6.2　课后习题详解

1. What are the three periods as far as the evolution of the British economy is concerned? What are the reasons behind the decline of Britain’s textile industry?

Key: ①Steady development in the 50s and 60s ②Economic recession in the 70s ③Economic recovery in the 80s.

The reasons behind the decline can be summarized generally as follows: (1) Exports of textiles have not competed well with those of other foreign producers who have managed to produce cheaper goods. (2) There has been a rise in cheaper imports of textiles to Britain from foreign producers (3) Poor and outdated management decisions have caused problems. In particular, new markets have not been found and new techniques have not been used. (4) Substitutions of human—made fibers (now over three quarters of all textile production) have been made for natural fibers such as wool, cotton, jute and linen. (5) An improvement of output per worker has been achieved due to mechanization.

2. What measures did the Thatcher government take to improve the nation’s economy?

Key: Mrs. Thatcher’s government took numerous measures to improve the efficiency of the economy during the past decade. Macroeconomic measures were directed towards bringing down the rate of inflation and achieving price stability. Microeconomic policies were aimed at working with the grain of market forces by encouraging enterprise, efficiency and flexibility.

3. Why is British coal mining called a “sick” industry today?

Key: The output of coal in 1985 dropped to a little over 100 million tons. The number of active collieries and men employed dropped in 1984. Britain is not as dependent on coal energy as it once was. In 1989, the consumption of coal only made up 8.5%. The exhaustion of old mines, costly extraction, poor old equipment, little money being invested, cheaper and more efficient fuels, etc. are all the reasons for the decline.

4. Where are oil and natural gas found in Britain? How important are they to Britain’s economy?

Key: Natural gas was discovered in 1965 and oil in 1970 under the North Sea. Most of British oil reserves are under the North Sea. Today Britain is not only self-sufficient in oil but also has a surplus for export.

5. What are the main problems associated with Britain’s iron and steel industry today?

Key: Supplies of iron ore are now mostly foreign. Compared with newer plants in the world, Britain’s steelworks are not efficient. Its production of liquid steel and the number of employees dropped in 1984—1985.

6. Where are the main textiles producing regions in Britain?

Key: The main textile producing regions of Britain are now the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside, and Northern Ireland.

7. What are new industries and where can they be found in Britain?

Key: New industries include microprocessors and computers, biotechnology and other high-tech industries. There are three areas in Britain of high-tech industrial growth: the area between London and South Wales, the Cambridge area of East Anglia and the area between Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland.

8. Britain’s agriculture is highly mechanized. Give examples to show this.

Key: Very modern farmers use computers today. The new farming has been called “agribusiness”, because it is equipped and managed like an industrial business with a set of inputs into the farm or processes which occur on the farm, and outputs or products which leave the farm.

9. What are the main farming types in Britain? Where are they best suited in Britain?

Key: There are mainly six farming types in Britain. They are arable farming, dairy farming, stock farming, mixed farming, hill farming and market gardening.

①Arable farming: The chief areas are in the East and South-East. ② Dairy farming: It can be found in western regions. ③ Stock farming: It is the chief kind of farming in the North and West of Britain. The chief sheep farming areas in Britain are the uplands in southern Scotland and Wales. ④ Mixed farming: It is in most areas of rural Britain. ⑤ Hill farming: It is usually an area of rocky mountain crags and steep slopes. ⑥ Market gardening: It is often found near large urban areas.

10. How has Britain’s trade pattern changed in recent years?

Key: More recently foreign trade pattern has changed, with the share of manufactures falling and that of fuels rising, while manufactures have accounted for a rising proportion of imports. The share of manufactures in exports fell from 84% in 1970 to 75% in 1986, while that of finished manufactures in imports rose from 23% to 47% in the same period. Since the mid-1970s, North Sea oil has made a significant contribution to British foreign trade. Between 1975 and 1986, the share of fuels in exports rose from 4% to 12% and its share in imports fell from 18% to 7%. With declining oil production, the share of exported oil is expected to decline in the 1990s.