Text II

■Skimming

Ex. 1. Skim the article below and summarize the basic rules of business gift-giving in China:

Business Gift-giving in China

1. Countries in the world with a Chinese cultural influence, a collectivist attitude, accept gifts with a reserved demeanor. In order not to appear greedy, a gift will not be immediately taken, but refused three times before finally being accepted. Each time it’s refused, you as the giver must graciously continue to offer the gift. And once it’s taken, tell the person you’re happy it’s been accepted.

2.  The gift is offered using both hands and must be gift-wrapped; though it won’t be opened it front of you. It will be set aside and opened later. This tradition eliminates any concern that the recipient’s face might show any disappointment with the gift.

3.  In China, official business policy considers gifts as bribes, which are illegal. Though the policy is softening, there may be times when a gift you offer will absolutely not be accepted. Should you find yourself in this situation, graciously say you understand and withdraw it. Waiting until negotiations have concluded will eliminate the appearance of bribery when a gift is presented.

4.  A good guideline if there’s a concern is to offer a gift, saying you’re giving it on behalf of your company. It’s important to always honor the most senior person, so he will be the individual you actually present with the gift, stating you want him to accept it on behalf of his company. This gesture, company to company, will usually circumvent any problem regarding undue influence. If you have several gifts to present, never give the same item to people of different rank or stature. The more senior the person, the more expensive the gift.

5.  Typically one person is not singled out to receive a special gift, especially in front of a group. If you’ve established a good working relationship with someone and want to give a gift, arrange a time when the two of you are alone to present it. Then when you do give it, be sure to say it’s being offered as a gesture of your friendship, not business.

6.  A gift’s value should be commensurate with the level of the business dealings. This applies both to an individual’s gift and a corporate gift. There are times when an expensive gift fits the occasion and circumstance, but an overly extravagant one could create complications or embarrassment, as the recipient may not be able to reciprocate.

7.  In Chinese culture symbolism is important, with colors and numbers having special meaning. For instance, at Chinese New Year, money may be given in a red envelope; it must be even amount, using an even number of new bills. Red is a lucky color; pink and yellow represent happiness; and the number 8 is the luckiest number. The colors black, white and blue and four of anything, are negatively associated with death or funerals. Also included in this category are clocks, handkerchiefs, and straw sandals.  Sharp objects like knives or scissors represent a ‘severing of a friendship or relationship’- including a business relationship.

8.  You don’t want to inadvertently select a gift that has a negative or unlucky association. And because of the symbolism, it can happen. For instance, a fine writing pen would be a good gift, unless it has red ink.

9.  Early in your business relationships, you may want to make your gift selections from a local store where you’ll be given the proper information and direction. At least it’s wise to have items gift wrapped once you’ve arrived in the country, to eliminate incorrect choices for colors and types of paper.

■ Scanning

Ex. 2. Now read the article again and decide if the following sentences are true or false and correct the false ones:

1) The Chinese take the offered gifts immediately and very enthusiastically.

2) The Chinese don’t open the gift immediately because they are afraid to demonstrate their disappointment in case they do not like it.

3)You should offer your gift before the negotiations.

4) Personal gifts are preferable to corporate ones.

5) You should avoid giving gifts to one person in front of the group.

6) It is a good idea to offer a gift of the blue color.

7) It’s a good idea to choose gifts in a local shop.

Ex. 3. Match the two parts of the sentences:

1) Not to seem greedy	a) aside and opened later
2) The gifts are usually set	b) make sure it looks as a gesture of friendship
3) Although the policy concerning gifts is softening	c) you should refuse to accept the gift three times
4) When you offer your gift	d) severing relations
5) Sharp objects represent	e) your gift may be rejected

■Vocabulary Study

Ex. 4. Find in the text the words that mean:

1) the way you look and behave (par. 1)

2) the crime of giving money or presents to someone so that they will help you by doing something illegal (par. 3)

3) public respect and popularity (par. 4)

4) to find a way of avoiding a rule or a law that limits you (par. 4)

5) intended to be suitable for the quality, status or value of something or somebody (par. 6)

6) to do the same thing for smb. that they have done for you (par. 6)

7) to end a relationship completely and permanently (par. 8)

Ex. 5. Find in the text the opposites to the following words:

1) generous (par. 1);

2) giver (par. 2);

3) to toughen, to make stricter (par. 3);

4) odd (number) (par. 7);

5) on purpose (par. 8)

Ex. 6. Fill in the gaps with the correct prepositions (if necessary):

1) This rule applies … everyone.

