Brics

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THE BRIC COUNTRIES AUDIOSCRIPT

Listen to 3 senior Directors of the Three Stars Investment Company discussing the importance of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, Indiaand China) at a strategy meeting. Optional listening activity: Read the following sentences first. Then while listening, decide if they are true or false, according to what you hear. Sentence True(T) or False (F) 1. The economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China are developing very quickly. 2. Brazil is a major player on the world’s energy markets. 3. China only produces low value goods. 4.Brazil is selling increasing amounts of food to China. 5. China has limited energy supplies. 6. Rates of HIV infection are decreasing all over Africa. 7. Oil has been discovered in Uganda. 8. Somecountries from Africa may join the BRIC countries.

Bob- Managing Director Dawn – Finance Director Dave – Innovation Director Bob: Dawn, Dave, thanks for coming to this meeting to talk about somethingthat I think is very important Dave: It’s good to be here Dawn: I agree, these are important issues … Bob: Can you both fill me in on developments in the BRIC countries? Dawn, you first… Dawn: Herewe’re talking about Brazil, Russia, India and China. John O’Neill of Goldmann Sachs in London recently wrote an influential report on the future of these four countries. Bob: What were the key messages ofthe report? Dawn: It’s common knowledge that the economies of all four countries are developing at incredible speed at the moment .. Dave: Yes, Russia has become a major player on the world’s energymarkets, India’s IT companies are now recruiting amongst the best of the west’s IT graduates, Chinese industry is quickly moving upwards in the value chain away from low value goods to higher endproducts such as cars, car parts, electronic and computer components, just as Japan did in the fifties. We’re now waiting for Chinese brands to go global as Fuji, Sony and the like did from Japan. Dawn:...