28 UniT 02 | Big bucks or no dough? Read the statements below and discuss the following questions with a partner. 1 What issues regarding globalisation are addressed? What do you know about them? 2 Do you agree with any statements? Why?/ Why not? READING + SPEAKING 17 The other side of the coin “Global trade has had the most devastating effects on the environment and the world’s poor. In order to provide convenient and cheap goods for industrialised nations, nature and workers are being exploited in the most gruesome ways.” “We live in a global village where everything is interconnected and people around the world create a global culture of shared values and ideas. It’s one of the great accomplishments of the internet and international travel.” “It’s sad to see that many people in politically oppressed countries are cut off from the rest of the world through censorship of the internet and social media. How are they ever going to get the courage to challenge their leaders or rebel if they can’t connect to others?” “It’s a common misconception that all the people in Western countries benefit from globalisation. Taking a closer look, you will notice that lower-paying manufacturing and agricultural jobs are greatly affected by global competition from low-wage countries.” “They say that computers and the internet have brought us together, but I strongly disagree. In fact, the gap between people has never been bigger: The digital divide and unequal access to technology are only strengthening the rich and weakening the poor.” “You’d think that globalisation, political unions, trade agreements and heightened international collaboration would reduce the importance of nationalism. But, quite the contrary, the number of countries becoming more nationalist is soaring at an alarming rate.” A B C D E F Expand your vocabulary: Globalisation – part 1 Copy the expressions from the box into your notebook and find their opposites among the highlighted expressions above. LANGUAGE 18 Choose one aspect of globalisation that you find positive and one that you find worrying. Use some vocabulary from this page to write two short statements (50 words each) about these two aspects of globalisation. Write them on separate pieces of paper. Work in groups of four. Compare your statements and find a title for each one. WRITING 19 a b a (common) truth b to be harmed by sth. c beneficial d to connect e to drop f high-wage countries g isolated h supported i globalisation j developing countries k decreased l to obey Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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