1、Contemporary College English,Book Four,现代大学英语精读,A,Lesson 8 Gloabalizations Dual Power,Part One,Background Information,ENTER,Globalization is a trendy word today. More and more people now believe that the world is becoming more integrated. Indeed, people now think that it is becoming a small global v
2、illage. Globalization. They say .is not just an irresistible trend .It is already a fact.Actually, in its broadest sense, globalization started a long time e ago, one could trace it to the curly caravans across the Sahara Desert and along the Silk Road; the trade around the Mediterranean or in the w
3、ake of the Crusaders, or across the At-lactic after Columbus discovered America. The process,To be continued on the next page.,Introduction to the text,The process reached its first peak around the end of the nineteenth century, and although it was temporarily suspended by widespread protectionism,
4、which led to the two world wars in the first half of the twentieth century, the tide returned in the latter half with more tranquil inter-national relations supported by the United Nations, GATT (today the WTO, the World Bank and IMF .The pace of international economic integration accelerated in the
5、 1980s and 1990s, especially after the Cold War ended .,To be continued on the next page.,Many political barriers that hampered international trade were reduced or removed ,and great technological development facilitated easy transportation and communication . The most dramatic example of this mew r
6、ound of globalization is no doubt the opening up of China. But China is not the only country caught up in this process. Today even the most secluded and isolated countries are taking their first cautious steps in this direction,To be continued on the next page.,However, this is only one side of the
7、story. There also exists the opposite tendency, the tendency of protectionism, regionalism, unilateralist, separatism, anti-globalization. The reason for this is simple .As the author puts it, globalization is a double-edged sword .It cuts both ways .On the one hand, it can bring new products and se
8、rvices; new investment and markets; new technologies and management skills and generally higher living standards. But it can also bring more debt, more instability, a greater gap between the rich and poor, far worse environmental degradation and the loss of national and cultural identity.,To be cont
9、inued on the next page.,In spite of all the promises of a win win situation, in this game, nations are not equally positioned. They do not have a level playground. Therefore, there are bound to be winners and losers. People in many developing countries are afraid they stand to lose their hard won in
10、dependence. They suspect that globalization is just another name for Americanization. They feel they are being marginalized rather than integrated .No wonder there has been an increasingly intense mass protest against globalization around the world in recent years.,To be continued on the next page.,
11、This does not mean of course that globalization is completely wrong .It simply means that it is more complicated than we thought .It means that many mew problems will have to be looked into and properly resolved. Globalization probably will eventually prevail. But it will have to be a more equitable
12、, more humane, more universally beneficial kind of globalization .In this essay written at the edge of the twenty-first century, the author draws our attention to the dual character of this trend and urges people to deal with the new problems.,To be continued on the next page.,Chinas 15-year-iong un
13、remitting efforts to join the WTO show that we have made our choice. We have decided, after weighing the pros and cons carefully, that we cannot afford to be left out of this trend, the trend that we decided to embrace in 1978.Our achievements since that tine have proved the wisdom of this policy. H
14、owever, we must not forget that there is the other side .Our real challenges are still ahead when globalization requires big changes in ideas, attitudes, practices, policies and institutional structures.,To be continued on the next page.,It is for this reason that we believe our students ought to kw
15、on about globalization in all its subtlety and complexity. They should think about how they, as individuals, can adjust themselves to the challenges of a more open country and avail themselves of the new opportunities.,To be continued on the next page.,1.At the edge of a new century, globalization i
16、s a double edged sword; a powerful vehicle that economic and social instability. As the new century approaches, Globalization means two different things .It can have both negative and positive effects.,To be continued on the next page.,Detailed Study,On the one hand, it can greatly increase economic
17、 production, spread new technology and improve the living standards in both rich and poor countries; on the other hand, it is highly controversial because it threatens national sovereignty, destroys local culture and traditions, and is likely to cause economic and social instability.,To be continued
