Parte I Grammatica di base della lingua inglese

Transcript

Parte I
Grammatica di base
della lingua inglese
regole di pronuncia
1 Alfabeto,
e segni d’interpunzione
Rispetto all’alfabeto italiano, formato da ventuno lettere, quello inglese ne contiene
cinque in più: le tre consonanti j, k, x e le due semivocali w, y, per un totale, dunque,
di ventisei lettere, di seguito elencate insieme con le rispettive trascrizioni fonetiche.
A
[ei]
N
[en]
[ou]
B
[bi:]
O
C
[si:]
P
[pi:]
D
[di:]
Q
[kju:]
E
[i:]
R
[a:r]
F
[ef]
S
[es]
G
[dƷi:]
T
[ti:]
H
[eit∫]
U
[ju:]
I
[ai]
V
[vi:]
J
[dƷei]
W
[‘dˆblju:]
K
[kei]
X
[eks]
L
[el]
Y
[wai]
M
[em]
Z
[zed]
In inglese la conoscenza dell’alfabeto è fondamentale per la compitazione dei vocaboli (cioè per poter leggere lentamente una parola, separando i singoli suoni o le sillabe che la compongono), ovvero per eseguire correttamente lo spelling (pronuncia
distaccata delle singole lettere che compongono una parola), che può essere richiesto
mediante una delle seguenti frasi: What’s the spelling of…? / How do you spell…?
(Qual è la compitazione di…?).
Si ricordi che durante lo spelling:
• le lettere maiuscole si fanno precedere dalla parola capital (John Smith = capital
dƷei – ou – eit∫ – en; capital es – em – ai – ti: – eit∫);
• se in una parola si susseguono due lettere uguali, se ne pronuncerà una sola preceduta da double (What’s the spelling of “book”? bi: – double ou – kei).
L’ortografia inglese non è fonetica. La stessa lettera (o lo stesso gruppo di lettere) si
può pronunciare in modo differente in parole diverse: enough (gh = f); eight (gh è
muta); ghost (gh = g).
Per fornire un aiuto ulteriore nella pronuncia delle parole inglesi molti dizionari riportano l’alfabeto fonetico, costituito da simboli che rappresentano i vari suoni.
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Parte I • Grammatica di base della lingua inglese
Consonanti
Suono inglese
Esempi
Come in italiano…
p
pen, tip
pane
b
but, web
bene
t
two, bet
tipo
d
do, odd
dolce
tʃ
chair, nature, teach
cinese
dƷ
gin, joy, edge
giardino
k
cat, kill, queen, thick
cambio
g
go, get, beg
gara
f
fool, enough, leaf
faro
v
voice, have
vite
θ
thing, with
th sonoro
ð
this, breathe
th sordo
s
see, city, pass, listen
sole
z
zoo, rose
reso
ʃ
she, sure, emotion, leash
scirocco
Ʒ
pleasure, beige
fr. George
h
ham, hot
h aspirata
m
man, ham
musica
n
no, tin
nave
ŋ
singer, ring
fr. cinq
l
left, fault
luce
r
ripe, true
riva
w
we, which
uovo
j
yes, beyond
iodio
Vocali
Suono inglese
Esempi
Come in italiano…
a:
father, start
a molto allungata
i:
see, receive
fine
i
city, pretty
i molto breve
e
bed, said
bello
ǝ:
bird, heard
fr. heure
æ
lad, cat
suono aperto tra la a e la e
�
run, enough
a molto breve
ͻ
not, wasp
rosa
(Segue)
1 • Alfabeto, regole di pronuncia e segni d’interpunzione
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Suono inglese
Esempi
Come in italiano…
ͻ:
law, caught
corso
u
put, book
u molto breve
u:
soon, through
luna
ǝ
about, colour
a quasi muta
Dittonghi
Suono inglese
Esempi
Come in italiano…
ei
day, steak
sceicco
ou
coke, coat
o chiusa con la u molto breve
ai
my, sight
mai con la i molto breve
ͻi
boy, choice
poi con la i molto breve
au
now, doubt
ciao
iǝ
near, here
spia con la a quasi muta
εǝ
hair, there
reale con la e aperta
uǝ
tour, sure
tua con la a quasi muta
Segni d’interpunzione
Punteggiatura
In italiano
full stop / period
punto / punto e a capo
,
comma
virgola
:
colon
due punti
;
semicolon
punto e virgola
?
question mark
punto interrogativo
!
exclamation mark
punto esclamativo
’
apostrophe
apostrofo
-
hyphen
trattino
—
dash
lineetta
_
underscore
trattino basso
()
brackets / parenthesis
parentesi tonde
[]
square brackets
parentesi quadre
{}
dots
parentesi graffe
...
curly brackets
punti di sospensione
/
slash
barra
\
backslash
barra inversa
“”
*
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In inglese
.
inverted commas / quotation marks virgolette
asterisk
asterisco
Punteggiatura
In inglese
In italiano
#
pound / hashtag
cancelletto
&
ampersand
e commerciale
space
spazio tra le parole
>
greater than
maggiore di
<
less than
minore di
=
equals
uguale
%
percent
per cento
1 • Alfabeto, regole di pronuncia e segni d’interpunzione
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2 I sostantivi
1. La formazione del plurale
In inglese, proprio come in italiano, i sostantivi possiedono di norma due forme: una
per il singolare e l’altra per il plurale. La composizione del plurale richiede solitamente l’aggiunta di una -s alla voce singolare del nome (book → books; dog → dogs).
Tuttavia non mancano le eccezioni, corrispondenti ai casi di seguito specificati.
• I sostantivi che terminano per -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x e -z aggiungono -es. Tutti tranne
ox (bue), che al plurale diventa oxen.
bus (autobus) → buses; box (scatola) → boxes; flash (lampo) → flashes.
• I sostantivi che terminano per -o aggiungono -es, tranne canto, photo, piano, radio, che aggiungono solamente una -s.
potato (patata) → potatoes; ma photo (foto) → photos.
• I sostantivi che terminano per -y preceduta da consonante cambiano la y in i e
aggiungono -es, mentre quelli in cui la y è preceduta da vocale seguono la regola
base, aggiungendo semplicemente -s al singolare.
country (paese) → countries; boy (ragazzo) → boys.
• I sostantivi che terminano per -f o -fe formano il plurale in -ves, tranne chief, cliff,
gulf, roof e safe, che sono regolari e aggiungono soltanto una -s.
half (metà) → halves; knife (coltello) → knives; ma chief (capo) → chiefs.
Inoltre, sempre nel gruppo dei nomi che terminano per -f o -fe, alcuni possono formare il plurale in entrambi i modi (quello regolare o quello in -ves).
scarf (sciarpa) → scarfs o scarves.
• Determinati sostantivi hanno forme diverse per il singolare e per il plurale.
child (bambino) → children; foot (piede) → feet; man (uomo) → men; mouse (topo)
→ mice; tooth (dente) → teeth; woman (donna) → women.
• Hanno la stessa forma per il singolare e per il plurale i seguenti sostantivi: deer
(cervo), series (serie), sheep (pecora), species (specie), quasi tutti i nomi di pesci
(trout, salmon…), nonché aircraft (aereo), spacecraft (navicella) e hovercraft (aeronave).
• Hair (capelli), fruit (frutta) e fish (pesce) si usano al singolare con valore di plurale, ma in riferimento a specifiche unità si possono volgere al plurale.
My hair is black.
Two hairs in my soup!
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I miei capelli sono neri.
Due capelli nella mia minestra!
• Taluni sostantivi di origine greca o latina e di uso colto formano il plurale così
come avveniva nella lingua d’origine.
basis (base) → bases; crisis (crisi) → crises; datum (dato) → data; phenomenon
(fenomeno) → phenomena.
Tuttavia, accanto al plurale colto, in alcuni termini di utilizzo corrente è possibile avere anche un plurale «volgare».
formula (formula) → formulae, formulas; apparatus (apparato) → apparatus, apparatuses.
• Il plurale di penny è:
pennies, se si considerano le singole monete; pence, se ci si riferisce a un importo
di denaro.
2. Sostantivi numerabili e non numerabili
La maggior parte dei sostantivi inglesi ha sia una forma singolare che una plurale. Si
tratta di nomi di oggetti, persone o concetti che possono essere enumerati e che pertanto sono chiamati sostantivi numerabili (countable).
Alcuni nomi, però, come coffee (caffè), milk (latte), water (acqua), sugar (zucchero),
wine (vino), tea (tè), non possono essere enumerati, pur ammettendo altri tipi di numerazione (a bottle of wine, una bottiglia di vino; a cup of coffee, una tazza di caffè…),
cosicché vengono denominati sostantivi non numerabili (uncountable).
I nomi numerabili:
— hanno il singolare e il plurale;
— possono avere il verbo al singolare e al plurale;
— possono essere preceduti da a o an;
— possono essere usati con many o con a few.
I nomi non numerabili:
— hanno una sola forma;
— possono avere solo il verbo al singolare;
— non possono essere preceduti da a o an, o da un numero;
— possono essere usati con much e con a little.
Per riferirsi a quantità determinate di nomi non numerabili si devono adoperare delle misure, sicché ciascuno di questi nomi può essere indicato con una determinata
unità di misura.
a glass of milk, un bicchiere di latte; a drop of water, una goccia d’acqua.
Alcuni sostantivi non numerabili possono essere usati al plurale nel linguaggio informale o colloquiale.
Can I have two teas and two beers, please?
Posso avere due tè e due birre, per favore?
Non sempre ciò che è numerabile in italiano lo è in inglese, e viceversa. Ad esempio,
nella lingua inglese sono considerati non numerabili, così da essere costruiti con il ver2 • I sostantivi
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bo al singolare, i seguenti sostantivi: advice (consigli), furniture (mobili), hair (capelli),
information (informazioni), money (soldi), luggage (bagagli), travel (viaggi), work (lavoro), homework (compiti per casa), progress (progresso), research (ricerca), weather
(tempo atmosferico). Per rendere numerabili tali nomi bisogna usare piece o bit + of.
Her hair is fair
I suoi capelli sono biondi.
Can I give you a piece of advice?
Posso darti un consiglio?
Alcuni nomi non numerabili, pur terminando per -s, non sono plurali, cosicché vogliono anch’essi il verbo al singolare. Tali sono: news (notizia), linguistics (linguistica), politics (politica), mathematics (matematica), physics (fisica).
What is the news?
Che notizie ci sono?
Si ricordi, infine, che determinati sostantivi, pur avendo la forma al singolare, in realtà sono sempre plurali, per cui richiedono il verbo al plurale. Tali sono: people (gente), police (polizia), clergy (clero), cattle (bestiame).
The police are making enquiries.
La polizia sta indagando.
Un cenno a parte per people, comunemente usato come plurale di person (persona):
one person, two people… Tale sostantivo è considerato regolare, così da prendere la
-s al plurale quando significa «popolo», nel senso di comunità nazionale o etnica (the
peoples of Europe, i popoli dell’Europa).
3. Pair nouns: i sostantivi usati solo al plurale
In inglese sono sempre plurali i nomi indicanti oggetti e capi di vestiario composti da
due parti indivisibili, come binoculars (binocolo), scissors (forbici), pliers (tenaglie),
scales (bilancia), tights (collant), shorts (short), pyjamas (pigiama), jeans (jeans), trousers (pantaloni), glasses (occhiali), tweezers (pinzette)… Nel caso in cui si debba indicare un determinato numero o una certa quantità di questi stessi sostantivi, occorre usare pair(s) of.
I need some trousers.
She has three pairs of sunglasses and
two pairs of reading glasses.
4. I nomi collettivi
Ho bisogno di pantaloni.
Lei ha tre paia di occhiali da sole e due paia
di occhiali per la lettura.
I sostantivi indicanti gruppi di persone unite tra loro in virtù di un determinato vincolo (familiare, politico, religioso, sportivo…) possono essere seguiti sia da un verbo
al singolare che da un verbo al plurale.
Si usa il verbo al singolare se si pensa al gruppo nel suo complesso.
The family has been living here for hundreds of years.
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La famiglia ha vissuto qui per centinaia di anni.
Si adopera il verbo al plurale se si pensa al gruppo come insieme dei singoli.
Manchester United aren’t playing very well. Il Manchester United non sta giocando molto bene.
Alcuni dei nomi collettivi più comuni sono: association (associazione), audience (pubblico), class (classe), clergy (clero), club (circolo), committee (comitato), company (società), council (consiglio), crew (equipaggio), crowd (folla), family (famiglia), gang (banda), government (governo), jury (giuria), majority (maggioranza), minority (minoranza), public (pubblico), staff (personale), team (squadra / équipe), union (sindacato).
5. I nomi composti
Nella lingua inglese i nomi composti sono formati da due o più parti (toothbrush,
spazzolino; tin-opener, apriscatole), in genere da un sostantivo che si pone davanti
a un altro sostantivo, il primo dei quali è quasi sempre singolare, anche se il significato è plurale (shoe shop, negozio di scarpe). Il plurale di questa tipologia di nomi si
costruisce aggiungendo -(e)s al sostantivo principale.
teacup (tazza da tè) → teacups; brother-in-law (cognato) → brothers-in-law.
6. Il plurale dei nomi propri
In inglese può avere il plurale anche un nome proprio (the Browns, i signori Brown),
il quale, se preceduto da un titolo, dà luogo a una di queste due costruzioni:
— the + titolo al singolare + nome proprio al plurale (the Miss Browns, le signorine
Brown);
— the + titolo al plurale + nome proprio al singolare (the Misses Brown, le signorine
Brown).
Qualora, invece, vi sia un nome di parentela, soltanto questo viene reso al plurale (the
Brown sisters, le sorelle Brown).
