学术英语社科 Academic English for Social Sciences. 2 Economist Just as you cannot become a mathematician, psychologist, or lawyer overnight, learning to think

学术英语社科Academic English for Social Sciences

2EconomistJust as you cannot become a mathematician, psychologist, or lawyer overnight, learning to think like an economist will take time. However, what is the economist’s way of thinking? What does it mean to think like an economist? By learning this unit, you will find the answers.

Unit 2Economics

• Lead-in• Text A • Text B• Text C• Listening • Speaking• Writing

Unit Contents

• Lead-in

– Who studies economics?

Unit 2Economics

Lead-in

Just as you cannot become a mathematician overnight, study economics and learn to think like an economist will take time. However who studies economics?

Task 1 Listen to a talk “Who studies economics?” and complete the sentences.

Unit 2Economics

Lead-inUnit 2Economics

1 Economics can seem __________ at first, but the field is fundamentally very _________.

2 Mick Jagger once studied at _____________________________.

3 When asked in 2005 why The Rolling Stones were going on tour again, Mick Jagger replied, “________________________.”

abstract

practical

the London School of Economics

Supply and demand

Lead-inUnit 2Economics

Task 2 Listen to the talk again and complete the following table.

Name Profession

Ronald Regan

Michael Kinsley

Steve Ballmer

Mick Jagger

Former President of the United States

Journalist

Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft

Singer for the Rolling Stones

• Text A

–Critical reading and thinking

– Difficult sentences

– English language for

academic purpose

• Specialized vocabulary• Collocations• Formal and informal English• Signpost language

Unit 2Economics

Text A

Critical reading and thinking of Text A

Unit 2Economics

Text Analysis

Thesis: Economics is a science. The economist works as a scientist.

Text ACritical reading and thinking of Text A

Unit 2Economics

1 Science and scientists have its own language, e.g. math, psychology, law.

Economics and economists are the same, e.g. supply, demand, elasticity, consumer surplus.

2 Science and scientists use scientific method, e.g. observation, devise theories, collect data, analyze, test, shown with the example of Isaac Newton.

Economics and economists are the same; they use observation and theory, e.g. a theory of inflation.

Text A

Critical reading and thinking of Text A

Unit 2Economics

Natural sciences or Social sciences?

Economics is a social science.

Text ADifficult sentences

Unit 2Economics

“The whole of science is nothing more than the refinement of everyday thinking.” (Para. 4)

→ “Science is all just about improving everyday thinking.”


Unit 2Economics

Yet, despite this lack of realism – indeed, because of this lack of realism – studying these models is useful for learning how the human body works. (Para. 13)

→ Yet, although the models are not exactly the same as real bodies – actually just because they are not that realistic – they are useful to help people learn how the human body works.


Unit 2Economics

These models are stylized, and they omit many details. (Para. 13)

→ These models are artificial rather than realistic, and they don’t take many details into consideration.


Unit 2Economics

Yet, despite this lack of realism – indeed, because of this lack of realism – studying these models is useful for learning how the human body works. (Para. 13)

→ Yet, although the models are not exactly the same as real bodies – actually just because they are not that realistic – they are useful to help people learn how the human body works.

Specialized vocabulary

elasticity ___________ comparative advantage ___________ consumer surplus _______________ deadweight loss _______________

high inflation _______________ quantity of money _______________ long-run effects of the policy _______________

Text AEnglish language for academic purpose

Unit 2Economics

（需求等的）弹性

比较优势消费过剩

净损失高通胀

货币量长期政策效应

Specialized vocabulary

经济政策制定者 ___________________

货币流通量 ____________________________

供需 ____________________

货币政策 _______________


Unit 2Economics

economic policymaker

amount of currency in circulation

supply and demand

monetary policy

Collocations


address the subject devise / verify / refute theories collect / analyze / generate data the interplay between observation and theory doubt the validity of the theory face an obstacle make do with find a substitute for simplify the complex world / reality in circulation omit details

Unit 2Economics

Signpost language

cause and effect: clue words to indicate cause and effect:

because therefore the reason consequently lead to, result from as a result is due to as a consequence


Unit 2Economics

Signpost language

Signpost language to introduce the topic:

The main issues addressed in this paper are … This study critically examines … The objective of this paper is to ... The purpose of this investigation is to ... The aim of this paper is to ... This paper reports on the results obtained …


Unit 2Economics

Signpost language

Signpost language to introduce the topic: This study was designed to ... This paper argues that ... The rest of this paper is organized in the following way ... This paper is structured as follows ... The remainder of this paper is divided into five sections ... This paper begins by … It will then go on to … Finally, …


Unit 2Economics

Formal and informal English


Unit 2Economics

1 Whenever I'd visited there before, I'd ended up feeling that it would be futile if I tried to do anything more.

Change the following sentences into a more formal style of writing.

→ Every previous visit had left me with a sense of the futility of further action on my part.



Unit 2Economics

2 The cities in Switzerland had once been peaceful, but they changed when people became violent.


→ Violence changed the face of once peaceful Swiss cities.



Unit 2Economics

3 Because the technology has improved it’s less risky than it used to be when you install them at the same time, and it doesn't cost so much either.


→ Improvements in technology have reduced the risks

and high costs associated with simultaneous installation.



Unit 2Economics

4 The people in the colony rejoiced when it was promised that things would change in this way.


→ Opinion in the colony greeted the promised change with enthusiasm.

The tree diagram below shows how the author illustrates his points. Fill in the blanks according to the text..

Text ASuggested answersUnit 2

Economics

The economist works as a(n) _________

Thinking like an economist

Critical reading and thinking

Using scientific methods, such as:

scientist

make observations,

devise theories, collect data, and analyze them.

Using different _____________to answer different questions.

assumptions

Building simplified _________to examinevarious economic issues.

models

Answer the following questions.


EconomicsCritical reading and thinking

1 What kind of rhetoric device does the author use in the first two paragraphs?

Analogy.

2 What is the topic sentence of Paragraph 3?

Economists try to address their subject with a scientist’s objectivity.

3 Why does the author quote Albert Einstein?

To support his idea about the essence of science.

4 Why is Newton’s theory still taught in undergraduate physics courses around the world?

Because Newton’s theory is so successful at explaining observation.

Answer the following questions.

Text A Suggested answers

Unit 2Economics


5 What kind of obstacles do economists face when they use theory and observation like other scientists?

It is often difficult and impossible to conduct experiments.

6 How do economists find a substitute for laboratory experiments?

They pay close attention to the natural experiments offered by history.

7 For what reason do economists make assumptions?

Because assumptions can simplify the complex world and make it easier to understand.

8 What do economic models consist of?

They consist of diagrams and equations.

9 What do all models in physics, biology, and economics share in common?

They simplify reality to improve our understanding of it.

Language building-up

Text ASuggested answers

Unit 2Economics

Task 1 Specialized vocabulary

2 Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the terms in the box.

comparative advantage consumer surplusdeadweight loss high inflationmonetary policy supply and demand

1 Taxes have _______________ because they cause buyers to consume less and sellers to produce less.

deadweight loss

2 The tools ___________________ of allow you to analyze many of the most important events and policies that shape the economy.

supply and demand

3 ____________________ is a good measure of economic well-being if policymakers want to respect the preferences of buyers.

Consumer surplus



Unit 2Economics




4 In the 1970s, when the world experienced a relatively _____________, opinion polls often placed inflation as the most important issue facing the nation.

high inflation

5 It is the role of a central bank — an institution designed to oversee the banking system, to carry out _________________, and regulate the quantity of money in the economy.

monetary policy



Unit 2Economics




comparative advantage

6 Trade can benefit everyone in society because it allows people to specialize in activities in which they have a _____________________.



Unit 2Economics

Task 1 Signpost language

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 Karlin’s novels ____________ his experience in the Vietnam War.

resulted from

2 Months of secret talks with the rebels finally __________ the release of the hostages.

resulted in

3 Animals have died _________________ of coming into contact with this chemical.

as a consequence

4 _____________ we didn’t consider her for the job was that she didn’t have enough experience.

The reason



Unit 2Economics

Task 1 Signpost language

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.

Consequently

7 ___________ of last week’s blackouts was a large power plant suddenly going offline in Northern California.

5 Most computer users have never received any formal keyboard training. ______________ their keyboard skills are inefficient.

6 Jewish weddings are both religious and civil. __________ two official applications for marriage are necessary.

Therefore

The cause

8 Between 1990 and 1992, there were more than 1,000 mergers in that industry — all of which ________ job losses.led to



Economics

Task 3 Formal English

Replace the underlined words in the following sentences with the ones that are more daily-life.

1 At first, this new language may seem needlessly arcane.

secretKey:

2 Economists try to address their subject with a scientist’s objectivity.

Key: study

3 They approach the study of the economy in much the same way as a physicist approaches the study of matter and a biologist approaches the study of life.

Key: deal with

4 They devise theories, collect data, and then analyze these data in an attempt to verify or refute their theories.

Key: invent



Economics



5 To beginners, it can seem odd to claim that economics is a science.

strange Key:

6 Most people are not accustomed to looking at society through the eyes of a scientist.

Key: used

7 This observation motivated Newton to develop a theory of gravity that applies not only to an apple falling to the earth but to any two objects in the universe.

Key: drove



Economics



8 By contrast, economists studying inflation are not allowed to manipulate a nation’s monetary policy simply to generate useful data.

controlKey:

10 And this opportunity persists long after the wartime increase in oil prices is over.

Key: continues to exist

9 For consumers of oil and oil products, such an event depresses living standards.

Key: reduces

• Text B

– Lead in

– Key terms

– Critical reading

– Difficult sentences

– English language for

academic purpose

Unit 2Economics

Text B

Reading critically: questions for discussion

Unit 2Economics

Discuss the following questions:

Life is regarded as a game. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Lead-in

Text B

Key terms

Unit 2Economics

Game theory :the modeling of economic decisions by games whose outcome depends on the decisions taken by two or more agents, each having to make decisions without information on what choices the others are making.

Text BKey terms

Unit 2Economics

Competitive strategies ( 竞争策略 ): unbeatable strategies used in the context of the fact that everyone else is also looking for them.

E.g. cooperation, or everybody playing the same way; behave differently from one another

Text BKey terms

Unit 2Economics

Evolutionarily stable strategies (ESS) ( 进化稳定策略 ):a strategy which, if adopted by a population of players, cannot be invaded by any alternative strategy that is initially rare. An ESS is an equilibrium refinement of the Nash equilibrium.

Text BKey terms

Unit 2Economics

Rational human choice:people will adjust their behavior in order to maximize their gains.

Nash equilibrium: 纳什均衡a solution concept of a game involving two or more players, in which each player is assumed to know the equilibrium strategies of the other players, also no player has anything to gain by changing only his own strategy unilaterally.

Text B


Unit 2Economics

Comparison between the two schools of researchers

Animal behaviorists Economists

Evolutionarily stable strategies

Implication ：the way the strategies are played has been hardwired into the participants by the processes of natural selection

Nash equilibrium

Implication: adjust their behavior to maximize their gains

Text B


Unit 2Economics

Dr Kurzban & Dr. Houser’s study

1. They call the economists’ assumption into question.

2. Their new assumption: it may be fruitful to work with the idea that human behavior, can sometimes be governed by evolutionarily stable strategies.

Text B


Unit 2Economics

Making an experiment:

Public-goods game 公共物品博弈a standard of experimental economics; in the basic game subjects secretly choose how many of their private tokens to put into the public pot. Each subject keeps the tokens they do not contribute plus an even split of the tokens in the pot.

Methods (see page 35, Para 4): four players; interacted via a computer; virtual tokens redeemable for money

Text B


Unit 2Economics


Game rules (see page 35, Para 4): A player could keep some or all of the tokens and any not kept were put into a pool, to be shared among group members. The game continued for a random number of turns.

At the end of the game (see page 35, Para 4): The value of the pool was doubled and was divided into four equal parts and given to the player, along with the value of any tokens they had held on to.

Text B


Unit 2Economics


Three approaches a player can take (see page 35, Para 5):

1.Cooperate with his opponents to maximize group benefits

2.Free-ride (i.e., try to sucker cooperators)

3.Reciprocate (i.e., cooperate with those who show signs of being cooperative, but not with free-riders)

Text B


Unit 2Economics


Results: (see page 35, Para 7):

1.Of 84 participants, 81 fell into one of the three categories.

2.Researchers ask these 81 participants to play games again to test whether they change strategy. And they did not.

3. People’s behaviors are clear-cut, strategies stay stable with the same average payoffs.

Text B


Unit 2Economics


Conclusions (see page 35, Para 8):

1.It suggests that people’s approaches to cooperate with their fellows are indeed evolutionarily stable.

2.Human behavior can sometimes be governed by evolutionarily stable strategies

Text B


Unit 2Economics

Task 1 Work in pairs and discuss the following questions.

1 “Many people, it is said, regard life as a game.” Do you agree? Why or why not?

2 What are the differences between behaviorists and economists in terms of game theory? Use examples to illustrate them.

3 What are the findings of Dr. Kurzban and Dr. Houser’s study? How did they illustrate their point?

Text B


Unit 2Economics

Classroom activity:

Work in groups of 4 and play the public goods game a Dr. Kurzaban and Dr. Houser did. You may refer to Task 3 on Page 37.

Text BDifficult sentences

Unit 2Economics

Each player was given a number of virtual tokens, redeemable for money at the end of the game. (Para.4)

→ Each player was given some virtual tokens which were changed into real money at the end of the game. (Real money was given to motivate the participants to take the game seriously.)


Unit 2Economics

Individual strategies are not expected to be equally represented in a population. Instead, they should appear in proportions that equalize their payoffs to those who play them. (Para. 6)

→ Generally speaking, individual strategies are not employed by the same number of people in a population. The proportions of the strategy tend to be equal to the extent of the payoffs brought by the strategies.


Unit 2Economics

A strategy can be advantageous when rare and disadvantageous when common. (Para. 6)

→ A strategy can be advantageous even though few people adopt them and disadvantageous when it is a common strategy adopted by many people.


Unit 2Economics

Of course, it is a long stretch from showing equal success in a laboratory game to showing it in the mating game that determines evolutionary outcomes. (Para. 8)

→ Naturally just showing equal success in a laboratory game is not the same as showing it the mating game that determines evolutionary outcomes. There is still a huge gap between them.

• Text C

–Critical reading

Unit 2Economics

Text CUnit 2Economics Visit the official website of the National Bureau of Statistics of

China and find how the CPI of China is constructed. Complete the following table, listing the categories in the order of proportion.

Categories of U.S. CPI Categories of Chinese CPI

1 Housing

2 Transportation

3 Food and beverages

4 Medical care

5 Recreation

6 Education and communication

7 Apparel

8 Other goods and services

Food

Tobacco, liquor and articles

Clothing

Household facilities, articles and services

Health care and personal articles

Transportation and communication

Recreation, Education and Culture Articles

Residence

• Listening

– How to find major points

– Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

How to find major points

Finding major points

Here are some clues that might help you pick out important ideas:

• The speaker often pauses before starting an important point;

• The speaker often uses repetition to emphasize the point;

ListeningUnit 2

Economist

How to find major points

Finding major points

The speaker may change the pitch, volume and rhythm of their voice for emphasis;

• The speaker often uses introductory phrases to precede an important point. For instance, “It is essential for you to know …”, “Remember that …”

• Some speakers use facial gestures or body movement when they are emphasizing a point.

ListeningUnit 2

Economist

Listening

• Listen for a thesis statement at the end of the introduction.

• Listen for rhetorical questions, or questions that the speaker asks, and then answers. Often the answer is the thesis.

Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

Task 1 Listen to a lecture about how to study economics well. Complete each of the following sentences with the correct answer.

Listening

1 According to the lecture, the professor is most likely teaching the course of .A MacroeconomicsB Principles of EconomicsC MicroeconomicsD Economic Behaviorism

Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

B


Listening

2 The professor has introduced the students to in the past weeks.A the ideas and methods of economicsB the great economistsC the important economic eventsD the principles of economic policies

Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

A


Listening

3 According to John Maynard Keynes, economics is comparatively .A a difficult subjectB a subject many people excel atC an easy subjectD a neither-easy-nor-difficult subject

Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

C


Listening

4 The master-economist must possess a rare combination of the gifts of the following people except .A a historianB a mathematicianC a philosopherD a physicist

Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

D


Listening

5 The professor encourages students to ____ so that they will become more and more accustomed to thinking like an economist.A have more practiceB do more homeworkC do more readingD take more courses

Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

A

Task 2 Listen to the lecture again and complete the following paragraph taken from the lecture.

Listening

He must understand symbols and speak in words. He must

contemplate the (1) in terms of the general, and touch

abstract and (2) in the same flight of thought. He must

study the present (3) for the purposes of

the future. No part of man’s nature or his institutions must lie

entirely (4) . He must be purposeful and

disinterested in a simultaneous mood; as aloof and incorruptible as

an artist, yet sometimes (5) .

Listening tasks

Unit 2

Economist

particular

concrete

in the light of the past

outside his regard

as near the earth as a politician

• Speaking

– How to interrupt politely

Unit 2

Economist

How to interrupt politelyIn a seminar, being passive and quiet is not necessarily polite. People have to learn to take initiatives. However, an interruption at the wrong moment can be rude and it is not polite for two people to talk at the same time during a discussion. Here are some expressions you can use to interrupt politely and take your turn:

If I could just come in here, …May I …Excuse me, but …Could I please just finish my point?As I was saying …Sorry to interrupt, but …I’d just like to say that ...What do you think about …?

SpeakingUnit 2

Economist

How to interrupt politely

Sometimes even making some “English” noise like

“um ... um ... um ...” can serve the purpose well. There

are also times when interrupting is perfectly acceptable, e.g. when you fail to hear or

understand something the speaker has said; or when you

want to add a quick comment.

SpeakingUnit 2

Economist

• Writing

– Writing an introduction

– Writing tasks

Unit 2

Economist

Writing an introduction

A research paper typically consists of the following sections: the title, author, acknowledgements, abstract, introduction, literature review, research methods, results, discussion, conclusion and references.

WritingUnit 2

Economist

Writing an introductionIn this unit, we will focus on the introduction, which aims to catch the readers’ attention and get them prepared for the subject. It sets the stage for the paper and puts your topic in perspective. In this part, you need to:

1 Clearly identify your research topic, i.e., what you are going to study or what your study is going to accomplish.2 Establish the context of your research by summarizing the published literature on this topic.3 Briefly explain your approach and rationale.4 State the significance of your study.

WritingUnit 2

Economist

Task 1 Complete the following table about the main components of the introduction.

Writing

Writing tasksUnit 2

Economist

Research topic

Context of the research

Approach and rationale

Significance of the study

explanation of promise-keeping

Previous psychological and economic studies do not distinguish commitment-based and expectation-based explanations for promise-keeping.

experiment study

the first to report on an experiment designed explicitly to distinguish between and test the alternative explanations

Do the following tasks:

1. Find out main points of Text A;

2. Define the key terms with examples;

3. Mark the specialized vocabulary and explain them;

4. Underline the collocations you think important.

Get ready for Unit 3Unit 2

Economist

Documents

学术英语 社科 Academic English for Social Sciences. 2 Economist Just as you cannot become a mathematician, psychologist, or lawyer overnight, learning to think

学术英语社科 Academic English for Social Sciences. 2 Economist Just as you cannot become a mathematician, psychologist, or lawyer overnight, learning to think