program We hope that more efforts will be made [by the West] to obtain mutual confidence, instead of the last six years of hostility. 1. The so-called Group of five-plus-one are not likely to agree with Salehi about the closure of Tehran’s nuclear file.
2. U.S. president Barak Obama warned Tehran that the world is giving it until September to comply with U.N. resolutions over its controversial nuclear program during the G-8 summit in Italy.
3. Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Motaki said one week ago that Tehran was preparing to present a \package\of proposals, concerning what he called \
Part 2 Passage
Globalization
1) The World Trade Organization is among the most powerful, and one of the most secretive international bodies on earth.
2) Globalization is not a phenomenon. It is not just some passing trend. 3) Used properly, fire can cook food, sterilize equipment, form iron, and heat our homes. Used carelessly, it can destroy lives, towns and forests in an instant. 4) Globalization has dangers and an ugly dark side. But it can also bring tremendous opportunities and benefits.
5) They will see globalization not as something to worship or demonize. Instead, they will see it as something to mold, shape and manage for the betterment of everyone. Globalization is the present worldwide drive toward a globalized economic
system dominated by supranational* corporate trade and banking institutions that are not accountable to democratic processes or national governments.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is among the most powerful, and one of the most secretive international bodies on earth. It is rapidly assuming the role of global government, as 134 nation-states, including the US, have ceded* to its vast authority and powers. The WTO represents the rules-based regime of the policy of economic globalization. The central operating principle of the WTO is that commercial interests should supersede* all others. Any obstacles in the path of operations and expansion of global business enterprise must be subordinated. In practice these \are usually policies or democratic processes that act on behalf of working people, labor rights, environmental protection, human rights, consumer rights, social justice, local culture, and national sovereignty.
Globalization is not a phenomenon. It is not just some passing trend. Today it is an overarching international system shaping the domestic politics and foreign relations of virtually every country, and we need to understand it as such.
As thoughtful people concerned about world affairs, our job is to pick up \and then nurture and promote the good parts and mitigate* or slow down the bad parts. Globalization is much like fire.
Fire itself is neither good nor bad. Used properly, it can cook food, sterilize equipment, form iron, and heat our homes. Used carelessly, fire can destroy lives, towns and forests in an instant. As Friedman* says:
\can be incredibly empowering and incredibly coercive*. It can democratize opportunity and democratize panic. It makes the whales bigger and the minnows* stronger. It leaves you behind faster and faster, and it catches up to you faster and faster. While it is homogenizing* cultures, it is also enabling people to share their unique individuality farther and wider.\
Globalization has dangers and an ugly dark side. But it can also bring tremendous opportunities and benefits. Just as capitalism requires a network of governing systems to keep it from devouring societies, globalization requires vigilance and the rule of law.
Antitrust laws, the Securities and Exchange Commission, labor unions, charities, the Federal Trade Commission, and countless other agencies and organizations keep American capitalism in check. Similar transparent mechanisms are needed to make sure globalization is a positive force in the world.
Globalization will always have cheerleaders who are blind to the destruction globalization can cause. And it will always have strident* opponents blind to the way globalization gives some people their first opportunity to fulfill basic aspirations.
As with most issues, the majority of people will be in the middle. They will see globalization not as something to worship or demonize. Instead, they will see it as something to mold, shape and manage for the betterment of everyone. Exercise D After-listening Discussion
Directions: Listen to the passage again and discuss the following questions. 1. Milton Friedman says, \
incredibly coercive. It can democratize opportunity and democratize panic. It makes the whales bigger and the minnows stronger. It leaves you behind faster and faster, and it catches up to you faster and faster. While it is homogenizing cultures, it is also enabling people to share their unique individuality farther and wider.\
施心远主编《听力教程》第版Unit 答案