2 • I sostantivi
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3 Gli articoli
1. L’articolo indeterminativo
In inglese l’articolo indeterminativo è invariabile nel genere e può avere due forme,
che in italiano corrispondono a «un / uno / una»:
• a, utilizzabile davanti alle parole che cominciano per consonante;
• an, utilizzabile sia prima dei termini che iniziano per vocale, sia davanti alle parole che cominciano per h muta, le quali nell’inglese corrente sono soltanto quattro: heir (erede), honest (onesto), honour (onore), hour (ora).
A / an non cambia quando si riferisce a nomi indicanti persone di sesso maschile o
femminile (He is an actor, Lui è un attore; She is an actress, Lei è un’attrice) e si può
usare davanti a un sostantivo numerabile singolare per fare riferimento a qualcuno
o a qualcosa la cui identità non è nota agli interlocutori o comunque non è definita.
He is an honest man.
È un uomo onesto.
Mentre in italiano esiste una sola parola (uno) che funge da articolo indeterminativo e da aggettivo numerale, in inglese l’articolo a / an è diverso dal numerale one, in
luogo del quale può essere sempre utilizzato, a meno che si voglia enfatizzare il concetto di una (e una sola) persona o cosa.
I asked for one apple, not two!
Ho chiesto una mela, non due!
Si noti, in particolare, la differenza tra a day e one day: il primo denota un periodo di
tempo di un giorno, il secondo un giorno indeterminato. Lo stesso vale per morning,
afternoon, evening, night.
Usi particolari di a / an sono:
— davanti ai nomi indicanti un mestiere o una professione; in questo caso non si può
mai omettere (He became an engineer, Diventò ingegnere);
— davanti ai nomi indicanti la nazionalità, per specificare la quale si può comunque
usare anche un aggettivo (She is an Englishman, Lei è inglese; oppure He is American, Lui è americano);
— davanti ai nomi indicanti la fede religiosa o politica (Laura is a Republican, Laura
è una repubblicana);
— in espressioni nelle quali l’articolo significa «ogni, ciascuno», con senso distributivo (You can only do fifty miles an hour on this road, Puoi fare solo 50 miglia all’ora
su questa strada);
— in certe espressioni di tempo o di misura (Three times a week, Tre volte la settimana);
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— dopo half (half an hour, mezz’ora);
— nelle costruzioni con such a, quite a (He’s such a fool!, È un tale sciocco!).
2. L’articolo determinativo
In inglese l’articolo determinativo è invariabile sia nel genere che nel numero, in quanto ha una sola forma, the, che in italiano corrisponde a «il / lo / la / i / gli / le». Si usa
davanti a tutti i nomi maschili, femminili e neutri, sia plurali che singolari.
The boy is Kevin.
The boys are Kevin and Michael.
The water is warm.
Il ragazzo è Kevin.
I ragazzi sono Kevin e Michael.
L’acqua è calda.
The si pronuncia:
— ðǝ davanti a consonante: the (ðǝ) bus, l’autobus; the (ðǝ) house, la casa;
— ði davanti a vocale e alle parole che iniziano per h muta: the (ði) apple, la mela;
the (ði) hour, l’ora.
Di norma si utilizza:
• quando il sostantivo è già stato nominato in precedenza (I watched a concert and a
film on TV last night. The concert was good, but I didn’t like the film, Ho visto un concerto e un film in TV ieri sera. Il concerto era bello, ma il film non mi è piaciuto);
• con nomi numerabili e non numerabili, purché indichino persone o cose ben determinate dal contesto (That’s the man I was speaking about, Quello è l’uomo di
cui parlavo!);
• quando ci si riferisce a cose di cui esiste un unico esemplare: the earth (la Terra),
the king (il re)…
Usi particolari dell’articolo determinativo sono:
— davanti ai nomi di strumenti musicali (I can play the piano, not the guitar, So suonare il piano, non la chitarra) e di invenzioni scientifiche (Marconi invented the
radio, Marconi inventò la radio);
— davanti ai nomi di determinati luoghi (I’m going to the country, Andrò in campagna). Nel caso di alberghi, ristoranti, cinema indicati con un nome proprio seguito da un genitivo sassone, l’articolo the non deve essere usato (Mary’s Hotel e non
The Mary’s Hotel). La stessa regola vale per le chiese il cui nome è costituito da
quello di un Santo più il genitivo sassone (St. Peter’s Church e non The St. Peter’s
Church);
— davanti ai nomi geografici di fiumi, mari, oceani, catene montuose, deserti, arcipelaghi… (the Alps, le Alpi), nonché davanti ai nomi di nazioni contenenti un nome
comune (the USA, gli Stati Uniti; the United Kingdom, il Regno Unito);
— davanti ai nomi seguiti da of (the Statue of Liberty, la Statua della Libertà).
3 • Gli articoli
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3. I casi in cui non si adopera l’articolo
In inglese, di regola, non si usa alcun articolo davanti ai possessivi (my friend, il mio
amico); dinanzi ai nomi propri (con o senza titoli) e alle abbreviazioni (Dr Humphrey, il dottor Humphrey; NATO, la NATO); prima dei nomi comuni usati in senso
generale (Dogs are faithful animals, I cani sono animali fedeli); oppure quando sussiste un’idea di possesso o di appartenenza, in presenza della quale si adoperano gli aggettivi possessivi (John loves his mother, John ama la madre).
Inoltre esistono determinati nomi comuni che non richiedono alcun articolo quando
vengono considerati con riferimento alla loro funzione. Tali sono, ad esempio: bed (letto), church (chiesa), college (collegio), hospital (ospedale), market (mercato), prison (prigione), school (scuola), sea (mare), university (università).
He was sent to prison.
Fu mandato in prigione.
Con i medesimi nomi, però, allorquando si faccia riferimento all’edificio o al luogo,
bisogna utilizzare l’articolo the.
The hospital is just close to the church.
L’ospedale è proprio vicino alla chiesa.
Si faccia attenzione ai sostantivi work e home, che vanno sempre utilizzati senza l’articolo determinativo (Judy has gone to work, Judy è andata a lavoro; Mr Brown is at
home, Il signor Brown è a casa).
Ulteriori casi in cui non si adopera l’articolo sono i seguenti:
— davanti ai nomi di continenti, nazioni (sebbene non manchino eccezioni come the
Congo, il Congo…), laghi, montagne, ma si ricordi che laghi e capi vogliono l’articolo quando sono seguiti da of (the Lake of Geneva, il lago di Ginevra);
— dinanzi ai nomi di giochi e sport (Swimming is my favourite sport, Il nuoto è il mio
sport preferito);
— prima dei nomi di mezzi di trasporto e comunicazione preceduti dalla preposizione by (by bus, con l’autobus);
— davanti ai nomi dei giorni della settimana, dei mesi, delle festività (Christmas [Day],
il giorno di Natale), di momenti della giornata preceduti dalla preposizione at (at
dawn, all’alba), come pure davanti all’indicazione di anni (before 1789, prima del
1789) e, facoltativamente, davanti ai nomi di stagioni (in [the] spring, in primavera);
— dinanzi ai nomi di lingue (Italian is a difficult language, L’italiano è una lingua difficile);
— prima dei nomi che indicano i pasti (When would you like to have dinner?, Quando
vorresti cenare?), ma si ricordi di usare the quando nel discorso si fa riferimento
a un pasto specifico (I enjoyed the dinner we had last night, Mi è piaciuta la cena
di ieri sera).
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3
Selezione di test ufficiali tratti
dalle prove preselettive
del 2013 e del 2014
I quesiti che proponiamo a seguire riguardano l’accertamento della conoscenza della lingua inglese e rappresentano una selezione di quelli effettivamente somministrati nelle prove preselettive degli anni 2013 e 2014 per
il Concorso “Coadiutori nella Banca d’Italia”.
Read the text and answer the following questions.
Kensington and Chelsea, like most local authorities, is on an economy drive. Having identified litter in the streets as a significant cost, the borough’s management
looked for ways to reduce the expense. A study revealed that litter bins were at
the root of the problem because they attract litter, often more of it than they can
accommodate. The council considered various solutions. Ideas for bigger bins, more
bins, and emptying them more frequently were all rejected before the borough’s
boffins came up with a brilliant solution: get rid of litter bins entirely. With no bins,
people will take their rubbish somewhere else, Hammersmith or Westminster,
with a bit of luck. If the scheme is successful, the council will consider getting rid
of expensive hospitals, because they attract too many sick people, and jails, which
are a Mecca for criminals.
Sterling’s supporters are wondering if they could achieve equal results by getting
rid of the SELL button on FX traders’ keyboards. There must be at least a suspicion
that they were testing the idea yesterday; the pound lost less than half a cent to
the Canadian and New Zealand dollars and made headway on almost every other
front. Its biggest gain was two and a half yen, and it starts today at its highest level
for three years against the Japanese currency.
Posted on 1st February 2013, by Moneycorp Dealer Team, Moneycorp (adapted)
1) What does the text deal with?
A The effect possible saving economy measures may have
B Rivalry among various London borough councils
C Japanese reaction to British saving policies
D A concerted effort to boost sterling
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Parte II • La prova preselettiva
2) In the passage, what does “boffin” mean?
A Member
B Unofficial expert
C Supporters
D Detractors
3) The text examines the council’s decision on bins:
A Tongue in cheek
B As a responsible measure to be used in other sectors
C As an admirable way to clean the streets
D Advocating similar steps elsewhere
For questions 4 to 5, read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct word/words.
Investors were 1 the yen, allegedly, because they believe Prime Minister Abe has lined
2 a new Bank of Japan governor who will back his call for extreme monetary easing.
4) Which is the correct word for the space 1 from (A) to (D)?
(A)
support
(B)
bought
(C)
sold
(D)
selling
(A)
up
(B)
into
(C)
prepared
(D)
against
The price of a can of chopped tomatoes — my personal measure of South
African food inflation — has increased by almost 10% in the past year.
When food prices go up, consumers have less cash left over for discretionary spending. In addition, lenders have to deduct necessary spending, which includes food,
before they can calculate how much a prospective borrower has left over for repayments.
The National Agricultural Marketing Council’s latest quarterly report on food prices
clearly says: “The cost of the food basket expressed as a share of the average monthly
income of the poorest 30% of the population increased from 38% in January 2012
to 40.4% in January 2013. The cost of the food basket expressed as a share of the
average monthly income of the wealthiest 30% of the population increased from
3% to 3.2%.”
Its analysis highlights two facts: the two percentage points more of its income the
average low-income household now spends on food than it did a year ago, and the
huge extent of the inequality in South Africa, as the top 30% spends 3.2% of their
income on food when the bottom 30% spends just over 40% on it. The recent rand
weakness raises concerns that food price inflation will remain high as the year
3 • Selezione di test ufficiali tratti dalle prove preselettive 2013 e 2014
243
progresses. However, there are several dynamics that have turned more positive
in recent weeks.
South African food inflation peaked in December 2012 at 7.4%, according to South
African statistics. The uptick was driven by surging grain prices, but pushed meat
and dairy prices higher as 2012 progressed. In the first three months of 2013, food
price inflation has slowly trended lower, coming in at 6.3% in March as grain price
inflation subsided. South African grain prices are benchmarked off international
prices. However, the dependence on wheat imports means that wheat is benchmarked off the higher import parity price while the excess supply of maize means
that the lower export parity price is key for the latter.
FINANCIAL MAIL - Food price wild card. Economic viewpoint Nazmeera Moola - 04 April 2013 (adapted)
6) The text states:
A Rich South Africans pay less for food
B South-Africans in the lower wage-earning bracket prefer to spend a large portion of their earnings on food
C The cost of the food basket has pushed up the South African currency
D Better-off South Africans are less penalized by food price increases
7) According to the passage:
A A South-African export fetches a comparatively lower price than what has to
be paid for an essential import, considered a little expensive
B South-Africa has excess meat and dairy production
C Decreasing food costs depend solely on expensive imports
D The first quarter 2013 follows the trend of end 2012
8) In the passage, it can be deduced that:
A A weaker rand will favour the better-off
B Just under a third of the population spends over a third of its income on food
C It would be better to produce more maize
D Money will be lent readily irrespective of food prices
With just the one ecostat with 1 to redeem itself, sterling will stand or fall today on
the UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index: 2 below 50 would make life most
uncomfortable for the pound.
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9) Which is the correct word or words for the space 1 from (A) to (D)?
(A)
out of
(B)
which
(C)
whom
(D)
that
(A)
everyone
(B)
nowhere
(C)
anything
(D)
rising
The number of new jobs was weaker than the rise of about 200,000 predicted by
economists, and will raise new concerns about the strength of US economic recovery. At the same time, the US jobless rate declined to 7.6% from 7.7% in February.
A drop in retail employment was a factor behind the disappointing rise in overall
job creation. The data from the Labour Department showed that this sector lost
24,000 jobs in March. 12,000 jobs were lost in the US Postal Service, making staff
redundant as it aims to cut losses. Other sectors performed much better, with 51,000
extra professional and business services jobs created, and 23,000 new healthcare
positions. The March rise in job creation was half the level of the past six months,
when there was an average monthly decline of 196,000. Economists expect Federal
spending cuts, coming into effect on 1 March, to have had an impact on confidence
among companies and the numbers of people hired. The total unemployed in the
US in March was 11.7 million. For adult men, the unemployment rate was 6.9%,
and 7% for women. For teenagers, the rate was 24.2%, almost one in four people.
BBC 5 April 2013 (adapted)
11) What is the main message of the text?
A Teenagers are not having difficulty in getting into the job market
B Even though there are signs of a recovery, certain data in the work sector are
disappointing
C How unemployment rose in the period
D It is better to hold a job in the public sector
12) In the passage, what does "redundant" mean?
A Made useful
B Laid off because of circumstances
13) Considering the job market, the trend is:
C Dismissed as incapable
D Made unemployable
A To impact confidence in companies ready to hire personnel
B Increased employment for women
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C Nobody wants to work in Postal Services any more
D Expansion in extra-professional, business, and healthcare services
The US economy needs to add about 90,000 jobs 1 month just to keep up with population growth. The negative data came after other reports 2 that the US economic
recovery is continuing.
(A)
each
(B)
all
(C)
one
(D)
other
(A)
had indicated
(B)
will indicate
(C)
denies
(D)
was indicating
Will Mozambique end up like Nigeria or Norway? The 2011 discovery of a major
off-shore gas field, with extensive coal reserves inland, has prompted to suggest
that Mozambique, one of the world’s poorest countries, has hit the jackpot. The gas
is thought to be worth an estimated $350bn while projections predict that from
2015 the country could produce 100 million tonnes a year, putting it just outside
the top 10 producers in the world.
Such riches, for a country producing just $26bn a year and rebuilding itself after
a 16-year brutal civil war that ended in 1992, does sound promising. It is enough
to make a difference to Mozambique, which is around bottom in a range of indices
measuring poverty, health and education for decades. But turning those resources
into riches is not easy. Consider the experiences of Norway and Nigeria, which
made oil finds in the 1960s. Today Norway exports six times more energy than
it consumes and is one of the richest countries in the world. Nigeria still imports
energy and at least 400bn dollars of oil revenue is thought to have disappeared
since independence in 1960. It remains one of the poorest nations and comparison
is unfair — for example, with a population of 162 million, Africa’s most populous
nation dwarfs Norway, which has just five million inhabitants.
Alexis Akwagyiram BBC News 4 April 2013
16) The text states:
A Mozambique is more similar to Norway than Nigeria
B Three countries have natural resources, either already exploited or about to
be exploited
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C It is an advantage to have such a large population
D There has been a civil war since 1992
17) In the passage, "to hit the jackpot" means:
A To lose the lottery
B To change its economic policy
C To achieve success where it is least expected
D To run into difficulty
18) According to the text, the advent of the discovery of natural resources:
A Increased Norway’s imports
B Could allow Mozambique to change from its present state of poverty
C Led to increased energy exports in Nigeria
D Automatically eliminates poverty
Nigeria’s vast size raises immense challenges that Norway simply doesn’t have to
contend 1 . Nevertheless, the contrasting fortunes of the two countries starkly illustrate 2 an abundance of natural resources does not automatically lead to wealth and
prosperity.
(A)
after
(B)
without
(C)
with
(D)
against
(A)
which
(B)
even though
(C)
that
(D)
in spite of
21) First read the passage, then choose the correct answer.
Machine is out of order. Please try machines on the opposite platform or the ticket office outside the station.
Which is true?
A The machine has been moved
B There are other ticket machines in the station
C The ticket office is on the opposite platform
D The machine has been located in the ticket office
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22) First read the advertisement, then choose the correct answer.
Room Wanted: In the centre of town, close to the Metro; 22-year-old female teacher; max. 400€ per month, bills included. Contact Tracy on 356 984762637.
Which is true?
A Tracy wants to live with a teacher
B Tracy wants to share a room in the centre of town
C Tracy is searching for a place to live
D The room is being offered as all-inclusive
23) First read the message, then choose the correct answer.
Dear Miss Harrison,
Toby can’t do games today as he hurt his leg at the weekend riding his bicycle.
Thank you,
Mrs. Gregson
Which is true?
A Toby can’t ride his bicycle this weekend
B Toby has a games lesson today
C Mrs. Gregson is Toby’s teacher
D Toby hurt his leg at school
24) First read the passage, then choose the correet answer.
So what is the best way to break the ice? The fact that the British talk perennially about the weather is not a stereotype; it is, in fact, one of the most common
topics in this context.
Americans seem to prefer to find out where you are from and then seek a geographical link, such as “Oh, I had an uncle who once worked in Detroit”. If you are a foreigner, you may well be asked about your country, where exactly your home town
is, and so forth. If you are arriving somewhere, you are likely to be asked about
your journey. Express interest in the other person, but don’t be too inquisitive!
Which sentence is correct?
A British weather is very bad
B The British are not family conscious
C The British and Americans ask different questions to get acquainted
D Americans complain about the British weather
25) First read the dialogue, then complete the sentence.
PERSON 1: "Can you please telI me if my insurance policy covers me for accidental damage?".
PERSON 2: "It does, provided that you were paying due care and attention, and
didn’t leave the phone unattended or let it out of your possession. There should
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be no problem with your claim unless the examination of the phone contradicts
your story".
Person 1 will receive an insurance payment if:
A his friend dropped the phone in a puddle
B the examination shows persistent damage, consistent with long-term carelessness
C a thief ripped his bag from his back, and his phone felI on the floor
D he left his phone unattended for only a short period of time
26) Complete the sentence with the correct answer.
Yesterday Coral ............ to me with a problem.
A has come
C went
B came
D goes
I don’t know who ............ ice cream.
A is liking
B like
C are liking
D likes
Betty didn’t thank me for the present. That is ............ annoyed me.
A the thing
C what
B the which
D that which
Tim always wants ............ money.
A so much
B a few
C too many
D another
I’ve ............ for the job.
A appointed
B presented
C applied
D succeeded
Stuart is so mean that he wouldn’t give a beggar a ............ of bread.
A peel
C crust
B shell
D skin
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Only a few miles more to go! We’re ............ home.
A nearly
C immediately
B quickly
D well
My boss was ............ my work and put up my salary.
A sure about
C worried about
B pleased with
D engaged to
34) Read the message, then complete the sentence.
Do not throw litter in the park. Please use the bins provided in the picnic area.
You are not allowed to:
A eat a picnic in the park
B use the bins outside the picnic area
C leave rubbish on the ground
D carry litter outside the park
35) First read the passage, then answer the question.
What began as a romantic idyll and as a relationship envied by all around them
soon turned sour. She began to feel trapped and frustrated, and what she once
saw as touching and caring became annoying and clingy. For his part, he clung
tighter, desperately hoping to stifle the feelings that were tearing him apart.
Which best shows the trajectory of their relationship?
A He liked her more, but she started to feel more for him with time
B She wanted too much, so he broke up with her
C He feIt more and more certain that she could make him happy
D She became less enamoured as time went on
Noah Webster had started out with big plans for reforming English spelling. Unfortunately, in his Blue-Backed Speller, Webster had adopted, with minor changes, the spelling introduced by his British rival Samuel Johnson, the founder of
modern English lexicography. So it was ironicalIy through the success of his own
book, studied by milIions of children at school, that the old spellings had been
disseminated far and wide, and become part of the establishment, blocking any
further attempt to reform English spelling and pronunciation.
Why did Webster’s plan to reform the English spelling system fail?
A Johnson’s spelling system proved to be superior to the reforms introduced
by Webster
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B Webster himself had contributed to promoting the old English spelling system
C His new spelling system proved to be more difficult to use than the old one
D American schools were unprepared to introduce the new system
37) First read the passage, then complete the sentence.
That’s it then, Michael. I can’t express how sorry I feel for what has happened.
No need to tell you, we have taken into consideration any practicable alternative
option. Anyhow, I think you would be the first to admit the situation has worsened over the last few months, so we had to take a final decision. Having looked
at the problem from all possible angles, that’s what I’ve decided.
However, I can’t tell you how much l’ve appreciated the marvellous job you have
done here — may I say your outstanding commitment. And I can only tell you
what everybody else thinks — that the company is what it is very much because
of what you have accomplished here. And I mean it. As for compensation, I’ve
worked out a solution that I hope you’ll find satisfactory. Well, what can I say?
You know, Carl seems to be a decent guy.
The speaker is trying to:
A praise Michael
C fire Michael
B promote Michael
D hire Michael
Excuse me, would you mind ............ a little more slowly?
A to speak
C if you spoke
B speaking
D to speaking
............ of us enjoyed the meal because it was overcooked.
A Both
C Neither
B Nor
D Either
He hasn’t done ............ homework yet.
A some
B any
C a few
D a lot
What’s the name of the woman ............ book you borrowed?
A whose
C who
B whom
D which
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............ anybody waiting for this little girl?
A It’s
B Is it
C There is
D Is there
I’ve decided to take a ............ across Europe this summer by car.
A voyage
C journey
B travel
D crossing
My aunt ............ her children without any help from her husband.
A grew
C brought up
B grew up
D bringed up
Lunch will be ready ............, but we have time for a drink.
A presently
C lately
B currently
D suddenly
It’s too expensive for me. I can’t ............ it.
A pay
B spend
C cost
D afford
It’s the ............ in this country to go out and pick flowers on the first day of spring.
A use
C custom
B normal
D rule
48) First read the passage, then answer the question.
Even if the tax havens are genuine about espousing greater transparency, not
much will happen soon. In my modest opinion, it is disingenuous of our governments to claim that the clampdown on tax paradises might have any significant
relevance to our current financial crisis.
Let’s be frank; tax havens played no part whatever in the madness of bank lending, nor in the credit crunch, nor in the breakdown of businesses worldwide.
Which sentence is closest to the text?
A Tax havens have no responsibility for the current financial crisis
252
B Tax havens are partly responsible for the credit crunch
C The fight against fiscal paradises is difficult
D Governments should take tougher actions against tax havens
The great Austrian writer Bernhard transformed angry eloquence into art while
waging war on the Viennese arts scene’s smugness and hypocrisy. In this masterful Dostoevsky-like diatribe, the narrator, a writer, having accepted an invitation to a dinner given in honour of an actor, waits for the guest to appear and offers a running commentary on his former friends, including a woman who has
just killed herself — as indeed did Bernhard, five years after publication.
The book reviewer suggests that:
A the author is angry about self-satisfaction and double standards in the Viennese arts scene
B this book is a powerfui critique of Viennese society at its most smug and hypocritical
C Bernhard committed suicide in despair over the state of the Viennese art scene
D Bernhard was a masterful writer of diatribes against smug and hypocritical
Viennese women
You may also note that the Ginetex care labels in clothes still specify high washing temperatures — up to 95C — for certain textiles. I do think you can worry
too much about what’s lurking in the laundry basket, but at the same time I’ve
always thought blanket advice to turn the dial to specific temperatures has been
oversold. In fact, there are four factors at play with household laundry: time, temperature, agitation, and detergent.
The writer of this extract is:
A bothered because blankets may get destroyed if not washed properly
B irate because temperature is not the only factor in deciding how to wash
clothes
C amused because some people stupidly exaggerate the danger of washing
clothes at the wrong temperature
D sceptical because clothes labels often exaggerate the temperatures that garments should be washed at
What’s so bad about being kind and in control of your emotions? And why shouldn’t
I be a bit timid? l’m not constantly focussed on what I’m going to say next. I try
to really hear what people are saying. No doubt, most women tend to get a little bossy when they reach a certain position. They accomplish so much and can
multitask to such a great extent that they are not as patient with the laggards.
253
How does she describe herself?
A She is focussed on what she is saying
B She has good listening skills
C She has no patience with lazy people
D She is overbearing and outspoken
Working on the early shift means ............ at 4 am every day.
A get up
C to get up
B to getting up
D getting up
Clever ............ he is, I wouldn’t trust him an inch.
A for
C although
B enough
D though
You ............ have received my reply by now.
A should
B ought
C did
D must to
Two cars and a motorbike ............ in the fire.
A were been destroyed
C have destroyed
B destroyed
D were destroyed
The introduction of bar coding has ............ major improvement in our stock control.
A come about
C brought about
B come to
D brought round
Professor Miller is an authority ............ seventeenth century French painting.
A on
C over
B in
D with
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After three years of losses, the firm managed to ............ this year.
A go flat
C level out
B break even
D equalise
He couldn ’t ............ have known the password, so how did he access the computer?
A likely
C possibly
B probably
D definitely
It stands to ............ that people work better if they are respected and well-paid.
A reason
C argument
B logic
D analysis
61) First read the message, then choose the correct answer to the question.
Only one answer is correct.
Dear Grace,
I am going home tomorrow for a week. Please call me later if you want to see me
before I go.
Love, Peter
Which is true?
A In a week Peter is going home
B Peter will call Grace tonight
C Peter will spend a week at home
D Grace wants to see Peter
62) First read the passage, then choose the correct answer to the question. Only
one answer is correct.
Free Booking line: 800 4756 4343. Open between 9 am and 5 pm. For last minute
tickets visit the theatre ticket office after 5.30 pm on the evening of the play.
Which is true?
A Tickets can only be bought at the theatre
B It costs nothing to call the booking line
C Tickets can only be bought before 5 pm
D For last minute tickets you have to visit the theatre the day before the play
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Summer Courses: All adults with a degree are welcome on our computer courses.
Beginners: June 4th - June 28th; Intermediate: June 30th - July 20th; Advanced:
July 22nd - August 15th. Call our office for pricing details.
Which is true?
A The courses are free if you have a degree
B Graduates can join the courses
C Children are welcome on the beginners’ course
D Adults need to start with the beginners’ course
64) First read the sentence, then choose the correct answer to the question.
’Please be quiet. Exam in progress’.
What does it say?
A Be silent while students are taking their examination
B Do not talk to the instructor
C The examiner will tell you when you can leave the room
D The examination will be over when everyone has finished
65) First read the dialogue, then choose the correct answer to the question.
SHOP ASSISTANT: “That looks lovely on you. The colour is perfect, and the skirt
is the right length”.
CUSTOMER: “You’re right about the length, but do you have it in green?”.
SHOP ASSISTANT: “No, I’m afraid we don’t, madam”.
Which is true?
A The customer wants a longer skirt
B They have the skirt in green
C They agree about the length
D They think the colour is perfect
66) Complete the sentence with the correct answer. Only one answer is correct.
Aren’t they friends ..................
A of you?
B of yours?
256
C to you?
D to yours?
He works ............. engineer.
A like
B as
C the same as
D as an
When .............. Spanish?
A has he begun to study
B has he begun study
C did he begin to study
D did he begin study
Joe didn’t study much for the exam, but if he had studied more, he ............ it.
A would have passed
C passed
B could pass
D passes
The bank is offering a ............ to anyone who can give information about the robbery.
A compensation
C reward
B prize
D premium
She ............... us because she went to an expensive school.
A looks above
C looks down on
B looks over
D looks up to
He .............. me by four games to two.
A beat
B conquered
C gained
D won
I usually ............. my old clothes to a charity in my area.
A give out
C give up
B give away
D give in
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74) First read the sentence, then choose the correct answer to the question.
Terrible Teachers Terrorise!
What does this newspaper article report?
A Badly behaved pupils abusing their teachers
B New government initiatives on school discipline
C Badly behaved teachers
D More training courses for teachers
75) First read the sentence, then choose which sentence follows on. Only one
sentence is appropriate.
On the surface it appears chaotic: the crazy traffic, the noise, the people shouting.
A Yet beneath this show of disorder, there lies behaviour that is regulated and
ordered
B Conversely, the trains never run on time; nothing seems to work
C Moreover, it is never noisy but rather calm and tranquil
D Nevertheless, there are no rules to control the behaviour of the various players
In my experience, the Spanish are a much more open nationality. They are gregarious and lively, and are always eager to experience new things. They appreciate the good things in life: food, drink, socializing, and they generally have a
keen sense of culture.
Which words best describe the Spanish, according to the author?
A lithe, shameful, tolerant
B out-going, epicurean, cultured
C enthusiastic, short-tempered, spontaneous
D helpful, rude, affectionate
77) First read the dialogue, then choose the correct answer to the question.
SARAH: “Hi Tom, how was South Africa?”.
TOM: “Fantastic, working in the hospital was amazing but really hard. I saw loads
of things that really shook me up. But then I went surfing for a couple of weeks,
which took my mind off all that!”.
Which is true?
A Tom found his work to be difficult and upsetting
B Tom went surfing before working in the hospital
258
C Tom thinks surfing is easy
D Tom thinks that surfing needs a lot of endurance
David is going to buy ............. new trousers.
A some pair of
B some
C a couple of
D this
She’ll be 34 tomorrow, ................
A is she?
B isn’t she?
C won’t she?
D will she?
That crazy man can’t stop me ............. the football match on my radio.
A to listen
C listen to
B listening
D listening to
It’s nice to go for a walk ................. a summer evening.
A on
C at
B in
D during
I’m not used to ............... late.
A get up
B be getting up
C the getting up
D getting up
In England, the money you borrow to buy a house is called a ...............
A loan
C mortgage
B contract
D search fee
I never expected you to turn ............. at the meeting.
A around
C up
B on
D in
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He ............... out of the window for a moment and then went on reading.
A glanced
C glimpsed
B viewed
D regarded
I .............. an answer to my letter within a few days.
A hope
C look forward
B wait
D expect
They had every reason to sack him, but he still feels ................ done by.
A hard
C harsh
B unjust
D unfair
Thomas Midgley, the inventor of leaded petrol and CFC gases, not only gave us
two of the most destructive inventions in human history, but also managed to engineer his own demise. lronically, the scientist met his end tangled in the cords
of a contraption he invented to facilitate movement.
Why is this described as ironic?
A Because Midgley’s career was ruined once the effects of CFCs and leaded petrol were discovered
B Because Midgley unwittingly destroyed himself, just as his inventions have
done much towards destroying our planet
C Because the cords should not have been tangled
D Because he deliberately brought about his own death
Choosing a mobile phone and call package can be a bewildering experience. You
are confronted with a vast array of models, all with different combinations of features. Unless you have some proper guidance from someone in the know, your
final choice can be little more than a stab in the dark.
Which is the best summary of the argument?
A Without talking to a phone company employee, you will have little choice of
phone
B The mobile phone market has too little choice
260
C Taking advice makes your choice of phone less random and better informed
D Mobile phone companies take into account the needs of the users
Entrance fee voluntary. Please leave whatever you can afford to give for the upkeep of the church in the box on the way out.
Which is true?
A Everyone must make a donation
B lt costs money to look after the church
C The box is outside the church
D Some people can’t afford to give donations
91) First read the email, then choose the correct answer to the question. Only
Dear Nora, glad you had a nice time away at the weekend. After the bombshell
we all needed some time to lick our wounds! Great news about the work at the
Ministry, it sounds as if things may be getting better for you.
There is life after the British Academy after all! And thanks for thinking of me,
too; I’ll certainly send my CV to Mr. Smith at the Ministry.
Luv, Jonny
The writer of this email is probably:
A a colleague of Nora’s who is envious of her new job at the Ministry
B a friend of Nora’s who is hoping that she will offer him a job
C a colleague of Nora’s who was also in shock after some unexpected news
D an employee of Nora’s who worked for her at the Ministry
He was a good runner, so he .................. escape from the police.
A succeeded to
C managed
B might
D was able to
When you ............... the furniture, please tell us.
A will finish to move
B finish to move
C will finish moving
D have finished moving
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................. lovely food!
A What
B What a
C Which
D Which a
“Is he going to school?”.
“No, ................”.
A he doesn’t
B he cycles
C he gets by bus
D to the shops
95) Complete the dialogue with the correct answer. Only one answer is correct.
He’s been working too hard, and he’s ................ . He needs a rest.
A broken apart
C run down
B broken up
D run over
We went to the station to .................
A see them off
B see them out
C goodbye them
D say them goodbye
The police, despite very careful ..............., still don’t know who the murderer is.
A undertakings
C searches
B enquiries
D surveys
He’ll ............ his nervousness once he’s on stage.
A get away
C get over
B get off
D get into
I’m afraid you’ve been ............... . This bank note is a forgery.
A taken in
C taken down
B taken up
D taken out
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Risposte esatte
1) Risposta esatta: A
28) Risposta esatta: C
55) Risposta esatta: D
2) Risposta esatta: B
3 • Risposte esatte
263
264
Parte IV
Le parole-chiave dell’Economia,
tradotte e spiegate in lingua
Questa Parte del volume rappresenta una sorta di glossario economico. Essa non ha,
com’è ovvio, pretesa di esaustività, ma raccoglie un nutrito numero di parole ed espressioni, anche specialistiche e tecniche, che potrebbero risultare utili al candidato durante le varie fasi del concorso (prove preselettiva, scritta e orale).
