ARTICLES I TASK 1 Complete this article with either a/an, the or a dash (-) to show no article. HOW CLEAN IS THEIR MONEY?? Money laundering is (1) the name given to one of (2) _________ world´s biggest financial problems:moving money that has been obtained illegally into (3)__________ foreign bank accounts so that (4)___________ people do not know where it has come from. Putting (5)_______________ value on money laundering is of course very difficult, but the International Monetary Fund estimate that it is huge – perhaps $1 trillion (6) ____ year, equivalent to about 4% of gross world product. (7)_________ problem has grown hand-in-hand with (8) _______ globalisation, and particularly with (9)___________ lifting of capital controls and (10) _______ development of (11)________ international payment systems. These allow money to be moved in (12) ________ seconds between banks in different parts of the world who know very little about each other. (13) _______ international payment system is crucial to (14)________ stability of the world´s financial markets, but it also provides (15)___________ opportunity for criminals to hide their money. Private banking is (16) _________ best-known laudering channel. Clients of these banks are wealthy people who want their affairs handled with discretion, especially because they want to minimise (17) ___________ amount of (18) __________ tax they pay. In these banks there is (19)__________ culture of “don´t ask; don´t tell“. And (20) ______ biggest problem within (21)_________ private banking is offshore banks. There are around 5,000 offshore banks controlling about $5 trillion in assets, and some have no physical presence in any location. I TASK 2 Complete this interview between a journalist and the CEO of Biotec, a biotechnology company. Use either a/an, the or dash (-) to show no article. Journalist: Can you begin by telling me (1) a little about (2) the recent changes at (3)_ Biotec? CEO: Well, as you know, last year we made (4)______ decision to move our operations to (5) Cambridge, because it´s very important for (6) _______________ biotechnology companies to recruit (7) _______ scientists from (8) _______ best universities. We´re in (9) _____ very competitive jobs market here in Cambridge, and we motivate our employees by offering them (10) ______ attractive salaries and (11) ____ excellent working conditions. We´ve built up (12) _______ excellent team, and we´re doing some very important research in (13) ________ field of (14) _____ gene therapy. Journalist: Many people say that (15) _____ biotechnology promises more than it delivers. Is that true at Biotec? CEO: That may be true in general, but (16)____ biotechnology that we do is already producing (17)_______ results. Last year we made (18)______ small profit for (19)__________ first time, and (20) ______ revenue is increasing rapidly. Also, we´ve recently made (21) _____ distribution deal with (22)_________ large pharmaceutical company. They have the marketing skills that we lack, and (23) ______ partnership is working well for both sides. Our aim next year is to enter (24)_____ American market, and we´re confident of (25) ______success. I TASK 3 Complete the following texts with either the or a dash (-) to show no article. A (1) ___ Argentina is one of (2)_____ most deregulated markets in (3) ______ world. (4) _______privatisation process started in (5) _____ 1990s, and has included sectors such as (6)_______ telecommunications, (7)_______ utilities and (8)_______ financial services. (9) ______ Argentine telecoms market was fully deregulated in (10) _____ November 2000 and there are now (11) _____ five million cellular lines and six million homes with (12)_______ cable television services. (13) _______ water was decentralised before being privatised. (14)________ Aguas Argentinas, (15) _____ local water supply company for (16)_______ city of Buenos Aires and all (17)_______ municipalities in (18) _______ Greater Buenos Aires, is (19)___ largest water utility in (20) ____ world. B Imagine a country that continues for 4,200 km from (21)_______ dry deserts in (22)________ north, through (23)______ industrial and agricultural heartland in (24)________ centre, to (25)________ lakes and forestry plantations in (26) ____south, and finally to (27)_________ ends of (28) ______ earth in (29) Patagonia and Antarctica. Welcome to (30) ____ Chile! It´s a very diverse country, with (31)______ Pacific Ocean to one side and (32) ______Andes to (33)____ other – you can swim in (34)______sea and ski in (35)_______ mountains all in (36)_______ same day. There are (37)________ business opportunities in many areas, and (38)______ financial services sector is (39)________ most sophisticated in (40)______ Latin America. I TASK 4 Complete the following with a, an, the or – (to show no article). 1 ___ Lake Michigan 2 ____ France 3 ______ Hyde Park 4 _______ Ruzyně Airport 5 _______ California 6_______ Globe Theatre 7_________ Czech Republic 8 ________ Eiffel Tower 9 ________ White House 10 _________ Prime Minister 11 _________ Marketing Director 12 to play _____ piano 13 to play ______ tennis 14 _____IMF 15 _______ 21 century 16______ Pacific 17 in ____ 1980s 18 ______unemployed do not receive enough help. 19 Dr. M. Smith is ______ Chairman of _____ Board. 20 at _____ Christmas 21 in _____ 2001 22 in _______ July 23 on ________ Thursday 24 We went by_____ train. 25 It happened on _____ train to Rome. 26 My mother spent three days in ______hospital. (it is not important in which one) 27 We supply equipment for ________ hospital. (one particular hospital) 28 in ____ north 29 in______north-west 30 at _______ present 31 in _______future 32 in ______ past 33 at ______ moment I TASK 5 In each pair of sentences, fill in one space with the and the other one with a dash (-) to show no article. 1 A __ profits are increasing across every division of the company. B __ profits we made last year were up in comparison to the year before. 2 A __ information in your report will be very useful to us. B __ information about the Kazakh market is hard to find. 3 A __ visitors should sign their name in the book at reception. B __visitors from Germany will be arriving at ten. 4 A This magazine article gives______ advice about which stocks to buy. B Thank you for _____ advice you gave me last week. 5 A ___ bonds I have are all long-term investments. B ____ bonds are a safe investment when interest rates are falling. 6 A ______ French exports to the rest of Europe are up 4% this year. B ______ French are world leaders in the luxury goods market. 7 A _______ management is an art, not a science. B ______ management are blaming the unions for the breakdown in negotiations.