18、 on the next page.,The edge: (fig)It was reported in to days paper that the company is on the edge of (or :on the verge of) collapse.The opposition leader claimed that the government had brought the country to the edge of a catastrophe. Double-edged: Sth that is double edged acts in two ways, both p
19、ositive and negative, e.g. The increase in petrol prices is double edged because it will make life harder for some, but it will reduce congestion and pollution. She paid me a double-edged compliment, saying my work was excellent for a beginner. The successful program to grow cash crops for export tu
20、rned out to be a double edged sword because it creates a local food shortage.,To be continued on the next page.,2.A daunting question of the 21st century is whether nations will con troll this great upheaval or whether it will come to control them. Daunting: intimidating; disheartening; discouraging
21、, e. g.In spite of unification, the country was still faced with the daunting prospect of overcoming four decades of division. Upheaval: a great change, esp. causing or involving much difficulty, activity or trouble,3.In some respects, globalization is merely a trendy word for an old process. To som
22、e extent, globalization is not new .The world has always been in the process of market Expansion. What is new is the term “globalization”, which became fashionable only recently. Trendy: (infml) modern and unconventional; of the latest fad or fashion,4.The Cold War, from the late 1940s through the 1
23、980s, communism. The Cold War was a state of extreme hostility between countries with opposing political systems existing after the Second World War to the demise of the Soviet Unionthe “socialist camp” headed by the Soviet Union and the “free world “ headed by the United States, which expressed its
24、elf not though shooting wars, but through fierce economic competition, as well as through political and military pressure and threats.,During the Cold War, the United States enthusiastically fought shooting wars, but through fierce economic competition, as well as through political and military pres
25、sure and threats. During the Cold War, the United States enthusiastically fought for trade liberalization partly in order to prevent communism.,5.Europeans saw economic unification as an antidote to deadly nationalism. Europeans regarded economic unification as a way to prevent nationalism. They kne
26、w that what had caused two world wars could cause more if they could not curb this nationalism by turning Europe into a common market first and then organizing it into some kind of political union. This was the vision of a few far sighted politicians in Europe. Today, after nearly half a century s H
27、erculean effort, this dream is beginning to come true. Antidote: a chemical, esp, a drug, which limits the effects of a poison (fig) a way of preventing or acting against sth bad, e .g. Humor can be an effective antidote to hostility.High interest rates are the only known antidote to a persistent co
28、nsumer boom,6.As recently as 1990,governmentseither individually or through such multilateral institutions as the World Bankprovided half the loans and credits to 29 major developing countries. Multilateral: involving more than two groups or countries. Notice the prefix “multi ”, which he may draw.信
29、贷 The World Bank: an international organization, which was formed in 1945 to help rebuild war torn Europe, but soon afterward began to focus on the underdeveloped world to bring them into the international economy.,To be continued on the next page.,7.A decade later, even after Asia s 1997-98 financi
30、al crisis, private capital flows dwarf governmental flows. Ten years later, even after Asia s financial crisis of 1997-98,private capital flows are still greater in number than governmental capital flows. To dwarf: to make sth seem small by comparison The new skyscraper will dwarf all those near it.
31、 Flow: movement in one direction. esp. continuously and easily, e .g .The flow of traffic /goods /supplies /information,8.Meanwhile, multinational companies have gone in both advanced and developing countries. To go on a binge :(infml) to do too much of sth, such as eating, drinking, shopping Cross-
32、border: between countries Notice the prefix “cross-”. Also: cross-culture, cross-state, cross-breed, cross-examination Mergers and acquisitions: 兼并与收购,9The recent takeover struggle between British and German wireless giants is exceptional only for its size and bitterness. The only difference the rec
33、ent takeover struggle between British and German radio giants and other cases is that this takeover is much bigger and a lot bitterer. Takeover: the act of assuming control or management of 接管；合并 Exceptional: being an exception; uncommon; extraordinaryShe has exceptional ability as a pianist. The co
34、mpany has shown exceptional growth over the past two years.,10.behind the merger boom lies the growing corporate conviction that many markets have become truly global. The reason for the merger boom is that more and more business people now believe that many markets have truly become global. They ar
