Задания на тему "SMALL NATIONS"

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SMALL NATIONS

People of every nation try to achieve as high level of living¹ as possible. They also seek economic security to make their level of living constant. But nations vary in area and population, so security can only be relative. Nations with large territories but which are not too large in population, such as the USA, Canada, Australia, may have a relatively high degree of economic security because they are supplied with proper amounts of natural resources, manufacturing companies, trade facilities, such as rivers, roads, railroads, airports, and efficient means of communication.

In contrast², some nations are small in area and large in population. They can ensure economic security only if they cooperate effectively with other people. For example, Belgium is a small country of about 31,000 square kilometres³ and with a population of about 10 million, or about 300 persons per square kilometre. The Belgians can maintain a relatively high level of living but they should produce at home as large quantities of foodstuffs and other necessities as possible. They have to buy raw materials and sell their products in the world market. The obtained profits are to be used to import additional foodstuffs and other necessities of life that the Belgians must use to maintain their level of living.

Thus⁴, the Belgians have to turn to⁵ world markets for three reasons:

1)    they have to buy raw materials; 2) they must sell the manufactured goods;

3)    they have to buy additional quantities of the necessities of life. The Belgians greatly depend on world markets, so they should welcome⁶ any international action that can ensure the stability of prices in world markets.

Japan is known as another small nation with big population, which was able to overtake such industrialized country as the USA in some fields of economy. Traditionally the country has to produce some manufactured goods for export in order to import additional foodstuffs. The main items of Japanese export are high-tech products such as computers and computer programmes, modern automobiles, high-quality machinery and equipment, reliable household appliances, etc.

Nowadays Japan has become one of the largest contributors of long-term capital to developing countries.

Notes to the Text

1.    level of living = standard of living – уровень жизни

2.    in contrast – наоборот

3.    square kilometre – квадратный километр

4.    thus – следовательно

5.    to turn to – здесь выходить на

6.    to welcome – одобрять, приветствовать

Упражнения

●Упражнение 1. Вставьте слова и словосочетания в предложения.

Переведите предложения.

1.                                     Plants should regularly replace old production ... by new … .

2.                                     A firm may ... a credit only if it provides some guarantees.

3.                                     At present the main ... of export in Russia are oil, gas and other natural resources.

4.                                     ... of production include labour, capital and natural resources.

5.                                     Nowadays industrialized countries ... for new markets for their goods especially in Latin America and Africa.

6.                                     In order to have ... equipment the workers must ... it in proper condition.

7.                                     The firm is going to employ some ... workers.

8.                                      In order to ... competitors the firm should produce only high quality and ... equipment.

9.                                     The ... of oil sold by the OPEC countries may fall to maintain the price in the world market.

10.                                      The main contributor of money to a business is to ... the largest share of profits.

11.                                      What does the word ... ?

12.                                      The new product is very expensive as it is made of ... of high ... .

a)                                     additional; b) overtake, reliable; c) amount; d) obtain; e) mean; f) raw materials, quality; g) facilities, facilities; h) obtain; i) items; j) means; k) seek;

l)            reliable, maintain.

●Упражнение 2. Переведите однокоренные слова, и определите, ка-кими частями речи они являются.

1.                                     Depend, dependence, interdependence, independence, independent.

2.                                     Necessary, necessities, necessarily, unnecessary, unnecessaries.

3.                                     Vary, various, variety.

4.                                     Secure, security.

5.                                     Relative, relatively.

6.                                     Profit, profitable, profitability, profitably, profitless, unprofitable.

7.                                     Maintain, maintenance.

8.                                     Communicate, communication.

9.                                     Possible, possibility, impossible, possibly.

10.                                      Contribute, contribution, contributor.

●Упражнение 3. Вставьте в пропуски слова из упражнения 2.

1.                           The USA is known as one of the main ... to many international funds.

2.                            Such means of ... as the Internet is widely used by businessmen and in e-commerce (электронная коммерция).

3.                           A lot of technological processes greatly ... on the supply of electricity.

4.                           In economics food, water, clothes and a house are known as the main ... for man's life.

5.                            It is ... for companies to provide proper ... systems in order to keep their future plans in secret from competitors.

6.                            The level of living does not … greatly in main industrialized countries, it is … the same.

7.                            If costs are higher than ..., the business is ... and the firm will go bankrupt.

8.                            It is important for national governments to ... trade facilities such as roads, railways, sea ports, and airports in good condition.

●Упражнение 4. Вставьте must, should или have to в нужной форме.

1.                            There are no parking facilities for manufactured cars, so the company … buy some land.

2.                           The workers ... produce the first 100 cars by the end of the year.

3.                            African countries … buy a large part of machinery and equipment for their plants from developed countries.

4.                           The engineers ... follow the instructions how to use new equipment.

5.                            Last year the local government ... (not) spend much on transport facilities as they were well maintained.

6.                           Companies trading in the world market ... ensure high standards.

7.                            When most countries of Central Europe exhausted their coal resources they ... import large quantities of gas and oil from abroad.

8.                            The government ... spend more money to improve sports facilities in the country in order to involve more children in sports.

9.                            Such large countries as the USA and Canada ... (not) import wheat because they produce this crop on large areas in their countries.

●Упражнение 5. Ответьте на вопросы.

1.                            What do people seek for?

2.                            Why is the economic security of large nations relatively high?

3.                            How can a small nation ensure its economic security?

4.                            What do you know about Belgium?

5.                            How can the Belgians maintain a relatively high level of living?

6.                            Why is trade so important for Belgium?

7.                            What are the main items of Japanese export?