The Economy of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles in the north-west of Europe. The British Isles are made up of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its total area is over 244,000 square kilometres. The population of the United Kingdom is about 60 million people. The capital of the country is London.

The U.K. is a highly developed industrial country. It is one of the largest producers of machinery, electronics, textile, clothing, aircraft and navigation equipment.

The British are known as a trading nation - importing, exporting, investing abroad and receiving foreign investment. The national economy is based on free markets. Britain's main trade partners are the USA, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

British economists distinguish .primary, secondary and tertiary industries.

Primary industries exploit raw materials and include agriculture, fishing, mining, oil extraction and some others. Agriculture produces about 2 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It employs less than 2 per cent of the workforce. Agriculture is very efficient. British farms are big and highly mechanised.

Fishing supplies two-thirds of the fish needed for the country. This sector is also highly mechanised. But stocks have been decreased because of pollution and overfishing.

Great Britain has more energy resources than any other European country. Coal is one of them. But today most of the mines have been shut down. About 18.000 miners are unemployed. The most important energy resources are gas and oil. They are extracted from fields in the North Sea. Britain is now the world's sixth largest producer of oil.

The secondary industries are manufacturing and construction. The tertiary industries are service industries. At present manufacturing has gone down and the service industries have expanded. Tourism, transport and telecommunication are growing now. Financial services such as accountancy, insurance and banking are big business too. Britain is now the world's second largest service exporter (the first is the USA). The headquarters of the successful financial services sector are in the City of London. The City is one of the world's biggest financial centres. 25,000 people work there.

In the 1980s under the Conservative government a lot of state-owned companies were privatised. Among them were the automobile industry, the steel and shipbuilding industries, the defence industry, some bus companies. The telephones, railways and the national airlines were denationalized. The gas, electricity and water suppliers became private companies.

12. Выпишите из текста английские эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений:

Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии, Британские острова, высокоразвитая промышленная страна, основная отрасль промышленности (сырьевая промышленность), обрабатывающая промышленность, сфера услуг, сырье, сельское хозяйство, горная промышленность, добыча нефти, валовой внутренний продукт, рабочая сила, снабжает, загрязнение, безработные, бухгалтерское дело, страхование, главное управление, государственные компании, оборонная промышленность.

13. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Where is the United Kingdom located?

2. What is the British economy based on?

3. What industries do experts distinguish?

4. What is London's financial center?

5. What industries were privatised in the 1980s?

14. Напишите рассказ о Лондоне.

Вариант 2

1. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык следующие предложения. Определите в них видовременную форму глагола-сказуемого:

1. Negotiations are held before signing contracts. 2. My boss often speaks at different meetings. 3. The deligation was met at the airport. 4. Many foreign companies participated in the fair. 5. The manager will be informed about the date of the conference.

2. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык следующие предложения. Определите в них видовременную форму глагола-сказуемого:

1. The manager is having talks with our foreign partners. 2. They were discussing the terms of delivery (условия поставки) at that time. 3. I’ll be waiting for you. 4. It was snowing all morning. 5. While the secretary was typing the letter, the visitor was looking through the newspapers.

3. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык следующие предложения, обращая внимание на использование Present Continuous для выражения будущих действий:

1. Our partner is arriving on Monday morning. 2. It is going to snow. 3. We’re giving a birthday party tonight. 4. Tom is getting married soon. 5. Are you going to phone Steve?

4. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык следующие предложения. Определите видовременную форму глагола-сказуемого:

1. The article is being translated now. 2. When the director returned, the documents were still being typed. 3. The data are encrypted (to encrypt - шифровать). 4. The data are being checked by our experts. 5. We are translating an article on Britain’s economy.

5. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык повелительные предложения с глаголом let:

1. Let me help you. 2. Let the boy explain his behaviour. 3. Please, let her read the letter. 4. Let’s play tennis. 5. Let them discuss this important problem.

6. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык следующие предложения, обращая внимание на употребление модальных глаголов can, may и их эквивалентов:

1. My friend can work on a computer very well. 2. Some of my friends can read, write and speak English. 3. Can / Could you pass me the salt, please. 4. May I ask you a question? 5. I won’t be able to meet you after work. I’ll be busy. 6. The director may come at 10 o’clock.

