1. 'Translate into English:

1. В прошлом месяце инфляция выросла.

2. В последнее время инфляция снизилась.

102

Units

1. Business and Government

103

3) Инфляция оказывает воздействие на цены и покупательную спо­собность населения.

2. TYanslatc into Russian:

Inflation means an increase in the average price of all goods and services. Inflation causes problems for businesses: it's difficult to plan production, it's impossible to forecast costs and profits, it's not easy to raise capital (мобили­зовать капитал).

3. Why do you think inflation causes problems for businesses?

to control, control

Translate into English:

1. Компания контролирует 90% рынка.

2. Правительство пытается контролировать инфляцию.

3. Некоторые отрасли промышленности в США контролируются спе­ циальными ведомствами.

4. Правительственные расходы строго контролируются.

5. Расходы компании контролируются советом директоров.

6. Денежная масса в обращении должна строго контролироваться.

to provide

Study the structures with the verb to provide, make up your own sentences.

1. We can provide any information you need.

2. Some parents try to provide their children with every thing they need.

3. We provide financial services to our clients.

4. The task of the government is to provide for the poor.

Ex. 13. Develop the following ideas and explain how:

1, markets coordinate the work of different firms;

2. regulation ensures that business serves trie best interests of the people as a whole.

Ex. 14. a) Read the lest, b) Say what is being done and what has been done under the Deregulation Initiative.

The British Government is of the view that the best way to improve the performance of public sector companies and nationalised industries is to ex­pose them го market forces, through privatisation and the promotion of com­petition.

Under its Deregulation Initiative the Government;

• is cutting unnecessary controls;

• is giving assistance to business through training and other services;

lias privatised a number of major businesses;

has transferred about 1.000,000 jobs to the private sector;

is extending privatisation to some government activities;

has improved standards of services in the country;

has reduced administrative burdens on businesses;

has set financial targets;

has cleared government objectives.

Words you may need

transfer v — :id. переводить (па службе) extend v — расширять

performance n - работа, результат дея­тельности expose v— подвергнуть воздействию

Ex. 15. a) Read the text, b) Describe Hie role government plays in the American econo­my, c) Some people in the U.S. believe that the forms of support mentioned in the text are not enough. What else do you think tan he done?

Support of Business by the U.S. Government

Government regulation places burdens on business. In recent years regu­lation has been eased in transportation, communications, and finance, but il has been tightened in other areas. At the same time, government supports business in many ways. It provides information and advice, loans and loan guarantees, and direct services.

Information and advice. Many federal agencies collect statistics that are useful for small businesses, farmers, and companies.

Loans and loan guarantees. Slate and local governments often raise funds and then lend the funds to local businesses at low interest rates, in order to promote growth and jobs. Federal loans and loan guarantees are very impor­tant to businesses. In a guaranteed loan, a business borrows from a bank and the government promises to repay the loan if the borrower cannot do so.

Direct services. Businesses benefit from different services provided by gov­ernments at all levels. The most important of all is the supply of trained people provided by public schools and universities.

Words and word combination you may need

raise funds - изыскивать средства

ease v - ослаблять, смягчать tighten v — делать напряженным, уси­ливать

Ex. 16. Sum up Text В (orally/in writing).

104

Unit3

I. Business and Government

105

member n — член

parliament n - парламент

outline v - обрисовать в общих чертах

local government - местное само­управление, органы местною само­управления

power n — полномочие, власть

rubbish n — мусор

perform a function - выполнят], функ­цию

centralisation и - централизация

strict adj - строгий, требовательный

authority (обыкн. р/ the authorities) n -власть, власти, полномочие

remove v - устранять

Situation: Imagine you have been asked to describe the role of government in business in the U.K. and the U.S. Work together with your partner and make a list of most typical (de)regulation measures. Compare your list with others in the class and discuss any differences.

Text С Interview with a Member of British Parliament

Correspondent: Could you outline the relationship between local gov­ernment and national government?

Member of Parliament: Parliament has given certain powers to local government. For instance, they are given the job of educating our children, of providing social services to elderly people, of keeping our streets clean, of col­lecting our rubbish and so on.

Correspondent: As far as 1 know, there have been changes in the func­tions performed by local governments. How have they changed in the last few years?

MP: What we have been seeingover the last decade¹ or so is a great increase in centralisation.

Correspondent: Do you mean stricter control over what local author­ities spend and what they raise in taxes? MP: Not only that. The Government removes functions from local authorities, and puts new responsibilities onto them. Very often they expect the local authori­ties to raise the resources to finance the newitmctions.

Correspondent: How do you see the role of local governments?

MP: I think that the objective of local government is to let local people decide what they want to spend, looking at their own needs in the light of their own resources.

Correspondent: Docs the present system of local government work? MP: Well, it works, under great difficulties. Quite a num­ber of M Ps want local government to be freer and more independent. They don't want the central government to impose their priorities on local authorities. The big­gest defect of local government is that it simply has not got enough resources.

Correspondent: Do you think thai people who work within local gov­ernment manage their resources well? MP: Not all of them. Better budgetary management and adoption of local policies aimed at fair competition as well as improvement of the climate for entrepreneur-ship and investment are on their agenda.