Для самостійної роботи І-ІІ курсів

Міністерство аграрної політики України

Херсонський державний аграрний університет

 

 

Кафедра іноземних мов

 

 

МЕТОДИЧНІ РОЗРОБКИ

Для самостійної роботи І-ІІ курсів

Економічного факультету

Херсон – 2011

  Методичні розробки розглянуто і затверджено на засіданні кафедри іноземних мов…  

Вступ

Мета навчання іноземної мови за професійним спрямуванням – формування і розвиток широкої професійно-орієнтованої комунікативної компетенції, яка покликана забезпечити спілкування у професійно-трудовій сфері під час виконання тих соціально-комунікативних ролей, які найбільш притаманні тій чи іншій галузі. Така компетенція має досягнути рівня комунікативної достатності, що передбачає володіння мовним матеріалом, мовленнєвими вміннями та навичками в такому обсязі, який не перешкоджає здійсненню адекватної комунікації у відібраних для навчання сферах спілкування. Широка професійно-орієнтована комунікативна компетенція повинна бути сформована в єдності лінгвістичного, предметного, формально-логічного та лінгвосоціокультурного компонентів.

Зазначена мета може бути досягнута за умови правильного відбору змісту навчання, який включає комунікативний аспект (відбір тематики та ситуацій спілкування)та лінгвістичний аспект (відбір навчальних текстів та мовного інвентарю). Підбір текстового матеріалу для самостійної роботи студентів здійснюється на основі аналізу професійних потреб майбутніх спеціалістів на рівні комунікативного аспекту змісту навчання з урахуванням принципу мінімізації, тобто адаптації тексту, яка гарантує доступність відібраного матеріалу для обробки й засвоєння самостійно. Крім того, така адаптація означає, що відібраного змісту цілком достатньо для охоплення всіх вірогідних потреб майбутніх фахівців в іншомовній комунікації в межах їх професійної діяльності. Даний зміст повинен бути достатнім для формування повноцінної професійно-орієнтованої іншомовної комунікативної компетенції в єдності всіх її компонентів.

Текстовий матеріал і комплекс вправ даних методичних розробок упорядковано з урахуванням вищезгаданих вимог і потреб кредитно-трансферної системи, орієнтованої на студента, здатного працювати самостійно.

Unit 1 WHAT IS ECONOMICS?

1. Read and memorize the following words, word-combinations and word-groups:

scarcity – недостатня кількість, брак чогось

e.g. Every society is faced with identical problem, the problem of scarcity.

to make choice – зробити вибір

e.g. Everyone goes through life having to make choices.

resources – ресурси

to satisfy one’s wants – задовольняти чиїсь потреби

e.g. Human wants are unlimited, but the resources necessary to satisfy those wants are limited.

individual consumer – окремий споживач

e.g. Microeconomics is the study of individual consumers and the business firms.

to be faced with the problem – стикатися з проблемою

opportunity costs – можливі витрати

e.g. Business is faced with the problem of choices and opportunity costs.

private ownership – приватна власність

profit – прибуток

e.g. Private ownership gives people the incentive to use their property to produce things that will sell and earn them a profit.

2. Give English equivalents of the following:

приватна власність, зробити вибір, прибуток, задовольняти чиїсь потреби, можливі витрати, ресурси, недостатня кількість, витрачати гроші, окремий споживач, стикатися з проблемою, досягти мети, виробляти товар

3. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words: scarcity, wages, interest, rent, choices, systems, resources.

1. Everyone goes through life having to make ... .

2. The price paid for the use of land is called … .

3. The price paid for the use of labor is called ... .

4. Traditional economic ... are usually found in the more remote areas of the world.

5. Payment for the use of someone else's money, or capital, is called ....

6. ... exists because human wants are virtually unlimited, whereas the necessaries to satisfy those wants are limited.

7. The ... or factors of production as they are called, are land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship.

4. Read and translate the text:

Human wants are unlimited, but the resources necessary to satisfy those wants are limited. Thus, every society is faced with the identical problem, the problem of scarcity. Since there is not enough of everything to go around, everyone – individuals, business firms, and government – needs to make choices from among the things they want. In the process they will try to economize, to get the most from what they have. With this in mind we can define economics as the social science that describes and analyzes choices from among scarce resources to satisfy its wants. The need to choose is imposed on us by our income, wealth and ability to borrow.

