Now Nestle is looking to what Maucher thinks is the market of the future, the Third World. Currently, 20 per cent of the world's population consumes 80 per cent of Nestle' s products. They would be satisfied if the company's products were seen in more oarts of the world. The company also will look to what Maucher considers the food of the future-pasta. As he puts it, “We can't feed the world on beefsteak. So noodles will conquer the world”.
Most industry experts agree that Nestle is in the best position of any food company to expand internationally. Most of its competitors, which have been concentrating on their domestic markets, would be happy if they were involved in the profitable international trade.
Ответьте на вопросы:
1. Would you classify Nestle as a global corporation? Why or why not?
2. What is one secret to Nestle's success?
3. Which environmental considerations are most important as Nestle expands into Third World nations?
4. What does the company produce?
5. Why does the company move brands from one country to another with relative ease?
Text 20
Britain's Banking and Financial Institutions
Britain is the world's leading financial centre and the home of international banking and financial markets. The city of London holds the greatest concentration of banks in the world and is responsible for about a fifth of total international bank lending. It also accommodates the world's largest insurance and reinsurance industry and one of the world's largest stock exchanges.
The daily turnover of money in London's Foreign exchange Markets alone is about $303 billion compared to $192 billion in New York and $128 billion in Tokyo.
Over the last Britain's income from banking, financial and business services, life and general insurance, investment management and leasing has risen sharply, accounting for some 14 per cent in 1990.
During the 1980s — a decade marked by unprecedented growth and financial institutions entered a new and challenging era. Reforms also brought specific areas of service into line with other Member States in the European Union. Major retail banks serving the personal and commercial sectors have extended and improved their product and service range. The interests of individual investors have been protected and financial service institutions have submitted to guidelines.
Britain's leading position owes much to the traditionalism of the City and Port of London as a centre for trade; also to the City's responsiveness to new challenges. The City offers:
The world's biggest international financial markets.
A time-zone advantage in 24-hour global dealings.
Comprehensive financial expertise and innovation.
International professional advisers.
Liberal financial regulations.
Worldwide communications.
A stable political climate.
A compact location with first rate amenities (and new, prime ffice developments in nearby Docklands). World-class cultural entertainment.
I. Найдите в тексте и запишите ответы на следующие вопросы:
1. How did banking reforms taken in the 1980 affect retail banks?
2. What place do London Foreign Exchange Markets take as compared to stock Exchanges in other countries?
Text 21
London
1. London began as a Roman settlement in AD 43 and grew rapidly into a large market town. After the Romans left in AD 410 the town declined because the new conquerors, Anglo-Saxons, lived in small farming communities.
2. A new era began for London when William the Conqueror came to Britain in 1066. Medieval London ceased to exist on 2 September 1666 when a fire destroyed three-quarters of it. In the 18th and 19th centuries London developed as a commercial centre.
3. The gradual growth of the city helps to explain the fact that London does not have just one centre, it has a number of centres: the financial and business centre, the shopping and entertainment centre in the West End, the government centre in Westminster. Museums and art galleries abound in London, but two of the best are the British Museum and the National Gallery. The British Museum, which is still free to enter, is the oldest museum in the world and contains treasures from the Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Oriental and Asiatic cultures. Its important artefacts include Egyptian mummies and their sarcophagi.
4. The National Gallery houses a marvellous collection of over 2,200 European paintings from the 13th to the 20th centuries.
5. Of the many beautiful churches and cathedrals in London, Westminster Abbey is perhaps the most important.
6. The Tower of London has a fascinating past as a royal residence, armoury and treasury.
7. Nearby is Tower Bridge, the only bridge in London whose roadway rises to allow ships to pass through.
8. Inside is an entertaining exhibition bringing the history of its construction and engineering to life.
5. Today, London is a huge metropolis, an ancient and ever changing city. Most Londoners as well as tourists agree with Samuel Jonson, who once said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”.
Пояснения к тексту:
AN (Anno Domini) — новая эра (после Рождества Христова)?
in AD 43 — in forty-three Anno Domini;
in AD 410 — in four hundred and ten Anno Domini 1066 ten-sixty-six или ten hundred and sixty six.