35、e no longer producing just for the people in their own country. They want to combine or merge with others to become multinational companies. Corporate: of corporations Conviction: a firm belief or a fixed opinion. e. g . She had a firm conviction that life would be better.,To be continued on the nex
36、t page.,11.in Europe, the relentless pursuit of the single market . are hamstrung by fragmented national markets. In Europe ,the persistent and unremitting effort to turn all countries on the continent into a single market show that there is a general agreement that if the European market remains di
37、vided into many small parts behind motional borders ,their companies will not be able to compete in the international market .,Relentless: steady and persistent; unremitting, e.g. He believes that the relentless push for economic growth is damaging the environment a widespread recognition: a genera
38、opinion; a general agreement; a general consensus to be hard pressed : to be heavily burdened ;to have serious difficulties to hamstring: to cripple ; to destroy or hinder the efficiency of ,e. g.The company is hamstrung by its poor management. Operation: business operation 企业运营；经营；业务 Fragmented: br
39、oken into parts,12.Despite its financial crisis, rapid trade expansion and economic growth sharply cut the number of the desperately poor. In spite of the financial crisis, rapid increase of trade and economic growth drastically reduced the number of the very poor people. To cut the number : to redu
40、ce the number Desperately poor : extremely poor,To be continued on the next page.,13.Meanwhile ,Latin American and sub Saharan Africa whose embrace of the world economy has been lat or limited were not so lucky. Sub Saharan Africa : the African countries south of the Sahara Desert (See Notes to the
41、Text ) Sub 1)below or under ,e.g. sub Sahara ;submarine 2)almost or nearly e.g. subtropical ;subhuman; subconscious 3)less important or lower in rank e.g. subordinate ;substandard 4)a smaller part of a whole e.g. subcontinent ,subcommittee ,subculture Fare : (slightly dated) to get along ;to turn ou
42、t ,e.g. How did you fare in your exams? The coal miners have fared badly in recent years because the coal mine is epleted.,14 two problems could neutralize its potential benefits. Two problems could offset the possible benefits. This is a transitory sentence. The following paragraphs are going to di
43、scuss the negative aspects of globalization. To neutralize : to offset ;to negate ; to make ineffective,15.The global economy may be prone to harsher boom bust .The capital flows in and out a country ,for example, can create a boom or bust very quickly and with much harsher effects. To be prone to s
44、th : liable to sth; likely or inclined to do sth ,e.g. The fierce competition makes students more prone to nervous breakdowns. Workers who are forced to work long hours are prone to accident. She is prone to asking stupid questions on such occasions.,Boom : a period of sudden economic growth or pros
45、perity as opposed to bust There are many idiomatic pairs of nouns like boom and bust . for examples: She walked out ,bag and baggage ,and left him. I am all for it ,body and soul. It was just a bread and butter (not every interesting ) job. Modern spices no longer fit in with our traditional image o
46、f cloak and dagger adventure. A new nation was born through the test of fire and sword.,To be continued on the next page.,We will never go to war against our own flesh and blood. They were bound hand and foot. Other examples : friend and foe ,land and sea, heart and soul ,part and parcel ,vice and v
47、irtue ,skin and bone ,profit and loss ,pins and needles,16.The Asian financial crises raised questions on both counts. The Asian financial crises brought these two questions to peoples attention : investment funds were not well used and trade flows became too lopsided. On both counts : on both point
48、s under discussion ,e.g. Im afraid I do not agree with you on all counts.,To be continued on the next page.,17.The ensuring spending boom in turn aided Europe ,Japan ,and the United States by increasing imports form them. The growth in spending that followed helped Europe ,Japan and the United State
49、s by increasing imports frim them . To ensue : (fml) to happen as a result of sth e.g. If the Middle East crises is not resolved ,terrible problems will ensure. An argument broke out between them and a knife fight ensued.,To be continued on the next page.,18. it become apparent that as a result of “
50、crony capitalism” , inept ,office buildings and apartments. It became clear that because of the corruption in those countries where political and financial resources are in the hands of a few privileged people along with their dishonest friends ,their foolish government policies and unreasonable opt
51、imism ,much of the investment was wasted on unneeded factories and a real estate bubble. Crony : a close friend or companion Crony capitalism : an economic ,political and social system controlled by a small gang of people bonded by private interests and based on favoritism Inept : not effective ;foolish clumsy,