The food you eat, the home you live in, the clothes you wear, and the way you spend your leisure time are all affected, in part, by economic forces. The study of economics will help you to live a fuller life. Economic forces also affect decisions in the world of business. The more you know about the subject, the better career decisions you will be able to make.

The development of modern economics began in the 17th century. Since that time economists have developed methods for studying and explaining how individuals, business and nations use their available economic resources. Large corporations use economists to study the way they do business and to suggest methods for making more efficient use of their employees, equipment, factories, and other resources.

Economists have two ways of looking at economics and the economy. One is macro approach, and the other is the micro. Macroeconomics is the study of the economy as a whole. Microeconomics is the study of individual consumers and the business firm.

The resources that go into the creation of goods and services are called the factors of production. The factors of production include natural resources, human resources, capital and entrepreneurship. Each factor of production has a place in our economic system, and each has a particular function. Our country is rich in natural resources. Economists also use the term «land» when they speak of natural resources as a factor of production.

The price paid for the use of land is called rent. Rent becomes income to the owner of the land. Economists call the physical and mental effort that people put into the creation of goods and services labor or human resources.

The price paid for the use of labor is called wages. Wages represent income to workers, who own their labor. Capital is something created by people to produce other goods and services. A factory, tools and machines are capital resources. The term capital is often used by business people to refer to money they can use to buy factories, machinery and other similar productive resources.

Payment for the use of someone else’s money or capital is called interest.

Closely associated with labor is the concept of entrepreneurship, the managerial or organizational skills used by most firms to produce goods and services. The reward to entrepreneurs for the risks, innovative ideas and efforts that they have put into the business are profits, whatever remains after the owners of land, labor and capital have received their payments.

In exercising the choices imposed upon individuals, business firms and governments by their unlimited wants and limited resources, every society must come to grips with the fundamental economic questions:

─ What goods and services are to be produced?

─ How are they to be produced?

─ Who will receive them?

The way in which a society goes about answering these fundamental questions is known as its economic system. Economic systems may be classified as traditional, command or market systems. As the names suggest, resources are allocated (distributed) in a traditional economy in accordance with tradition and in a command economy by government planners. Resources in a market economy are allocated in accordance with the laws of supply and demand.

5. Answer the following questions:

1. Why must all societies deal with scarcity?

2. What is rent?

3. How can we define the term «economics»?

4. What is wages?

5. Why is the need to choose imposed on us?

6. What is interest?

7. What is microeconomics?

8. What is macroeconomics?

9. When did the development of modern economics begin?

10. What questions must every society provide answers to?

11. How do you understand the term «factors of production»?

6. Define the terms:

Economics, capital, interest, microeconomics, macroeconomics, wages, profit, labor and human resources

7. Translate into English:

1. Бажання людини безмежні, а кошти, необхідні для здійснення цих бажань, надто обмежені. 2. Перед кожним суспільством постає проблема нестатку. 3. Економічні чинники впливають на рішення у світі бізнесу. 4. Ресурси, необхідні для утворення товарів і послуг, називають чинниками виробництва. 5. Заробітна плата – це та винагорода, яку отримують робітники за свою працю. 6. Купуючи фабрики, машини та інші засоби виробництва, ділові люди часто вживають термін «капітал». 7. Економіка – це наука, яка описує та аналізує вибір з-поміж недостатніх ресурсів, які мають задовольнити потреби населення. 8. Кожний чинник виробництва має місце в нашій економічній системі і кожний виконує відповідну функцію.

8. Read and dramatize the following dialogue:

P.: Hello, Bob!

В.: Oh, Peter, glad to see you. Haven't seen you for a long time. What have you been busy with, and what are you doing now?

P.: I'm a student of the Kyiv University. And what about you?

В.: You know, when I received my school leaving certificate, I decided to work at a plant and get a speciality.

P.: What speciality have you got?

В.: I'm a fitter now, I get good wages and I can support my mother. And now that I have become a skilled worker I think already I can combine my job with studies by taking correspondence courses or attending the evening faculty of an institute.

P.: What institute do you want to enter?

В.: I have thought about the Cherkassy Engineering and Technological Institute, but I haven't yet decided. I'd like to become an economist.

P.: Is it really interesting for you?

В.: Oh, yes, of course. I know that the studying of economics will help us to understand the economic forces better and enable us to live a fuller life.

P.: Do you know what is the basic economic problem?

В.: I think I do. The central problem of economics is to determine the most efficient ways to allocate the factors of scarcity created by society's unlimited wants and limited resources.

P.: But in doing so, every society must provide answers to the following three questions:

What goods and services are to be produced and in what qualities are they to be produced?

How are those goods and services to be produced?

Who will receive and consume (get to use) those goods and services?

В.: You are right. The way in which a society goes about answering these fundamental questions is known as its economic system. I'd like to study the economic system of our country.

P.: Now I understand you and I hope you will enter the institute and become a very good economist.

В.: Well, I am a bit hungry, why don't we have a snack together?

P.: Good idea. Let's go and have a snack in the cafe.

9. Make up your own dialogue using the following expressions and word-combinations:

a limit to the resources, the problem of scarcity, to make choices, to purchase goods and services, to pay opportunity costs, economic forces, factors of production, the basic economic problem

10. Inform the group about your activities and find out if he or she does the same:

Model: I decide to become an economist. And what about him? (too) He decides to become an economist too.

1.1 pay for the use of land. And what about her? (regularly) 2. I negotiate a sale. And what about her? (too) 3. I want to know more about the subject. And what about him? (too) 4. I need to make choices from among the things I want. And what about her? (from time to time) 5. I expect you to use your property to produce things that will sell and earn you a profit. And what about him? (too)

11. Express doubt concerning the truth of the following statements:

Model: He understands your question. I'm afraid he doesn't understand your question.

1. You know his decision. 2. Everyone goes through life having to make choices. 3. Economic forces affect decisions in the world of business. 4. Large corporations use economists to study the way they do business and to suggest methods for making more efficient use of their equipment, factories, and other resources. 5. Each factor of production has a place in our economic system. 6. The study of economics helped me to understand the economic forces better.

12. Ask about the following as in the model:

Model: Ask your friend if he knows what is the basic economic problem. Do you know what is the basic economic problem?

1. Ask your friend if John knows the answers to the fundamental economic questions. 2. Ask your friend if rent becomes income to the owner of the land. 3. Ask your friend if he wants to study economics. 4. Ask your friend if economic forces affect decisions in the world of business. 5. Ask your friend if the resources go into the creation of goods and services.

13. Translate into English:

1. Приватна власність дає людям стимул використовувати свою власність для отримання прибутку. 2. Економіка – це наука, яка вивчає специфіку розвитку економічних відносин в окремих сферах народного господарства. 3. Відношення власності на засоби виробництва утворюють основу економіки. 4. Мені цікаво знати, чи впливають економічні чинники на рішення у світі бізнесу. 5. Вивчення економіки дає мені можливість краще орієнтуватися в бізнесі. 6. Заробітна плата – це грошова винагорода за використану працю.

14. Communicative situations:

1. Assume that you have just received your first paycheck of $135. Describe how the concepts of scarcity, opportunity costs, and the need to make choices will affect the way in which you spend your money.

2. If all people could have anything they wanted simply by rubbing a magic lantern, there would be no need to study economics. Explain this statement.

3. Suppose the United States Government decided to send every man, woman and child living in Ukraine a package containing 10,000 crisp new $10 bills. What effect would this have on us all?

Unit 2 THE AMERICAN ECONOMIC SYSTEM

1. Read and memorize following words, word-combinations and word-groups:

a pillar – опора, стовп

e.g. There are three «pillars» of economic system: private property, the price system and competition.

to use one's assets – використовувати (чиє-небудь) майно

e.g. According to the right to private property the owners of natural resources and capital can use their assets as efficiently as they can.

economic incentives – економічні стимули

e.g. Economic incentives influence our decisions about what and where to buy.

to switch one's deposits from one bank to another – переводити депозити з одного банку в інший

to receive higher interest rates – одержувати вищі відсотки за вкладом

e.g. Savers will switch their deposits from one bank to another to receive higher interest rates.

profit motive – мотив прибутку

e.g. The profit motive is the force that drives our economic system.

entrepreneur – підприємець

e.g. Profits drive entrepreneurs to risk capital, hire employees and purchase the things they need to produce goods and services.

to set the price – встановити ціну

e.g. Monopolies can set the price at which their goods are sold.

gross national product – валовий національний продукт

e.g. The total value of the goods and services produced by the economy in a single year is called the gross national product (GHP).

household – домашнє господарство; сім'я

e.g. We live in what economists like to call households.