7. Перепишите и письменно переведите на русский язык следующие предложения, обращая внимание на употребление глагола must и его эквивалента:

1. You must send the telegram at once. 2. You mustn’t speak to strange people. 3. You must come and visit us some day. 4. The engineer didn’t finish his work and had to stay late at the office. 5. You will have to take care of your niece.

8. Перепишите и письменно переведите на русский язык следующие предложения, обращая внимание на употребления глаголов should и ought to:

1. Crimes should be punished. 2. Should we go by train or by plane? 3. The girl’s relatives ought to help her. 4. You ought to write letters to your relatives.

9. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык следующие сложноподчиненные предложения. Определите тип придаточного предложения:

1. You will have to go shopping if we run out of food. 2. I will come to see you when I am free. 3. He will get a grant if he does well. 4. She will go to university when she finishes school.

10. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык следующие слова. В случае затруднения, уточните их значения по словарю:

Economy, a calculator, a producer, a client, a decade, transport, music, service, a million, cultural.

11. Прочитайте и письменно переведите на русский язык следующий текст:

Britain's Industry

Two centuries ago the British economy seemed invincible. Britain had its industrial revolution before any other country. The Industrial Revolution began in the Midlands. The Midlands and the North became the centre of the iron and steel industries. Newcastle was famous for its shipbuilding. Birmingham was known for making cars.

At present there is no shipbuilding in Newcastle and there is only one major car company in Birmingham. Many towns in the Midlands and the North of England have high unemployment rates.

Coal mining was highly developed in Britain. There are now only 16 coal mines near Nottingham.

In the past Britain had many manufacturing industries. But since World War II its service industries, especially banking and retailing, have expanded. The number of people working in manufacturing industries has decreased.

Traditional heavy industries, including steel manufacture and shipbuilding, have been replaced by high-technology manufacturing industries, for example, airplane engine manufacture and pharmaceuticals.

Britain has only a few prosperous large companies, but many successful small companies. The large companies invest money in research and development and produce high-quality goods. BP is the second-largest company in Europe. It explores oil and gas, refines oil, and manufactures petrochemical products. The company makes cleaner petrol. Glaxo is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. It makes different effective medicines.

Successful small manufacturing companies use first-class materials, have excellent quality control and the workers are proud of what they make. J.Barbour & Sons makes fashionable waterproof jackets. The Morgan Motor Company produces elite cars. Quad Electroacoustics makes expensive but top-quality loudspeakers and hi-fi equipment. The famous Marshall Company supplies the whole world with amplifiers and other guitar products. Wilkin & Sons makes jams. Wedgwood in Staffordshire is known for making china and pottery.

There are many foreign companies in Britain. The Japanese companies Nissan, Toyota, Honda and the German company BMW have their factories in the country. The Korean electronics company Samsung opened a factory in Sunderland in 1995. The Coca-Cola company has its subsidiary in Britain. The foreign companies give jobs to many local people.

12. Выпишите из текста английские эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений:

Казалась непобедимой, промышленная революция, металлургическая промышленность, был известен (2 варианта), высокий уровень безработицы, угольные шахты, обрабатывающая промышленность, сфера услуг, двигатель, процветающие компании, научно-исследовательские и опытно-конструкторские работы, высококачественные товары, нефте-химические продукты, бензин, модные непромокаемые куртки, усилители, фарфоровые изделия и глиняная посуда, дочерняя компания.

13. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Where did the Industrial Revolution begin in Britain?

2. What industries have expanded since the Second World War?

3. What industries have replaced the traditional heavy industries?

4. Why are British small manufacturing companies successful?

5. Are there many foreign companies in Great Britain?

14. Напишите рассказ об одном из экономических районах Великобритании.

Вариант 3

1. Specialists in different fields are generally invited to such conferences. 2. The plants and factories in the city produce machinery and various consumer goods. 3. Our partners were informed in time. 4. Helen translates business letters and faxes from English into Russian. 5. The forwarders (экспедиторы) will be sent to the factory.

1. They are discussing the terms and conditions of the contract. 2. The partners discussed the terms of payment at the meeting. 3. When you come home, I will be cleaning the flat. 4. It was raining hard when I left the office. 5. While the experts were studying the contract, the manager was speaking on the telephone.