2) In China you’d better offer a gift … behalf … your company.

3) A bonus should be commensurate … the employee’s performance.

4) Our guests presented us … beautiful souvenirs.

5) We decided to withdraw … our business proposal.

Ex. 7. Complete the sentences with one of these words:

Extravagant, concern, eliminate, inadvertently, single out

1) He expressed some (…) that the gift was too expensive.

2) I clarified all the details of the deal to (…) any misunderstanding.

3) Two students were (…) as the most successful in the group.

4) A too (…) gift may be regarded as a bribe.

5) I’ve chosen this color (…)! I didn’t know that it has a negative association in the Chinese culture!

Ex. 8. Give collocations from the text:

1) gift	a) influence
2) reserved	b) good relations
3) conclude	c) demeanor
4) undue	d) extravagant
5) overly	e) wrap
6) establish	f) sandals
7) even	g) negotiations
8) straw	h) number

Ex. 9. Fill in the table:

Nouns	Verb	adjective
1)	appear	-
2)	3)	soft
4,5)	bribe	-
6)	embarrass	7)
reciprocity	8)	reciprocal
9)	10)	complicated
11) symbol	12)	symbolic(al)

U NIT VI

GLOBAL PROBLEMS

“The world is not in any sense in danger from itself. The world is in fact not in any danger at all. It is we who are in danger”

Daniel Quinn (American writer, born in 1935)

Active vocabulary

to accomplish

выполнить, завершить

to adjust

приспосабливать

anecdotal

основанный на чьём-то опыте

appliance

прибор, устройство

approach

подход

artificial

искусственный

authority

власть

baby boomer

человек, род. в период демограф. взрыва

bumpy

ухабистый

care for

забота о

to coddle

нянчиться, баловать

cohort

когорта, группа

commercialism

коммерциализация, дух наживы

to conserve

сохранять

consumptive

потребительский

dependent on

зависимый от

digital

цифровой

disposal

избавление, устранение

to enhance

повышать, улучшать

entitlement

право

extraction

добыча

fault

вина

flaw

недостаток, изъян

flexible

гибкий

folks

люди

to foster

способствовать

generality

обобщение

impact

влияние

inherent

присущий, свойственный

input

вклад

issue

зд. проблема

harvest

собирать урожай, зд. добывать

label

ярлык

lack

недостаток, нехватка

merit

достоинство

misconception

неправильное понимание

multitask

многозначная задача

obsolescence

устарелость

to obtain

получать

to perceive

воспринимать

premise

предпосылка

processing

обработка

to raise

вырастить, воспитать

raw materials

сырьё

to refer to

ссылаться на

regardless of

невзирая на

roughly

приблизительно

seamless

цельный, без шва

shortcut

быстрый способ

to store

хранить

to surf

бродить (по интернету)

to sustain

поддерживать

to tempt

соблазнять

to tie

связывать

trash

отбросы,

мусор

wisely

мудро

Text I

■Skimming

Ex. 1. The paragraphs of the text below are jumbled. Arrange them in the correct order. The first one is done for you:

1 – C, 2 – …

Wasting Away:

Natural Resources and the Environment

A. Commercialism impacts the environment. Our consumption rate reflects the level of commercialism in our culture. Over the last few decades, advertising has gradually helped convince us to make changes in our lives. Ads surround us. They encourage us to want more and buy more, often regardless of our true needs. Commercialism stimulates artificial wants, and satisfying these wants means consuming more material goods and thus increases resource consumption and environmental impacts.

B. A healthy environment and a supply of natural resources are basic to our well-being. The basic premise of almost all ads is that we will be happier if we have this, too.  Companies with products for sale would like us to believe that, since their profits increase when we buy their products. Yet our well being and happiness are not necessarily dependent on having more and more and more material goods. Our long-term health, happiness, and well-being are dependent on a healthy environment, as well as on our relationships with family and friends.

C. We are totally dependent on natural resources. Everything we have or use is made of natural resources, or raw materials and energy obtained from the environment. Natural resources sustain human life. Our use of natural resources has impacts that go far beyond simply using materials that are in limited supply.  The environment is affected at every stage of the chain of extraction-processing-manufacturing-marketing-consumption-disposal.

