Collocations
Collocations are partly or fully fixed
expressions that become established
through repeated context-dependent
use.
Examples:
• clear
• crystal clear
• surgery
• cosmetic surgery
Break
Break a leg
Break a habit
Break a promise
Break a record
Break a window
Break someone’s heart
Break the ice
Break the law
Break the news to
someone
• Break the rules
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Catch
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
catch a bus
catch a chill
catch a cold
catch a thief
catch fire
catch sight of
catch someone’s
attention
• catch someone’s eye
• catch the flu
• Catch a glimpse
• Catch a movie
• Catch a ball
• Catch a fly
• Catch the moment
• Catch a cab
• Catch the cat
Pay
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
pay attention
pay by credit card
pay cash
pay a fine
pay interest
pay someone a
compliment
pay someone a visit
pay the bill
pay the price
pay your respects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pay back
Pay up
Don’t pay him any mind
Pay in advance
Pay off
Pay the rent
Payday
Pay check
http://www.better-english.com/strongcollocation/collocations.htm
Unit 1
GLOBALIZATION
(growth to a global or worldwide scale)
“the globalization of the communication industry”
Reading - Read the following text:
• Globalization is a shift towards a more
integrated
and
interdependent
world
economy. The globalization of markets refers
to the merging of separate national markets
into one huge global marketplace, without the
barriers to cross-border trade. Consumer
goods such as Coca Cola soft drinks, Sony
PlayStation video games, and McDonald’s
hamburgers, are changing the tastes of
consumers in different nations towards some
global norm and thus help in creating a global
market.
However, national markets are not easily giving
way to the global market: significant differences
among them regarding consumer preferences,
distribution channels, value systems etc. These
differences frequently require companies to
adapt their marketing strategies and products
to best match conditions in a country. Companies
do not globalize markets only, but production as
well, by producing goods and services at locations
around the globe and taking advantage of
national differences in the cost and other
factors of production (labor, energy, land,
capital, etc).
For example, parts for the Boeing Company’s
commercial jet airliner, the 777, are made by
suppliers from Japan, Singapore, and Italy: in
total, some 30 per cent of the total value of the
aircraft is outsourced to foreign countries. There
are, however, certain limitations to the
globalization of production, such as barriers to
trade between countries and to foreign direct
investment, transportation costs, economic and
political risk, etc. Why do companies globalize?
The main driver of globalization is the cost.
Companies are looking for cheaper labor and
manufacturing costs to enable them to stay
competitive.
Companies
also
take
advantage
of
modern
communications technology, particularly the Internet,
to outsource service activities to low-cost producers
in other nations. For example, many software
companies now use Indian engineers to perform
maintenance functions on software designed in the
United States. This shortens the time and lowers the
costs required to develop new software programs. As
markets globalize, institutions are needed to help
manage and regulate the global marketplace. Over the
past half century, a number of important global
institutions have been created to help perform these
functions, including the World Trade Organization
(WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the
World Bank, the United Nations (UN), etc.
These institutions work towards dismantling trade
barriers, reducing tariffs (taxes on imported goods),
make short- and long term loans to countries for
repaying debts and for infrastructure projects,
promote economic integration, etc. Is globalization a
good thing? Many influential economists and business
leaders think so. They believe that globalization
stimulates economic growth, raises the incomes of
consumers, and helps to create jobs in all countries
that participate in the global trading system.
Outsourcing and globalization of manufacturing allow
companies to lower the cost of goods and services,
cause economic expansion that reduces unemployment,
and increases productivity.
Globalization has its drawbacks, as well. In
developed countries, it may cause destruction of
small local businesses and harm local culture,
whereas cheap-labor countries often suffer
environmental damage and human rights abuses such
as child labor. Street demonstrations against
globalization date to December 1999, when more
than 40,000 protesters blocked the streets of
Seattle in an attempt to prevent a World Trade
Organization meeting. Ever since, anti-globalization
protesters have turned up at every major meeting
of a global institution, protesting against
environmental
degradation,
pollution,
labor
exploitation, the cultural imperialism, job losses,
and many other issues.
Definitions
• Outsource
(obtain goods or services from an outside
supplier; to contract work out)
"Many companies outsource and hire consultants
in order to maintain a flexible workforce"
• Limitation
(an act of limiting or restricting (as by
regulation)
• Restriction
(a principle that limits the extent of something)
"I am willing to accept certain restrictions on
my movements”
Definitions
• Expansion
(the act of increasing (something) in size or
volume or quantity or scope)
• Drawback
(the quality of being a hindrance)
“He pointed out all the drawbacks to my plan”
• Degradation
(changing to a lower state (a less respected
state)
Definitions
• Exploitation
(the act of making some area of land or
water more profitable or productive or
useful)
“The development of Alaskan
resources"; "the exploitation of copper
deposits"
• Pollution
(undesirable state of the natural environment
being contaminated with harmful substances
as a consequence of human activities)
Synonyms
• Shift
alteration, change, transfer, variation, move
• Integrate
get together, reconcile, accomodate
• Interdependent
mutually dependent, interconnected, attached
• Merge
converge, amalgamate, become partners
• Barrier
barricade, blockade, obstacle
• Different
opposite, diverse, various
Synonyms
• Frequent - (vs. infrequent)
prevailing, prevalent, predominant
• Require
ask, expect, demand
• Adapt
accommodate, adjust, conform
• Match
equal, equalize, equate
• Supply
provide, render, furnish
• Attempt
try, seek
Synonyms
• Perform
execute, do
• Maintenance
care, upkeep
• Manage
supervise, superintend, deal, cope, handle
• Influential
authoritative, important, powerful, prestigious
• Stimulate
affect, impact, bear upon
• Reduce
cut down, cut back, decrease, lessen, minify
• Prevent
forestall, foreclose, preclude, forbid
Antonyms
Find the antonyms of the following words in the text.
There may be more than one answer for each item.
1. local (adj.): ____________
2. to lower (v.) : ____________
3. to lengthen (v.) : ____________
4. to decrease (v.) : ____________
5. gain (n.) : ____________
6. contraction (n.) : ____________
7. benefit (n.) : ____________
8. disadvantage (n.) : ____________
9. to pay back (v.): ______________
10. to join (adv.): _______________
Discuss the following statements and give
arguments for and against:
1. Globalization damages local goods,
services and cultures.
2. Globalization increases competition
among companies.
3. Globalization raises people’s living
standards.
4. Globalization improves international
communication.
5. Globalization leads to human rights
abuses.
Thank you