Прочитайте абзац 4 и ответьте письменно на следующий вопрос:
What did Samuel Jonson say about London?
Text 22
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a man of many identities: printer, writer, statesman, inventor, thinker, and revolutionary. He was the only American to have signed the four major documents which shaped the American republic: the Declaration of Independence (1776); the Treaty of Alliance with France which joined America and France together in the war against England (1778); the Treaty of Paris signed by England and America which ended the Revolutionary War (1783); and the Constitution of the United States (1788).
Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1706, the fifteenth child of a poor maker of candles and soap. His parents emigrated from England in 1683. After attempting to work for his brother's Boston newspaper, young Franklin moved to Philadelphia where he became one of the leading printers of pamphlets and money in colonial America.
When he wasn't busy at his business, he spent his free time trying to improve the quality of life in America. He is credited with having conducted important experiments on the nature of electricity. He designed a more efficient stove for heating houses (later called the Franklin stove). He co-founded the first lending library in the United States. He invented bifocal glasses and the lightning rod a device which lessens the impact of a building being hit by lightning.
One of Franklin's» most famous publications was Poor Richard's Almanac, a calendar filled with useful information as well as catchy proverbs which have become a part of the American identity. “A penny saved is a penny earned”, “The sleeping fox catches no poultry”. “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. “There are no gains without pains”. “Lost time is never found again”. These sayings have been passed down from generation to generation by Americans. During the Revolutionary War, Franklin played an important role as statesman to France. When he was not active in colonial oolitics, Franklin was in Paris making sure that France sided with America in its war for independence. He represented America's interests to the French, and as a result, the Treaty of Alliance was signed in 1778.
Americans best remember Benjamin Franklin as the foremost example of the self-made man. Born in poverty, Franklin became one of the most significant colonial Americans. He helped to shape tho direction of American democracy and gave his energy and time to a young nation, Franklin best symbolizes for Americans what a person can be if he or she works hard and is determined and dedicated. Benjamin Franklin is America's first and most famous “rags to riches” story.
Text 23
Winston Churchill
One of the greatest statesmen who led Great Britain to victory in the Second World War was Sir Winston Churchill, a man of inexhaustible energy, a historian, a veteran of war and master of politics. He was an intense patriot and believed in his country's greatness and its historic role in Europe and in the world.
Winston Churchill was born on November 30, 1874 at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire. After graduation from the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, the young officer wanted to make his mark. He left for Cuba. He spent there a couple of months reporting the Cuban war of independence from Spain.. Later his regiment went to India where he was both soldier and journalist. He also reported the South African War. Within a month after his arrival in South Africa he won fame for his part in rescuing an armoured train and for his success in escaping from a Boer prison camp. He returned to Britain as a military hero. In 1890 he entered politics as a Conservative and won a seat in Parliament.
In the years that followed his government and political posts alternated with military ones. He remained outside the Government from 1929 to 1939, but he continued to hold a seat in Parliament and repeatedly warned of the menace of Nazi Germany.
On September 3, 1939 Great Britain declared war on Germany. Winston Churchill was reappointed to the Admirality, installed as prime minister and later took over the Ministry of Defence. When he faced the House of Commons for the first time as prime minister, he warned of the hard road ahead. “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”, he said. He announced his policy — “to wage war by sea, land and air” and proclaimed one aim — “victory at all costs, victory however long and hard the road may be”. The commons gave him their unanimous vote of confidence.
While the Battle of Britain raged, Winston Churchill was everywhere — at military headquarters, inspecting coastal defences, nti-aircraft batteries, visiting scenes of bomb damage, smoking his cigar, giving his «V» sign and broadcasting frank reports to the nation. He was also the perfect personification of the people he led.
With military success in 1945 came political problems. Churchill's Conservative Party failed in the postwar period, but he led ft back to office in 1951 and remained prime minister until 1955 when ill health forced him to resign.
He found pleasure in writing. The most important are his two liiasterpieces “The Second World War” and “A History of English Speaking Peoples”. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953.
