1、学术英语学术英语 社科社科Academic English for Social Sciences2 2EconomistJust as you cannot become a mathematician,psychologist,or lawyer overnight,learning to think like an economist will take time.However,what is the economists way of thinking?What does it mean to think like an economist?By learning this unit
2、,you will find the answers.Unit 2Economics Lead-in Text A Text B Text C Listening Speaking WritingUnit Contents Lead-in Who studies economics?Unit 2EconomicsLead-inJust as you cannot become a mathematician overnight,study economics and learn to think like an economist will take time.However who stud
3、ies economics?Task 1 Listen to a talk“Who studies economics?”and complete the sentences.Unit 2EconomicsLead-inUnit 2Economics1 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
4、 Jagger replied,“_.”abstractpracticalthe London School of EconomicsSupply and demandLead-inUnit 2EconomicsTask 2 Listen to the talk again and complete the following table.NameProfessionRonald ReganMichael KinsleySteve BallmerMick JaggerFormer President of the United States JournalistChief Executive
5、Officer,Microsoft Singer for the Rolling Stones Text ACritical reading and thinking Difficult sentences English language for academic purpose Specialized vocabulary Collocations Formal and informal English Signpost languageUnit 2EconomicsText ACritical reading and thinking of Text AUnit 2EconomicsTe
6、xt AnalysisThesis:Economics is a science.The economist works as a scientist.Text ACritical reading and thinking of Text AUnit 2Economics1 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
7、 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 ACritical reading and thinking of Text AUnit 2EconomicsNatural s
8、ciences or Social sciences?Economics is a social science.Text ADifficult sentencesUnit 2Economics“The whole of science is nothing more than the refinement of everyday thinking.”(Para.4)“Science is all just about improving everyday thinking.”Text ADifficult sentencesUnit 2Economics Yet,despite this l
9、ack 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 bo
10、dy works.Text ADifficult sentencesUnit 2Economics These models are stylized,and they omit many details.(Para.13)These models are artificial rather than realistic,and they dont take many details into consideration.Text ADifficult sentencesUnit 2Economics Yet,despite this lack of realism indeed,becaus
11、e 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 vocabul
12、ary elasticity _ comparative advantage _ consumer surplus _ deadweight loss _ high inflation_ quantity of money _ long-run effects of the policy _Text AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2Economics（需求等的）弹性（需求等的）弹性比较优势比较优势消费过剩消费过剩净损失净损失高通胀高通胀货币量货币量长期政策效应长期政策效应Specialized vocabulary 经济政策制定者 _ 货
13、币流通量 _ 供需供需 _ 货币政策 _Text AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2Economicseconomic policymaker amount of currency in circulation supply and demandmonetary policyCollocationsText AEnglish language for academic purpose address the subject devise/verify/refute theories collect/analyze/generate data
14、 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 detailsUnit 2EconomicsSignpost languagecause and effect:clue words to indicate cause and effect:because therefore
15、the reason consequently lead to,result from as a result is due to as a consequenceText AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2EconomicsSignpost language Signpost language to introduce the topic:The main issues addressed in this paper are This study critically examines The objective of this pape
16、r is to.The purpose of this investigation is to.The aim of this paper is to.This paper reports on the results obtained Text AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2EconomicsSignpost language Signpost language to introduce the topic:This study was designed to.This paper argues that.The rest of th
17、is 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,Text AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2EconomicsFormal and informal EnglishText AEnglish language for
18、academic purposeUnit 2Economics1 Whenever Id visited there before,Id 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.F
19、ormal and informal EnglishText AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2Economics2 The cities in Switzerland had once been peaceful,but they changed when people became violent.Change the following sentences into a more formal style of writing.Violence changed the face of once peaceful Swiss citie
20、s.Formal and informal EnglishText AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2Economics3 Because the technology has improved its less risky than it used to be when you install them at the same time,and it doesnt cost so much either.Change the following sentences into a more formal style of writing.I
21、mprovements in technology have reduced the risks and high costs associated with simultaneous installation.Formal and informal EnglishText AEnglish language for academic purposeUnit 2Economics4 The people in the colony rejoiced when it was promised that things would change in this way.Change the foll
22、owing sentences into a more formal style of writing.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 2EconomicsThe economist works as a(n)_Thinking
23、 like an economistCritical reading and thinkingUsing scientific methods,such as:scientistmake 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 quest
24、ions.Text ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsCritical reading and thinking1 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 scientists objectivity.3 Why does the author quote
25、 Albert Einstein?To support his idea about the essence of science.4 Why is Newtons theory still taught in undergraduate physics courses around the world?Because Newtons theory is so successful at explaining observation.Answer the following questions.Text ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsCritical rea