D. How much is enough? Of course, some products we buy are necessary to our health and well-being, or improve the quality of our lives. We need clothes and stoves, books and music and many other things. The question of concern is, at what level of consumption are we using up our natural resources and our environment for things that we don't need and that don't really enhance our lives?

E. Does commercialism foster a culture of waste - a culture in which we are encouraged to make choices that are fundamentally at odds with our need to conserve natural resources and care for the environment?  It seems that the typical American lifestyle involves always wanting more. When we live in highly consumptive lifestyle, we use more resources and create more pollution. Many environmental problems are tied to our rate of consumption of material goods and thus of natural resources. The most basic method of caring for our environment is to conserve natural resources and use them wisely.

F. Ads suggest that we should want things that are newer, faster, fancier, more fashionable, a different color, larger or smaller, just like what everyone else has or different from what everyone else has. This perceived obsolescence is used to stimulate us to buy more. The classic example of perceived obsolescence is fashions in clothing. The same approach is used when makers of computers, stereos, cars, and other products tempt us with new products even though the older versions serve our needs well. A related approach, planned obsolescence is used by makers of other products. For example, some toys, equipment, calculators, small appliances, and other items are built to last only a short while. When broken, these items are not able to be repaired but must be replaced.

 G. The harvesting of raw natural resources and manufacturing processes, packaging and marketing use energy and often generate pollution. Then the final consumer products need to be transported and stored, which again involves additional inputs of energy and materials and has further environmental impacts. At some point, whatever the item we throw it away. But really, there is no "away."  Something must be done with the stuff we no longer want. That can cause problems. A lot of our trash is just plain dangerous.

■Scanning

Ex. 2. Now read the article again and answer the following questions using the text and giving your own ideas and examples:

1) In what ways are we dependent on natural resources?

2) What processes cause pollution?

3) What are the negative impacts of commercialism?

4) What is perceived obsolescence? Give examples.

5) What is planned obsolescence?

6) What does our well-being and happiness mostly depend on?

7) Is it possible to combine consumptive lifestyle with caring for the environment? If you think yes, how can we do it?

■ Vocabulary Study

Ex. 3. Complete the following table:

concrete noun	abstract noun	verb	adjective
1)	2)	consume	3)
environmentalist	4)	-	5)
6)	-	depend	7)
-	8)	9)	extractive
-	10)	-	obsolete

Ex. 4. Match the words with their meanings:

1) impact	a) the state of becoming old-fashioned
2) sustain	b) help something to develop
3) enhance	c) a piece of equipment
4) obsolescence	d) influence, usually negative
5) tempt	e) support
6) foster	f) increase, improve
7) appliance	g) to make you want to do or have something

Ex. 5. Fill in the gaps with the correct prepositions:

1) All the people are totally dependent (…) the natural resources.

2) Everything we have is obtained (…) the environment.

3) We are buying more and more things regardless (…) our needs.

4) Advertisements always tempt customers (…) new goods.

5) (…) the last few years consumption has increased dramatically.

6) Many ecological problems are tied (…) our rate of consumption.

7) If we want to survive on this planet we must care (…) the environment more.

Ex. 6. What does the expression ‘at odds’ (par E) mean? Match the idioms with ‘odd(s)’ with their meanings and then use each idiom in the sentences below:

1) be at odds with	a) unlikely to be successful
2) the odd one out	b) small things that are different and not valuable
3) odds and ends	c) chances of something happening
4) against all odds	d) different from the others
5) the odds of (doing something)	e) more than expected
6) over the odds	f) be different or opposite (when supposed to be the same)

1) The culture of waste is (…) with our care for the environment.

2) During the crisis this start-up business survived (…).

3) (…) winning the lottery are very small.

4) Among the words ‘customer’, ‘buyer’, ‘vendor’ and ‘client’ ‘vendor’ is the odd one out, because it is a synonym to ‘seller’.

5) We’ve paid (…) for this second-hand car!

6) The old woman’s cupboard was full of (…).

Ex. 7. Find collocations from the text:

1) the harvesting	a) dangerous
2) in limited	b) lifestyle
3) plain	c) rate
4) consumption	d) supply
5) foster	e) of natural resources
6) consumptive	f) a culture of waste
7) perceived	g) obsolescence