III. The Economy of Belarus

1. Go through the following vocabulary notes to avoid difficulties in understanding and find these words in the text.

livestock farming extracting industry pipeline refinery forestry deposit

лесное хозяйство трубопровод ивотноводство нефтеперегонный завод месторождение добывающая промышленность

2. Read the statements and decide whether they are true (T) or false (F).

1. The primary sector is manufacturing industry.

2. We have enough reserves for oil and gas.

3. Belarus has its own oil refineries.

4. The country’s chief chemical product is rock salt.

5. Education in Belarus is becoming more paid than free.

6. The forestry is underdeveloped in Belarus.

3. Read the text and check up your answers in ex. II.

First of all, talking about any economy, we have to mention the three sectors or industries in it.

The primary sector is extracting industry (production of raw materials like oil, gas, different minerals; fishing; forestry; agriculture; livestock farming; etc.).

The secondary sector is manufacturing industry. It’s connected with producing things from raw materials, for example manufacturing and construction.

The tertiary or service sector consists of industries which provide a service – trade, education, health care, tourism, transport, banking and so on.

All of these sectors are developed in Belarus (to some extent) but the manufacturing industry is the most developed one.

Let me start with the first one, extracting industry. As for oil and gas, we don’t have enough reserves of those in Belarus, that’s why we have to import a lot of gas and oil from Russia. The oil and gas are transported via two major pipelines. And we also have two oil refineries – in Polotsk and Mozyr’.

As for minerals we have enough deposits of potassium salts which we export to many countries of the world. And there are also deposits of peat and rock salts.

It can’t be said that our agriculture and livestock farming are well-developed. Our major crops are mostly grains (wheat, rye, and barley), flax, potatoes, and sugar beets. Our farmers raise cattle and hogs.

The forestry industry is underdeveloped in Belarus. We have several sawmills where timber is processed into finished goods like furniture or plywood but the quality of those goods leaves much to be desired.

Now I’d like to say a few words about the secondary sector – manufacturing industry. Well, this sector is rather developed in Belarus if compared to other sectors. The Republic is famous for its heavy-duty trucks, tractors and transport vehicles. We also produce computers, engineering equipment, metal-cutting tools, and such consumer goods as bicycles and motorcycles, clocks and watches, refrigerators, and television sets. The country's chief chemical product is potassium fertilizer. We also manufacture many wood products, including furniture, matches, plywood, and paper goods.

And lastly the service sector. This sector is rather underdeveloped. There are many shops, supermarkets and department stores in Minsk and other regional cities but the prices there | are generally high and not many people can afford to buy expensive goods of high quality. There are not enough restaurants to satisfy the needs of all the clients and tourism is only making its first steps on the Belarusian market. Health care is free but there are more and more paid services in this field of economy. Education is becoming more paid than free and a large number of people have to pay to get a secondary special or higher education.

Finally, I’d like to say that although the situation with the economy in Belarus is not bad, still a lot should be done so that people could be richer and more prosperous. And this depends on the people themselves.

4. Answer these questions using the active vocabulary of the text.

1. What sectors are developed in Belarus?

2. What sectors are underdeveloped in Belarus?

3. What are our main deposits?

4. What can you say about education in Belarus?

5. What is the main role of secondary sector?

6. What is our Republic famous for?

5. Match the halves of the following sentences in the second column.

1. We don’t have enough reserves of oil and gas 2. We have several sawmills where timber is processed into furniture 3. All the sectors are developed in Belarus 4. There are many shops and department stores in Minsk 5. The service sector consists of industries 6.The secondary sector is manufacturing industry

a) but the manufacture is the most developed. b) that’s why we have to import a lot of oil and gas from Russia. c) but the prices there are rather high. d) but the quality of it leaves much to be desired. e) which is connected with producing things from raw materials. f) which provide a service – trade, education, health care and so on.