2. Give English equivalents of the following:

економічні стимули, підприємець, кінцевий продукт, обмежувати діяльність

опора, використовувати (чиє-небудь) майно, приймати рішення, домашнє господарство, стабільні ціни, наймати на роботу, валовий національний продукт

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words: a profit, resources, the answers, prices, consumers, levels, a price, money.

2. Government in America functions at three .... 3. In our economic lives we spend ... to buy the things we want. 4. Price stability refers to time during which ... remain constant.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words

2. When taxes are ..., individuals and business firms will have more money available to spend for the things they want. 3. When properly applied, ... can provide effective tools with which to fight… 4. Fiscal policy solutions have several serious ... .

Self-assessment criteria

If you have got: - 10 correct answers (A-level), your linguistic and communicative… - 9 correct answers (B-level), your linguistic and communicative proficiencies are very good. You can read and…

Unit 1

Test

1. Every society is faced with the identical problem, the problem of …. .

a). deficiency b). scarcity

c). shortage d). lack

2. Microeconomics is the study of …. consumers and the business firm.

a). individual b). group

c). person d). a lot of

3. The resources that go into the creation of goods and services are called the …. of production.

a). ways b). reasons

c). needs d). factors

4. Each factor of production has a …. in our economic system.

a). base b). branch

c). place d). bag

5. The price paid for the use of land is called …. .

a). loan b). rent

c). interest d). investment

6. The price paid for the use of labor is called …. .

a). wages b). money

c). salary d). fund

7. A factory, tools and machines are capital …. .

a). resources b). functions

c). buildings d). funds

8. Payment for the use of someone else’s money or capital is called …. .

a). loan b). rent

c). investment d). interest

9. …. in a market economy are allocated in accordance with the laws of supply and demand.

a). Money b). Investments

c). Resources d). Loans

10. The way in which a society goes about answering fundamental questions is known as its … . system.

a). market b). economic

c). industry d). capital

Unit 2

Test

1. The right to private property gives the owners of natural resources and capital the incentive to use their …. as they can.

a). money b). funds

c). assets d). investments

2. Economic …. influence our decisions about what and where to buy.

a). incentives b). factors

c). growth d). relations

3. …. are what remain after the costs of production have been deducted from sales.

a). Interests b). Profits

c). Loans d). Money

4. People in business buy or sell land or other natural resources if they think they can profit from the …. .

a). business b). deal

c). agreement d). transaction

5. The gross national product, or GNP, is the total value of all the goods and services produced by the American economy in a …. year.

a). single b). five

c). double d). some

6. Adam Smith gave the …. description of the principles upon which our economic systems are based.

a). good b). best

c). bad d). better

7. The term capital (to use) often by business people.

a). is used b). are used

c). was used d). will be

8. Monopolies can set the price at which their goods (to sell).

a). is sold b). was sold

c). are sold d). were sold

9. The …. elements of the economic system are described by Adam Smith in his book «The Wealth of Nations».

a). bad b). good

c). nice d). principal

10. Market economies are directed by…. .

a). assets b). prices

c). loans d). interests

 

Unit 3

Test

1. Wealth can be expressed as the value of the …. you own.

a). things b). tools

c). objects d). sets

2. Wealth in the form of money that is loaned to others or deposited in a savings account will earn …. .

a). money b). assets

c). interests d). credits

3. The number and value of things we are able to …. depends upon the size of our income and how wisely we spend it.

a). sell b). buy

c). invest d). keep

4. A …. is a financial plan that summarizes income and expenditures over a period of time.

a). table b). scheme

c). project d). budget

5. Budgets in which income exceeds expenditures will have a …. .

a). surplus b). profit

c). loss d). interest

6. Bank and savings institutions …. your money against fire, theft and other disasters.

a). save b). destroy

c). protect d). help

7. One of the main …. people save their money is to earn interest.

a). reasons b). matters

c). things d). businesses

8. …. allows you to purchase the things you want now and pay for them over a special period of time.

