

Тема:.National Economies: “The UK Economy” and “The American Economy”.

Цель: Совершенствование навыков изучающего чтения (с извлечением полной фактической информации, содержащейся в тексте).

а) формирование навыков самостоятельной работы с лексикой; расширение лексического запаса по теме;

б) совершенствование навыков работы со словарями разного вида и навыков перевода специальных текстов;

в) развитие умений выделять смысловые опоры в тексте, отбирать и группировать информацию и факты по проблемам, составлять план прочитанного.

Вид работы: работа с текстом:

Литература:

1. Английский язык: Национальные экономики /English: National Economies: Учеб. пособие /М.И. Кусков. Мн.: «Жасскон», 2001.-188с.

2. Интернет и другая дополнительная лит-ра.

Variant I the united kingdom economy

The United Kingdom is primarily an industrial and commercial nation. The country is one of the most highly industrialized countries in the world: for every person employed in agriculture, twelve are employed in industry. In terms of gross national product (GNP) it ranks fifth in the world, with Italy, after the United States, Japan, Germany and France. Most of the gross national product comes from manufacturing (iron and steel, engineering, textiles, chemicals, food products and consumer goods), mining and construction. Most British industries are in central England, the London area, the Scottish Central Lowlands, the Newcastle upon Tyne area and southern Wales.

Natural resources. The United Kingdom is a major world producer of petroleum, coal and natural gas. These three fuels accounts for about 85 percent of the value of total mineral production in the country. Petroleum is Britain’s most valuable mineral. British oil wells produce about 65 million barrels of petroleum a year. In the past the country had to import petroleum to meet its needs. But during 1970s Britain began producing petroleum from wells in the North Sea. Today Britain’s oil wells provide nearly all the petroleum that the country uses and also supply petroleum for export.

Britain’s largest coal-mining region lies near the River Trent in the central England. Coal from this area is an important source of fuel for the country’s electric power plants. Britain obtains natural gas from deposits below the North Sea. These deposits provide enough gas to meet most of the country’s needs. Britain’s next most important minerals are sand and gravel, limestone and clays.

Agriculture, one of Britain’s most important industries, supplies nearly two-thirds of the country’s food. It employs about 2.5 percent of the working population. It accounts for about three percent of the gross domestic product. British agriculture is efficient for it is based on modern technology and research. Eighty percent of the land area is used for agriculture. The United Kingdom has about 240,000 farms. About two-thirds of Britain’s farmers own the farms on which they live. The rest rent their farms. Many British farmers practice mixed farming – that is, they raise a variety of crops and animals. Britain’s most important crops are barley, potatoes, sugar beets and wheat. One of the most productive regions is the county of Kent, which is called the Garden of England and is famous for the beautiful blossoms of its apple and cherry orchards in springtime.

Sixty percent of full-time farms are devoted to dairy or beef cattle and sheep. Sheep are Britain’s chief livestock. Farmers in almost every part of the country raise sheep for meat and wool. British farmers also raise beef cattle, dairy cattle and hogs.

Britain is self-sufficient in milk, eggs, meat, potatoes and wheat. But it imports butter, cheese, sugar and some other agricultural products.

The fishing industry plays an important role in the country. As for forestry, Great Britain imports most of its timber from Scandinavia and Russia.

In industrial production the heavy industry occupies the leading place. Britain ranks as important steel producer. It exports nearly half of its finished steel. The rest is used in Britain to make hundreds of products. Britain also produces heavy machinery for industry, farming and mining. The country is one of the world’s largest producers of tractors. The mechanical engineering industry manufactures all types of non-electrical machinery, machine tools, industrial engines, railway equipment, household appliances.

British aerospace industry is one of the largest in Western Europe. The products of the industry include civil and military aircraft, helicopters, aeroengines, space satellites and weapons defense systems. Aerospace equipment and heavy machinery are major British exports.

The chemical industry in Britain produces a variety of products – from industrial chemicals to plastics and soap. The chemical industry is developing intensively and accounts for about 16 percent of British manufacturing export. Britain is the fourth largest exporters of pharmaceuticals.

The industrial revolution began in Britain’s textile industry. Today Britain remains an important producer of cotton and woolen textiles. British manufacturers also make fibres and fabrics. The main centers of textile industries are Lancashire and Manchester.

Britain has one of Europe’s largest clothing industries. British clothing has long been famous for its quality. But today Britain imports more clothing than it exports because many countries with lower labour costs can produce clothing more cheaply than the British can.

Besides the above industries, food, drink, bricks, furniture, leather goods, glassware and paper are developed in Great Britain.

Service industries account for about two-thirds of the United Kingdom gross domestic product (GDP). Finance, insurance and real property is the most important service industry in Britain. Britain is one of the wealthiest places in the world. The empire has gone, the great manufacturing industries have nearly gone, but London is still one of the centers of the financial world. Most of the country’s financial companies operate in London. Major financial institutions in London include The Bank of England, the United Kingdom’s national bank, the London Stock Exchange and Lloyd’s insurance society.

Community, social and personal services rank second among the service industries. This industry employs more British workers than any other service industry. It includes such activities as education and heath service, advertising and data processing.

Wholesale and retail trade is the third most important service industry in Britain. The wholesale trading activities include the distribution of petroleum and textiles. Retail trade is centered in London which has thousands of small shops and attracts more that 15 million tourists each year. Tourism is another of Britain’s important service industries. It is a growing source of income and employment.

Trade. The United Kingdom ranks as a leading trading nation. Britain once imported chiefly raw materials and exported mostly manufactured goods. However, manufactured goods now account for about three-fourth of British imports and also about three-fourth of its export. Britain exports aerospace equipment, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum and scientific and medical equipment. It imports clothing, foods (especially fish, fruit, vegetables, meat, coffee and tea), machinery, metals, motor vehicles, petroleum products and textiles.

Most of the United Kingdom’s trade is with other developed countries. France, Germany and the United States are Britain’s main customers and supplies. Other trade partners include Canada, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Switzerland. The value of Britain’s imports of goods usually exceeds the value of its exports.

Britain has a large merchant fleet. The ships in the fleet carry British-made goods to ports throughout the world and bring back needed imports. There are about 80 ports of commercial significance throughout the United Kingdom. The Thames, which flows through London, is Britain’s busiest river and one of the busiest in the world.

The economic system. As in all European countries, the economic system in Britain is a mixture of private and public enterprise. From 1945 until 1980 the general trend was for the state to have more and more control over the country’s economy. Various industries became nationalized (in other words owned by the government), especially those concerned with production and distribution of energy. Transport system, communication services, education, health care were also nationalized. By 1980s, “pure” capitalism formed a small part of the economy than in any other country in Western Europe. From 1980 the trend started going in other direction. The major of the philosophy of the Conservative government of the 1980s was to let “market forces” rule and to turn state-owned companies into companies owned by individuals (who became shareholders). Between 1980 and 1994 a large number of companies were privatized (or “denationalized”). That is, the government sold them off. But the government still controls the production of coal, steel and ships it also runs railways and most civil aviation.

Ex. 1 Read the following sentences and fill in the gaps using the following prepositions.

of in from for on to

through by with into off

1. Britain is one ____ the most highly industrialized countries ____ the world. 2. Most of the GNP comes ____ manufacturing, mining and construction. 3. British clothing has long been famous ____ its quality. 4. Service industries account ____ about two-thirds ____ the United Kingdom GDP. 5. About two-thirds of Britain’s farmers own the farms ____ which they live. 6. Sixty percent ____ full-time farms are devoted ____ dairy cattle or beef cattle and sheep. 7. Britain is self-sufficient ____ milk, eggs, potatoes and wheat. 8. The Thames, which flows ____ London, is Britain’s busiest river. 9. Various industries became nationalized (owned ____ the government), especially those concerned ____ production and distribution ____ energy. 10. The major ____ the philosophy ____ Conservative Party was to turn state-owned companies ____ companies owned ____ individuals. 11. The government sold the state-owned companies ____.

