clil WORKSHEETS

Headway
New
history
Globalization and the information revolution

1 Work with a partner. Choose the correct options to 2 Why do companies want to operate in different
complete these facts about globalization. Then read countries?
the text Globalization today and check your answers. a Sometimes cheaper raw materials and cheaper labour are
available.
1 Globalization is a process where businesses can
b They can set up a clothing business.
operate nationally / internationally.
c They don’t have to look after the environment.
2 Cheaper and better products have / transport has d Their workers can go to fast food restaurants if they want to.
enabled companies to trade more easily.
3 What effect has the growth in the soya, beef, and
2 Read the text again. For questions 1–4, choose palm oil industry had?
the answer (a, b, c, or d) which you think fits best a It has reduced pollution.
according to the text. F b It has contributed to the deforestation of the rainforests.
1 How has the Internet transformed business and c It has promoted sustainable development.
trade? d It has caused people to eat less fast food.
a It has helped to create more national and regional businesses. 4 What advantage could a multinational corporation
b It has made it easier for people to work in Peru and India. bring to a country?
c It has replaced landline telephone systems with mobile a It could help educate people.
technology. b It could save money on education, health, and infrastructure.
d It has created international marketing and sales opportunities. c It could stop deforestation and pollution.
d It could bring new ideas to a community.

Globalization today
Globalization is the process of increased use and share information for personal to lose their unique identity. This can make
interconnectedness among countries, in and social reasons. Combined with free the world a much less interesting place.
the areas of economics, politics, trade agreements between countries, these While there are some aspects of
and culture. A McDonald’s developments have affected every globalization that are negative, there are
restaurant in China, a French area of the economy. Whether a also many positive aspects to be found.
clothes store in the US, and business is in India, Peru, or the US, it As more money is invested in developing
an iPhone store in Scotland is possible to exchange information countries, there is a greater chance for
represent globalization. and products in ways that were the people to benefit from investment
Globalization allows impossible 20 years ago. in education, health, and infrastructure.
businesses and organizations Companies that operate in several countries This helps raise the standard of living for
to operate on an international scale, largely are called multinational corporations. everyone. Globalization also brings greater
because of deregulation and improved Companies sometimes want to operate in access to knowledge which can inform
communications, giving access to goods, developing countries because they can take people around the world about global issues
products, and information to a wider advantage of cheap raw materials, cheap such as pollution, deforestation, and the
population than ever before. These new labour, and easier employment laws. The need for sustainable development. There
markets provide opportunities for new clothing industry has taken advantage of is also greater access to foreign cultures in
business and more profits. cheap labour in Asia and India for decades. the form of music, films, food, clothing, and
There are many key factors that have One of the problems of globalization and ideas. This can help break down the barriers
influenced the process of globalization. increased consumerism is the exploitation between cultures and improve relations.
Improvements in transport mean that of the world’s natural resources and the Globalization can be seen as both a positive
goods can be transported faster and more world’s poor. As well as causing social and a negative process, with arguments
cheaply than in the past. Improvements problems by exploiting cheap labour, in favour of and against it. However, most
in telecommunications and computer globalization can have a negative impact would agree that it is an inevitable process
technology help people access information on the environment. For example, the link that is changing the world and the way we
more easily and more quickly than in the between the deforestation of rainforests live in it.
past. The Internet has transformed business for soya, palm oil, and beef can be directly
and trade, creating new ways for businesses linked to the growth of the fast food
to advertise and sell their products. Today, industry. Another problem with globalization
businesses use computers, smartphones, is that while different cultures around the
text messages, and Skype to conduct world interact, cultural differences can be
business. Social networking sites, Twitter, lost in the process. The presence of the same
and apps are changing the way people do multinational corporations in every city
business, as well as changing the way they around the world means that the cities begin

New Headway Intermediate fourth edition Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2014 CLIL Worksheets 1