资源描述：
《现代大学精读英语4 lesson eight课文(外语教学出版社)》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在教育资源-天天文库。
1、Lesson8Globalization’sDualPowerAttheedgeofanewcentury,globalizationisadouble-edgedsword:apowerfulvehiclethatraiseseconomicgrowth,spreadsnewtechnologyandincreaseslivingstandardsinrichandpoorcountriesalike,butalsoanimmenselycontroversialprocessthatassaultsnationalsovereignty,er
2、odeslocalcultureandtraditionandthreatenseconomicandsocialinstability.Adauntingquestionofthe21stcenturyiswhethernationswillcontrolthisgreatupheavalorwhetheritwillcometocontrolthem.Insomerespectsglobalizationismerelyatrendywordforanoldprocess.Whatwecallthemarketissimplythejoini
3、ngofbuyersandsellers,producersandconsumersandsaversandinvestors.Economichistoryconsistslargelyofthestoryofthemarket'sexpansion:fromfarmtotown,fromregiontonationandfromnationtonation.Inthe20thcentury,theDepressionandtwoworldwarsretardedthemarket'sgrowth.ButafterWorldWarIIended
4、,itreaccelerated,drivenbypoliticalpressuresandbettertechnology.TheColdWar,fromthelate1940sthroughthe1980s,causedtheUnitedStatestochampiontradeliberalizationandeconomicgrowthasawayofcombatingcommunism.Asuccessionofmajortradenegotiationsreducedaveragetariffsinindustrializedcoun
5、triestoabout5percentin1990fromabout40percentin1946.Aftertwoworldwars,Europeanssaweconomicunificationasanantidotetodeadlynationalism.Technologycomplementedpolitics.EvenbeforetheInternet,decliningcostsforcommunicationandtransportation—fromjetplanes,betterunderseatelephonecables
6、andsatellites—favoredmoreglobalcommerce.Bytheearly1990s,worldexports(afteradjustingforinflation)werenearly10timeshigherthantheyhadbeenfourdecadesearlier.Globalizationcontinuesthisprocessbutalsodepartsfromitinatleastonecriticalrespect.Untilrecently,countrieswereviewedasdistinc
7、teconomicentities,connectedmainlybytrade.Now,thisisbecominglesstrue.Companiesandfinancialmarketsincreasinglydisregardnationalborderswhenmakingproduction,marketingandinvestmentdecisions.Asrecentlyas1990,governments—eitherindividuallyorthroughsuchmultilateralinstitutionsastheWo
8、rldBank—providedhalftheloansandcreditsto29majordevelopingcountries(i
