Файл: Metodichka_po_angl_yazyku.doc

Heavy industry is the most highly developed sector of the economy. Machine-building industry makes various types of tractors, heavy-duty trucks, other heavy machinery and electrical equipment.

Chemical industry produces chemical fibers, mineral fertilizers, petrochemicals, plastics, soda ash, and synthetic resins. The chief chemical product is potassium fertilizer.

Agriculture. Belarus has a large amount of farmland. But a short growing season and a lack of fertile soil make farming difficult. Most of Belarus has soils of only moderate fertility.

Most of the country has mixed crop and livestock farming, with a strong emphasis on flax growing. The country's principal crops are potatoes, grains (especially wheat, barley, oats and rye), flax, fruits, sunflowers, vegetables, and sugar beets. Nearly 60% of the country's total land area is cultivated.

Services. Service industries are industries that produce services, not goods. In the recent past, these industries were underdeveloped in Belarus. Most service-industry workers were poorly trained and underpaid. They had little incentive to satisfy their customers, who competed for services that were in short supply. Today, private economic activity in the service sector is flourishing. Many individuals and families are starting small businesses such as restaurants, barbershops, dry cleaners, and taxi services.

Finance. Independent Belarus restructured its banking system into a system consisting of the National Bank of Belarus and a number of commercial banks, most of which are either joint-stock or limited- liability companies. A securities market and stock exchange were also established. The republic introduced its own currency, the Belarusian ruble, in 1994. It has been the official national currency since January 1995, when circulation of Russian rubles ceased. In 1994 Belarus and Russia agreed to the eventual merger of their monetary systems, but Russia has delayed the merger because of the high inflation and other economic problems in Belarus. The central bank is the National Bank of Belarus in Minsk.

Foreign Trade. Belarus proper consumes only 13% of the goods produced. A great amount of goods produced by Belarusian industries and agriculture is oriented towards the CIS countries' markets. Russia, Poland, and Ukraine remain the republic's main trading partners, with trade increasing with Germany and Italy. Belarus also conducts trade with Austria, China, Great Britain, Lithuania, Switzerland, the United States and other countries.

Belarus exports transport equipment (mainly tractors and trucks), machinery, refrigerators, television sets, chemicals, potassium fertilizers, energy products, wood and paper products, and meat and dairy products. About 60% of Belarus' exports go to former Soviet republics. The major exports include tractors to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and many other countries.

The nation's major imports include petroleum, natural gas, industrial raw materials, textiles, rolled metal, rubber, paint, sugar, and some consumer goods. Fuel is Belarus' largest import expenditure. Russia, which supplies most of the country's fuel imports, is the most important trading partner.

In 1992 Belarus became a member of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Ex. 5. Complete each sentence using a word derivationally related to the word given in brackets:

1. Belarus is ... poor in terms of natural resources (relative). 2. The country also is a world leader in the . of peat (to produce). 3. Belarus remains . on Russia for most of its energy and fossil-fuel requirements (to depend). 4. Belarus is a highly developed ... country (industry). 5. Chemical industry produces . fibers and mineral fertilizers (chemistry). 6. Today, private activity in the service sector is flourishing (economy). 7. Belarus has an extensive . system, including railroad and highway networks (transport). 8. The government is attempting to accelerate the . of its raw- material base (to develop).

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Ex. 6. Insert prepositions where necessary:

The social orientation ... an economic system is determined ... the predominant ownership type, which affects the nature of production and the interests ... the owners. All digressions from a classical economic development model require additional involvement, especially . the sphere . distribution. However, state and societal regulation has some limits, which depend ... the nature and state ... the economy. Therefore, the social orientation . the economy has to do . ownership, methods and approaches ... management and the role of the state. A socially oriented market economy should combine the socio-economic development of a society with an adequate development of the legal and political system. It should allow . a combination of private and government ownership, the sectors that are regulated . the market and those that are not

.

Ex. 7. Match the words to their definitions:

1) supermarket a) the produce of cultivated plants, esp. cereals,

vegetables, and fruit;

2. a metal or paper medium of exchange that is in current use in a particular country;

3. something expended, such as time or money;

4. goods (visible exports) or services (invisible exports) sold to a foreign country or countries;

5. land used or suitable for farming;

6. goods (visible imports) or services (invisible imports) that are bought from foreign countries;

7. organized economic activity concerned with manufacture, extraction and processing of raw materials, or construction;

8. a progressive increase in the general level of prices brought about by an expansion in demand or the money supply or by autonomous increases in costs;

9. cattle, horses, poultry, and similar animals kept for domestic use but not as pets, esp. on a farm or ranch; j) an area of grassland, often used for hay or for grazing of animals;

k) the act of production or manufacture; l) an ally or companion;

m) land covered with grass or herbage and grazed by or suitable for grazing by livestock; n) a certificate of creditorship or property carrying the right to receive interest or dividend, such as shares or bonds;

o) the top layer of the land surface of the earth that is composed of disintegrated rock particles, humus, water, and air;

p) a large self-service store retailing food and household supplies;

