Kryachkov 2!indd

132
Д. А. Крячков
UNIT IV
20. North Korea is believed to be ___ the throes ___ one of the worst economic crises in decades.
21. Small states’ diplomacy puts a higher premium ___ persuasion and consensus building as 
distinct ___ power play ___ the conduct of international relations.
22. Some sources claim that after years of fruitless diplomacy, Iran is ___ the threshold ___ be-
coming a nuclear power.
23. South Korea is eager ___ active denuclearization of the peninsula.
24. The acquisition of new technologies must be geared ___ supporting the key priorities of di-
plomacy.
25. The impetus ___ creating a global noosphere is more likely to emanate ___ activist NGOs, 
other civil-society actors (e.g., churches and schools), and private individuals dedicated 
___ freedom of information and communications and ___ the spread of ethical values and 
norms.
26. The logic employed to justify WikiLeaks manoeuvres and persuade us in righteousness ___ 
its motives is that ‘secret diplomacy is antithetical ___ an open society, and that state secrets 
have not always been used ___ noble purposes.
27. The spread of technology, global political shifts and the rise ___ democracies have all placed 
a premium ___ the value of public diplomacy.
Ex. 29. 
a) In the following passage insert articles where necessary. Account for their use.
b) Reread the passage and comment on the author’s point of view.
Behind rhetoric of globalization — rhetoric found in public as well as academic debate — lie 
three broad accounts of nature and meaning of globalization today, referred to here as hyperglo-
balist, sceptical, and transformationalist views. 
Hyperglobalists argue that we live in increasingly global world in which states are being sub-
ject to massive economic and political processes of change. These are eroding and fragmenting 
nation-states and diminishing power of politicians. In these circumstances, states are increasingly 
the ‘decision-takers’ and not the ‘decision-makers’. 
Sceptics strongly resist this view and believe that contemporary global circumstances are 
not unprecedented. In their account, while there has been intensification of international 
and social activity in recent times, this has reinforced and enhanced state powers in many 
domains. 
Transformationalists argue that globalization is creating new economic, political and social cir-
cumstances which, however unevenly, are serving to transform state powers and context in which 
states operate. They do not predict outcome — indeed, they believe it is uncertain — but argue 
that politics is no longer, and can no longer simply be, based on nation-states. 
What is to be made of these different positions? Are we, or are we not, on edge of global shift 
with massive political, economic and cultural implications?
Ex. 30. Use the verbs in parentheses in the correct tense and voice form.
In 2007 the Maldives (to become)
1
the first country in the world (to open)
2
a Virtual Embassy. 
The Maldives Virtual Embassy (to locate)
3
in the Diplomatic Quarter of Diplomacy Island in Sec-
ond Life, an on-line space (to design)
4
to allow new avenues for diplomatic (to represent)
5
and 

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