4. Make predictions about changes in your organization or your country. Give your reasons.

Example I think my organization will/won't grow because I’m sure the present government will/won't cut taxes.

Your organization

1. make/profit/next year

2. do/more business/other countries

3. spend/less money/training

4. recruit/more people/next two years

5. invest/more money/new technology

Your country

1. present government/win the next election

2. unemployment/decrease

3. economic situation/get worse

4. taxes/stay at the same level

5 exports/increase

5.Complete the sentences with your own ideas.

Examples If exports increase, the economic situation will improve.

The government will lose popularity if they increase taxes.

1. If more companies close down,

2. If taxes go up,

3. Unemployment will decrease if

4. Exports will increase if

5. If the present government loses the next election,

6. If my company expands,

7. If I get a big salary increase,

8. I will look for another job if

9. If another company offers me a job at twice my present salary,………….

10.If my company makes a big loss,……………….

6.You have an important business trip to South America next week. What will you do if things go wrong? Make sentences from the information below.

Example If I become ill, I’ll cancel my trip.

What will you do if

• your car breaks down on the way to the airport?

• you lose your plane ticket?

• you lose your passport?

• the airline loses your suitcase?

• someone steals your wallet?

• you lose your voice?

• you miss your plane home?

7.Describe your plans for tomorrow. Say what you will do if things go wrong.

Example :

I’m meeting a customer tomorrow. If the meeting isn't successful, we won’t sign the contract.

8.Work in groups. Discuss these questions. Give reasons for your opinions.

1. Do you think the 21st century will be ‘The New Age of the Train’? What will this depend on?

2. If the CER proposal becomes a reality, will more people prefer to travel by train than by plane?

3. Will Europe solve its traffic problems if it has an integrated network of high-speed trains?

4. What other changes will there be in the way people travel in the next century?

LESSON11

TRAFFIC CRISIS IN EUROPE’S CAPITALS

GRAMMAR: SECOND CONDITIONAL

1.What traffic problems do cities in your country have? What are the authorities doing about the problems?

Work in pairs. Read the newspaper extracts about traffic in European cities.

Make a list of the problems they refer to.

A.In Paris, 1.4 million cars travel daily into the city where there are officially only 700,000 park­ing spaces. On average, drivers spend 20 minutes driving around looking for a parking space, causing bigger traffic jams.

B. In Rome, many people want to ban cars from the city centre. City officials have promised new metro lines. Rome’s underground covers only 24 kilometres, compared to 397 kilometres in London, and 198 in Paris.

C.Government officials say the number of cars in Berlin will more than double in the next three years. ‘There will be traffic chaos in Berlin,’ said an official. ‘Whatever measures we take, traffic congestion will continue to get worse for many years.

D. Double-parking is so common in many of Madrid’s main streets that they are often completely blocked. ‘We need far more underground car parks,’ says Madrid’s mayor, ‘so people can use streets for their original purpose - for moving around.’

E. Emergency measures banned cars from Athens’ city centre as pollution rose to danger levels this week. Hospitals admitted dozens of people with breathing and heart problems. Hot, sunny weather made the poll­ution worse.