In 1964 Churchill's health declined and his public appearances became rare. His death at his London home on January 24, 1965 was followed by a state funeral at which almost the whole world paid tribute. He was buried in the family grave in Blandon churchyard, Oxfordshire.
Text 24
World Domination
If the British over the centuries spread English across the world by colonization, America has spread it even more effectively and quickly by different means. Who in the world has not heard of Coca Cola, McDonald's, IBM, General Motors, Microsoft and Boeing? It is clear that American industries have made their own forms of conquest. The slate of the American dollar influences all the money markets of the world. United States foreign policy affects many other countries, both near and far.
Along with all this economic and political power, there is also unequalled power in all the fields of communication, information and entertainment. No other country has played a greater part in the development of the computer. America leads the world in the design and manufacture of hardware and in the development and production of software. UNESCO figures show that 94 per cent of Internet communications are in English.
Early in the twentieth century, America established itself as the world leader in the new medium of the cinema. In 1906, the first full-length movie was made there and in the following year filmmaking began in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles. In many countries of the world today, most people's familiarity with English comes from films, TV and other types of American entertainment.
Ответьте на вопросы:
1. What is Great Britain known for?
2. What is the United States of America famous for?
Text 25
The Wheels of Commerce
Carrier's discovery has not been as disappointing as King Francis I of France had thought. Today, Canada is the largest producer of nickel and supplies the world with iron and copper as well as wood, paper, oil, asbestos, gold and silver.
In the past these raw materials were shipped to other countries to be processed. After World War П, Canada began to develop its own industries, such as manufacturing cars and aeroplanes. Canada now has the world's seventh largest economy. This has given it a strong position in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which aims to create a single market with the USA and Mexico.
Canada has moved swiftly into the future with research and development in fibre optics and communications. Thus is not surprising considering the great geographical distances and the fact that it was the home of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone.
The wealthier provinces of Canada, such as Ontario and British Columbia, enjoy some of the highest living standards in the world. There is still poverty, however, especially in the Maritimes and the north.
Ответьте на вопросы:
1. What is Canada rich in?
2. What was Alexander Graham Bell?
3. What are the living standards in Canada?
Text 26
Beaches and Tea
Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful places in the world with sandy beaches, lush green vegetation, ancient monuments and cultural riches. Tourism is very important to the economy, though war and ethnic tensions have reduced the number of visitors. Golden beaches, sheltered by coconut palms and washed by warm, blue seas are typical of Sri Lanka. The beaches of the southwest between Beruwela and Hikkaduwa are still particularly popular.
Tea is one of the Sri Lanka's leading exports. The tea estates and factories have become tourist attractions. The country is famous for its spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and pepper. Underneath the lush greenery and natural beauty, however, is stark poverty and exploitation. Most Sri Lankans work in agriculture and estate workers are paid only for those days they are actually needed to work. The pay is low and the cost of living is rising. There are many social problems and workers have poor living standards.
Ответьте на вопросы:
1. What is Sri Lanka famous for?
2. What is one of the Sri Lanka's leading exports?
3. What is the standard of living of the common people in Sri Lanka?
Text 27
Australia
Australia's prosperity has been founded on its natural resources. It produces almost every mineral from gold to uranium. In the Pilbara region of Western Australia whole mountains are being destroyed in order to extract 112 million tonnes of iron ore per year. Diamonds are also mined and the Argyle mine is the world's largest.
Traditionally, Australia was a farming country, even though only 55 per cent of the land can be used for grazing and six per cent for crops. In spite of this, Australian wealth was founded on wool, cattle and wheat. It is still a major exporter of food, making it the breadbasket of Asia. In recent years Australian wines and beers have made an international name for themselves. Beer has always been a favourite drink in Australia, though unlike the British, Australians prefer their beer ice-cold.
Agriculture and mining, however, employ comparatively few people. Tourism is now Australia's largest industry, employing six per cent of the population. More than three million visitors come to Australia each year — many of them from Japan, Korea and Singapore.
With a well educated population and Asian markets nearby, Australia is now developing modern, knowledge-based industries, such as medical science, solar energy, communications and computers.
Ответьте на вопросы:
1. What raw materials is Australia rich in?