Economics
Lead-in
Just as you cannot become a mathematician overnight, study economics and learn to think like an economist will take time. However who studies economics?
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
Difficult sentences
These models are stylized, and they omit many details. (Para. 13)
→ These models are artificial rather than realistic, and they don’t take many details into consideration.
Text Analysis
Thesis: Economics is a science. The economist works as a scientist.
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
Critical reading and thinking of Text A
1 Science and scientists have its own language, e.g. math, psychology, law.
The main issues addressed in this paper are … This study critically examines … The objective of this paper is to ... The purpose of this investigation is to ... The aim of this paper is to ... This paper reports on the results obtained …
Unit 2
Economics
Lead-in
Task 2 Listen to the talk again and complete the following table.
Name Ronald Regan Michael Kinsley Steve Ballmer Mick Jagger
Profession
deadweight loss __净__损_失__________
high inflation ____高_通__胀________
quantity of money ____货__币_量________
long-run effects of the policy ____长__期_政_策__效_应____
学术英语 社科
Academic English for Social Sciences
2
Economist
Just as you cannot become a mathematician, psychologist, or lawyer overnight, learning to think like an economist will take time. However, what is the economist’s way of thinking? What does it mean to think like an economist? By learning this unit, you will find the answers.
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
Difficult sentences
Yet, despite this lack of realism – indeed,
because of this lack of realism – studying these models is useful for learning how the human body works. (Para. 13)
therefore consequently as a result as a consequence
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
English language for academic purpose
Signpost language
Signpost language to introduce the topic:
Economics and economists are the same, e.g. supply, demand, elasticity, consumer surplus.
2 Science and scientists use scientific method, e.g. observation, devise theories, collect data, analyze, test, shown with the example of Isaac Newton.
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
English language for academic purpose
Signpost language
cause and effect: clue words to indicate cause and effect:
because the reason lead to, result from is due to
Former President of the United States Journalist
Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft
Singer for the Rolling Stones
Unit 2
Economics
• Text A
–Critical reading and thinking – Difficult sentences – English language for
→ Yet, although the models are not exactly the same as real bodies – actually just because they are not that realistic – they are useful to help people learn how the human body works.
Task 1 Listen to a talk “Who studies economics?” and complete the sentences.
Unit 2
Economics
Lead-in
1 Economics can seem __a_b_s_t_ra_c_t__ at first, but the field is fundamentally very __p_ra_c_t_ic_a_l_.
→ “Science is all just about improving everyday thinking.”
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
Difficult sentences
Yet, despite this lack of realism – indeed,
because of this lack of realism – studying these models is useful for learning how the human body works. (Para. 13)
Natural sciences or Social sciences?
Economics is a social science.
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
Difficult sentences
“The whole of science is nothing more than the refinement of everyday thinking.” (Para. 4)
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
English language for academic purpose
Collocations
address the subject devise / verify / refute theories collect / analyze / generate data the interplay between observation and theory doubt the validity of the theory face an obstacle make do with find a substitute for simplify the complex world / reality in circulation omit details
Unit 2
Economics
Text A
English language for academic purpose
Specialized vocabulary
经济政策制定者 __e_co_n_o_m__ic__p_o_li_c_y_m_a_k_e_r 货币流通量 __a_m_o_u_n_t_o_f_c_u_r_re_n_c_y_i_n_c_i_rc_u_l_a_ti_o_n_ 供需 ____su_p_p_l_y_a_n_d__d_e_m_a_n_d__ 货币政策 __m__o_n_e_ta_r_y_p_o_l_ic_y_
Unit 2
Economics
Unit Contents
• Lead-in • Text A • Text B • Text C • Listening • Speaking • Writing