GERMAN ON THE WEB: Reading German
© Germanontheweb.com

 

 

 

 

ACTIVITY 3

Prereading information
The following text, taken from a website of the Goethe Institut InterNationes (called "Landeskunde PC Web"), offers information about Germany.
You can find it at: http://www.goethe.de/in/d/frames/schulen/lkpc/index.htm.

Topics in the text include the German land, people, and economy, as well as work, leisure, schools, and universities in Germany.
The following excerpt
on commerce is part of the section on the German economy.

 

  3a)

Below you'll find the text, "Wirtschaft: Handel."

NOTE
Remember that in German, the hyphen sometimes stands for a part of a word that is repeated in the following word.
For example, in the fourth sentence you see the words:

"Luft- und Raumfahrzeuge"

If completely written out, the words would be:

"Luftfahrzeuge und Raumfahrzeuge"


  3b)

Now use your knowledge about international words, cognates, and the context to deduce the meaning of the following word.
The number before the word designates the sentence from which it is taken.
Click on the HINT button if you'd like some help.The POSSIBLE ANSWER button reveals a possible English equivalent.


  3c)

Time to be a bit creative!
Try to find headlines for every paragraph of the text in English.
Click the POSSIBLE ANSWERS buttons to see what we had in mind.

1st paragraph:

2nd paragraph:

3rd paragraph:

4th paragraph:

5th paragraph:

 

 

 

 

 

 


  3d)

Did any German imports or exports surprise you?
Or did the list fall within your idea of what the German economy encompasses?
We'd be glad if you'd share your thoughts with us (in English). Thanks!