THE WELFARE STATE: FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The United States of America is the world's greatest economic power in terms of both Gross National Product and per capitaGNP, with its exports accounting for more than 10% of all world trade.

Although the importance of industrial production is falling and that of services growing (as in mostof Western Europe), the United States remains the world's greatest maker of industrial goods and around 20 million Americans are still employed in manufacturing.

The industrial heart of thenation is the Midwest around the Great Lakes, especially in the region stretching from southern Michigan through Northern Ohio and into the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. Another important industrial region is the Northeast, which is the home of the major computer manufacturers. Service industries are also very important in this region and New York is the country's banking and insurance capital.The nation's fastest growing region, however, is the Southeast, where the chemical industry and high-technology industries are now catching up with the traditional textile industry as many firms exploit the warm climate and low labour costs.

47 per centof the land areaof the United States is farmland,of which 152million hectares are harvested cropland and 560 million hectares are permanentpastureland. And yet, only 6.2 million people live on the nation's farms and todayfarmers make up a little more than 2 per cent of the American population.

The American farmer's success is one of the less publicized wonders of the 20th century. By the mid-1970s a single farmer could grow enough food to feed himself, forty five other Americans, and eight foreigners. Agriculture is one of the biggest and most basic productive enterprises. It feeds the nation and supplies raw materials to most industries. In a single year farmers in the United States grow crops valued at some $25 billion.

The ever intensifying production has exacted its price.In an attempt to stabilize farm income, theUS Government has paid farmers billions of dollars in the past decade. Spokesmen for the consumers have charged farmers and the food-processing industry with sacrificing nutrition and tastein their efforts to mass-produce meat, poultry, fruit, vegetables, and grain products.

Much of the machinery onUS farms is automated, computers determine what animals eat. Such technology costs money. In 1940 American farmers invested about $52 billionin land, livestock, buildings, and equipment.By the 1990s the amount had climbed to more than $400 billion, even though farms had dropped in number from 6 million to fewer than 3 million. Many people had to sell their small family farms because they could not find the necessary capitalto run them. Nevertheless, about 95 per cent of US farms are still family owned, although nowadays they tend to be large and are often incorporated. Meanwhile, true corporation farms, supervised by boards of directors and professional managers, are increasing in number. The number of American farms is expected to be cutin half, to about 1.5 million, while the amount of cultivated land will remain about the same. Farm output, however, will probably double.

Some agriculturists envision a future where weather will be made to order, robots will operate the farm machinery, millions of identical cattle will be produced as clones from a single superior «parent», and crops will grow lush and green under a pollution-free sky.It is a fairy tale, but the truth is that the amazing productivity of American farmers has ensured that much of the world will have enough to eat for the next 20 or 30 years.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary exercises

I. Which of the following statements are true/false according to the text? Correct the false sentences:

2. Fill in the gaps with the words and expressions from the text:

1. The United States of America is the world's greatest economic … .

2. Spokesmen for the … have charged farmers and the … … with sacrificing nutrition and taste.

3. 47 per centof the land areaof the United States is … .

4. Crops will grow lush and green under a … sky.

5. Another important industrial region is the Northeast, which is the home of the major computer … .

6. It feeds the nation and … raw materials to most industries.

7. Many firms exploit the warm climate and … … … .

8. Nevertheless, about 95 per cent of US farms are still family owned, although nowadays they tend to be large and are often … .

9. Around 20 million Americans are still employed in … .

10. Agriculture is one of the biggest and most basic … enterprises.

3. Fill in the table with the data from the text:

4. Find in the text English equivalents for the following:

5.Translate into Russian:

6.Fill in the gaps with the proper words and phrases: