The Economy of Great Britain

 

1.Britain was a pioneer in the industrial revolution and has retained a manufacturing base of fundamental importance to the economy (accounting
for some 25 per cent of gross domestic product - GDP) in spite of a rapid growth in the services sector (nearly two-thirds of GDP).

Petroleum and natural gas now account for 4 per cent of GDPand agriculture for 2 per cent (supplying more than half country's food). Britain has become self-sufficient in oil with the development of resources in the continental shelf under the North Sea. Although this has brought great economic benefits, it has contributed to problems of economic adjustment: the external value of sterling is partially influenced by the position in the international oil market, and this may cause strains in Britain's international trade.

2.    The economy is based largely on private enterprises but has some major publicly owned industries (notably coal, steel, gas, electricity and railways)
and a few joint enterprises. The Government is reducing the size of the public sector, returning parts of the steel, transport, telecommunications and aerospace industries, for example, to private enterprise.

3. The working population is just over 26 million (in a total population of 56 million) of which 7 per cent are self-employed. Just under 40 per cent are women. Unemployment has risen to around 3 million.

4. Britain exports over 30 per cent of its GDP. Machinery and transport equipment account for about one-third of exports while finished manufactures comprise over one-third of imports. A recent trend has been the large fall in oil imports and the emergence of a significant export trade. The Federal Republic of Germany and the United States are Britain's leading trading partners. Britain's fellow members in the European Community accounted for 43 per cent of its exports and 41 per cent of imports in 1990, compared with 30 and 32 per cent respectively in 1972.

Earnings from invisible exports, including financial and other services, are about half as much as those from visible exports.

The Government aims to defeat inflation through firm fiscal and monetary policies, increasing competition, reducing the rise in public expenditure and restoring incentives to industry, particularly small businesses.

 

II. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What is the fundamental importance to the economy of Great Britain?

2. What natural resources is Great Britain rich in?

3. What branches of industry in Great Britain do you know?

4. What does Great Britain export?

6. Which countries are Britain's leading trading partners?

 

III. Найдите в тексте слово value и уточните его значение в данном тексте.

 

IV. Вместо пропусков вставьте подходящее слово. Переведите предложения на русский язык.

                    oil, sterling, account, based, public

1. The economy of Great oil Britain is... largely on private enterprises.   

2.  Britain has become self-  sufficient in... with the development of resources in the continental shelf under the North Sea.

3.    The external value of... is partially influenced by
the position in the international oil market.

4. Petroleum and natural gas... for 4 per cent of GDP.   

5. The Government is reducing the size of the... sector.

 

V. Найдите производные слова от следующих слов: to employ, to develop, economy, to adjusts, part

Вариант 5

 

I.Прочитайте и устно переведите весь текст. Пере­пишите и письменно переведите абзацы 1, 2, 3.