LearnEnglishProfessionals

U.S.ECONOMYSTILLNUMBER1?AUDIOSCRIPT
www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2007
TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.
ListentothisexcerptfromaradioshowinwhichlistenersaskquestionsabouttheAmericaneconomy.
Optionalactivity:
Whileyoulisten,decidewhetherthefollowingsentencesaretrueorfalse.
Sentence Trueorfalse?
1. MustafawantstoknowwhyUSsteelproducersarelosingmoney.
2. UScarbuyersarelookingforsmallercars.
3. FordandGeneralMotorshaveverybiglegacycosts.
4. JapanesecarmanufacturerscanproducecarsintheUScheaperthanFordand
GeneralMotors.
5. TheUSsellsmoregoodstoChinathanitbuys.
6. Mikesaysthisisadifficultquestiontoanswer.
7. FactoryworkersintheUSworrythattheirjobswillbemovedtoChina.
8. EconomicdevelopmentinChinaisanopportunityfoeUSmanufacturers.
Presenter:GoodafternoonandwelcometoOurchangingworld.ThisweekwerediscussingtheAmerican
economy.Justhowlongwillitcontinuetobetheworldsnumberoneeconomy?Inthestudiowithmeisthe
globaleconomistMikeBevan.HelloMike,andthanksforbeingwithus.
Mike:Itsapleasuretobehere.
Presenter:Now,toourfirstcaller,MustafafromDhakainBangladesh.Mustafaovertoyou....
Mustafa:MyquestionisaboutcarproductionintheU.S.HowisitthatU.S.carmanufacturerssuchasGeneral
MotorsandFordarelosingsomuchmoney?
Presenter:Mike...
Mike:Yes,youreright,Mustafa.Theyarelosinglotsofmoneyatthemoment.Thereareseveralreasonsfor
this.ThehighpriceofoilthismeansthattheU.S.carbuyerisnowlookingforasmallercarthatusesless
petrol.U.S.manufacturersarentgoodatproducingthistypeofcar.AnotherissueisthatcompanieslikeFord
andgeneralMotorshaveenormouslegacycosts,thesearepaymentsthatcompaniesareobligedtomaketo
healthcareschemesandpensionfunds.AJapanesecarmanufacturercansetupafactoryintheU.S.withnon
ofthesecostsandcanproduceenergyefficientcarsthatAmericanconsumersarelookingforveryprofitably..
Presenter:Doesthatansweryourquestion,Mustafa?
Mustafa:Yes,thankscanIaskMikeabouttheimpactoftheInternetonAmericanbusiness?
Presenter:Goahead..
Mustafa:Mike,theUShasaverybigtradedeficitwithChinaisthisaproblemfortheUSeconomy?
Mike:YourerightMustafa,ChinasellsalotmoregoodstotheUSthantheUSsellstoChina,Isthisa
problem?.....Thereisntaneasyanswerhere.USfactoryworkersmayfeelthattheirjobsareatriskasitsvery
cheaptomakegoodsinChina.TheyworrythattheirjobsmaybemovedtoChina.Butthesesameworkerscan
nowbuyalotmorewiththeirdollarsthecostofclothesandelectricalgoodshasdecreasedalotoverthelast
fiveyears.ThesecheapclothesandelectricalgoodsareusuallymadeinChina.AtthesametimeChinaisa
growingmarketforUSgoods.TherearelotsofopportunitiesforUSmanufacturerstoselltheirproductsin
China.
Presenter:ThanksMikeandthankstoMustafainDhaka,nowtoournextquestionfromWuLiinShanghai....
Answerkey:1.False2.True3.True4.True5.False6.True7.True8.True