Globalisation Worksheet A

Inside Out

Globalisation worksheet A

Melanie

The word ‘globalisation’ can mean different things to different people, but often it refers to the way the countries and regions of the world are becoming more interconnected in economic terms, for example through increased trade. Countries are exporting more of what they produce and importing more of what they consume. Other aspects of economic globalisation are the rise of powerful multinational companies which operate in a lot of different countries, and the large number of workers who are moving to other countries in search of better-paid jobs.

Ian

Globalisation has gone too far. The idea of stronger economic and cultural ties between countries might sound nice, but in practice it has had a lot of negative consequences.

The reality of economic globalisation is that the free market model is being imposed on developing countries as if it were the only solution to economic problems, but in fact it just increases inequality between rich and poor. Multinational companies move to poor countries where they can exploit workers by paying very low wages, and where weak environmental legislation means they are free to cause pollution.

Another side of globalisation is that the world is becoming a less diverse place, and therefore less interesting. The whole world is being led towards consumerism, as if this were the route to human happiness. Everyone is being encouraged to buy the same products, from fast food to iPods.

Clare

The people who oppose globalisation are living in the past, because these days the only way for countries to become richer is by trading and competing with each other in the international economy.

Also, if we didn’t have economic globalisation, many foreign products would disappear from the shops. We’d have much less choice in what we buy.

Cultural globalisation is another positive thing, with societies opening up to ideas from other parts of the world. In my opinion bad ideas will be challenged, while good ideas – like concern for human rights – will spread.

I don’t agree that western culture is being imposed on the rest of the world. Societies are free to choose which aspects of other cultures to adopt and which to reject. If an idea or a product becomes popular all around the world, there must be something good about it.

Globalisation worksheet B

Exercise 1

Here are some simple definitions for words that appear in the text on Worksheet A. Find the words they refer to and fill in the gaps.

1. ______(noun, plural) connections between people or things

2. ______(verb) to gradually affect or cover a larger area

3. ______(noun, plural) an amount of money that you earn for working

4.______(verb) to treat someone unfairly in order to get some benefit for

yourself

5. ______(verb) to question whether something is true, accurate, or legal

Exercise 2

Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F), or if the text doesn’t say (D).

1. Melanie says that international trade has increased.

2. Ian believes that globalisation started a long time ago.

3. Clare thinks economic globalisation has given people more choice in what they buy

when they go shopping.

4. Ian thinks that in some ways globalisation is decreasing the differences between

societies.

5. Melanie dislikes multinational companies.

6. Clare thinks countries can become richer without participating in the international

economy.

Exercise 3

1. Why does Melanie think a large number of workers are moving to other countries?

2. What examples does Ian give of products that people all around the world are being

encouraged to buy?

3. For Clare, what is the positive consequence of countries ‘opening up to ideas from

other parts of the world’?

4. What two criticisms does Ian make of multinational companies?

5. For Clare, when an idea or product becomes popular all around the world, what is

the simple explanation?

6. What do you think Ian means by ‘the whole world is being led towards

consumerism’?

Globalisation worksheet C

Exercise 4

Melanie

The word globalisation can (1) _ _ _ ndifferent things to different people, but often it refers to the way the countries and regions of the world are becoming more

(2) _ _ _ _ r ______d in economic terms, for example through increased trade. Countries are exporting more of what they produce and importing more of what they consume. Other aspects of economic globalisation are the rise of powerful

(3) m ______ companies which operate in a lot of different countries, and the large number of workers who are moving to other countries in search of better-(4) _ _ i _ jobs.

Ian

Globalisation has gone too (5) _ _ _. The idea of stronger economic and cultural ties between countries might sound nice, but in practice it has had a lot of negative

(6) c ______.

The reality of economic globalisation is that the free market model is being
(7) i ______on developing countries as if it were the only solution to economic problems, but in fact it just increases (8) ______tybetween rich and poor. Multinational companies move to poor countries where they can exploit workers by paying very low wages, and where weak (9) l _ _ is ______ means they are free to cause pollution.

Another side of globalisation is that the world is becoming a less (10) d ______ place, and therefore less interesting. The whole world is being led towards consumerism, as if this were the route to human happiness. Everyone is being encouraged to buy the same products, from fast food to iPods.

Clare

The people who oppose globalisation are living in the past, because these days the only way for countries to become richer is by trading and (11) _ om ______with each other in the international economy.

Also, if we didn’t have economic globalisation, many foreign products would disappear from the shops. We’d have much less (12) c _ _ _ _ ein what we buy.

Cultural globalisation is another positive thing, with societies opening up to ideas from other parts of the world. In my opinion, bad ideas will be challenged, while good ideas – like concern for human (13) r _ _ _ _ _ – will spread.

I don’t agree that (14) we _ _ _ _ _ culture is being imposed on the rest of the world. Societies are free to choose which aspects of other cultures to (15) a _ _ _ tand which to reject. If an idea or a product becomes popular all around the world, there must be something good about it.

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