学术英语 社科
Academic English for
Social Sciences
8
Hard Power, Soft Power,
Smart Power
People often associate power of a nation
with military might or economic strength.
Is there something more to the concept of
power? The answer is in the affirmative,
at least to some who study political
science. This unit explores the complex
nature of power and how it impacts
international relations.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Unit Contents
Lead-in
Text A
Text B
Text C
Listening
Speaking
Writing
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
• Lead-in
– Lead-in task
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Lead-in
Task Work in groups of 3-4. Read the definition
of the following expression.
carrot and stick / carrot or stick: an idiom about power,
figuratively (比喻地) used to refer to a policy of offering a
combination of rewards and punishment to induce
behavior
Brainstorm and write down what you associate with power.
Example: Power is money./Power is like the sun.
Power is (like) _________________________________.
Now read Text A to see how the authors describe power.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
• Text A
– Critical reading and thinking
– Difficult sentences
– English language for
academic purpose
• Specialized vocabulary
• Collocations
• Signpost language
• Formal English
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
Text Analysis
In Text A the authors explain the complex nature
of power from the perspective of political science.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
Text Analysis
Definition of power:
Power is the term used to represent the sum of a
country’s capabilities. (Para.2)
Forms of power:
1) tangible power: military muscle, wealth, etc.
2) intangible power: national willpower, diplomatic
skills, etc.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
Text Analysis
Characteristics of power:
1. Asset vs. goal
1) Power is an asset that can be applied to help
countries achieve goals.
Analogy between power and money
→Power is akin to money. Money buys things;
power causes things to happen.
→ Power is less liquid than money.
→ Power has no standard measurement.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
Text Analysis
2) Power is also a goal as countries seek, acquire,
or preserve sufficient power to pursue their
national goals.
Analogy between money and power
→We all expend money as an asset;
→We also seek to acquire money and to build up
a reserve against both anticipated needs and
contingencies.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
Text Analysis
Debate: The duality of power as an asset and a goal
creates a debate over whether more is always better.
1) some people’s view
→Countries can become fixated on acquiring power, esp.
military power.
2) critics’ view
→It is unwise because power is expensive.
→It spawns insecurity in others.
3) realists’ view
→The real danger is unwise use of the power you have by
wasting it on marginal goals.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
Text Analysis
2. Hard power vs. soft power
1) Hard power
Definition: the ability to make someone else do
something or suffer the consequences
Characteristics:
→negative incentives (threats, sticks)
→positive incentives (inducement, carrots)
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
Text Analysis
2. Hard power vs. soft power
2) Soft power
Definition: the ability to persuade others to follow
your lead by being an attractive example.
Debate: Which one is more desirable?
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
View 1: Hard power is more desirable
Reasons:
→Hard power is easier to appreciate as it is
easier to see that certain coercive measures or
positive incentives have been used and to
observe the result.
→Countries follow other countries’ lead because
they share the same interests, not because of
altruistic sentiments such as admiration.
View 2 : Soft power can be potent point.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Difficult sentences
• The duality of power as an asset and a goal
creates a debate over whether more is
always better. (Para. 5)
→ Because power could be regarded both as an
asset and as a goal, this two facets of it cause
people to argue if more is always better.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
•
Text A
Difficult sentences
Some people believe that countries can
become fixated on acquiring power, especially
military power, beyond what is prudently
needed to meet possible exigencies. (Para. 5)
→ Some people believe that countries could
become so obsessed with power, especially
military power, that they embark on an infinite
journey to acquire power that is more than
exigencies would require.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
•
Text A
Difficult sentences
… President Bush, who in 2002 professed his “respect
[for] the values, judgment, and interests of our friends
and partners”, but who also asserted, “We will be
prepared to act apart” if necessary and “will not allow…
disagreements [with allies] to obscure our
determination to secure… our fundamental interests
and values.” (Para. 9)
→ In 2002, President Bush declared that he respected the
values, judgment, and interests of their friends and
partners, but he believed that Americans would not allow
their allies to prevent Americans from protecting their
own interests and values.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Group discussion
Form groups of 4-5 and have a
discussion about the soft power the
following countries have:
1) the U.S.
2) The U.K.