Ex. 2 Group the words that follow into six antonymous groups.

cheap full-time low personal

expensive high national public

foreign invisible part-time visible

Ex. 3 Group the following words into seven synonymous groups.

domestic important naval cheap

commercial foreign significant leading

low-priced mercantile main marine

national overseas chief international

Ex. 4 Give the English equivalents for the following words and phrases from the text.

Промышленная революция, бытовая техника, валовой национальный продукт, финансовые учреждения, мировой производитель, важный источник топлива, изделия из кожи, биржа, трудоспособное население, смешанное сельское хозяйство, яблоневые и вишневые сады, промышленные товары, владеть фермой, развитые страны, торговый флот, государственные предприятия.

Ex. 5 Complete the following sentences using the information from the text and translate them into Russian.

1. Britain ranks as important …

2. The industrial revolution …

3. Major financial institutions in London include …

4. British oil wells produce …

5. British agriculture is efficient for …

6. Manchester and Lancashire are the main centres of …

7. Britain’s most important crops are …

8. Britain once imported chiefly…

9. The economic system in Britain is …

Ex.6 Match the beginnings of the sentences to their ends using the information from the

text and translate them into Russian.

1. As for forestry, Great Britain imports most of its timber …

2. Various industries became nationalized, especially those concerned with …

3. Most of the gross national product comes from …

4. Petroleum is …

5. Aerospace equipment and heavy machinery …

6. Finance, insurance and real property …

7. There are about 80 ports of commercial significanse …

1. throughout the United Kingdom.

2. British most valuable mineral.

3. Scandinavia and Russia.

4. production and distribution of energy.

5. manufacturing, mining and construction.

6. is the most important service in Britain.

7. are major British exports.

Ex. 7 Choose the correct answer.

1. The United Kingdom is

1. an industrial nation

2. a commercial nation

3. a developed nation

4. all of the above

2. The most important service industry in Britain is

1. finance, insurance and real property

2. community, social and personal service industries

3. wholesale and retail trade

4. none of the above

3. Major financial institutions in London include

1. the Bank of England

2. the United Kingdom’s national bank

3. the London Stock Exchange

4. all of the above

4. The industrial Revolution began in Britain’s

1. textile industry

2. coal industry

3. food industry

4. steel industry

5. Britain’s chief livestock are

1. beef cattle

2. chickens

3. sheep

4. hogs

6. The United Kingdom is a major world producer of

1. petroleum

2. coal

3. natural gas

4. all of the above

7. Most of the United Kingdom’s trade is with

1. Canada, Ireland and Japan

2. b) France Germany and the United States

3. c) Norway and Saudi Arabia

5. Sweden and Switzerland

8. The economic system of Great Britain is of

1. command type

2. traditional type

3. free-market type

4. mixed type

Ex. 8 Answer the following questions:

1. Does the United Kingdom rank among the top industrial countries?

2. What is the share of service industries in the United Kingdom GDP?

3. What are the major financial institutions of Great Britain?

4. What are major British manufactured goods?

5. The Industrial Revolution began in Britain’s textile industry, didn’t it?

6. What is the share of agriculture in the country’s food requirements?

7. What are Britain’s most important crops?

8. The United Kingdom is a major world producer of petroleum, coal and natural gas, isn’t it?

9. Does the United Kingdom rank as a leading trading nation?

10. What does Britain export?

11. What do its imports include?

12. Do imports or exports prevail in British foreign trade?

13. What are the main trade partners of Great Britain?

14. What kind of economic system does Britain have?

Ex. 9 Write a short summary about the economy of the UK (15-20 sentences) and be ready to speak on the topic.