1. What time are you meeting Mr. Brown? 2. We are going to run out of petrol. 3. My father is going to repair my bicycle on Wednesday. 4. My uncle is going to resign from his job. 5. Are you playing tennis tonight?

1. The contract is being discussed now. 2. When the forwarding agents (экспедиторы) arrived, the equipment was being tested in the plant. 3. The error in the programme was found. 4. The goods are being packed in the shop. 5. The student is telling the group about Russia’s economy.

5. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык повелительные предложения с глаголом let:

1. Let me stay after classes. 2. Let me try and explain. 3. Let him know about the meeting. 4. Let’s go to the library. 5. Let them have a rest.

1. You can drive a car, can’t you? 2. Nowadays all school students can use computers and calculators. 3. Can / Could I speak to Tom please? 4. May / Can / Could I help you? 5. Will you be able to see him tomorrow? 6. We can / may meet at the entrance to the park.

1. I must fax the document immediately. 2. You mustn’t cross the street here. 3. Parents must teach their children the difference between right and wrong. 4. The girl had to tell her parents the truth. 5. You will have to speak at tomorrow’s meeting.

1. Children should tell adults the truth. 2. You shouldn’t litter. 3. You ought to call the police. 4. You ought to help your friend.

1. After he finishes his work, he will go for a walk. 2. If all goes well, he will make a lot of money. 3. We will go to the park unless it rains. 4. We will not go to the seaside until Helen passed her exams.

An engineer, a player, a product, a cafe, a magazine, a tiger, to register, physics, a video film, a conference.

11. Прочитайте и письменно переведите на русский язык следующий текст:

The City of London

The City of London is an important part of the British capital. It occupies one square mile in the middle of London. It was once the old Roman and medieval town of London. The town was originally surrounded by the wall first built by the Romans. The City is now Britain's banking and financial centre.

World banks and trading companies have their headquarters in the City. There are 8,500 companies and 524 banks from 76 countries here. 300,000 people work in the City, but only less than 6,000 live in this part.

The most important bank is the Bank of England, which looks after the accounts of the British government. Its nickname is "the old lady of Threadneedle Street". Shares are bought and sold in the Stock Exchange. But in fact, no money changes hands. Instead everything is done by word of mouth, and settled up later.

Lombard Street in the City was named after medieval Italian gold and silver merchants called Lombards. They were the first to establish a banking system in Britain. There are still a lot of banks in Lombard Street. Many of them have medieval-type decorated signs hanging outside.

The City sells its financial services and earns £ 10 billion a year. The most important financial services are accountancy, insurance and banking. Foreign exchange trade is very profitable too. The City buys and sells different foreign currencies. London has a futures market for financial services and goods. It is now the second-largest market of its kind in the world.

Note: futures - товары, закупаемые на срок; товары продаваемые на срок; сделки на срок; фьючерсы.

12. Выпишите из текста английские эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений:

Лондонский Сити, занимает, средневековый город, римляне, главное управление, Английский банк, фондовая биржа, счета, прозвище, акции, вместо этого, устно, купцы, вывески, зарабатывает, торговля иностранной валютой, прибыльная, иностранная валюта, фьючерсный рынок.

13. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Why is the City of London so important in the economic life of the United Kingdom?

2. How many people live in the City?

3. What important buildings are there in the City of London?

4. How did Lombard Street get its name?

5. What financial services does the City sell?

14. Напишите рассказ об одном из промышленных городов Великобритании.

Вариант 4

1.Where were the talks held? 2. I borrowed this book from the town library. 3. What fruits and vegetables are grown in the south of the country? 4. The plant produces state-of-art (новейшее) medical equipment. 5. The wages will be paid in time.

1. The secretary is typing a business letter now. 2. The businessmen were discussing the terms of sale (условия продажи) when I came in. 3. Don’t come to see me tomorrow. I’ll be preparing for my exams. 4. It was raining all day yesterday. 5. While I was learning English words, my brother was reading a newspaper article.

1. Тerry is taking his English exam tomorrow. 2. Look! It’s 8 o’clock. He is going to be late. 3. What are you going to do with old books? 4. I’m tired. I am going to have an early night. 5. The manager is holding a meeting at 10 o’clock.

1. The terms of payment (условия оплаты) are being discussed now. 2. The experiment was being carried out when the head of the laboratory came in. 3. The equipment was installed in the workshop. 4. The marketing plan is being developed by the marketing manager. 5. At the lesson we were speaking about Canada’s industry.

5. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык повелительные предложения с глаголом let:

1. Let me go for a walk. 2. Let me start by asking you, what is the company’s main aim? 3. Let’s talk business. 5. Let them know when you return home.

1. My father can repair different electric appliances. 2. I can play with a computer in English. 3. Can / Could / May I have your calculator, please? 4. May I sit here? – Yes, certainly. 5. She won’t be able to speak to you. She is leaving tomorrow. 6. We may never know the truth.

1. You must consult the dictionary. 2. You mustn’t go alone at night. 3. You must see a doctor. 4. The girl had a lot of things to do and left early. 5. The secretary will have to type these letters tomorrow.

1. You should work harder at your English. 2. If people want to be healthy, they should go in for sport. 3. Your parents ought to know better. 4. You ought to try again.

1. Until the weather is warmer, we will not go to the country. 2. If you are responsible for this work, do it properly. 3. Phone me if you are free. 4. When I graduate from the institute, I will work in a bank.

A manager, a pilot, productivity, a restaurant, a novel, a concert, to recommend, chemistry, literature, a delegation.

11. Прочитайте и письменно переведите на русский язык следующий текст:

Economy of the USA

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world. It covers an area of 3.61 million square miles. The USA is divided into 50 states.

Its population is about 236 million people. The capital of the country is Washington,D.C. (the District of Columbia).

The United States is a highly developed industrial country. It accounts for 25 per cent of the world output. The country is the world's richest economy with the gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately 5.500 billion dollars.

The USA has rich natural resources - iron ore, nonferrous metals, coal, gas and oil. Different regions of the country have different branches of industry.

The Northeast has some important seaports including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Grain, wood and other raw materials are carried across the Great Lakes. In the industrial Midwest the area around Lake Erie and Lake Michigan is well-known for producing steel, cars and other industrial products. The most important steelmaking centres of the country are Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo. Detroit, a city in the Midwest is the heart of the automobile industry.

The State of Texas in the Southwest is the largest producer of oil in the United States. The leading oil companies are located in Houston and Dallas. Besides different branches of the US industry produce machinery, ships, aircrafts, computers, televisions, radios, glass, rubber, chemicals, clothing.

The US agriculture is highly developed. Millions of cows graze in the pastures of the Great Lakes region. This area is called the Dairy Belt. The state of Wisconsin is the leader in dairy farming and is well-known for its production of cheese.

Corn is the most important of all American crops. The part of the prairie where corn is grown is called the Corn Belt.

Cotton is the principal crop of the South. The area of cotton growing is called the Cotton Belt. Cotton picking is mechanical. Besides, major cotton-growing areas, such as Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia now produce peanuts, soybeans, and tobacco. Texas produces wheat, corn, and soybeans.

All kinds of fruit and vegetables grow in California. The state is known for avocados and grapes. The wine-making industry is also developed in California.

12. Выпишите из текста английские эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений:

Округ Колумбия, высокоразвитая промышленная страна, валовoй внутренний продукт, составляет 25%, цветные металлы, сырье, известна производством стали, расположены, пасутся на пастбищах, «молочный пояс», молочное животноводство, «кукурузный пояс», «хлопковый пояс», хлопководство, сбор хлопка, арахис, виноделие.

13. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What is the gross domestic product in the USA?

2. What natural resources has the United States?

3. What are the biggest steel-making centers?

4. Where are cars produced?

5. Where is corn grown?

14. Напишите рассказ о Вашингтоне.

Вариант 5

1. Mr. Brown was invited for dinner at his friend’s house. 2. Farmers grow different fruits and vegetables in this part of the country. 3. A lot of interesting articles are published in the newspaper. 4. This firm is our old trade partner. 5. I hope this dispute will be settled at the meeting.

1. The programmer is working on his computer now. 2. The manager and the customer were discussing the credit terms (условия кредитования) when the president phoned. 3. I’ll be expecting you at 2 o’clock sharp (ровно). 4. It was snowing all day yesterday. 5. While the children were sleeping, their mother was washing the dishes.

1. We are leaving Moscow for London on Tuesday. 2. It’s slippery. The woman is going to fall down. 3. He is calling on me tonight. 4. We’re buying a new television soon. 5. The director is going to look through the mail.