3) China
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
English language for academic purpose
Specialized vocabulary
Define the following terms
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
balance of power
soft power
power capacity
hard power
realists
realpolitik
coercive diplomacy
national willpower
Text A
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
English language for academic purpose
Collocations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
human nature
remain at the heart of
be akin to
a case in point
positive/negative incentives
in decline
a kiss of death
make concessions
be skeptical of
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
English language for academic purpose
Signpost language
Summarizing / Concluding
some expressions may be used to summarize
or conclude talks or writing.
e.g. To sum up / summarize / conclude…
The main points…
In short…
In conclusion…
On the whole…
In sum…
In summary
Do the task on page 162.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
English language for academic purpose
2
Formal English
Do Task 3 on page 162.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Critical reading and thinking
Task 1 Text A draws on classification and definition to discuss
the characteristics of power. Complete the following tree
diagram about the characteristics of power according to the
text.
Characteristics of power
Asset vs. goal
Power is an asset that
can be applied to
help countries
______________
achieve goals
______________.
Power is a goal
as countries
try to seek
_____________
sufficient power to
pursue national goals
___________________.
Issue:
Is power the more the better?
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Critical reading and thinking
Task 1 Text A draws on classification and definition to discuss
the characteristics of power. Complete the following tree
diagram about the characteristics of power according to the
text.
Characteristics of power
Hard power vs. soft power
Hard power is tangible
because it is easier to
observe __________.
the result
Soft power can be
potent point because it
has the ability to
attract others
_____________.
Issue:
_____________________?
Which is more desirable
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Critical reading and thinking
Task 2 Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or
false (F) according to the text.
F 1 In the end those who have the greatest hard power will gain the
upper hand in any conflicts.
T 2 Power is normally associated with being tough and hard.
T 3 We can compare power to money because like money it can be
used to obtain what we desire.
F 4 The more power a country has, the better it will become.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Critical reading and thinking
Task 2 Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or
false (F) according to the text.
T 5 Soft power can enable a country to have it her way.
T 6 Realists do not believe in soft power.
F 7 Iraqi war demonstrated soft power.
T 8 President Bush does not believe in soft power.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Critical reading and thinking
Task 3 One kind of interpretation of power is that hard
power is more concerned with economic and military might
while soft power is more about values and culture. Work in
pairs and discuss what the soft power of the following
countries are.
1 The U.S.: American fast food, high technology,
Hollywood blockbusters
2 The U.K.: English literature, the royal family
3 China: Chinese traditions and culture, Confucius
Institute
Unit 8
Text A
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Suggested answers
Language building-up
Task 1 Specialized vocabulary
1 Match the words and expressions in Column A with
their definitions in Column B.
Column A
Column B
1. balance of
power
a
a. a concept that describes the degree of
equilibrium (balance) or disequilibrium (imbalance)
of power in the global or regional system
2. soft power
f
b. the use of treats or force as a diplomatic tactic
3. power
capacity
g
c. assets that can be used negatively as a treat or a
sanction, or positively as an inducement by one
country to shape the behavior of another country
4. hard power c
d. analysts who believe that countries operate in
their own self-interests and that politics is a struggle
for power
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Language building-up
Task 1 Specialized vocabulary
1 Match the words and expressions in Column A with
their definitions in Column B.
Column A
5 realists
Column B
d e. operating according to the belief that politics is based
on the pursuit, possession, and application of power
6 realpolitik
f. traits of a country that attract other countries to
e emulate it or otherwise follow its lead through the
power of example
7 coercive
g. the sum of a country’s power assets that determine
diplomacy b its potential for exercising international power
8 national
h. the willingness of a country to use its power capacity
willpower h to influence global events
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Language building-up
Task 2 Signpost language
2 Translate the following sentences into English using the
expressions in the above box.
1 总之，这个案件没有确凿的证据。
To
sum up/ to summarise/ in summary/ there is no clear
_________________________________________________
evidence
of this case.
___________________
2 最后，我预祝峰会圆满成功。
To conclude , I wish the summit a complete success.
_______________________________________________
3 简而言之，我们希望能将理论与实践结合起来。
We hope, in short, to bring theory and practice together.
_________________________________________________
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Language building-up
2
Task 2 Signpost language
Translate the following sentences into English using the
expressions in the above box.
4 总的来说，这是成功的一年。
On the whole, it has been a successful year.
______________________________________
5 现在我总结一下要点。
Now, let me recap the main points.
______________________________
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Language building-up
Task 3 Formal English
2Replace the underlined words and expressions in the
following sentences with the more formal ones from Text A.