a). Loan b). Credit

c). Money d). Assets

9). Money- market funds generally pay a …. rate of return than savings and NOW accounts.

a). higher b).lower

c). highest d). less

10. Most accounts .... compound interest.

a). give b). propose

c). offer d). bring

 

Unit 4

Test

1. Many business leaders begin their careers as entrepreneurs after …. years of undergraduate college training.

a). two b). four

c). five d). six

2. …. colleges now offer programs that teach students how to start and operate a business.

a). Many b). Some

c). A lot of d). Few

3. These programs help potential entrepreneurs decide whether their own ideas are …. and how to follow through with them.

a). bad b). better

c). good d). best

4. About 50 percent of …. start their businesses in industries in which they have some experience.

a). entrepreneurs b). workers

c). builders d). doctors

5. Evidence shows that people who come from families whose members were in business themselves are more likely to …. their own companies.

a). create b). stop

c). run d). start

6. Small businesses face …. problems.

a). much b). many

c). some d). few

7. Bad economic times affect …. business more than they do big business.

a). big b). smaller

c). small d). bigger

8. A corporation is one kind of business…. .

a). organization b). company

c). structure d). establishment

9. All debts and all problems associated with the business belong to the…. .

a). master b). owner

c). organization d).debtor

10. A partnership is a business …. that is owned by two or more persons.

a). structure b). company

c). organization d). establishment

 

Unit 5

Test

1. Most of the …. used by business comes from the sale of its products and services.

a). assets b). money

c). papers d). profits

2. As a …. sells its products or services, it receives money, which it uses to meet its expenses.

a). corporation b). business

c). company d). firm

3. Businesses use …. to cover the cost of depreciation.

a). external funds b). money

c). internal funds d). profit

4. Business loans are generally …. as either short-term or long-term loans.

a). classified b). said

c). used d). spoken

5. For short-term loans, the principal (the amount borrowed) must be repaid within …. year.

a). two b). one

c). some d). three

6. A security exchange is a market where brokers meet to buy and sell stocks and bonds for their …. .

a). sellers b). owners

c). customers d). bosses

7. Products and services …. by a firm soon.

a). will be sold b). were sold

c). are sold d). is sold

8. The …. summarizes a corporation's assets, what it owns; its liabilities, what it owes; and its net worth, the difference between the two sums at a given time.

a). balance sheet b). income statement

c). common stock d). sheet

9. This amount of money …. to meet expenses of a firm next week.

a). is used b). are used

c). was used d). will be used

10. If …. no longer want certain products, sellers will stop producing them and shift into something that is in demand.

a). buyers b). teachers

c). sellers d). builders

 

Unit 6

Test

1. A nation's standard of living is measured by the amount of goods and services available to its …. .

a). citizens b). children

c). workers d). doctors

2. Productivity is a measure of how …. we work.

a). badly b). greatly

c). perfectly d). efficiently

3. To measure …., economists determine the amount of goods and services produced for every unit of input.

a). standard of living b). division of labor

c). productivity d). consumption

4. Input can be any …. that goes into the production process.

a). thing b). service

c). resource d). money

5. Among the principal ingredients of productivity are the …. and training of workers.

a). resting b). education

c). using d). culture

6. To use machinery efficiently, producers must also use division of …. .

a). entertainment b). rest

c). studying d). labor

7. Everything that takes place between production and consumption falls into the category of …. .

a). economy b). business

c). marketing d). pleasure

8. Everyone who …. work can find a job.

a). is looking for b). was looking for

c). were looking for d). are looking for

9. Look! The new device …. the operation into 30 steps performed by individual workers.

a). was breaking b). were breaking

c). is breaking d). are breaking

10. Marketing includes the activities that bring the buyer and seller …. .

a). individually b). together

c). separately d). lonely

 

Unit 7

Test

1. Markets exist wherever people come together to buy and sell their …. .

a). economy b). collusion

c). goods and services d). needs

2. Buyers and sellers are able to enter or …. the market at will.

a). leave b). govern

c).run d). go

3. Public Utilities are privately owned firms that provide an …. public service.

a). important b). essential

c). famous d). good

4. …. are special designs, names or symbols that identify a product, service or company.

