Democracy and globalization

Name _______________________________________________ No. _______ Class _________ Date _________________

Some Pros and Cons of Globalization

Pro 1: Globalization broadens access to goods
and services.
It’s hard to argue with the point that globalization
makes more goods and services available to more
5 people, often at lower prices. If you have disposable
income and you’re buying a product that comes from
abroad, you’re benefiting from globalization to some
extent. Business owners also benefit by having access
to a bigger market for their goods and services.

10 Pro 2: Globalization can lift people out of poverty.

The argument that globalization has lifted people in developing countries out of poverty
is somewhat controversial because opinions differ as to the quantity – and quality – of the
jobs created by globalization. But the general wisdom is that globalization has increased job
opportunities in capital-scarce, labor-rich countries, i.e. developing countries.

15 Pro 3: Globalization increases cultural awareness.

Defenders of globalization say it has increased cross-cultural understanding and sharing.
A globalized society boosts the rate at which people are exposed to the culture, attitudes and
values of people in other countries. That exposure can inspire artists, strengthen ties between
nations and dampen xenophobia.

20 Con 1: Workers in developed countries may lose out to workers in countries with
cheaper labor.
This first argument against globalization is the one that, when the highly-developed
countries compete with less-developed countries, their big advantage is the access to capital,
whereas less-developed countries’ big advantage is their cheap labor.
25 Therefore, low-skill jobs in rich countries can disappear as a result of globalization. The
result may be a decrease in the inequality between countries but an increase in the inequality
within countries.

Con 2: Globalization has failed to deliver desired gains in labor rights, human rights
and environmental protection.
30 In theory, globalization can be an opportunity to spread values and practices like
environmentalism and labor rights throughout the world. In practice, that spread has been
slow and imperfect. Some argue that globalization has caused a “race to the bottom” in
which companies actively seek the countries with the weakest labor and environmental
protections and the lowest wages. And while globalization has increased the flow of goods,
Link up to you! 12 1
 35 services and capital, there are still plenty of tax havens, meaning that much of the value
added by globalization is not captured and redistributed by governments.

Con 3: Globalization may contribute to cultural homogeneity.

Globalization might lead to more cultural homogeneity if people’s tastes converge. If
everyone wears jeans, learns English and watches Hollywood movies we may lose precious
40 cultural practices and languages. Some critics of globalization worry that it’s creating a
monoculture.
Amelia Josephson, https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-pros-and-cons-of-globalization
(accessed in February 2018)

I
READING

A. Find the best equivalent for the following verbs as they appear in the text. There are two
extra words you do not need to use.

a. reduce
1. argue (line 3) b. increase
2. differ (line 12) c. reinforce
3. strengthen (line 18) d. disagree
4. dampen (line 19) e. search for
5. seek (line 33) f. contrast
g. vary

B. Find evidence in the text for the following statements.

1. Globalization offers people access to a wider variety of products for less money.

2. Globalization is generally believed to have provided more jobs in poorer countries.

3. Globalization can foster understanding and discourage discrimination.

C. Complete the following sentences with ideas from the text with no more than five words.
1. As a result of globalization, unqualified workers in richer countries may…

2. Instead of disseminating labour rights, companies relocate to countries where…

3. If people’s tastes start to converge, critics of globalization fear that…

2 Link up to you! 12
 II
WRITING THROUGH READING

1. Write a short argumentative text (around 150 words) discussing the positive and negative
effects of globalization on the country where you live and your daily life.

III
LANGUAGE USE

A. Choose a word from the box to complete the following text.

taking spanned changing becoming became largely

easier engaged exactly connected

What is globalization?