1 When the goals and interest of states conflict, which side will
gain control is often decided by who has the most power.
key: prevail
2 Power in common usage carries the meaning of “hit-over-the-head”
or “make you” capabilities …
key: connotation
3 Power can be based on positive persuasion as well as negative
coercion. In fact, power has many forms.
key: Indeed
4 Military muscle, wealth, and some others are fairly obvious and
easy to feel.
key: tangible
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text A
Suggested answers
Language building-up
Task 3 Formal English
2Replace the underlined words and expressions in the
following sentences with the more formal ones from Text A.
5 We seek to acquire money and to build up a reserve against both
anticipated needs and something that might happen unexpectedly.
key: contingencies
6 The fact that power has two sides, both as an asset and a goal
creates a debate over whether more is always better.
key: duality of power
7 Other countries — admiring its values, imitating its example,
aspiring to its level of prosperity and openness — want to follow it.
key: emulating
8 Countries follow other countries’ lead because they share the
same interests, not because of altruistic feelings such as admiration.
key: sentiments
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
• Text B
–Critical reading
– Difficult sentences
– English language for
academic purpose
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text B
Critical thinking and reading
Text Analysis
• What is smart power?
the combination of hard and soft power
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text B
Critical thinking and reading
Text Analysis
American soft power is in decline.
•
Serious decline in American attractiveness in
Europe, Latin America and the Islamic world.
(Find examples in Paras. 3-6.)
•
Robert Gates’ suggestion: commit more
money and effort to soft-power tools, because
military alone cannot defend U.S. interests.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text B
Critical thinking and reading
Text Analysis
• Can U.S. reclaim “smart power”?
The author’s view:
Yes, America can become a smart America by
again investing in global public goods, providing
things people and governments of the world want.
(Paras. 9-11)
Refer to Text C on page 168 and get more
information about hard power and soft
power.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
•
Text B
Difficult sentences
The effects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks threw
America off course. (Para.8)
→ The terrible suffering of the 9/11 terrorist
attacks took Americans by surprise.
•
Style also matters. (Para.10)
→ The way how things are done also matters.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text B
Suggested answers
Critical reading and thinking
Task 1 Work in pairs and discuss the following questions.
1 According to the text, what is smart power?
2 How is smart power different from soft power and
hard power?
Unit 8
Text B
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Suggested answers
Critical reading and thinking
Reading critically
Every text is written for a purpose, some are supposed to make you
believe. It is important to learn to read critically to get the point. One way
of training critical reading is to ask yourself the following questions:
• What is the author trying to prove?
• What is the author assuming I will agree with?
• Do I agree with the author?
• Does the author adequately defend his or her argument?
• What kind of proof does the author use?
• Is there something the author leaves out that I would put in?
• Does putting it in hurt the author’s argument?
Task 2 Work in pairs. Compare Text A with Text B and see
how you might answer the above questions for each text.
Decide which one has a more neutral tone.
Unit 8
Text B
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Suggested answers
Researching
Task The American dream used to reflect the soft power
of the country. With the rise of China, some foreign media
began to talk about a “Chinese dream”. Conduct a survey
on the campus about the Chinese dream. You may ask:
1 Have you ever heard of a “Chinese dream”?
2 If so, where did you hear it? If not, what do you think a Chinese
dream refers to?
3 How is the Chinese dream compared with the American dream?
Analyze the results and report your findings to the class.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
• Text C
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Text B
Suggested answers
Task Translate Paragraph 1 of Text C into Chinese
在今天的发达民主政权，国家实力不再像过去那样刚性，
那样有威慑力。同时今天世界上很多地方还不是发达民主
政权，这就局限了全球权力的转型变革。比如有些国家还
是工业化之前那种农业经济，只有弱化的公共机构，以及
集权统治者。有些失败国家成了暴力的温床。还有些国家
正在工业化，因此可能经历当年西方类似的国家在20世纪
初类似的发展阶段经历过的那些失调、混乱。在这样一个
多样化的世界，国家实力的三种来源——军事、经济，和
软实力都重要，当然这三种来源在不同关系中地位不同。
不管怎样，如果现今由信息革命带来的经济和社会发展趋
势继续下去，软实力一定会在各方作用中变得越来越重要
。
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
• Listening
– Cornell note-taking system
– Listening tasks
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Listening
Academic activities
Read the strategies and do the
tasks on page 171.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Listening
Listening tasks
Task 1 You are going to listen to a lecture on “political
correctness”. Before listening, look at the definition of
“politically correct”. Write down the questions to which
you want to find answers in the lecture in the cue space
of the following table.
politically correct: (abbr. PC) language,
behavior, and attitudes that are carefully chosen
so that they do not offend or insult anyone
Listening
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Listening tasks
Task 2 Listen again and take notes of specific
information as required in the note-taking area.
