学术英语 社科

1. 学术英语 社科 Academic English for Social Sciences

2. 3 Unemployment Unemployment has been a serious global social issue in recent years. Both politicians and economists are making great efforts to find ways to reduce the unemployment rate, though the result is not always satisfactory. The texts in this unit may give you some insights into this issue.

3. Unit 3Unemployment Unit Contents Lead-in Text A Text B Text C Listening Speaking Writing

4. Unit 3Unemployment • Lead-in • Lead-in task

5. Unit 3Unemployment Lead-in Task 1 Watch a video clip and complete the following sentences according to the information you have heard. 1 Eric, president of CollegeClickTV.com, is invited to give college grads ________________. 2 College grads of this generation have _______________ which is an advantage that not everybody has. tips of finding a job incredible talents

6. Unit 3Unemployment Lead-in 3 College grads who have _________________ or ____________ are more likely to find jobs. 4 College grads can apply to graduate school right now for __________________ and higher education, in order to ride out this recession and this extremely ______________. 5 Knowledge is power and education will always _________________. Now watch it again and check your answers. working experience do Internships a professional degree weak job market pay off in a long-term

7. Unit 3Unemployment • Text A • Critical reading and thinking • Difficult sentences • English language for • academic purpose • Specialized vocabulary • Collocations • Signpost language • Formal English

8. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Critical reading and thinking of Text A Text Analysis Read Text A and answer the following questions. 1 Why can losing a job be the most distressing economic event in a person’s life? Because people rely on their labor earnings to maintain their standard of living, get income and get a sense of personal accomplishment.

9. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Critical reading and thinking of Text A Text Analysis 2 What happens to a country when it keeps its workers as fully employed as possible? The result of it is achieving a higher level of GDP. 3What are the two categories of the unemployment problem? They are long-run problem and short-run problem.

10. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Critical reading and thinking of Text A Text Analysis 4 How can we judge how serious the problem of unemployment is? We can consider whether unemployment is a short-term or long-term condition. Long-term means it is a big problem; short-term means it is not a big problem. 5What does sectoral shift (结构性变化) mean? Sectoral shift means the change in the composition of demand among industries or regions.

11. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Critical reading and thinking of Text A Text Analysis 6 What ways can be used to facilitate job search? There are many ways to facilitate job search, for example, government program, government-run employment agencies, public training programs, newspaper ads, Internet job sites, university placement offices, headhunters and word of mouth.

12. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Critical reading and thinking of Text A Text Analysis 7 Do you have suggestions that may help the government tackle the problem of unemployment? Then Do Task 1 and Task 4 on Page 50 and 51.

13. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Difficult sentences • It is not surprising, therefore, that politicians campaigning for office often speak about how their proposed policies will help create jobs. (Para. 1) → “Office” in this sentence means a position in a large and powerful organization, especially a government. It can be used in phrases “run for office (try to be elected)” or “take office (begin to work in a position)”.

14. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Difficult sentences • Even if some frictional unemployment is inevitable, the precise amount is not. (Para. 9) → Even if we cannot avoid frictional unemployment, we can affect the extent of frictional unemployment.

15. Unit 3Unemployment Text A English language for academic purpose Specialized vocabulary • natural rate of unemployment • GDP • cyclical unemployment • sectoral shift 自然失业率 国内生产总值 周期性失业 结构性变化

16. Unit 3Unemployment Text A English language for academic purpose Collocations • maintain standards of living • a sense of personal accomplishment • reduce self-esteem • campaign for office • stand idle • ups and downs • job vacancies • cut back on production and employment • facilitate job search • give out information

17. Unit 3Unemployment Text A English language for academic purpose Signpost language Comparison and contrast signals & clue words • Comparison: Similarly; likewise; both; same; • resemble; parallels; in the same manner • Contrast: on the other hand; in / by contrast; • however; while; whereas; nevertheless; • different; instead (of); conversely; rather than

18. Unit 3Unemployment Text A English language for academic purpose Formal English Replace the underlined words in the following sentences with the ones that are more daily-life. 2 1… and information about job candidates and job vacancies is disseminated slowly among the many firms and households in the economy. widely spread 2 At the same time, cheaper petrol stimulates car sales, so car-producing firms raise production and employment. encourages 3Government programs try to facilitate job search in various ways. help

19. Unit 3Unemployment Text A English language for academic purpose Formal English Replace the underlined words in the following sentences with the ones that are more daily-life. 2 4 … and that they reduce the inequities inherent in a constantly changing market economy. existing naturally 5 These critics contendthat the government is no better — and most likely worse — at disseminating the right information to the right workers and deciding what kinds of worker training would be most valuable. argue 6 Although the economy will always have some unemployment, its natural rate is not immutable. never changing 7 But how we choose to organize our society can profoundlyinfluence how prevalent a problem it is. deeply / greatly

20. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Task 1 Text A is an expository writing and can be roughly divided into five parts. Write down the main idea of each part. Losing a job can be most distressing economic event in a person’s life. Two categories of the problem of unemployment The reason why economies experience some unemployment The ways in which policymakers can help the unemployment. The natural rate of unemployment is not immutable.

21. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Task 2 Answer the following questions. 1 What can people get from their work? Apart from financial gains, people can get from their work a sense of accomplishment. 2 What does a job loss mean to a person? Job less often not only means a lower living standard, anxiety about the future, but also self-esteem. 3 What do natural rate of unemployment and cyclical unemployment refer to? Natural rate of unemployment refers to the amount of unemployment that the economy normally experiences. Cyclical unemployment refers to the year-to-year fluctuations in unemployment around its natural rate.

22. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking 4 In what way can we judge how serious the problem of unemployment is? One way to judge the seriousness of the unemployment situation is to consider whether the unemployment is a short-term or a long-term condition. If the latter is true, the unemployment situation is then serious. 5 What is job search? How does it lead to some unemployment? Job search is the process of matching workers with appropriate jobs. When the information about job candidates and job vacancies is disseminated slowly among firms and people in the economy, job search can lead to some kind of unemployment.

23. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Task 3 Work in groups of 3-4 and discuss the following questions. Try to make your claim clear and give enough evidence. 1 Should the government get involved in the process of job search? 2 Is unemployment a simple problem with a simple solution? 3 Do you have some suggestions that may help the government tackle the problem of unemployment?

24. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Task 4 Work in pairs. Decide whether the following workers are more likely to experience short-term or long-term unemployment, and give your explanations. 1 A short-order cook who loses his job when a new restaurant opens across the street. 2 A manufacturing worker who loses his job at a plant in an isolated area. 3 An expert welder (焊工) with little formal education who loses his job when the company installs automatic welding machinery.

25. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking 8 What are the ways to reduce the amount of frictional unemployment? The first way is by a quicker spreading of the information about job openings and worker availability, and the second way is by reducing the time it takes unemployed workers to find new jobs. 9 What can help spread information about job openings and job candidates? Employment agencies, newspaper ads, internet job sites, university placement offices, headhunters, word of mouth can all help spread information about jobs and candidates.

26. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Language building-up Task 1 Specialized vocabulary 1 Match the words in Column A with those in Column B. e f a h i g j c b d

27. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Language building-up 2 Task 1 Specialized vocabulary Translate the terms you have got into Chinese. 劳动力 1. labor force 经济事件 2. economic event 3. create jobs 创造就业机会 失业工人 4. laid-off workers 失业率 5. unemployment rate 6. job search 寻找工作 7. cut back on production and employment 减少生产和就业 8. market economy 市场经济 9. on-the-job training 在职培训 10. frictional unemployment 摩擦性失业

28. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Language building-up 3 Task 1 Specialized vocabulary Complete the following sentences with the correct form of some of the above terms. 1 Data for 2005 shows that 52% of women were in the _________, in contrast to 71% of men. 2 Today, most countries that once had centrally planned economies are trying to develop ________________. 3 The _________________is defined as the percentage of the labor force that is unemployed. labor force market economies unemployment rate

29. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Language building-up 3 Task 1 Specialized vocabulary Complete the following sentences with the correct form of some of the above terms. 4 Because _________stops when a worker takes a new job. 5 Economic calendar is relevant to investors who want to stay up-to-date and informed on current _______________ throughout the week. 6 _____________________ arises because, in many occupations, people changing jobs naturally must go through a period of unemployment between jobs, possibly because searching for a new job requires time. job search economic events Frictional unemployment

30. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Language building-up Task 2 Signpost language 2 Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the words and expressions in the above box. There may be more than one correct answer. 1 You should talk to your teacher _________ just complaining to me about it. 2 Analysts believe that the healthy results can be attributed to an increase in _____________ trade interest rate fluctuations. 3 I read a lot as a child, but my daughter, __________, just seems interested in television. 4 The son followed his father’s example and, ________, the daughter modeled herself on her mother. instead of as opposed to by contrast similarly

31. Unit 3Unemployment Text A Suggested answers Language building-up Task 2 Signpost language 2 Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the words and expressions in the above box. There may be more than one correct answer. 5 The philosopher Scott Buchanan once observed in conversation that science _________ theater. 6 The heat in Arizona is ____________ the heat here. It’s very dry. 7 Some paradigms have achieved limited success in some areas; _____others do better in yet other areas. 8 You want to help your kids as much as you can, but _______________, you’ve got to be careful to help them learn on their own. resembles different from while on the other hand

32. Unit 3Unemployment • Text B • Lead in • Critical reading • Difficult sentences • English language for • academic purpose

33. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Lead-in Understanding argument Understanding argument is an important skill for critical reading. Text B of this unit offers a chance to develop this aspect of critical reading. The author presents the two sides of the argument.