1. Their proposal is being discussed now. 2. The documents were being prepared when the customers arrived at the office. 3. The computer specialists were sent to the retraining centre. 4. New computers are being installed in the office. 5. I am looking for information about Australia’s agriculture.

5. Перепишите и переведите на русский язык повелительные предложения с глаголом let:

1. Let me introduce Mr. Brown to you. 2. Let him go to the football match. 3. Let my people go. 4. Let’s have a break. 5. Let them stay at this hotel.

1. Nowadays all students can use computers and different electronic devices. 2. I can run very well. 3. Can/Could / May I use the telephone? 4. Can / Could you answer the phone for me please? – Yes, certainly. 5. We will be able to go to the exhibition tomorrow. 6. May I have a word with you, please?

1. Now I must go and make a phone call. 2. You mustn’t swim under the bridge. 3. We must solve this problem together. 4. He had to work hard to earn his living. 5. We will have to take a taxi if we don’t want to miss the train.

1. You should help your friends. 2. You shouldn’t work so much. 3. Parents ought to take care of their children and children ought to take care of their parents. 4. You ought to be more attentive.

1. I shall talk to him about it when I see him. 2. If my sister passes her exams, she will go to the seaside. 3. He will return you the book as soon as he has finished reading it. 4. Ask her to help you unless she is busy.

A director, a mechanic, to produce, a club, a box, a symphony, a journal, an author, mathematics, a minute.

11. Прочитайте и письменно переведите на русский язык следующий текст:

The US Economy

The USA has one of the strongest economies in the world. Its national market accounts for about 265 million people. The United States is the world leader in aeronautics, space technology, electronics, and computer hardware and software. The country is the world's largest producer of aluminum, copper, synthetic rubber, man-made fibers, corn, soybeans, tomatoes. It is the second largest producer of coal, gold, natural gas, oil, cotton, tobacco, apples, and oranges. One-fifth of the world's cars are made in the USA. Two-thirds of the world's passenger airplanes are produced in the country.

There are many important industrial cities in the USA. Chicago is on the shore of Lake Michigan. It is a center of metallurgical industry. A third of US cars is produced in Detroit, Michigan. The first American automobile factory was started in the city by Henry Ford.

California is the largest centre of industry in the West. Aerospace and electronic industries are developed in the state. Silicon Valley is south of San Francisco. Computer chips are made of silicon. There are many computer companies in the valley. They produce hardware and software.

A lot of Americans work in the service sector. For every person with a job in manufacturing three others provide services ranging from banking to transportation to tourism. Only about a quarter of jobs are in construction and manufacturing industries like chemicals, clothing and textiles, and machinery. Less, than 4 percent of the working population work in primary-sector industries such as mining, agriculture, fishing, and forestry.

Financial services are very important for the USA economy. Shares are bought and sold at the New York Stock Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade. Traders also buy and sell commodities such as wheat, sugar, cocoa, cattle, and lumber.

The American dollar is one of the most important currencies in the word. It is used in trade between different countries

Wall Street in New York is the financial centre of the country. It is the symbol of wealth of the United States. Wall Street is a short street in lower Manhatten. It takes its name from the town wall built in 1653 across Manhatten Island to protect the Dutch colonists from both the Native American Indians and the English. There are stock-brokerage companies, banks, insurance corporations and commodity exchanges in Wall Street. The New York Sock Exchange is located there too. It was founded in 1792. Sometimes it is called «the nation’s market place» where stocks are sold and bought.

12. Выпишите из текста английские эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений:

Составляет около 265 млн. людей, аппаратные средства и программное обеспечение компьютера, синтетический каучук, искусственные волокна, одна пятая, две третьих, сфера услуг, предоставлять услуги от... до..., четверть рабочих мест, строительная и обрабатывающая отрасли промышленности, горное дело, акции, Нью-Йоркская фондовая биржа, Чикагская товарная биржа, Чикагская срочная товарная биржа, товары.

13. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What kind of economy does the United States have?

2. What are the leading branches of the US industry?

3. Do many people work in the service sector?

4. What do traders buy and sell at the Stock Exchange?

5. What do they buy and sell at the Mercantile Exchange and the Board of Trade?

14. Напишите рассказ об одном из промышленных городов США.