GUIDA ALLA CONSULTAZIONE:
• la Sezione è ordinata alfabeticamente, secondo il lemma inglese/americano,
evidenziato in carattere neretto;
• ogni voce è costituita dalla parola o dall’espressione inglese/americana, seguita
dalla sua traduzione in italiano (se le traduzioni sono più di una, esse sono separate da uno slash: /), in carattere tondo, e dalla spiegazione/descrizione, in
lingua, della stessa;
• in parentesi quadra [ ] e in carattere corsivo vengono riportati i sinonimi di alcune voci del glossario. Se essi sono più di uno, vengono indicati separati da uno
slash (/);
• la freccia, presente all’interno di una parentesi quadra [→ …], rinvia alla voce che
la segue, ovvero sta per: “si veda il termine o l’espressione…”.
Economic Keywords
Accelerator Acceleratore.
The principle that when demand for goods rises and falls, investment rises and falls
by even larger amounts. When a government uses the “accelerator”, it encourages demand as a way of controlling the economy.
Accounting Contabilità.
Practice and body of knowledge concerned primarily with “methods for recording
transactions”, “keeping financial records”, “performing internal audits”, “reporting and
analyzing financial information to the management”, and “advising on taxation matters”.
Accounting for State and public utilities Contabilità di Stato e degli enti pubblici.
The study of the management of public resources and their subsequent provision in
order to achieve the satisfaction of public needs.
Accounting period [Financial year/Fiscal year] Esercizio contabile.
A period of time at the end of which a company prepares a financial report (for example after three, six, or twelve months).
(Economic) Activity rate Tasso di attività.
It measures the proportion of the working age population (15-64) who are active or
potentially active members of the “labour market”. A high “economic activity rate”
means that a high proportion of people are working or available for work or training.
Administered fluctuation [Managed float/Dirty float] Fluttuazione sporca/Fluttuazione amministrata.
A system of “floating exchange rates” in which the government or the country’s central bank occasionally intervenes to change the direction of the value of the country’s
currency. In most instances, the intervention aspect of a “dirty float” system is meant
to act as a buffer against an external economic shock before its effects become truly
disruptive to the domestic economy.
Administrative charge [→ Administrative fee].
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Parte IV • Le parole-chiave dell’Economia, tradotte e spiegate in lingua
Administrative fee [Administrative charge/Service charge] Tassa amministrativa.
A fee charged by an insurer or other agency responsible for administering a group employee
benefit plan to cover expenses related to record keeping and/or other administrative costs.
Administrator [Manager] Amministratore.
A person whose job is to “manage” a company, school, governmental affairs or other
organization. An “administrator” often has a staff of people who report to him or her.
Advanced services sector [→ Advanced tertiary sector].
Advanced tertiary sector [Advanced services sector/Quaternary sector] Settore terziario avanzato.
It consists of intellectual activities. Activities associated with this sector include government, culture, libraries, scientific research and development, distribution, education, information technology, business consulting, and strategic financial services.
Advertising Pubblicità.
Information provided about a product by a company to promote or maintain sales,
revenue, and/or profit. “Advertising” is often an explicit method of signaling that sellers use to provide information to buyers. The primary objective of advertising from
the sellers perspective is to increase (or at least maintain) demand for a product. To
accomplish this objective, advertising provides buyers with two important types of
information: “prices” and product “quality”.
After market [→ Secondary market].
Aggregate cost [→ Total cost].
Aggregate demand Domanda aggregata.
The total amount of goods and services demanded in the economy at a given overall price level and in a given time period. It is represented by the “aggregate demand
curve”, which describes the relationship between price levels and the quantity of output that firms are willing to provide. Normally there is a negative relationship between “aggregate demand” and the “price level”.
Aggregate supply Offerta aggregata.
A macroeconomic value equal to the sum of all goods and services produced in a particular time period.
Agreement [Arrangement/Settlement] Accordo.
An accord reached between two or more parties in which the terms of a transaction
or a course of action have been negotiated and documented.
Economic Keywords
319
All-in cost [→ Total cost].
Allowance Abbuono.
Amount deducted from an invoice as an incentive for a large order, or to compensate
the buyer for an expense or mistake.
Alternative Trade Organizations (ATO) Organizzazioni del Commercio Alternativo
(ATO)/Centrali d’importazione.
“Non-Governmental Organizations” or mission-driven businesses, aligned with the
“Fair Trade” movement, aiming to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in developing regions of the world by establishing a system of trade that allows marginalized
producers in developing regions to gain access to developed markets.
Annual holidays [→ Annual leave].
Annual leave [Annual holidays/Annual vacation] Ferie annuali.
Time with pay that you are allowed to be absent from your work each year.
Annual vacation [→ Annual leave].
Anti-cyclical policy [Counter-cyclical policy] Politica anticiclica.
Government policy aimed at reducing or neutralizing anti-social effects of economic
cycles. Such policies encourage spending during downturns and tighten credit during inflationary periods.
Anti-globalization movement [→ No global movement].
Anti trust laws Leggi antitrust.
Legislation which limits the growth and use of “monopoly” power that interferes with
the preservation of a free and competitive market system.
Appreciation Apprezzamento.
An increase in the market value of an asset, such as a stock, bond, commodity or piece
of real estate, or in the value of one currency with respect to another.
Arithmetic average [→ Arithmetic mean].
Arithmetic mean [Arithmetic average] Media aritmetica.
A mathematical representation of the typical value of a series of numbers, computed as the sum of all the numbers in the series divided by the count of all numbers in
the series.
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Parte IV • Le parole-chiave dell’Economia, tradotte e spiegate in lingua
Arrangement [→ Agreement].
Assembly line Catena di montaggio.
An arrangement of workers, machines, and equipment in which the product being assembled passes consecutively from operation to operation until completed.
Asset value [Net book value] Valore patrimoniale.
The “net market value” of a company’s assets divided by the number of outstanding
shares of that company’s stock. Investors often use the “asset value” of a company
when determining if the company’s shares are overvalued or undervalued: for example, if the asset value per share is higher than the market price for a share then the
stock could be considered undervalued.
Assets [→ Property].
Assurance market [→ Insurance market].
Atomistic market Atomicità del mercato.
In this kind of “market”, each seller’s size is so small, relative to the market as a whole,
that it has no appreciable effect on price; as a result, such sellers have no market power. This structure is consistent with “perfect competition”.
Auction Asta.
A system where potential buyers place competitive bids on assets and services. The
asset or service in question will sell to the party that places the highest bid. In most
cases, sellers will pay a listing fee to the auctioneer, regardless of whether the item
actually sells for the desired price.
Authorized share capital [→ Registered capital].
Automatic fiscal stabilizers [→ Automatic stabilizers].
Automatic stabilizers [Automatic fiscal stabilizers] Stabilizzatori automatici del
ciclo economico.
Policies or institutions (built into an economic system) that automatically tend to dampen “economic cycle fluctuations” in income, employment…, without direct government
intervention. For example, in boom times, progressive “income tax” automatically reduces money supply as incomes and spending rise; similarly, in recessionary times, payment
of “unemployment benefits” injects more money in the system and stimulates demand.
Automation Automazione.
Automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process, or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human labor.
Economic Keywords
321

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