Globalization is a.________________ more important – and more controversial – than at any

other point in history.
What b.________________ is globalization? Simply put, globalization is the process of
c.________________ to an integrated world from an isolated one. Globalization can be summed
up as a long-term change towards greater international cooperation in economics, politics,
cultural values, and the exchange of knowledge.
Globalization has d.________________ been made possible by advances in technology,
particularly the internet. As the world grows more e.________________, people in all nations
achieve a far greater level of interdependence in activities such as trade, communications,
travel, and political policy.
In many ways, globalization has been f.________________ place for centuries. From the Silk
Road, which g.________________ from Europe all the way to East Asia, to the invention of
steamships and railroads, humans have h.________________ in cultural exchange and
international trade for centuries. In the 20th century, this international exchange and trade was
made far i.________________ by the invention of airlines and road vehicles. What was once a
slow process j.________________ a far simpler one.
In the late 20th century, the invention of digital communications tools like the internet
made modern globalization a reality.
https://blog.udemy.com/pros-and-cons-of-globalization/
(accessed in February 2018)

Link up to you! 12 3
 B. Use the word given in CAPITALS to form a word that fits in the space.

Young people are most a.________________ (DIRECT) affected by globalization. They are
experiencing globalization on an everyday basis through b.________________ (EMPLOY) patterns,
the friendship groups they develop, their usage of the internet and wider cultural influences on
their lifestyles.
Young people’s lives are c.________________ (CONSTANT) being influenced by new trends, be
they cultural, d.________________ (TECHNOLOGY) or social.
Although young people are not e.________________ (POWER) in respect to global change,
their economic position is such that they are more vulnerable than many other social groups to
the uncertainties and risks associated with economic and cultural globalization.
https://www.developmenteducationreview.com/issue/issue-7/young-people-identity-and-living-global-society
(accessed in February 2018)

C. Choose the best way to express the future in the following sentences.
1. I don’t believe the process of globalization __________________ (lead) to a monocultural
society.
2. European countries are discussing new free trade agreements. By this time next week they
__________________ (sign) them.
3. European officials have scheduled a labor inspection for next month. They __________________
(inspect) the working conditions at several Asian ‘sweat shops’.
4. If globalization __________________ (bring) benefits for everyone, some measures have to be
taken to protect both developed and developing countries.
5. By the end of this century, societies will be so interconnected and interdependent that the
concept of globalization __________________ (become) obsolete.

D. Rewrite the following sentences started them as suggested.

1. Although young people all around the world share many similarities, they are still aware of
their national identity.
In spite of ________________________________________________________________________________

2. “Where are the majority of cotton clothes produced nowadays?”

I don’t suppose you know _________________________________________________________________

3. Globalization may have brought about inequality issues, yet it has significantly improved
people’s lives.
Although __________________________________________________________________________________

4. “How long have you been studying the impact of globalization on our society?”
I asked the researcher ____________________________________________________________________

5. “Don’t decide if you are for or against globalization without looking at the whole picture.”
The teacher advised me ___________________________________________________________________

4 Link up to you! 12
 Answer key

I. READING (75 p) III. LANGUAGE USE (85 p)

A. (53 p) A. (45 p)
1. d; 2. g, 3. c, 4. a, 5. e a. becoming
b. exactly
B. (310 p) c. changing
1. “It’s hard to argue with the point that globalization makes d. largely
more goods and services available to more people, often e. connected
at lower prices.” (lines 3-5) f. taking
2. “… globalization has increased job opportunities in capital- g. spanned
scarce, labor-rich countries, i.e. developing countries.” h. engaged
(lines 13-14) i. easier
3. “That exposure can inspire artists, strengthen ties between j. became
nations and dampen xenophobia.” (lines 18-19)
B. (53 p)
C. (310 p) a. directly
1. … lose their jobs. b. employment
2. … labor protections are weak. c. constantly
3. … a monoculture may be created/cultural homogeneity d. technological
may increase/we may lose cultural values. e. powerless

II. WRITING THROUGH READING (40 p) C. (55 p)

Open answers. 1. will lead
2. will have signed them
3. are going to inspect
4. is to bring
5. will have become

D. (55 p)
1. In spite of sharing many similarities, young people all
around the world are still aware of their national identity.
2. I don’t suppose you know where the majority of cotton
clothes are produced nowadays?
3. Although globalization may have brought about inequality
issues, it has significantly improved people’s lives.
4. I asked the researcher how long he/she had been studying
the impact of globalization on our society.
5. The teacher advised me not to decide if I was for or against
globalization without looking at the whole picture.

Link up to you! 12 5