1
A grade school teacher was asking students what their parents did for a living. «Tim, you be first. What does your mother do all day?»
Tim stood up and proudly said, «She's a doctor.» «That's wonderful. How about you, Amy?» Amy shyly stood up and said, «My father is a mailman.» «Thank you, Amy» said the teacher. «What does your parent do, Billy?» Billy proudly stood up and announced, «My daddy plays piano in a brothel.» The teacher was aghast and went to Billy's house and rang the bell. Billy's father answered the door. The teacher explained what his son had said and demanded an explanation. Billy's dad said, «I'm actually an economist. How can I explain a thing like that to a seven-year-old?»
2
The mathematician's child and the economist's child were in the third grade together, and the teacher asked, «If one man with one shovel can dig a ditch in ten days, how long would it take ten men with ten shovels to dig the same ditch?» Both children raised their hands.
The teacher said to the mathematician's child, «Johnny, how long?» and little Johnny said, «One day, teacher.»
The teacher looked at the economist's child and said, «John Maynard, is that right?»
Little John Maynard said, «Teacher, it all depends.»
Слова и выражения:
aghast – пораженный ужасом, ошеломленный
dig – копать
ditch – канава
explanation – объяснение
extremely – в высшей степени
forecast – прогнозировать
mailman – почтальон
announce – объявлять
brothel – груб. публичный дом
predict – предсказывать
proudly – гордо
recession – спад (в эконо – мике)
reveal – показывать, открывать, обнажать
shovel – лопата
shyly – скромно, застенчиво
do for a living – зарабатывать на жизнь
how long would it take – сколько это заняло бы времени
it depends – это зависит (от многих обстоятельств)
Exercise 1
Answer the questions:
1. Who is economics most useful for?
2. What will economist know tomorrow?
3. Why do economists answer questions when asked?
4. When is the best time to buy things, according to economics?
5. Why couldn't Billy's father explain to his son what he did for his living?
3
Two government economists were returning home from a field meeting. As with all government travellers, they were assigned the cheapest seats on the plane so they each were occupying the centre seat on opposite sides of the aisle.