Task 6. Choose the correct answer to complete the following statements about the text

1. Belinda Robertson’s company

a) Sold more than 60% of its production last year to department stores.

b) is usually very busy during the first few months of the year.

c) Produces more than 50% of Europe’s cashmere.

2. Belinda Robertson has had to make some of her staff redundant because of

a) The competition from China.

b) The introduction of US sanctions.

c) A shortage of US orders.

3. If the EU doesn’t change its trade policy, the US will

a) Apply restrictions on the imports of fruit to America.

b) Import more cashmere from Italy.

c) Import certain goods from non-European sources instead.

4. The US

a) Exports more to China than it imports.

b) Imports more from China than it exports.

c) Imports as much as it exports to China.

5. The negotiations

a) will determine which goods are subject to sanctions.

b) are not expected to be difficult.

c) involve some complex questions.

Read the text again and answer the following questions:

What is the market situation in the fashion business?

Why are producers of cashmere clothing low on work at the moment?

What do officials fear?

Why does the US threaten cross-sanctions against European exports?

When is Washington to introduce punitive tariffs?

What do they depend on?

Why is this threat alone enough to damage the cashmere industry?

What could force the company into bankruptcy?

How can the Americans fill the gap if the sanctions go through?

What do the weavers of Hawick hope for?

Why were negotiators pessimistic on prospects of a compromise?

Summarise the story of the trade war.