Шушунова Наиболее употребителные идиоматические 2011

involves a fifteen billion euro cash injection, and may yet fall foul of regulators in Brussels. They're investigating whether it breaches EU state aid rules. Among its many overseas operations, France Telecom owns the Orange mobile phone company in Britain, and Mobistar in Belgium. Late last year, it provoked a row between the French and German governments, when, amid mounting losses, it pulled out of Germany's Mobilcom. The move left thousands of workers there in limbo, just days before Germany's federal elections.

Vocabulary

cutbacks - reductions in amounts of money, people and resources blood-letting - The former medical practice of treating sick people by removing some of their blood. Here used metaphorically – the removal of people from the ‘sick’ industry in an attempt to make

it healthy.

live up to - to keep to the high standards set by

hype - the promotion of someone or something by using intensive or extravagant methods of publicity

struggling - trying very hard but gradually failing cash injection - input of extra money

fall foul of - if you do something which falls foul of someone or something you do something which gets you into trouble with them breaches - breaks

in limbo - if you are in limbo you are in a situation where you do not know what will happen next and you have no control over things;

быть в подвешанном состоянии (в состоянии неопределенности)

9. Germany economy

Summary: Bad winter weather and economic problems have pushed German unemployment up to a five-year high, according to German government data published on Thursday. This is just another worry for Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Katya Adler reports from Berlin.

What a winter this is turning out to be for Gerhard Schroeder. Even his infamous charm has failed to thaw the icy reception he's receiving from all sides. Public opinion polls show that most Germans have little faith

61

now in their Chancellor. He's raising taxes and cutting public spending and despite a repeated promise to boost the job market, unemployment continues to rise - it's up to 18.5 percent in eastern parts of the country. Mr Schroeder has warned Germans that financially this will be a tough year, yet at the same time his government looks likely to give in to demands for a wage increase by public sector workers.

This, say many Germans, in a cynical attempt to avoid a strike before crucial regional elections at the beginning of next month. So the voters here are not impressed - but then neither are Germany's European partners. On Wednesday the European Commission scolded Mr Schroeder for over-spending. It's given him until May to balance the books. On top of this, the media here are reporting a chill in Mr Schroeder's marital relations. Germany's Chancellor really is out in the cold.

Vocabulary

turning out to be - becoming

to thaw - to melt, when ice turns back into water; делать дружелюбней, сердечней

opinion polls - asking people’s view on a subject such as politics;

опрос общественного мнения to boost - to improve, make better

unemployment - when people cannot get jobs

to give in to demands - to agree to do something that you do not want to do; уступить требованиям

public sector workers - workers paid by the government;

государственные служащие

a strike - when workers refuse to work crucial - very important

to balance the books - make sure that the amount of money spent is not greater than the amount of money received;

on top of - in addition to something else;

be out in the cold - остаться в одиночестве;

10. The world’s billionaires

62

Summary: The American business magazine Forbes has published its list of the world's billionaires. As a group, they're worth $141bn less this year because many shares are worth less, but their combined wealth is still equal to the UK's Gross Domestic Product. This report from Louise Cooper:

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, still tops the list, worth a cool $40bn despite the fall in value of technology companies. Investment guru Warren Buffett comes in at number two, worth ten billion less than the mighty Bill. But if you combine the wealth of the Walton family, who set up the world's largest retailer, Walmart, they are worth $82bn. But Alice, Helen, Jim, John, and Robson are listed separately in this survey. America still has the largest number of billionaires…221. And for the first time, a black American woman makes the list, the entertainer famous for her confessional TV programme, Oprah Winfrey. Germany has the second largest number of billionaires - 43 family groups reach the 10 figure number and Japan's next with 19 billionaires - one of the richest made his cash through golf courses. The second richest man in Europe is Ingvar Kamprad who set up the home store Ikea. And surprisingly after Germany, the European country with the highest number of billionaires is Russia, 17 in total. Most made their money in oil, buying assets at rock bottom prices when the government privatised the industry. The black gold has also continued to prove lucrative for Saudi Arabia − it has nine men who make the list. Entrepreneurs in both France and Italy have made oodles of cash pampering to the high maintenance woman. Families who set up companies such as Prada, Chanel and Armani are reaping the benefits. And the richest man in Ireland, John Dorrance, how did he make his billions? Well, in soup!

Vocabulary

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - the total value of the goods and services that a country produces in a year, not including income received from money invested in other countries; валовый внутренний продукт

a cool $40bn - an informal term used to talk about very large sums of money – in this case $40bn

63

the mighty Bill - the powerful Bill (Gates)

confessional TV programme - a television programme during which people reveal their secrets - usually about bad things that they’ve done golf course - поле для игры в гольф;

rock bottom prices - the lowest possible prices; максимально низкий уровень цен;

black gold - an informal name for oil; черное золото; lucrative - very profitable, makes lots of money oodles of cash - lots of money; куча денег;

pampering to - if you pamper to someone, you try to do everything possible to please them ; потакая, ублажая

the high maintenance woman - a woman who spends a lot of money trying to have a perfect look and lifestyle

reap the benefits - to get something as a result of something that you do; получать прибыль /доход /барыш

64

Key to Quizzes

Quiz 1 - Money

1.c 2.a 3.b 4.c 5.a 6.c 7.b 8.b 9.a 10.b

Quiz 2 - Money

1.c 2.b 3.b 4.c 5.b 6.b 7.a 8.c 9.a 10.b

Quiz 3 – Money

1.a 2.b 3.a 4.b 5.c 6.a 7.b 8.b 9.c 10.a

Quiz 4 –Numbers

1.b 2.c 3.b 4.b 5.a 6.a 7.c 8.a 9.a 10.a

Quiz 5 – Numbers

1.c 2.c 3.b 4.b 5.b 6.c 7.a 8.a 9.c 10.a

Quiz 6 - Talking about a New Project

List of reference books

1.Cobuild Dictionary of Idioms , Collins, 2004

2.English Idioms, Jennifer Seidl, Oxford University Press, 1989

3.Longman Business English Dictionary, Longman, 2001

4.Macmillan English Dictionary (for advanced learners), 2006

5.Speak Business English Like an American, Amy Gillett, Language Success Press, 2006

66