新世纪大学英语(第二版)综合教程第4册Unit8讲解

1

Electronic Teaching Portfolio

Book Four

Unit Eight: Globalization

Part I Get Started

Section A Discussion

▇ Work in pairs or groups and discuss the following questions.

1. What do you know about globalization?

2. What has globalization contributed to the world economy?

3. What negative effects has globalization brought about?

▇ Answers for reference:

1. Globalization has been a commonly used term since the late twentieth century. It simply

means that the world has become integrated economically, socially, politically and culturally

through the advances in technology, transportation and communication. It is the collaboration of

countries to boost trade, and to reduce cultural differences.

2. Globalization has contributed to the world’s economy in many beneficial ways. First, the

advances in science and technology have allowed businesses to cross over frontiers easily.

Consequently, companies tend to become more productive and competitive, thus raising the

quality of goods, services and living standards. Second, globalization provides companies with

more and larger markets. They can sell more goods and make more money. Meanwhile, they can

create more jobs. Last but not least, consumers can also benefit from globalization. As products

become cheaper, they can get new goods more quickly and easily.

3. Though globalization has a lot of advantages, it also produces some negative effects. First,

globalization results in more unemployment in industrialized countries because many factories

have moved to developing countries where they can get cheap labour. Second, it causes some

environmental problems. As companies in the developed countries open their factories in

developing countries, serious environmental problems have occurred in some developing

countries. Last, the natural resources of some of the developing countries are being robbed of by

some developed countries in the process of globalization.

Section B Quotes

▇ Study the following quotes about globalization and discuss in pairs what you can learn

from them.

Jeffrey Sachs

⊙Globalization was a deep trend pushed by technology and right ideas, as much as anything

else.

—Jeffrey Sachs

Interpretation: 2

Everything has its law of development. The same is true of globalization. Driven by technology

and right ideas, it has progressed rapidly and will develop in depth.

About Jeffrey David Sachs (1954- ): an American economist and Director of the Earth Institute

at Columbia University. He is one of the youngest economics professors in the history of

Harvard University. He is known for his work on the challenges of economic development,

environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation, debt cancellation, and globalization.

Robert Reich

⊙Globalization and free trade do spur economic growth, and they lead to lower prices on many

goods.

—Robert Reich

Interpretation:

Stimulated by globalization and free trade, the world economy grows rapidly. At the same time,

globalization and free trade have brought in fierce competition, and affordable prices have

benefited consumers in a great way.

About Robert Bernard Reich (1946- ): an American political economist, professor, author, and

political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy

Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997.

Jimmy Carter

⊙If you are totally illiterate and living on $1 a day, the benefits of globalization never come to

you.

—Jimmy Carter

Interpretation:

Though globalization brings advantages to the world, it also brings about a great gap between the

rich and the poor. There are still many people living below the poverty line, who cannot enjoy

the fruits of globalization.

About Jimmy Carter (1924- ): an American politician who served as the 39th President of the

United States (1977–1981). He was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.

3 Larry Summers

⊙In the developing world, far more people are poor because of too little globalization rather

than too much.

—Larry Summers

Interpretation:

People in many developing countries are still poor because they have not benefited from

globalization. Globalization decreases poverty in developing countries.

About Larry Summers (1954- ): an American economist. He served as the 71st United States

Secretary of the Treasury from 1999 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He was Director of the

White House United States National Economic Council for President Barack Obama until

November 2010.

Section C Watching and Discussion

▇ Watch the following video clip “What Is Globalization” and do the tasks that follow: