Unit 2b Company activities

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1 Unit 2b Company activities
Driving eastwards

2 Review Presentation in class: Why are companies investing so
much in Central Europe ? Scan through the text Driving eastwards and check your predictions quickly.

3 Review Possible reasons suggested: Reasons given in the text
Cheap workforce Generous government inward investment grants Slow economic growth at home Strong growth in central/eastern European car markets Possible to take over existing facilities/companies cheaply Good locations for exporting to the former Soviet Union

4 Review Possible reasons suggested:
Other possible reasons not mentioned in the text Asia and US companies avoid restrictions on imports into Europe Investing in the area boosts local economies and adds to market growth Higher returns on investments due to low costs Shareholder pressure to increase performance

5 Reading Read through the five extracts quickly again and put the five extracts into the correct order to complete the newspaper article. Vocabulary Suggested answers: 2 In addition to the cheap labour,… 3 Volkswagen, for example,… 4 Companies such as VW and Fiat… 5 However, in spite of all these aventages…

6 Text Istvann Mateew, a 32-year-old production engineer, works at Audi’s engine plant in Gyor western Hungary. 用一般现在时来描述一般性的事实，日常工作或某种状态。 e.g. Audi manufactures cars 奥迪生产小轿车； He works for Audi.他在奥迪工作 Audi owns 60% of the joint venture. 奥迪拥有那家合资企业60%的股份。 而现在进行时表示正在发生的事情；现阶段出现的情况；或者是正在变化的情况 e.g. Audi is now building a new plant. 奥迪正在建一个新厂 Audi is investing a lot of money in central Europe. 奥迪在中欧进行大量投资。 Living costs are rising quickly. 生活费用增加很快。

7 Text He earns about $400 a week but he would earn around eight times as much for doing the same job in Germany. Low wages are just one of the attractions for the world’s leading car companies that are investing in eastern and central Europe. 发达国家和发展中国家的薪金水平差距很大，所以资本会从发达国家流向发展中国家。 Capitals are moving out of developed countries to developing countries because of the high wages in their own countries. 2. would +earn的动词原形在这里是表示与现在相反的事实，并不是表示过去将来时 3. as much同样的数量 e.g. He has 1 million yuan, and I have as much. 他有一百万人民币，我也有一百万人民币。 4. 人工成本低是吸引投资的原因之一，发展中国家为了吸引投资，也会采取一些优惠政

8 Text In addition to the cheap labor, generous state investment grants have also brought car-makers to central Europe. What really attracts them, however, is the fact that sales are growing by up to 41 per cent in countries like Poland and the Czech Republic. With low growth at home, the world’s largest car-makers think their money is better spent abroad. 1. in addition to除了……之外 e.g. in addition to integrity, I am hard-working. 除了正直外，我还努力肯干。 2. by 在这里表示（数量，程度）的增减变化 e.g. The rate of growth fell by 3 percent. 增长率下降了3%。 3. up to 表示（数目）多达，达到 e.g. This hotel can accommodate up to 500 guests. 这旅馆可供500位来宾住宿.

9 Text Volkswagen, for example, is spending $ 1.8 bn on new car and engine plants in the former East Germany. Furthermore, VW has spent over $2bn buying and modernizing Skoda, the leading Czech car-maker. Similarly, Fiat has acquired 80 per cent of FSM, the largest car-maker in Poland, and is spending $830m on developing two new models by 2002. spend money on sth 在什么东西/事物上花钱 e.g. He spent 5000 yuan on a new cell phone 他花5000人民币买了部新手机 = He spent 5000 yuan buying a new cell phone.

10 Text Companies such as VW and Fiat have other reasons for investing so heavily in the east. With low-cost Asian imports in Western Europe, they believe that cheaper production in the east is not only a way of developing new markets but also necessary for protecting those at home. Moreover, the big investors are already looking beyond to the former Soviet Union and the huge profits they hope to make there. 1. invest heavily 大量投资 e.g. Foreign companies are investing heavily in China 外国公司在中国做了很多投资。 2. not only … but also 不仅……而且 e.g. He is not only stupid but also arrogant. 他不仅愚蠢，而且还很傲慢。

11 Text However, in spite of all these advantages, not all car-makers are ready to buy or build production facilities in the east. Some manufacturers expect wages and costs to rise quickly. Although there are signs that wages are climbing, it will be years before salaries reach western levels. 1. moreover，此外 e.g. The price is too high, moreover, the house isn‘t in a suitable position. 房价太高，而且房屋的地点也不太合适。 2. in spite of 尽管 e.g. In spite of what you say, I still believe that he is honest. 不管你说什么，我还是相信他是诚实的。

12 Reading Read the article and say whether the sentences are “right ”, “ wrong” or “Doesn’t say”. Answers: 1B 2A 3A 4C 5B 6B Look at the words in italics in the text. Write the words in the correct group. Addition: and, in addition, furthermore, moreover, also, not only…but also Contract: but, however, although, in spite of

13 Reading Now use the words to connect the following ideas,
paying attention to conjunctions of addition or contrast. Suggeste answers: 2 moreover/furthermore/in addition not only…but also 3 moreover/furthermore/in addition 4 but although in spite of 5 moreover/furthermore/in addition 6 but

14 Assignment 1.    Read the diagram on p17 and describe the activities of the companies.