Задание I. Прочитайте и письменно переведите диалог на русский язык.

BUSINESS CLIMATE IN RUSSIA

Foreigner: You represent the Independent Centre of Market Research, Mr. Pronin, don’t you? What did the recent poll conducted by your centre reveal?

Russian: Yes, I’m head of our research group. The poll you’ve referred to confirmed that in spite of the ongoing economic reforms the economic situation in Russia is still rather difficult.

F.: It is not surprising. You are having difficulties owing to the unavoidable problems which arose in the initial stages of transition to a market economy.

R.: That’s right. The poll showed that the standard of living is worsening, the economic activity is sluggish, the industrial production is still falling and the registered unemployment is rising.

F.: But judging by your official statistics available, you’ve checked the drop in industrial production, haven’t you?

R.: Yes, more than that. The tough monetary policy made it possible to curb the inflation, to stabilize the rouble, and to restructure our external debt.

F.: The most striking thing is that you restored and increased your hard currency reserves. So your enterprises seem to be adapting to the market conditions.

R.: That’s true. However, those enterprises that wish to survive can’ t ignore limited demand owing to the drop in real incomes as a result of the liberalization in prices and the interruption of traditional trade links.

F.: I see. Did you include into your questionnaire any questions about export activities of the enterprises?

R.: Yes, we did. Last year saw an increase in exports. The trend is continuing this year, which has given a boost to whole industries like ferrous and non-ferrous metal industries, and the fuel and energy complex.

F.: Has the poll revealed any structural changes in the country?

R.: Oh, yes. A graphic example would be the service sector, including catering, banking, insurance and transportation businesses, which is developing very fast.

F.: The whole world recognizes the significant, I’d say, unprecedented progress Russia has made in implementing structural adjustment policies.

R.: It’s nice to hear that. As the reforms continue, our society is undergoing drastic changes. The large-scale privatization has brought about private ownership which has caused the appearance of private property, the setting up of privately-owned businesses and the development of the non-state sector. Businessmen welcome the changes.

F.: Your emerging business needs support, I think. Are there any programmes to support business?

R.: Yes, we have quite a number of federal programmes to support small businesses and enterprises of different types of ownership which provide for tax benefits, information support and training of personnel.

F.: It looks like your business is beginning to play the role it plays in a market economy.

R.: Let’s hope it’s so.

Vocabulary

poll conducted by - …опрос, проведенный…

reveal – раскрывать, выявлять, показывать

ongoing reforms – проводящиеся реформы

owing to - по причине

unavoidable – неизбежный

initial stage – начальный этап

transition to a market economy – переход к рыночной экономике

worsen – ухудшаться

sluggish – застойный, вялый

registered unemployment – официальная безработица

judge - судить

official statistics available – имеющиеся официальные статистические данные

check – приостановить

drop – падение

tough – жесткий

to curb the inflation – сдерживать инфляцию

to restructure the external debt – реструктурировать внешний долг

restore – восстанавливать

hard currency reserves – валютные резервы

survive – выживать

following – вследствие

liberalization in prices - высвобождение цен

interruption of trade links – разрыв торговых связей

questionnaire – опросный лист, анкета

trend – тенденция

to give a boost – дать толчок

ferrous/non-ferrous metals – черные/цветные металлы

graphic example – наглядный пример

service centre – сектор услуг

catering - общественное питание

implement – осуществлять, проводить

structural adjustment policy – политика структурных преобразований

to undergo drastic changes – претерпевать серьезные изменения

ownership – право собственности

cause – быть причиной

privately-owned – находящийся в частном владении

Задание II. Ответьте по-английски на вопросы.

a) What poll was conducted by the Independent Centre of Market Research?

b) What was the general conclusion of the poll?

c) What did the official statistics available prove?

d) What positive economic developments were confirmed by the poll?

e) What did the enterprises that wished to survive have to take into account?

f) Did the poll include any questions about export activities of enterprises?

g) Did the poll reveal any structural changes?

h) Do businessmen welcome the changes in the society?

Задание III. Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты для следующих русских слов и словосочетаний.

Представлять кого-л. где-л.; что показал опрос; проходящие экономические реформы; неизбежные проблемы, возникшие…; переход к рыночной экономике; уровень жизни ухудшается; экономическая активность вялая; промышленное производство падает; зарегистрированная безработица растет; судя по имеющимся статистическим данным; жесткая кредитно-денежная политика; сдерживать инфляцию; реструктурировать долг; восстановить резервы; выживать; сокращение реальных доходов; разрыв традиционных связей; тенденция сохраняется; дать толчок развитию целых отраслей; яркий пример; структурная перестройка; претерпевать серьезные изменения; широкомасштабный; деловые люди приветствуют эти изменения; федеральные программы, предусматривающие налоговые льготы.

Задание IV. Напишите по-английски, о чем идет речь в диалоге. Используйте для этого следующие фразы-клише.

The text looks at…

The text deals with the issue of…

It is clear from the text that…

Among other things the text raises the issue of…

The problem of… is of great importance.

One of the main points to be singled out is …

Great importance is also attached to…

In this connection, I’d like to say…

It further says that …

I find a question of … very important because…

We shouldn’t forget that…

I think that … should be mentioned here as a very important mechanism of…

Вариант 5