a). Companies b). Emblems

c). Trademarks d). Signs

5. Many businesses are naturally interested in growing and …. as much of a market – or several markets – as possible.

a). controlling b). losing

c). improving d). making

6. The combination (or «integrating») of two or more companies engaged in the same business is a …. merger.

a). vertical b). conglomerate

c). horizontal d). plain

7. A conglomerate merger combines two or more unrelated businesses under a …. management.

a). double b). single

c). triple d). much

8. The principal kinds of market structures …. (to describe) now.

a). is being described b). are being described

c). were being described d). was being described

9. The customers (to treat) in the best way.

a). are being treated b). is being treated

c). were being treated d). was being treated

10. A market in which there is only one seller is a …

a). pure competition b). oligopoly

c). monopoly d). competition

 

Unit 8

Test

1. …. can be anything that is generally accepted in payment for goods and services.

a). Money b). Economy c). Market

2. The …. of money should be more or less the same today as tomorrow.

a). amount b). value

c). price d). level

3. The money you are most familiar with, currency, consists of the paper money and …. that you almost use daily.

a). metal b). coins

c). silver d). wood

4. …. money has to be small enough and light enough for people to carry.

a). Old b).Our

c). Modern d). Some

5. For that reason most countries use a very high quality …. for their money.

a). metal b). paper

c). gold d). silver

6. One of the …. advantages of money over barter is its ability to be divided into parts.

a). principal b). important c). interesting

7. In a money economy people can …. what they have to anyone and use the money to buy what they want.

a). give b). borrow c). sell

8. Money enables us to state the …. of something in terms that everyone can understand.

a). value b). price c). number

9. Money enables us to use the value of something that we sell today to make a purchase sometime in the …. .

a). future b). present c). past

10. Our bank …. loans to corporations when they were in need.

a). were making b). is making c). was making

 

Unit 9

Test

1. Fiscal policy is applied by changing the …. of tax receipts relative to federal spending.

a). way b). level

c). power d). right

2. When taxes are …., individuals and business firms will have more money available to spend for the things they want.

a). reduced b). increased

c). lost d). spent

3. If taxes are increased consumers and business would have less to …. .

a). waste b). bring

c). spend d). invest

4. When …. reduces taxes to fight a recession, it often creates a budget deficit.

a). power b). government

c). authorities d). individuals

5. The federal government can also finance its debts by …. money.

a). using b).coping

c). printing d). giving

6. Monetary policy refers to …. the supply of money as a way of stabilizing the economy.

a). regulating b). establishing

c). disordering d). disorganizing

7. There is a …. relationship between the amount of money in circulation and the level of business activity.

a). indirect b). new

c). direct d). perfect

8. When the money supply is increased, consumer spending and business spending tend to …. with it.

a). increase b). decrease

c). rise d). lower

9. Inflation …. by Congress the whole year.

a). was being reduced b). was reduced

c). will be reduced d). were being reduced

10. The economy …. during the last two years.

a). are being stabilized b). was being stabilized

c). were being stabilized d). is being stabilized

Keys

Unit 1

What is economics?

1. b 2. a 3. d 4. c 5. b 6. a 7. a 8. d 9. c 10. b

Unit 2

The American economic system

1. c 2. a 3. b 4. d 5. a 6. b 7. a 8. c 9. d 10. b

Unit 3

The consumer in our economy

1. a 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. a 6. c 7. a 8. b 9. a 10. c

Unit 4

Launching a business

1. b 2. a 3. c 4. a 5. d 6. b 7. c 8. a 9. b 10. c

Unit 5

Financing a business

1. a 2. d 3. c 4. a 5. b 6. c 7. a 8. a 9. d 10. a

Unit 6

Production and marketing. The business of business.

1. a 2. d 3. c 4. c 5. b 6. d 7. c 8. a 9. c 10. b

Unit 7

How firms compete

1. c 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. a 6. c 7. b 8. b 9. a 10. c

Unit 8

Money

1. a 2. b 3. b 4. c 5. b 6. a 7. c 8. b 9. a 10.c

Unit 9

Economic stability

1. b 2. a 3. c 4. b 5. c 6. a 7. c 8. a 9.a 10. b