I. Read and learn the following words and phrases:

manufacture – производство

manufactured goods – промышленные товары

manufacturing – обрабатывающая промышленность

to employ – заниматься, предоставлять работу

employment – занятость

unemployment – безработица

trade – торговля

per head of population – на душу населения

mining – угледобывающая промышленность

agriculture – сельское хозяйство

to depend on – зависеть от

raw materials – сырье

wool – шерсть

woolen – шерстяной

leather – кожа, кожаный

cotton – хлопок

timber – лесоматериал

oil – нефть

unprofitable – невыгодный

expensive – дорогой

cheap – дешевый

cattle farming – разведение крупного рогатого скота

to be rich in smth – быть богатым чем-либо

natural resources – природные богатства

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:

Exercise 1. Find and read the international words from the text. Guess their meaning.

Exercise 2. Find the words with the same root among the following:

nature, profitable, industry, independent, exporter, manufactured, natural, natural, unprofitable, growth, dependant, consumer, profit, industrial, export, manufacture, nature, grow, consumption.

Exercise 3. Translate the given word combinations from English into Russian:

to be employed in mining, manufacturing and building; one of the world largest exporters; high quality expensive goods; to be unprofitable (profitable); to produce cheap things; the current economic climate; low interest rates; permanently low inflation; to operate efficiently; to supply with raw materials; to depend on imports.

Exercise 4. Match English and Russian equivalents.

manufacture and trade частное предпринимательство

to be rich in forests природные богатства

natural resources на душу населения

woolen and leather commodities международная торговля

skilled labour промышленность и торговля

international trade быть богатым лесами

private enterprise шерстяные и кожаные товары

per head of population квалифицированный труд

Exercise 5. Finish the sentences choosing the right variant.

1. Great Britain is one of the world’s largest exporters of ( farm products / semi finished goods / high quality expensive goods ).

2. Britain used to be rich in ( natural resources / forests / room for cultivation ).

3. Before World War II British colonies used to supply it with ( precision instruments / skilled labour / cheap raw materials ).

4. Most of Britain’s population is employed in ( manufacturing, building, and mining / agriculture / sheep and cattle farming)

5. The country has to ( import / export ) timber, cotton, oil, various metals.

Exercise 6. Open the brackets using the verbs in a proper form (active or passive voice).

1. Great Britain (to live) by manufacture and trade.

2. Britain (to be) one of the largest exporters of manufactured goods per head of population.

3. Most of the forests in Great Britain (to cut down).

4. Most of British people (to employ) in mining, manufacturing and building.

5. The country (to produce) high quality consumer goods, electronic equipment, chemicals and precision instruments.

6. The greater part of land in Great Britain (to use) for cattle and sheep farming.

Exercise 7. Prove that:

• British economy is continuing to grow;

• Great Britain is one of the world’s largest trade nations;

• the country depends on imports;

• it is unprofitable for British economy to produce cheap things;

• Great Britain is mainly an industrial country.

Exercise 8. Speak about British economy.

T H E G R E A T E C O N O M I S T