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2. expenditure

3. workforce

4. farmland

5. livestock

6. currency

7. Inflation

8. meadow

9. Industry

10. security

11. Imports

12. exports

13. partner

14. pasture

15. upland

16. output

17. crop

18. soil

q) an area of high or relatively high ground; r) the total number of workers employed by a company on a specific job, project, etc. Ex. 8. Substitute the words in italics by their synonyms: 1. Approximately 5.3 million people contribute to the economy of Belarus. 2. Belarus does not have vast amounts of most of the minerals. 3. The country has small reserves of petroleum and natural gas. 4. The main industries include machine building, instrument making. 5. Belarus also manufactures computer

s

and engineering equipment. 6. The country's principal crops are potatoes, grains, flax, and fruits. 7. They had little incentive to satisfy their customers.

Ex. 9. Read the information below and think of the word, which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space:

The Republic of ... has a significant intellectual and scientific- technical potential, which is an essential . for sustainable social and economic . of the country, higher competitiveness of the national . , and implementation of technical update of the real economic sector on the basis of innovative and high technologies.

The country . more than 300 scientific organisations, of which over 90% are .-owned. The ... Academy of Sciences of Belarus includes over 90 scientific . and developments organisations. A broad range of scientific research facilitates a rapid . of domestic production and winning of global markets. Advanced developments by Belarusian ... in the field of laser and plasma technologies, new materials . specific properties, microelectronics, informatics, etc., have ... widely recognised in ... countries.

Ex. 10. Prove whether the following statements are true or false using the information from the text:

1. The national economy of Belarus is well-developed. 2. Belarus has vast amounts of most of the minerals used in modern industrial production. 3. The country has large reserves of petroleum and natural gas. 4. The country is a world leader in the production of peat. 5. Belarus is heavily reliant on oil and gas supplies from Russia. 6. Belarus satisfies all its energy needs. 7. Heavy industry is the least developed sector of the economy. 8. The chief chemical product is potassium fertilizer. 9. Agriculture accounts for about a half of Belarus' economic output. 10. Belarus has a large amount of farmland. 11. The agricultural sector in Belarus is dominated by private farms. 12. The transition to private farms proved to be slow and difficult. 13. Service industries are well developed in Belarus. 14. Belarus proper consumes most of the goods produced. 15. Belarus has an extensive transportation system.

Ex. 11. Complete the following sentences with the appropriate terms from the list below:

agriculture industrial production

CIS countries' markets International Monetary Fund

energy needs livestock

farming monetary systems

farmland potassium salts

forest reserves service industries

heavy industry small businesses

industrial output trading partner

1. Minerals are used in modern . . 2. The country has large . . 3. Belarus possesses one of the world's largest reserves of ... . 4. Belarus generates only about 12% of its own . . 5. Manufacturing contributes most of the country's . . 6. . is the most highly developed sector of the economy. 7. ... accounts for about a seventh of Belarus' economic output. 8. Belarus has a large amount of . . 9. A short growing season and a lack of fertile soil make ... difficult. 10. ... are industries that produce services, not goods. 11. Many individuals and families are starting ... . 12. In 1994 Belarus and Russia agreed to the eventual merger of their . . 13. A great amount of goods produced by Belarusian industries and agriculture is oriented towards the ... . 14. Russia, which supplies most of the country's fuel imports, is the most important ... . 15. In 1992 Belarus became a member of the . .

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Ex. 12. Choose the best variant to complete the sentences:

1. Belarus has vast amounts of (most of the minerals used in modern industrial production; petroleum and natural gas; potassium salts; coal).

2. The country is a world leader in the production of (peat; petroleum; gold; coal). 3. The most highly developed sector of the economy is (chemical industry; heavy industry; food industry; textile industry).4. The agricultural sector is dominated by (state and private farms; collective and private farms; state and collective farms; private farms). 5. The 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station contaminated much of the soil in (northern Belarus; southern Belarus; eastern Belarus; western Belarus). 7. The transition to private farms proved to be (quick; easy; efficient; none of the above). 8. The National Bank of Belarus is (commercial bank; joint-stock company; a state-controlled bank; a limited-liability company). 9. A great amount of goods produced by Belarusian industries and agriculture is oriented towards (the CIS countries' markets; China and Poland; Germany and Italy; Great Britain and the United States). 10. Belarus is a member of (the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development; the International Monetary Fund; the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; all of the above). 11. Belarus' most important means of long-distance travel are (airplanes; trains; buses; automobiles). 12. Public transportation in Belarus is (inefficient; expensive; out-of-date; none of the above).

