2017-11-01
576
The Standard of Living
1. By the standard of living we mean not only the goods and services we consume, but also other aspects of the quality of life including health, leisure time, and environmental amenities. Welfare is another word that also conveys the idea of well-being. But it is not easy to measure the standard of living of a population in quantitative terms. We care not just about the quantity of goods and services but also their quality, and that can be difficult to measure. Think of the remarkable improvements in the quality of electronic devices, and in the effectiveness and safety of medical services; but how to quantify that? We also are to measure changes in the amount of leisure time, and the historical trend is towards more leisure.
2. The environment gets increasing attention as we become more aware of the negative effects of our activities on nature and how that affects our own welfare. Affluent societies have both the greatest impact on the environment and also the greatest ability to mitigate that impact. It is very difficult to measure environmental impact, nor is it easy to get agreement on how it should be valued, but there is no doubt that it will occupy increasing attention in the years ahead.
3. In measuring the standard of living we are concerned not simply with the average level of consumption or income, but also its distribution among households. Which society enjoys a higher standard of living, one with a higher average income but greater inequality, or one with a lower average income but less inequality? Most people would probably say that there is a trade-off between level and inequality, so the answer depends on how large the differences are.
VIII. Answer the questions:
1. Is it easy to measure the standard of living of a population in quantitative terms?
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2. What gets increasing attention?
3. Which society enjoys a higher standard of living?
Variant II
I. Complete the sentences (1- 9) with the words (a-i):
A) overtime b)training c)employee d) profession e) labour f) teamwork
G) inventions h) statistics i) retailers.
1. It's wise to think about choosing a.......... before leaving school.
2. If you're a (an).......... you have to do what your boss tells you.
3. You can earn more money by working……….
4. An apprentice is required to do several years`………
5. Government ………….show that crime is rising.
6. Many companies want all their employees to be good at ………….
7. Many ………….buy direct from the factory.
8. Sometimes the cost of…………..or materials is more than the agreed budget.
9. In the twentieth century …………..and new technology changed the world.
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II. Match (1-9) with (a-i) to make up sentences:
| 1.The use of currency is intertwined 2.Russia attempted to convert from a centrally planned economy 3. In this new century China has emerged 4. Some observers worry about 5. Recession is bad because it means 6. With the development of farming 7. The coins were not always round, 8. The Chinese also innovated as they were the first 9. Most elderly people have left the labor force | a) to use paper currency. b) few jobs and loss of income for many. c) the impact of globalization on third-world countries. d) to a largely private enterprise economy. e) as the new player in the international economy. f) the use of grains for trade became commonplace. g) and rely on private or public pensions. h) with the history of money. i) but they often had irregular sizes and shapes. |
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