Ольга Кравцова - Английский язык для специальных и академических целей: Международные отношения и зарубежное регионоведение. Часть 1

IS is growing stronger while its opponents in Syria are weakening. It is recruiting fast in all parts of its caliphate. A study by the National Security Adviser's office in Baghdad showed that in the past, where jihadis took over an area with 100 fighters, they could recruit between 500 and 1,000. IS seems prepared for air strikes, evacuating its fighters and heavy weapons from buildings where they are identifiable. US air power did not win the war in Afghanistan and is even less likely to do so in Iraq or Syria.

A ceasefire in Syria would remove one of IS's strongest cards, which is the fear of the Sunnis that, bad though IS may be, the alternative of government re-occupation is even worse. For its part, the government may fear no longer being able to face Syrians with a stark choice between Assad and jihadis who chop off heads.

The restoration of a more normal civilian life in Syria would be an immense advance. Some of the 3 million refugees and 6.5 million internally displaced people out of a total population of 22 million would be able to go home. There might be a re-emergence of more moderate individuals and groups marginalised or driven underground since 2011.

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At the moment, the political landscape in Syria must look good from the point of view of IS. Its opponents are divided. The US is backing a group of moderates who barely exist and wants to weaken the Assad government. In the past week some of the heaviest fighting in Syria has been IS's attack on the Kurdish enclave of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, close to Turkey. It is defended by the fighters of the YPG Kurdish militia who are the Syrian branch of the mainly Turkish Kurd PKK which the US labels as “terrorist”.

US policy has an Alice in Wonderland absurdity about it, everything being the opposite of what it appears to be. The so-called “coalition of the willing” is, in practice, very unwilling to fight IS, while those hitherto excluded, such as Iran, the Syrian government, Hezbollah and the PKK, are the ones actually fighting. A truce between the government and moderate rebels in Syria would enable both to devote their resources to fighting IS, as they need to do quickly if they are to avoid defeat.

970 words (abridged)

1. Is the result of the Scottish referendum a missed opportunity?

2. Was the British Empire beneficial to its colonies?

3. Why are Britons disenchanted with politics?

Факультет МО

Английский язык, второй иностранный, IV курс, 7 семестр

1. Несмотря на постоянные перестановки в кабинете, экономика страны по-прежнему находится в упадке, и хотя основные проблемы были определены, никто из министров так и не разработал стратегию, которая помогла бы сдержать неконтролируемую инфляцию. [5]

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2. Не так-то просто убедить жителей Германии и Франции, которые на данный момент являются влиятельными членами ЕС, в необходимости расширения союза дальше на восток. [5]

3. Несмотря на то, что Европейский Союз принимает на себя новые обязательства во многих политических вопросах, основополагающие ценности остаются неизменными. [5]

4. Активно взаимодействуя с мировой общественностью, и говоря от лица всей Европы, Европейский Союз стал образцом для других государств, а ценности, к которым стремится ЕС, послужили основой для других наций и организаций. [8]

5. Попытка избавиться от улик стала убедительным свидетельством в пользу его виновности. [5] ____________________________________________________________________

6. Чтобы подкрепить свои аргументы, она сослалась на нескольких выдающихся ученых, которые также полагали, что становление гражданского общества в России началось намного раньше, чем это принято считать и, следовательно, требуется коренной пересмотр исторических концепций в данной области. [6] ____________________________

7. Они взяли в руки оружие по разным причинам: чтобы выжить, отомстить, защитить свои семьи, последовать примеру сверстников, закалить характер, став воином или героем, преодолеть ощущение беспомощности или же из-за отсутствия лучшей альтернативы. [4]

8. Отчасти причина непримиримого сопротивления Турции требованиям курдов заключается в истории конфликта. [4]

9. Своими действиями оппозиция может спровоцировать политический кризис в стране, что в свою очередь может поставить под угрозу положение страны на мировой арене. [5]

10. Почтение и уважение к старшим занимает важное место в системе ценностей этой страны. [5]

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______ out of 52

1. ___ worst, they demand ___ more wages and benefits for less work, do the minimum expected

___ them, or function as bland bureaucrats mired _____standard ___ operating procedures.

2. Liberalism itself (putting _____, ___ the moment, its egalitarian element) is nothing but an

effort to struggle free ____ restraints _____ the individual.

3. What motivation does another country have to hold _____transfers when the US is pumping

___ billions of dollars _____ th e region?

4. It seems to be ___ human nature to throw ______ barriers _____ the truth. We are taught

_____ a very early age that there can be advantages ____ withholding the truth ___ one's feelings.

5. It wasn't until the weekend that he started to pine_____some entertainment other than the

sight of himself in the bathroom mirror.

6. This collaborative effort is ____ concert _____the City of Chicago's goals as well as our mission

to preserve affordable housing for all Americans.

7. Conscientious citizens fret _____ America's renewed and steadily rising dependence ___

foreign oil and the defense costs required to keep the Persian Gulf open.

8. Ever since then, Labour has been_____the defensive, both ideologically and demographically.

9. ___ the age of 76 and realising that the lifetime ___ the next Parliament would take him ___

his eighties, he has decided to make way _____ a younger man.

10. Even if you are not a skier, it is worth taking the funicular ______the slopes just to experience

the journey and to marvel_____the views opening out___.

11. Most of his work has now been consigned ___ oblivion.

12. _____careful deliberation it was agreed to abandon the project.

13. Ministers also hoped that employers would root______inefficiency, even if this led to a

temporary surge ___ unemployment.

14. ___Mrs Thatcher,___loggerheads_____many of her own party___European issues, this

summit was crucial.

_____out of 10 (0.25 x 40)

Furthermore, it will be premature to ________ Tu rkey before its process of __________reform

has taken __________. EU accession has proven a strong __________ for __________ countries

to __________ th e principles of democracy, rule of __________ a n d respect of human rights that

form the building __________ of European integration. But, __________ how slowly the reform

process is __________ in Turkey, the EU has to be __________ with its Anatolian partner. The army's __________ in politics, the economy and the judiciary is still very strong, reminding many in

Europe that Turkey has long to __________ before a fully democratic system is __________. The

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Kurdish issue also remains __________ and many _________whether the EU wishes to import a

problem that has both an internal and external destabilising dimension. Last but not least is the issue of Turkey's refusal to __________ one of the EU's member states, __________Cyprus.

________ out of 18

1. You can't just suddenly decide to go on a safari. You need to plan things very carefully. (SPUR)

Going on safari isn't a decision you can make ___________________ m o m e n t . You need to

plan things very carefully

2. She wants nothing less than to get that job. It would be a dream come true. (SET)

She has _________________________________that job.

3. If they ever discover your role in the incident, you will go to prison. (LIGHT)

If your role in the incident _____________, you'll go to prison.

4. Harry plays tennis much better than I do. (NEARLY)

I am not _____________ ten n is player as Harry is.

5. This will be my student's first performance in Canada. (TIME)

This will be the first _____________________________________in Canada.

6. Both candidates for the job are strong. They are both equally good. (HARDLY)

There is _____________ th e two job candidates.

7. That child is twice as tall as he was two years ago. (DOUBLED)

That child's ________________________ last two years.

8. As soon as I arrived at the pub, a fight started. (SOONER)

No _____________ a fight broke out in the pub.

9. Sharon will finish her exams. Then she will have more free time. (ONCE) ____________________________________ s h e will have more free time.

10. This course will take us six months to complete. (TIME)

In six months' time _____________________________ th is course.

__________ out of 10 Total ___________ out of 90

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