Task 3 Write a short summary of the lecture.
Cue space
My questions:
Note-taking area
Definition of politically correct:
Politically correct means socially correct
according to the views of those who were
politically left of center.
Examples: man / woman – person; Miss /
Mrs. – Ms; poor people – disadvantaged
Listening
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Listening tasks
Task 3 Write a short summary of the lecture.
Categories of politically-correct language
Type A (Examples):
new ways of saying things, avoiding giving offence to
members of minority groups
The
Examples: man/woman – person; Miss/Mrs. – Ms; poor
questions people – disadvantaged
that are
Type B (Examples):
answered: terms to attack those thought to be politically incorrect
Examples: sexist; ageist; racist; Eurocentric; homophobe
Type C (Examples):
terms indicating a positive programme for addressing wrongs
Examples: multiculturalism; affirmative action
Summaries
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
• Speaking
– Developing a strong conclusion
– Speaking tasks
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Speaking
developing a strong conclusion
Generally, a strong conclusion should include
the following points.
1)
Signal that you are going to finish the presentation.
2)
Make concluding comments, such as summarizing the
main points of the presentation, emphasizing the
important points, etc.
3)
Thank the audience.
4)
Ask whether the listeners have any questions.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Speaking
Speaking tasks
Task 1 Like a country, a person also possesses hard
power and soft power. Work in pairs and discuss
what is the soft power of a person and make a list of
its aspects.
Task 2 Work in groups of 4-5 and complete the
following task.
• Compare China with Japan with respect to military
power, economic power, cultural power, power of
industry, power of technology etc.
• Summarize your findings and report to the class.
Try to make a strong conclusion.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
• Writing
– Writing conclusions
– Writing tasks
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Writing
Main points in conclusions
•
Refer back to the topic of your paper.
•
Restate the thesis.
•
Analyze and evaluate your own ideas to
explain their significance.
•
Offer recommendations for future action.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Writing
Writing tasks
Task 1 Read the conclusion section of a paper discussing
construction management and economics in the context of
Chinese culture (as shown in the sample). Decide which
part of the section fulfills the following functions.
1 Referring back to the topic.
2 Restating the thesis.
3 Analyzing and evaluating the ideas to explain their significance.
4 Offering recommendations for future action.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Writing
Suggested answers
The procurement arrangement determines the roles and
responsibilities of the participants on a construction project, and
the relationships among them.[1] The choice of such an
arrangement should recognize cultural factors.[2] The hypotheses
were confirmed by the results of the study, which showed that the
Singapore Chinese contractors’ way of conducting business is
influenced by Chinese culture, Chinese culture can help to
promote partnering in the Singapore construction industry, and
partnering is easier between Chinese contractors and clients
because of their similar culture.[3]
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Writing
Suggested answers
Chinese culture can help to enhance partnering
implementation. However, much needs to be done to realize
this. More research is required on the business culture of
Chinese Singaporeans and, in particular, on the construction
industry. There is scope for the trade associations in
construction such as the Singapore Contractors’ Association
Ltd. (SCAL) and the Real Estate Developers Association of
Singapore (REDAS), and the Chinese organizations, such as
clan associations, to collaborate to support and participate in
this effort. They should also educate the industry on how
Chinese culture can be used to improve project
performance.[4]
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Writing
Suggested answers
The choice of an appropriate procurement arrangement is a
major determinant of project performance. Thus, programmes
for developing the Singapore construction industry should
have a cultural element. The use of Chinese culture to
enhance partnering would contribute significantly to efforts to
solve the problems facing the industry. [4]
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Writing
Suggested answers
Partnering is still in its infancy in Singapore, despite its
benefits. The intrinsic values of Chinese culture facilitate
partnering implementation because of their emphasis on guan
xi, mutuality and respect, trust and friendship, and maintaining
harmony, which are success factors in partnering
implementation. The Singapore Chinese contractors need to
discard their mutual distrust and embrace their Chinese roots
to implement partnering. Chinese contractors should use their
cultural heritage to enhance their positions in the tough and
demanding construction market by applying partnering. This
heritage also makes them well placed to apply partnering to
enhance their competitiveness in the regional market. [4]
Task 2 Write up the conclusion of your research project.
Unit 8
Hard Power,
Soft Power,
Smart Power
Get ready for Unit 9
Do the following tasks:
1. Find out main points of Text A;
2. Define the key terms with examples;
3. Mark the specialized vocabulary and explain them;
4. Underline the collocations you think important.