B R I T I S H E C O N O M Y
I. Read and learn the following words and phrases:
manufacture – ïðîèçâîäñòâî
manufactured goods – ïðîìûøëåííûå òîâàðû
manufacturing – îáðàáàòûâàþùàÿ ïðîìûøëåííîñòü
to employ – çàíèìàòüñÿ, ïðåäîñòàâëÿòü ðàáîòó
employment – çàíÿòîñòü
unemployment – áåçðàáîòèöà
trade – òîðãîâëÿ
per head of population – íà äóøó íàñåëåíèÿ
mining – óãëåäîáûâàþùàÿ ïðîìûøëåííîñòü
agriculture – ñåëüñêîå õîçÿéñòâî
to depend on – çàâèñåòü îò
raw materials – ñûðüå
wool – øåðñòü
woolen – øåðñòÿíîé
leather – êîæà, êîæàíûé
cotton – õëîïîê
timber – ëåñîìàòåðèàë
oil – íåôòü
unprofitable – íåâûãîäíûé
expensive – äîðîãîé
cheap – äåøåâûé
cattle farming – ðàçâåäåíèå êðóïíîãî ðîãàòîãî ñêîòà
to be rich in smth – áûòü áîãàòûì ÷åì-ëèáî
natural resources – ïðèðîäíûå áîãàòñòâà
II. Read the text:
B R I T A I N’ S E C O N O M Y
British economy is continuing to grow. Growth has taken place across a broad front.
Britain lives by manufacture and trade. It has an open economy in which international trade plays a vital part. The country is one of the world’s largest exporters of manufactured goods per head of population. It produces high quality electronic equipment, woolen goods, leather goods, consumer goods, chemicals, precision instrument and other articles, requiring skilled labour.
It is unprofitable for British economy to produce cheap commodities and semi finished goods because Great Britain is not rich in natural resources and depends on imports. After World War II the country has lost its colonies which used to supply it with cheap raw materials. And now it has to import timber, cotton, oil, various metals, fruit and farm products.
Great Britain is mainly an industrial country so most of its population is employed in mining, manufacturing and building. The leading industries are also shipbuilding, textile, electronic, chemical, aircraft industries and some others. The largest industrial centers are: London, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Sheffield, Birmingham.
Britain was rich in forests but most of the forests were cut down to make more room for cultivation. The greater part of land is used for cattle and sheep farming; most of the farms are small.
British economy is based primarily on private enterprise. Private sector accounts for 82 per cent of output and 79 per cent of employment.
The current economic climate is characterized by falling unemployment and low interest rates. Government economic polices are designed : 1) to help businesses and individuals generate economic growth; 2) to create a stable economic environment with permanently low inflation; 3) to allow markets to operate efficiently.
III. Do the following exercises: