Fill in the blanks with the words from the box.

Absolute, relative, alleviation, malnutrition, sanitation, penury, impoverished, destitute, servicing

The Child Poverty Action Group does all it can for the …….. of poverty among children in the United Kingdom.

It’s not unknown for an artist, seeking recognition, to live in ……….. and to become famous only after death.

The charity’s main aim is to improve healthcare in ………. areas of the world.

The amount of money earned by someone suffering from ………. Poverty will be greater in rich area than in a poor area, whereas ……… poverty does not take account of a person’s immediate environment.

In countries where food is scarce, ………….is inevitably a major problem.

The world’s 225 richest people have combined wealth only 4 per cent of which would be enough for basic education and healthcare, adequate food, and safe water and ……… for all the world’s people.

Using overseas aid for debt ……… does not directly help any people who are suffering through poverty.

Everywhere in the world even in the cities of the richest country you will see ……… people living in shop doorways or under bridge.

B Watching and Listening

² Kate Barker, formerly the Chief Economic Advisor of the Confederation of British Industry, is a member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee[25]. You will hear her talking about the things that will need to change if labour markets become increasingly flexible.

Listen to the first part of the interview and answer the following questions.

1. A flexible labour market is one in which a) workers are able to do a variety of jobs; b) it is easy for companies to hire non-permanent staff; c) workers are free to choose the hours they work.

2. What is the advantage of a flexible labour market for employers?

3. What does “the more flexible labour market is considered to have encouraged inward investment” mean?

4. What are the three things to rethink and reconsider if the British labour force is to remain more flexible?

Listen to the second part of the interview and choose the best answer.

1. In a flexible labour market, such as that in the USA,

a. unemployment falls in a downturn or recession.

b. unemployment rises in a downturn or recession.

c. unemployment regularly increases.

2. In a flexible labour market,

a. unemployment rises during an economic upturn.

b. temporary employment rises during an economic upturn.

c. permanent employment rises during an economic upturn.

3. In a flexible labour market, there are

a. badly-paid workers who have frequent periods of unemployment.

b. well-paid workers who have frequent periods of unemployment.

c. 10% of earners who have frequent periods of unemployment.

4. Wages are falling

a. because of the deregulation of the labour market.

b. because there is now a kind of “underclass” of workers.

c. because of competition from Asian countries.

After you listen to the third part of the interview answer the following questions.

1. What are the two measures that Kate Barker suggests governments can take to help the long-term unemployed?

2. What, according to Kate Barker, is a common attitude among employers towards long-term unemployed people?

C. Brainstorm Ideas

● What is the unemployment rate in our country? What has it dynamics been like lately? In what sectors of economy has it increased? In what sectors of economy have new jobs appeared? Why? What should be done to reduce unemployment rate and poverty it entails in certain regions of the country?

Creative Consolidation

Write a 350-word essay supporting one of the following theses. Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement. Support your views with reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

1. “Work greatly influences people’s personal lives – their special interests, their leisure activities, even their appearance away from the workplace.”

2. “The most important quality in an employee is not specific knowledge or technical competence. Instead it is the ability to work well with other employees.”

3. “Since the physical work environment affects employee productivity and morale, the employees themselves should have the right to decide how their workplace is designed.”

4. “Companies should not try to improve employees’ performance by giving incentives – for example, awards or gifts. These incentives encourage negative kinds of behaviour instead of encouraging a genuine interest in doing the work well.”

5. “For a leader there is nothing more difficult, and therefore more important, than to be able to make decisions.”

6. “Employers should have no right to obtain information about their employees’ health or other aspects of their personal lives without the employees’ permission.”

7. “Ask most older people to identify the key to success, and they are likely to reply ‘hard work’. Yet, I would tell people starting off in a career that work in itself is not the key. In fact, you have to approach work cautiously – too much or too little can be self-defeating.”

8. “The presence of a competitor is always beneficial to a company. Competition forces a company to change itself in ways that improve its practices.”

9. Successful individuals typically set their next goal somewhat - but not too much – above their last achievement. In this way, they steadily raise their level of aspiration.”

10. “Too many people think only about getting results. The key to success, however, is to focus on the specific task at hand and not to worry about results.”