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ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTICLES(from: http://www.headsupenglish.com) ¹ 1. Corruption in Russia Corruption and red tape have severely limited the development of small businesses in Russia. Take a report from the World Bank as one example of the problems business owners face. The report estimates that it takes more than 700 days to get licenses, fill out paperwork, and connect utilities just to build a warehouse. Bribes are necessary for local officials, and additional money must be handed over to local gangs for "protection." In fact, in terms of corruption, Russia ranks equal with Gambia, Indonesia, and Togo at 143rd place out of 180. Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev, wants a change. Small businesses make up a scant 15% of the country's GDP. He wants to increase this figure to 50%, and so intends to seek out blatant and less obvious forms of corruption. As a result, small firms will be able to thrive better in the oil boom that has begun to develop a middle class with disposable income. Medvedev correctly believes that a strong middle class and a diverse range of businesses will make Russia less dependent on natural resources like oil. And although oil probably won't drop to $20 a barrel, the country could still suffer from price fluctuations. It's expected that revenues from oil and natural gas will supply 41% of the country's income this year. Big businesses face similar worries, and have moved investments planned for Russia to countries with less corruption. Rex Tillerson, the chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation, said that there isn't much confidence in Russia's rule of law. Foreign investment has dropped 43% as a result. Previews Rank It!:Which country is the most corrupt? Rank the countries in order. Remember to support your decisions! post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers! 1. Were you surprised that Russia suffers from corruption? Why/not? 2. Despite corruption, do you think there are good business opportunities in Russia? Why/not? 3. Which countries would you imagine to be more corrupt than Russia? How about your country? 4. Have you ever thought about opening a business? If yes, what? If no, why not? 5. You have the chance to open a small business in your home country. What kind of business will you open? Google Search: Type "corruption" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings ¹ 2. Global Meltdown Crisis has come for the world's financial markets, or at least that's the growing consensus among financial experts. George Soros, a renowned investor and the 101st richest man in the world according to Forbes, stated that no resolution to the crisis exists in the near term. The financial system has effectively disintegrated, and he added that the crisis draws parallels to the Great Depression or the demise of the Soviet Union. The financial crisis involves everyone around the world, from the wealthy of first-world countries to the poor in developing nations. Paul Volker, a top advisor to President Obama, said that industrial production on a global scale has declined more markedly than in the US. The rapid and uniform drop equals if not rivals the economic situation the world faced in the 1930s. Unemployment figures continue to rise. Charities which offer assistance to the world's poor find it impossible to maintain their level of aid as donations dry up. The economy dominates the news too, especially as more and more countries publish 2008 economic reports. Japan's economy, for example, shrank 3.3%, which is the fastest rate since the oil crisis in 1974. Data predicts that the economy of the EU will grind to a halt in 2009. And more and more newspapers, forums, and blogs are talking about stretching incomes with cheap eats at home and cheap vacations. Experts, industries, and world leaders are scrambling to find an answer. Yet no one possesses a definitive solution to avoid or lessen the global meltdown, and that's perhaps the worst part of the crisis. Warm Up: Do you agree or disagree? Why? 1. I'm very worried about my job these days. 2. The economy will get much worse in the near future. 3. I've made changes in my life because of the weak economy. 4. The economy is bad, but not as terrible as many people believe. Everyone is just panicking right now. 5. It's the end of the world as we know it! Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article. 1. Crisis has come for the world's financial markets, or at least that's... 2. The financial crisis involves everyone around the world, from the wealthy of... 3. The rapid and uniform drop equals if not rivals the... 4. The economy dominates the news too, especially as more and more... 5. And more and more newspapers, forums, and blogs are talking about... Post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers! 1. How worried are you about the economy? Please explain. 2. What do you think is the worst case scenario? Please explain. 3. The article talks about a global meltdown. Is the current problem really that serious? Why/not? 4. What would you do if you lost your job? What additional sacrifices would you need to make? 5. When will the economy improve? How will life be different even after it improves? Please explain. Google Search: Type "economic crisis" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings. ¹ 3. Green Living David Mears and his wife Dorothy haven't paid a heating bill in 25 years- not one dollar, not even one cent! They haven't received a bill in 25 years, but it's not a mistake by the heating companies. Nor did they get lucky. Mears put his knowledge of alternative energy sources to good use. Mears is a professor of Bioresource Engineering at Rutgers University. After the energy crisis in the 1970s, he built a system that would mostly end the use of fossil fuel to heat his New Jersey home. He installed a special space beneath his floor filled with water, then put in solar collectors to heat the water. On cloudy days, he could use a woodstove which used a water-heating coil. This made the system more efficient in extracting heat, so less wood was needed. As a last resort, a fossil fuel system remained in place to heat his home, but he never used it. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, more than 85% of all energy consumed in the U.S. comes from fossil fuel. This means coal, oil, and natural gas. In addition, 2,700 pounds of carbon per year per person, or 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, comes from operating individual homes. Usually it's the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system that produces the most greenhouse gases. Mears has been able to keep his home at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 C) or above for 25 years. It demonstrates that his energy sustainable house isn't a ridiculous or impossible idea. The technology is available for everyone. Green living is a real possibility. Preview some of the lesson material: Warm Up:Do you agree or disagree? Why? 1. Solar energy, wind power, and other "friendly" energy sources aren't practical. Fragments:Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article. 1. They haven't received a bill in 25 years, but... 2. . Mears put his knowledge of... 3. According to the U.S. Department of Energy... 4. Usually it's the heating, ventilation, and... 5. It demonstrates that his energy... Post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support our answers! 1. How much is your monthly heating/cooling bill? What do you do (could you do) to reduce it? Google Search: Type "green living" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about ¹ 4. Date: 2015-12-24; view: 808
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