34. Unit 3Unemployment Pros’ argument Cons’ argument: Supporting details Supporting details Text B Lead-in Text analysis Structure of Text B Debate topic

35. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Critical reading：questions for discussion Discuss the following question: Why unemployment rate is so high?

36. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Critical reading: questions for discussion • Some economists’ argument: There are jobs there, just not the right candidates to fill them • Supporting details: structural unemployment; • mismatch (skills & locations mismatch with • available jobs); uncertainty about future • regulations; …

37. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Critical reading：questions for discussion • Most people’s argument: employers aren’t hiring enough workers • Supporting details: depressed demand is hurting • business; structural unemployment is minor side; • no unique imbalance between skills & jobs; the • driving factor is the huge drop in demand

38. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Critical reading: questions for discussion • The author’s attitude: • Although the writer seems to be objectively presenting the two sides of the argument, the way he presents the arguments of the two sides and the way he ends the article indicate that he is more in favor of the argument that the unemployment situation in the US is not just structural unemployment.

39. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Difficult sentences • The bigger issue is mismatch. (Para. 3) → What is more important is the mismatch between job vacancies and qualified workers for the jobs.

40. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Difficult sentences • Only 22% said they could find few or no qualified job applicants, about half the level reported before the recession. (Para. 13) → It was hard for 22% of small businesses to find qualified job applicants. In contrast more than 40% of small business could not find qualified job applicants before the recession.

41. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Difficult sentences • While the housing crisis is keeping people in • place, Shierholz doubts that a lack of mobility is • the problem. (Para. 14) → Although the housing crisis is limiting people’s freedom to move in order to search job opportunities, Shierholz does not think this is the main cause of the problem of unemployment.

42. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Difficult sentences • ... they just aren’t big enough to swallow up the swells of unemployed job seekers. (Para. 15) → … the states just aren’t big enough to absorb so many unemployed job seekers.

43. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Difficult sentences • “The thing you’d expect to see with even isolated labor shortages would be low unemployment, high job growth, and wage increases,” she said. “We are not seeing that” (Para. 21) → Labours shortage normally bring with them low unemployment, high job growth, and wage increases, but that is not what is happening now.

44. Unit 3Unemployment Text B English language for academic purpose Specialized vocabulary • structural unemployment • labor market • underwater houseowner • unemployment benefit • housing bubble 结构性失业 劳动力市场 “溺水屋”屋主 失业救济 房地产泡沫

45. Unit 3Unemployment Text B English language for academic purpose Collocations • a rising tide of prominent economists • worsening imbalance • in search of • depressed demand • at best, at worst • fix the economy • qualified job applicants

46. Unit 3Unemployment Text B English language for academic purpose Collocations • a lack of mobility • housing crisis • swallow up • the bursting of the housing bubble • at the peak of the housing boom • a tight supply of job candidates • pick up

47. Unit 3Unemployment Argument by some economists: ______________________________________________________ Argument by most people: ____________________________ Supporting details: (1) ________________________________ Supporting details: (2) ____________________ Text B Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Task 1The tree diagrambelow illustrates the main points of the text. Complete it according to the text. Debate topic: __________________________ Why unemployment is so high? There are jobs out there, just not Employers just aren't hiring enough. the right candidates to fill them.

48. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Supporting details • (1) • The culprit is so-called structural unemployment – a serious imbalance in labor markets that has left a large pool of unemployed workers in the wrong place, or with the wrong skills, to take advantage of job opportunities. • The kinds of skills the unemployed have and the locations where they live are not particularly good matches with available jobs, • Uncertainty about future regulations and taxes and longer-term unemployment benefits can make unemployed job seekers less willing to take jobs at low wages. • (2) • Depressed demand is hurting businesses and causing them to cut back on staff, so there aren't enough jobs to go around. • Structural unemployment is, at best, a minor side issue. • There is no unique imbalance between skills and available jobs. • The huge drop in demand is the driving factor.

49. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Task 2Work in pairs and discuss the following questions. 1 What is the author’s purpose in writing this article? 2 What is the author’s attitude toward the high rate of unemployment? Does he support Kocherlakota’s argument or the opposing side’s idea? Use examples to illustrate your point. The writer seems to be objectively reporting the two sides of the argument. The way he presents it however indicates that he supports the opposing side’s idea. He first presents Kocherlakota’s arguments, then draws on other people’s analysis to rebut Kocherlakota’s arguments in great detail. The ending of the article also highlights the argument of the opposing side.

50. Unit 3Unemployment Text B Suggested answers Critical reading and thinking Researching Work in groups of 4-5. Visit the website of the National Bureau of Statistics of China and conduct a survey about the current unemployment situation in China. 1 Find out the unemployment rates of recent two years. 2 Compare the statistics and find the differences. 3 Think about the possible reasons and solutions. 4 Analyze your findings and make a presentation to the class.