Vocabulary practice

Exercise № 4

Прилагательные weak и strong, a также существительные weakness и strength могут переводиться по-разному в зависимости от контекста. Ниже приведены варианты перевода этих слов на русский язык в текстах экономического содержания.

STRONG высокий, значительный (о темпах роста, курсах валют и других показателях) развитый, богатый (о странах, экономике) благоприятный (о ситуации на рынке / в экономике) устойчивый, стабильный, твердый (о рынке, ценах, показателях) веский, весомый, убедительный (об аргументах, теориях, доводах) твердый, глубокий (об убеждениях, принципах, вере во что-либо) обладающий определённой численностью; многочисленный прочный, крепкий

WEAK низкий, незначительный (о темпах роста, курсах валют и других показателях) неразвитый, бедный (о странах, экономике) неблагоприятный (о ситуации на рынке / в экономике) неустойчивый, нестабильный, колеблющийся (о рынке, ценах, показателях) неубедительный (об аргументах, теориях, доводах)

STRENGTH благоприятная ситуация (напр. в экономике) высокий курс (валюты) высокое значение (какого-либо показателя) стабильность, устойчивость (рынка, экономики, показателя) сила, мощь, вес (напр. государства) состояние экономики

WEAKNESS неблагоприятная ситуация (напр. в экономике) низкий курс (валюты) низкое значение (какого-либо показателя) нестабильность, неустойчивость (рынка, экономики, показателя) проблемы, слабые стороны (государства, экономики)

Translate the following sentences into Russian.

1. Employment and growth are weak and inflation according to the Fed has edged down.

2. A European Commission report argues that the weak pound reflects a shaky financial system in Britain and could lead to further economic destabilization.

3. Immigration has proved to be a strong argument for the supporters of Brexit.

4. The eurozone is still not strong enough to compensate for problems elsewhere, like in China, where there is the risk of a slowdown.

5. The strong yen, combined with sluggish domestic demand, is spurring Japan’s businessmen to expand abroad.

6. Investors may have been placing too much faith in the capacity of central banks to counteract economic weakness.

7. Iron ore traders said that weak demand for steel in China, together with the collapse of the European steel market, was behind the drop in prices.

8. The stronger-than-expected figures for December bode well for other upcoming manufacturing data and the first quarter outlook.

9. The latest slump has been largely caused by declines in Chinese steel prices amid continued weak demand from the country’s manufacturing and construction industries.

10. In the face of unusually strong criticism from the EU, Romanian prime minister reversed course.

11. The big bright spot within the 17-country area has been Germany’s continuing strength.

12. U.S. industrial output slowed in March, a sign that weakness persists for manufacturers and the energy industry.

Exercise № 5

Следует обратить особое внимание на перевод терминов production, productivity, to produce, product и прочих однокоренных слов.

production	производство, добыча (полезных ископаемых)
productivity	производительность (как правило, труда)
produce (n)	продукция (как правило, сельскохозяйственная)
to produce (v)	производить 2) приводить к чему-либо, давать результат
producer	производитель
product	товар, изделие, продукт
products	продукция
productive	производительный, эффективный
counterproductive	приводящий к обратным результатам, неэффективный

А. Translate the following word combinations into Russian.

productivity rate; manufactured products; production facilities; agricultural produce; labour productivity; dairy produce; oil production; coal production; to increase production; production capacity; to produce result; to produce profit; to make products; industrial production; steel production; to produce machinery; productive labour; unit production costs.

B. Fill in the blanks with appropriate derivatives of PRODUCT.

1. As any entrepreneur knows, cutting the price of a [___________] usually lifts demand for it.

2. Over the 2000-2011 period, Brazil’s share of world manufacturing [___________] went up from 1.7% to 2.9%.

3. If China wants to increase consumer living standards, a crucial step is to make its workers more [____________].

4. Investment in technology and the development of new varieties of corn have improved labour [____________].

5. Less than 100 workers are still in the factory, but management says [____________] could be renewed by the second half of next year.

6. Thus, the employment problem in the US is caused by changes in the world economic order, poor education and [____________] government policy.

7. The need to improve [____________] – through higher efficiency of equipment, labour reform, infrastructure investment, education and so on – is more glaring than ever.

8. Trading firms handling goods in demand from China, such as crude oil and agricultural [____________], have been attracted by tax breaks.

9. Industrial [___________] fell by 2.4 per cent year-on-year and, within that, manufacturing slumped by 5.3 per cent.

10. The US has made a huge leap in industrial competitiveness: unit [___________] costs are down 11 per cent over the past 10 years, while costs have risen in almost every other advanced nation.

11. In 1800 what we now call emerging economies were responsible for 71 per cent of world [____________], while the nations now categorized as the western world accounted for the remaining 29 per cent.

12. OPEC pumped 2.1 million barrels a day more than projected demand in April through June, the biggest [____________] for any quarter since 1998, the International Energy Agency estimates.

13. The port of Santos, through which passes a quarter of Brazil’s foreign trade and over half its shipments of agricultural [___________] such as corn, is set to play a pivotal role during the next few years as the country prepares for record grain exports.

Exercise № 6

1. сapacity – 1) мощность, производительность 2) способность, возможность (делать что-либо)

• оvercapacity (syn. excess capacity) – избыточные мощности, избыток мощностей

• spare capacity (syn. reserve capacity) – свободные (неиспользуемые, простаивающие, резервные) мощности

• capacity utilization – загрузка производственных мощностей, коэффициент использования производственных мощностей.

2. facilities – 1) возможности 2) мощности (производственные) 3) оборудование, приспособления 4) здания, сооружения (заводов, фирм и т.п.)

