Inside Out

Globalisation WORKSHEET A

Melanie
The word ‘globalisation’ can mean different things to different people, but often it
refers to the way the countries and regions of the world are becoming more
interconnected in economic terms, for example through increased trade. Countries are
exporting more of what they produce and importing more of what they consume.
Other aspects of economic globalisation are the rise of powerful multinational
companies which operate in a lot of different countries, and the large number of
workers who are moving to other countries in search of better-paid jobs.

Ian
Globalisation has gone too far. The idea of stronger economic and cultural ties
between countries might sound nice, but in practice it has had a lot of negative
consequences.
The reality of economic globalisation is that the free market model is being imposed
on developing countries as if it were the only solution to economic problems, but in
fact it just increases inequality between rich and poor. Multinational companies move
to poor countries where they can exploit workers by paying very low wages, and
where weak environmental legislation means they are free to cause pollution.
Another side of globalisation is that the world is becoming a less diverse place, and
therefore less interesting. The whole world is being led towards consumerism, as if
this were the route to human happiness. Everyone is being encouraged to buy the
same products, from fast food to iPods.

Clare
The people who oppose globalisation are living in the past, because these days the
only way for countries to become richer is by trading and competing with each other
in the international economy.
Also, if we didn’t have economic globalisation, many foreign products would
disappear from the shops. We’d have much less choice in what we buy.
Cultural globalisation is another positive thing, with societies opening up to ideas
from other parts of the world. In my opinion bad ideas will be challenged, while good
ideas – like concern for human rights – will spread.
I don’t agree that western culture is being imposed on the rest of the world. Societies
are free to choose which aspects of other cultures to adopt and which to reject. If an
idea or a product becomes popular all around the world, there must be something
good about it.

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 Inside Out
Globalisation WORKSHEET B

Exercise 1

Here are some simple definitions for words that appear in the text on Worksheet A.
Find the words they refer to and fill in the gaps.

1. _______________ (noun, plural) connections between people or things

2. _______________ (verb) to gradually affect or cover a larger area
3. _______________ (noun, plural) an amount of money that you earn for working
4._______________ (verb) to treat someone unfairly in order to get some benefit for
yourself
5. _______________ (verb) to question whether something is true, accurate, or legal

Exercise 2

Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F), or if the text doesn’t
say (D).
1. Melanie says that international trade has increased.
2. Ian believes that globalisation started a long time ago.
3. Clare thinks economic globalisation has given people more choice in what they buy
when they go shopping.
4. Ian thinks that in some ways globalisation is decreasing the differences between
societies.
5. Melanie dislikes multinational companies.
6. Clare thinks countries can become richer without participating in the international
economy.

Exercise 3

1. Why does Melanie think a large number of workers are moving to other countries?
2. What examples does Ian give of products that people all around the world are being
encouraged to buy?
3. For Clare, what is the positive consequence of countries ‘opening up to ideas from
other parts of the world’?
4. What two criticisms does Ian make of multinational companies?
5. For Clare, when an idea or product becomes popular all around the world, what is
the simple explanation?
6. What do you think Ian means by ‘the whole world is being led towards
consumerism’?

This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net.

It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2008.
 Inside Out
Globalisation WORKSHEET C

Exercise 4

Melanie
The word globalisation can (1) _ _ _ n different things to different people, but often it
refers to the way the countries and regions of the world are becoming more
(2) _ _ _ _ r _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ d in economic terms, for example through increased trade.
Countries are exporting more of what they produce and importing more of what they
consume. Other aspects of economic globalisation are the rise of powerful
(3) m _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ companies which operate in a lot of different countries,
and the large number of workers who are moving to other countries in search of
better-(4) _ _ i _ jobs.

Ian
Globalisation has gone too (5) _ _ _ . The idea of stronger economic and cultural ties
between countries might sound nice, but in practice it has had a lot of negative
(6) c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
The reality of economic globalisation is that the free market model is being
(7) i _ _ _ _ _ _ on developing countries as if it were the only solution to economic
problems, but in fact it just increases (8) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ty between rich and poor.
Multinational companies move to poor countries where they can exploit workers by
paying very low wages, and where weak (9) l _ _ is _ _ _ _ _ _ means they are free to
cause pollution.
Another side of globalisation is that the world is becoming a less (10) d _ _ _ _ _ _
place, and therefore less interesting. The whole world is being led towards
consumerism, as if this were the route to human happiness. Everyone is being
encouraged to buy the same products, from fast food to iPods.

Clare
The people who oppose globalisation are living in the past, because these days the
only way for countries to become richer is by trading and (11) _ om _ _ _ _ _ _ with
each other in the international economy.
Also, if we didn’t have economic globalisation, many foreign products would
disappear from the shops. We’d have much less (12) c _ _ _ _ e in what we buy.
Cultural globalisation is another positive thing, with societies opening up to ideas
from other parts of the world. In my opinion, bad ideas will be challenged, while good
ideas – like concern for human (13) r _ _ _ _ _ – will spread.
I don’t agree that (14) we _ _ _ _ _ culture is being imposed on the rest of the world.
Societies are free to choose which aspects of other cultures to (15) a _ _ _ t and which
to reject. If an idea or a product becomes popular all around the world, there must be
something good about it.
This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net.
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2008.