26、ding and thinking5 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 off
27、ered 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
28、simplify reality to improve our understanding of it.Language building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 1 Specialized vocabulary2Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the terms in the parative advantage consumer surplusdeadweight loss high inflationmonetary policy supp
29、ly and demand 1 Taxes have _ because they cause buyers to consume less and sellers to produce less.deadweight loss2 The tools _ of allow you to analyze many of the most important events and policies that shape the economy.supply and demand3 _ is a good measure of economic well-being if policymakers
30、want to respect the preferences of buyers.Consumer surplusLanguage building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 1 Specialized vocabulary2Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the terms in the parative advantage consumer surplusdeadweight loss high inflationmonetary polic
31、y supply and demand 4 In the 1970s,when the world experienced a relatively _,opinion polls often placed inflation as the most important issue facing the nation.high inflation5 It is the role of a central bank an institution designed to oversee the banking system,to carry out _,and regulate the quant
32、ity of money in the economy.monetary policyLanguage building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 1 Specialized vocabulary2Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the terms in the parative advantage consumer surplusdeadweight loss high inflationmonetary policy supply and de
33、mand comparative advantage6 Trade can benefit everyone in society because it allows people to specialize in activities in which they have a _.Language building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 1 Signpost languageComplete the following sentences with the correct form of the words and expr
34、essions in the above box.There may be more than one correct answer.1 Karlins novels _ his experience in the Vietnam War.resulted from2 Months of secret talks with the rebels finally _ the release of the hostages.resulted in3 Animals have died _ of coming into contact with this chemical.as a conseque
35、nce4 _ we didnt consider her for the job was that she didnt have enough experience.The reasonLanguage building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 1 Signpost languageComplete the following sentences with the correct form of the words and expressions in the above box.There may be more than o
36、ne correct answer.Consequently7 _ of last weeks 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
37、 applications for marriage are necessary.ThereforeThe cause8 Between 1990 and 1992,there were more than 1,000 mergers in that industry all of which _ job losses.led toLanguage building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 3 Formal EnglishReplace the underlined words in the following sentence
38、s 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 scientists objectivity.Key:study3 They approach the study of the economy in much the same way as a physicist approaches the study of matter and
39、a biologist approaches the study of life.Key:deal with4 They devise theories,collect data,and then analyze these data in an attempt to verify or refute their theories.Key:inventLanguage building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 3 Formal EnglishReplace the underlined words in the followin
40、g sentences with the ones that are more daily-life.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:used7 This observation motivated Newton to develop a theory of gravity that ap
41、plies not only to an apple falling to the earth but to any two objects in the universe.Key:droveLanguage building-upText ASuggested answersUnit 2EconomicsTask 3 Formal EnglishReplace the underlined words in the following sentences with the ones that are more daily-life.8 By contrast,economists study
42、ing inflation are not allowed to manipulate a nations 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 exist9 For consumers of oil and oil products,such an event depresses living standard
43、s.Key:reduces Text B Lead in Key terms Critical reading Difficult sentences English language for academic purposeUnit 2EconomicsText BReading critically:questions for discussionUnit 2EconomicsDiscuss the following questions:Life is regarded as a game.Do you agree?Why or why not?Lead-in Text BKey ter
44、msUnit 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 termsUnit 2Economics Competitive strategies(竞争策略竞争策略):unbeata
45、ble 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 anotherText BKey termsUnit 2Economics Evolutionarily stable strategies(ESS)(进化稳定策略进化稳定策略):a strategy which,if adopted by a populati
46、on 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 termsUnit 2Economics Rational human choice:people will adjust their behavior in order to maximize their gains.Nash equilibrium:纳什均衡纳什均衡a solution c
47、oncept 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 BCritical reading and thinkingUnit 2EconomicsComparison between the two schoo
48、ls of researchersAnimal behavioristsEconomistsEvolutionarily stable strategies Implication：the way the strategies are played has been hardwired into the participants by the processes of natural selectionNash equilibriumImplication:adjust their behavior to maximize their gainsText BCritical reading a
49、nd thinkingUnit 2EconomicsDr Kurzban&Dr.Housers study1.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 BCritical reading and thinkingUnit 2Economic
50、sMaking an experiment:Public-goods game 公共物品博弈公共物品博弈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.l Methods(s
