Модуль 6 “Unemployment”.

1. English-Russian Vocabulary

admit (v)	допускать, принимать, позволять
capable (a)	способный, умелый, допускающий
chase (v)	охотиться
condition (n)	условие
consumer (n)	потребитель
discharge (v)	разгружать, увольнять
discourage (v)	мешать
exist (v)	существовать
fall (n)	падение
frictional unemployment	фрикционная безработица
hire (v)	нанимать
improve (v)	улучшать
income (n)	доход
inevitable (a)	неизбежный
investment (n)	капиталовложение
local (a)	местный
manual (a)	ручной
occur (v)	случаться, происходить
opportunity (n)	возможность
payment (n)	платеж, плата, взнос
rapid (a)	быстрый
reason (n)	причина
reduce (v)	уменьшать
regard (v)	принимать во внимание, считаться, рассматривать
require (v)	требовать
seek (v)	искать
shortage (n)	нехватка, недостаток, дефицит
stock (n)	фонд, запас
structural unemployment	структурная безработица
suggest (v)	предлагать
unemployment (n)	безработица

2. Text “Unemployment”

We say that unemployment exists where people capable and willing to work are unable to find suitable paid employment. But where an economy is adapting to changing conditions, there will always be some persons unemployed as they change jobs or as seasonal work comes to an end.

Unemployment may occur for many different reasons. There will always be some people changing jobs. In certain occupations, e. g. unskilled labour in the construction industry, workers are not employed regularly by one employer. When a contract is completed labour is not required. Occasionally workers are discharged when a factory is being reorganised.

Unemployed workers usually register at the local employment exchange from which employers can hire them. The unemployed are paid certain benefits.

Employment in some industries such as building, fruit picking is seasonal in character. Seasonal employment can be reduced out of “season” and admit such persons as students and housewives during the busy period. Sometimes there are unemployed workers of a particular occupation in one part of the country but a shortage of the same type of work in other parts. Thus today there is a surplus of unskilled and manual labourers in the north of England, whereas firms in the London area have vacancies unfilled. Two main reasons can be suggested for this type of unemployment – ignorance of opportunities, and immobility of labour.

Workers may be in “between jobs”. Some of them are looking for better jobs, others are seeking better salaries. Young people search for their first jobs. This is called frictional unemployment. This type is usually short-term and regarded as inevitable.

Unemployment may also be caused by important changes in the structure of consumer demand and in technology. As a result some workers find that their skills and experience are unwanted by these changes. This type of employment is more long-term and regarded as more serious. It is known as structural unemployment.

The full-employment or natural rate of unemployment ranges between 5 and 6 per cent.

3. Exercises

Exercise 1. Give antonyms to the following words:

unemployment, important, to be able, to find, skilled, regularly.

Exercise 2. Match English and Russian equivalents.

1. changing conditions	a. искать работу
2. seasonal work	b. структурная безработица
3. to seek better salaries	c. изменяющиеся условия
4. to search for a job	d. фрикционная безработица
5. consumer demand	e. сезонная работа
6. frictional unemployment	f. искать более высокий оклад
7. structural unemployment	g. потребительский спрос

Exercise 3. Insert the right word:

(demand, occur, structural, employment, seasonal).

1. Unemployment exists where people are unable to find suitable paid … .

2. Unemployment may … for many different reasons.

3. Employment in some industries such as building, fruit picking is … in character.

4. Unemployment may also be caused by important changes in the structure of consumer … and in technology.

5. … unemployment is more long-term and regarded as more serious.

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences.

1. Unemployment exists where … .

2. Unemployed workers usually register at … .

3. Seasonal employment is … .

4. Frictional unemployment is … .

5. Structural unemployment is … .

Exercise 5. Insert the necessary prepositions: from, for, in, at, of, by.

1. Unemployment may occur … many different reasons.

2. … certain occupations, for example, unskilled labour … the construction industry, workers are not employed regularly … one employer.

3. Unemployed workers often register … local employment exchange … which employers can hire them.

4. There is a surplus … unskilled and manual labourers … the north … England.

5. Two main reasons can be suggested … this type … unemployment.

6. Some workers are looking … better jobs.

7. Young people search … their first jobs.

Exercise 6. Put the verb in brackets in the required tense form.

1. An individual who (to be) currently unemployed and (to look for) work is counted as unemployed.

2. Unemployment (to peak) last year and since then (to go) down.

3. The International Monetary Fund (to carry) out a study last year.

4. He (to be) out of work for three months.

5. Unemployment (to increase) steadily this year.

6. She (to work) in the company since it began.

Exercise 7. Answer the questions to the text.

1. What types of unemployment can we distinguish?

2. Why is frictional unemployment regarded as inevitable?

3. What causes structural unemployment?

4. What is the national rate of unemployment?

4. Supplementary reading

Text “Inflation”.

Read the text and answer the questions:

1. What is inflation?

2. Does inflation mean that all prices are necessarily rising?

3. What are the reasons for inflation?

4. How does inflation influence the country dependent on international trade?

Prices of nearly all goods and services have moved in recent history. Inflation is the process of rising prices, or what is the same thing – a fall in the value of money. Each of us is getting adjusted to inflation.

At the beginning a rising price level may not be considered dangerous. It improves the climate for investment, reduces payments of the National Debt.

The problem, however, is that when the rise in prices starts, it is difficult to stop it. Gradually the rate of inflation increases, it may lead to hyperinflation.

Inflation reduces the standard of living of persons dependent on fixed incomes, as pensioners. But on the other hand it is easier to pay debts. Not all the prices are rising. Even during rather rapid inflation some prices may be constant and others even fall.

Inflation may occur for many different reasons. Traditionally changes in the price level have been explained by an excess of total demand. The essence of this kind of inflation may be expressed in the phrase “too much money chasing too few goods.”

In this case we see long queues of shoppers to make purchases. Stocks of goods available are less than the quantity of goods that the consumers are willing to buy. Besides, there are some black markets in which people buy things at prices much higher than they should be.

There are other factors causing inflation. There were some periods in our recent economic history when the price level rose despite low demand. Sometimes the cost of goods rises and this results in the rise of prices, or inflation. In this case the cost makes the price level higher.

Inflation can create serious difficulties for a country dependent on international trade, as Britain has discovered over the past thirty years. When the level of internal prices rises in comparison with prices of foreign traders, imports increase. Moreover, exports are discouraged.

Thus, it is important that the control of inflation should be given priority in government policy.