NOTE THE DIFFERENCE!

capacity – «мощность» в значениях «объем производства», «возможный потенциал производства»

facilities – «мощности» в значениях «станки», «оборудование», «заводы»

Fill in the blanks with either CAPACITY or FACILITY(ies).

1. Some economists question Ecuador’s [____________] to keep growing quickly.

2. A further $501m has been earmarked to build rail and port [___________] for the iron ore project in Guinea, West Africa.

3. Built in 2011 and operated by 11 employees on site, the new storage [___________] includes 11 tanks with a total [___________] of over 140’000 m3.

4. In 2005 and again in 2008, OPEC spare [___________] dipped towards 2 Mbpd, that lead to the enormous run up in oil price last decade.

5. The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America has published forecasts showing that by 2035 the US will need $205bn of investment in new gas pipelines and processing [___________] to meet the expected increase in production and demand.

6. The plant in Durban, which employs 7,100 people, has an annual production [____________] of 220,000 units.

7. Economists are divided as to how much manufacturing strength they expect to see in September reports on industrial production and [____________] utilization.

8. The combination of ample idle [_____________], tight financing and continued weak external demand is expected to result in a largely jobless recovery.

9. Idle [_____________] of the manufacturing [____________] — underutilized technologies, people, equipment and resources—drives cost of goods to unsustainable level.

10. As [_____________] age, the ability to restart idle production lines wanes, and there is evidence that some of these lines have seriously degraded.

11. China produces around 45 percent of the world’s steel and has over 200 million metric tons of excess production [_____________].

12. The Federal Reserve System permits U.S. banks to establish international banking [____________], which allow banks to conduct transactions with foreign customers and thereby compete in the international banking market.

Exercise № 7

• challenge (n) – 1) вызов 2) трудная проблема, задача

• to challenge (v) – 1) бросать вызов 2) оспаривать, ставить под сомнение 3) ставить проблему перед кем-либо

• to meet the challenge – 1) принимать вызов 2)  решать проблему

Translate the following sentences into Russian.

1. OECD governments consider excess capacity as being one of the main challenges facing the global steel sector today.

2. In the current context the challenge for any insurance company is to become more efficient, reduce risk, be more flexible while at the same time keeping costs down.

3. Gluts of everything from iron ore to copper are the main challenge for mining industry.

4. Indian pharma companies will face a number of challenges in the US market including reduced number of big products going off patent, increased competition and rise in regulatory scrutiny.

5. While Brazil has already achieved a high level of urbanisation, tested different policies and approaches to address the slum challenge it still has 44 million people living with inadequate urban housing or utilities.

6. Burberry has warned the “challenging environment” for luxury retailers is likely to continue in the near term as the UK brand laid out a plan to revive growth, including targeting cost savings of “at least” £100m a year by 2019.

7. There are signs that the big banks’ strong position in the funds market has to a larger degree been challenged by stiffer international competition and increased customer mobility.

8. There are challenges that are common to all central banks in advanced economies, which are linked to a global low inflation environment.

9. Shell has a record of leading the development and use of technology as a means of overcoming physical challenges to enable oil and gas development in deeper water and harsher environmental conditions.

10. Proposals published Tuesday that would give the European Union’s executive the right to scrutinize natural-gas deals and force countries to cooperate during supply shortages will test the bloc’s commitment to challenging Russia’s dominance in the gas market.

11. Pioneering deep-water and well technologies apply to the exploration of gas in challenging environments such as deep sea and arctic environments.

12. Such a referendum would, in a way, challenge the authority of the Security Council and its relevant resolutions.

Exercise № 8

business (n) – 1) компания; предприятие; подразделение компании; 2) дело; предпринимательская деятельность; 3) деловая активность

А. Translate the following word combinations into Russian.

businesses; big business; core business; non-core businesses; farm business; banking business; commercial business; one-man business; retail business; overseas business; start-up business; well-established business; flourishing business; small business; business executives; to be on business; to go on business;, business interests; to start/set up/establish/found a business; to do business with sb; to go out of business; business associates.

B. Translate the following sentences into Russian.

1. The late economist Milton Friedman was famously quoted to have said, "The business of business is business”.

2. Setting up shop on foreign soil doesn’t make sense for all businesses.

3. Growing a business can be challenging but over time, entrepreneurs stop focusing on growth.

4. SoftBank last year considered and rejected a plan to set up a new company in London to oversee the investment business.

5. SoftBank said the reorganization is part of its strategy to position its two core businesses as “future growth drivers.”

6. Though most sanctions were lifted following Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, European lenders have said doing business is risky while other U.S. trade restrictions remain in place.

7. A small business has several options for entering foreign markets, including exporting its products through wholesalers, exploring strategic alliances with local companies and establishing subsidiaries.

8. Thus, it is for crucial for business leaders to understand its full impact and determine if the rewards of going global outweigh the risks.

9. When most people think of starting a business, they think of beginning from scratch--developing your own ideas and building the company from the ground up.

10. Think long and hard about the types of businesses you're interested in and which best match your skills and experience.

11. A rising yen hurts Japanese companies that do a lot of business overseas.

12. Business has not been very good since the last budget when taxes were increased.

13. Tourism in Hong Kong is big business: it is the third largest source of foreign exchange and employs 180,000 people.

14. Many new business owners turn to incubators as an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of forming and growing a start-up.

15. Donald Trump is digging in his heels when it comes to his tax returns, stating that voters don’t have a right to see the documents before November and snapping back during an interview that his tax rate is “none of your business.”