Industries: from manufacturing to service CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED

CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED

UNIT 55

Industries: from manufacturing to service

A

Industries and industrial practices expression explanation opposite expression explanation heavy industry e.g. steel works, shipbuilding light industry e.g. manufacturing car parts, TV sets manufacturing industry making things, e.g. consumer goods service industry serving people, e.g. tourism, banking high-technology (hightech; informal) involving computers, e.g. software industry low-technology (lowtech; informal) involving little or no computer technology cutting-edge technology involving new and innovative technology conventional technology using standard, proven technology privatisation e.g. selling off state railways to private companies nationalisation / state ownership when industry is owned by the government Many big industries are run as public-private partnerships. [partly state-owned, partly owned by private industries or businesses] The nuclear industry receives a huge subsidy from the government. [money/grants which enable it to stay in profit] The government tries to encourage inward investment. [investment from foreign companies]

B

Industrial practices example explanation Most of the factory workers are on piecework. they are only paid for the amount they produce Many people now work on zero hours contracts, which means they have no job security. they are employed by a company, but the number of hours they work each week may vary, and some weeks there may be no work for them, so they receive no pay Child labour is a serious problem in some countries. the employment of children to do adult jobs In many countries, the right to trade union representation has only come after long struggles. a union that negotiates wages and conditions for the people it represents Many cheap electrical goods are produced in sweatshops in poorer countries factories where people work very long hours for low wages Retraining and reskilling are necessary when an economy is modernised. training people for new jobs and teaching them new skills The big multinationals1 often close factories as a cost-cutting exercise2 and relocate3 and switch production4 to countries where labour and costs are cheaper. In many cases, components5 for cars are imported and then assembled6, rather than manufactured in the country. 1 big companies with operations in many different countries 2 effort to reduce their costs 3 move the company’s offices (or, less commonly, production) to a different place 4 move the centre of manufacturing to a different place 5 parts 6 put together

EXERCISES

55.1	Use expressions from the table in A opposite to rewrite the underlined parts of these sentences with more appropriate vocabulary. 1 The economy cannot depend only on businesses like restaurants and hotels. We need to encourage industries that make things we can sell. 2 In this area, there are a lot of industries that use computers and things, while in the north, they depend more on industries that don’t use such up-to-date technology. 3 The latest, innovative technology is very expensive, so the company has to rely on existing, standard technology. 4 The idea that industries should be owned by the government is less popular than it was, but the trend towards selling off these industries has slowed down. 5 Industry with big factories producing things like steel and so on has declined, and now we’re more dependent on industry that makes things like radios and furniture.
55.2	Give words or expressions which mean: 1 a combination of state ownership and private ownership 2 payment or grant from the government which enables a loss-making industry to continue 3 investment in a country by foreign companies 4 system of paying employees only for the amount they produce 5 an economy that depends on factories producing large quantities of cheap goods based on long hours and low wages 6 to change the location where goods are produced (Give two answers.) 7 to train people for new jobs and teach them new skills (Give two answers.) 8 a big company with operations in many different countries 9 an effort to reduce costs 10 using children to do adult jobs 11 an employment contract which does not guarantee you work or pay every week
55.3	Here are some more expressions relating to problems in industry. Make sure you know what they mean, then use them to fill the gaps in the sentences below. Use a dictionary if necessary. black market copyright infringement industrial piracy industrial espionage money laundering 1 ______________ is a serious problem in many parts of the world, with factories producing illegal copies of top brand names. 2 It was a serious case of ______________. The designs for the new aircraft were photographed illegally and sold to a rival company. 3 ______________ is a problem for people who make a living writing books. Illegal editions mean that the author receives no payment. 4 ______________ is a huge international problem, as police and banks try to trace money from the illegal drugs trade and terrorism. 5 There is a big ______________ in the importation of untaxed luxury cars in some countries.
55.4	Over to you • What kinds of industries have you worked in? Which would you like to work in? Why? • Would you buy an item if you believed child labour was involved in its manufacture? Why / Why not? • Would you buy illegal imitations of famous designer brands? Why / Why not?

ANSWER KEY

55.1 Suggested answers: 1 The economy cannot depend only on service industries. We need to encourage manufacturing industries. 2 In this area, there are a lot of high-technology / high-tech industries, while in the north, they depend more on low-technology / low-tech industries. 3 Cutting-edge technology is very expensive, so the company has to rely on conventional technology. 4 State ownership / Nationalisation is less popular than it was, but the trend towards privatisation has slowed down. 5 Heavy industry has declined, and now we’re more dependent on light industry. 55.2 1 a public-private partnership 2 subsidy 3 inward investment 4 piecework 5 a sweatshop economy 6 to switch production, to relocate 7 retraining, reskilling 8 a multinational (company) 9 a cost-cutting exercise 10 child labour 11 zero hours contract 55.3 1 Industrial piracy (illegal production of goods using another company’s brand name) 2 industrial espionage (stealing or destroying a rival company’s plans or secrets) 3 Copyright infringement (publishing or copying a book or work of art without the author’s permission) 4 Money laundering (passing money illegally earned through the normal banking system without being caught) 5 black market (secret, illegal trade)