Ex. 13. Role-play a situation:

- a group of British businessmen are burning with the idea to open a division of their company in Belarus. They realize that this business might be very risky because they know very little about that country that once used to be a part of the Soviet Union. However, the proverb says: Nothing venture, nothing gain. That is why they visit Belarus to find out if this idea

brings them some profit and advantages;

• you are young British businessmen planning to open a division of your company in Belarus. The problem is your lack of knowledge about this country. You visit the Belarusian capital in order to learn more about it and to see if your idea is worth realizing;

• you are a historian. You talk about some facts of Belarusian history and its development to an independent state;

• you are a politician. You talk about the political system of Belarus;

• you are a geographer. You talk about the geographical position of the Republic of Belarus pointing out that it is very favorable. Mention some facts about Belarusian Nature and climate and say that there are certain possibilities for the development of tourism here;

• you are an economist. You make the British guests familiar with the development of Belarusian industry and economy;

• you are a guide. You show the British guests the city of Minsk telling them some facts about its history and present.

Ex. 14. In 10-15 sentences express the main idea of the text.

UNIT 2. OUR UNIVERSITY

Part 1. Brief Historical Survey

Ex. 1. Make sure you know the meaning of the following words:

date back v., forestry n., faculty n., found v., opening n., hold v., wood n., mechanization n., logging n., land n., transportation n., name v., name n., engineering n., evacuate v., liberation n., invader n., transfer v., train v., reformation n., inspire v., intensive a., develop v., development n., chemical a., educational a., scientific a., further adv., glass n., biotechnology n., ceramics n., refractory n., binding a., form v., award v., jubilee n., qualify v., field n., skill n., skilled a., contribution n., choose v., career n., design n., composite a., environmental a., protection n., utilization n., resource n., production n., substance n., list n., enlarge v., council n., economic a., total a., continue v., print v., publish v., state a., certify v., institution n., grant v.

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Ex. 2. Practice the pronunciation of the following words:

basis, faculty, specialist, evacuate, period, industry, mechanization, chemical, chemistry, transfer, further, biotechnology, science, scientific, ceramics, design, career, environmental, resources, substance.

Ex. 3. Answer the following questions:

1. When was the Forestry Institute founded? 2. When was the official opening held? 3. How many faculties were there at the Institute in 1930? 4. When was the Institute transferred to Minsk? 5. How many students did it train then? 6. What caused its reformation in 1961? 7. What was the result of this reformation? 8. What specialists did the Institute begin to train? 9. In what connection was the Institute awarded the Order of Red Labour Banner? 10. When was the Institute reorganized once more? 11. How is it called now? 12. What new faculties were organized in the 21^st century? 13. What status was the University granted in 2005? Ex. 4. Read and translate the following text: The history of the BSTU dates back to 1919 and 1920 when on the basis of Gory-Goretsky Agricultural Institute and of the Byelorussian Polytechnic forestry faculties were organized. Our University was founded in 1930 in Gomel on the basis of these faculties of the Byelorussian State Agricultural Academy. The official opening of the Forestry Institute was held on October 1, 1930 in Gomel. At first, there were only 3 faculties at the Institute: Wood Technology Faculty, Mechanization of Logging and Land Transportation Faculty, and Forestry Faculty.

In 1934 the Forestry Institute was renamed into the Byelorussian Forestry Engineering Institute.

In 1941 at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War the Institute was evacuated to the city of Sverdlovsk. After liberation of Gomel from German fascist invaders the Institute was reevacuated to Gomel. In August 1946 the Institute was transferred to Minsk, it trained 416 students then.

Its reformation in 1961 into the Byelorussian Technological Institute was inspired by an intensive development of the Republic's chemical industry. By the end of the 60s the Chemical and Technological Faculty was founded. In the 70s the Institute educational and scientific potential developed further: it began to train specialists in biotechnology, glass and glass-ceramics, ceramics and refractories, binding materials; a number of large scientific schools were formed.

On October 20, 1980 the Institute was awarded the Order of Red Labour Banner, with its 50^th jubilee and for training highly-qualified specialists. At that time the Institute trained 6,000 students in 19 specialities at 6 faculties.

In 1989 the Institute began to train industrial engineers in construction and design of composite material articles, in environmental protection and rational utilization of natural resources, in chemical technology of materials and electronic engineering production and in chemical technology of organic substances.

Later on the material and technical facilities developed and the list of specialities for training engineers enlarged. In 1993 the Institute was reorganized once more and now it is called the Byelorussian State University of Technology (Belarusian State Technological University).

In December 2000 the BSTU was awarded the Honored Diploma of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus and the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus.

By 2000 the University had founded two new faculties: Economic Engineering Faculty and Faculty of Retraining and Qualification Upgrade, and had opened 14 specialities with about 50% of the total number of students.

In the 21^st century the BSTU continues its development. Faculty of Printing and Publishing and Faculty of Pre-University Training were founded.

In December 2004 the State Inspection Commission of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus certified the status of the University as a higher educational institution of a university type. In October 2005 the University was granted the status of a leading higher educational institution in the field of forestry, chemical and printing industries.

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