Ex. IX. Open the brackets and put the verb in the necessary form.

UNIT TWO

COMMERCE and BUSINESS

Lesson 1

TEXT

What does сommerce mean?

Commerce is a process that is concerned with the production and distribution of goods and the providing of services. The process can be summarized by the Chain of Commerce: raw materials - manufacturer - wholesaler - retailer - consumer

The production of goods starts at the raw material stage. Most of our raw materials come from overseas countries. Examples are: oil from the Middle East, metals from South Africa, rubber from Malaysia and, wood from Canada. These raw materials are made into finished goods by our factories. This process is called manufacturing. There are three kinds of manufacturing: unit production, batch production and mass production.

The next stage in the cycle is the wholesaler, whose principal task is to store the goods, usually in large quantities and in many varieties. The wholesaler sells the goods to the retailers, who display the goods and sell them to consumers. Retail shops may be large, such as a supermarket or departmental store, or small, as in the case of a corner shop.

If the goods and the raw materials are to be distributed and sold efficiently the services of banking, transport, insurance and advertising will be needed by every link in the Chain of Commerce, from the raw material stage to the consumer stage. These services are called the Aids to Trade (or sometimes the Services of Commerce).

British banking is controlled by the Bank of England, which has its headquarters in London, but manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers deal mostly with the commercial banks.

There are three main kinds of transport: land, sea and air. Insurance is a financial protection against an event which may happen. Advertising also plays a very an important part in commerce.

Our main industries may be classified as:

1) manufacturing;

2) extractive;

3) construction;

4) agriculture and forestry;

5) fisheries;

6) tourism.

Manufacturing industries produce Britain’s major exports, including heavy electrical and mechanical machinery such as power stations and generators, motor vehicles, oil, clothing, radar, equipment, defence equipment, pharmaceuticals and aircraft. Construction concerned with the building of houses, shops and factories.

Active vocabulary

rubber - каучук

unit production – единичное производство

batch production – серийное производство

headquarters – руководство, глава правления

equipment - оборудование

commerce – коммерция,бизнес

services – обслуживание, сервис

raw materials – сырье

manufacturer – производитель

wholesaler – оптовый покупатель

retailer – розничный торговец

consumer – покупатель; потребитель

store the goods – снабжение товарами

insurance – страхование

advertising – реклама

production (manufacturing) – производство

aids – вспомогательные средства

extractive industries – добывающие отрасли промышленнсти

power station - электростанция

Speech practice: