BIG BANG THEORY & CO. Why TV series are currently so popular with viewers. PAGES 2, 3

STAR WARSThe saga continues – and gen-erates high revenues for Disney. PAGE 4

MILK MARKET Dairy farmers are struggling due to low milk prices. PAGE 5

RECYCLING Soon, shops and online stores will have to recycle old devices for free. PAGE 6

Beate FaulbornInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Humanity is growing much faster than previ-ously thought. According to the latest fore-casts, 9.7 billion people will live on the earth

in 35 years. The earth’s current population is 7.3 billion. Every two years, researchers at the United Nations (UN) calculate population development. Their latest results predict an increase to 9.53 bil-lion people by 2050.

This development is very unevenly distributed. In some places, the population is growing quickly, like Africa. Europe, though, is likely to see its popu-lation decline. Germany’s population, for example, is predicted to drop from 81 million today to 74 million people by 2050.

The population is growing fastest in Africa. One billion people currently live on the continent. By 2100, there could be up to four times as many. One factor driving this is the continent’s high birth rate. The average African woman has 4.7 children dur-ing her life. That is almost twice the global average

(2.5 children). In previous calculations, the UN researchers predicted that this rate would decline. But access to contraceptives, sexual health educa-tion and funding is lacking in developing countries, many of which are in Africa.

Not only are more babies being born in Africa, the people there are also living longer than in the past. Currently, the average life expectancy on the continent is 60 years. By 2100, it could be as high as 78 years.

A fast-growing population poses many challeng-es, and these are particularly difficult to overcome in developing countries. These countries already have too many people suffering from a lack of food and also generally lack good land for growing crops. Increasing global meat consumption further complicates the situation. Farmers need feed for their animals. Not only that, these animals need much more space and water than one needs to grow food crops.

Politicians and researchers believe that part of the solution is improving education and training opportunities in poorer countries.

There will be nearly 2.5 billion more people on Earth by 2050 than there are today. This will pose many challenges – particularly for poorer countries.

Nov./Dec. 2015ISSUE 36NEWCOMER Zeitung für

Schüler

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

A Growing Population

Photos: Corbis | James Marshall; Reynaldo Paganelli/NurPhoto

IN THEIR OWN WORDS …

» You cannot negotiate with nature. «Barbara Hendricks, Federal Minister of the Environment (see also page 6)

The Handelsblatt pupil competition economy and finance is running at full speed. Groups of pupils from year

7 and up can participate until 29 February

2016. The theme is: “A world without money.” What would that be like? And

how does our money system work? We are looking forward to the results. Prizes worth more than € 50,000 are up for grabs. More information is available at:www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/econo-me

Africa has the fastest growing population.

2

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Nov. /Dec. 2015, ISSUE 36HANDELSBLATT FOCUS

A behind-the-scenes artistOn the stage or in front of the cam-era, actors take on many roles. But actors need more than just a change in their voice or posture to become a lion, alien or zombie. Their appear-ance also needs to change. That’s where the make-up artist comes in. These artists are responsible for taking the ideas of the director and

implementing them, transforming actors into their characters. Make-up artists must therefore not only be creative and technically sound, but also be quick thinkers. They are given little time to digest instructions and information about the characters before getting to work creating them.

Their job mainly involves putting on make-up and styling hair. They also have to follow the actors throughout the productions to ensure that their look is always just right. Outside of their work during filming or theatre performances, they also produce complex masks or wigs. During their three-year training, apprentices

learn modelling, how to apply make-up and style hair. Some universities now offer study programmes for make-up artists. More information is available at: www.bundesvereini-gung-maskenbild.de

Rebecca LembkeInstitut für Ökonomische Bildung

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE: MAKE-UP ARTIST

Kai-Hinrich RennerHandelsblatt Hamburg

One million US dollars per show: That kind of money is unusual even for Hollywood. Last year, the TV series

“The Big Bang theory” made headlines in the US with the news that its top actors belong to this rare club. But Johnny Galecki as Leon-ard, Jim Parsons as Sheldon and Kaley Cuoco as Penny are worth every dollar. The show featuring eccentric young scientists is one of the most successful series of all time. It was the most popular show in Germany in 2014. Another show, though, is looking to capture the top spot in the US ratings: “The Big Bang Theory” recently dropped behind “Empire”, a show that centres around a fictitious hip-hop and entertainment label, Empire Enter-tainment.

Whether sitcoms like “The Big Bang The-ory”, where each joke has to be perfectly delivered, political series like “House of Cards”, the forensics’ franchise CSI, medical dramas like “Grey’s Anatomy” or dramas such as “Downton Abbey” – television series are as popular as ever. Though, it has to be said, they were never really out of fashion. The most successful series ever was “Baywatch”. The adventures of the Malibu lifeguards (Cal-ifornia) were watched by more than 1.1 billion fans at the show’s peak in the 1990s.

The original series format wasn’t invent-ed for TV, though – serial novels printed in newspapers were the first media to use this

format. Next came radio programmes. This is also where soap operas started. These were cheaply produced radio shows filled with stories of drama and heartache. Their name comes from the fact that these shows were often sponsored by soap and detergent companies. Now, though, soap operas have ads for products from all kinds of industries. Shows filled with drama remain popular, as

Television series are as popular as ever. They are even taking business away from cinemas.

TV is King

The Big Bang Theory stars at an awards ceremony.

Photo: Corbis | Press Line Photos/Splash News

The student editorial board says:

» TV series are cheaper than films, when you

consider their length. «Freia, Year 9

Nov. / Dec. 2015, ISSUE 36 3

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

HANDELSBLATT FOCUS

programmes like “Gute Zeit-en, schlechte Zeiten” prove. The series has been running for a good 23 years on RTL and is regarded as the most successful German soap opera.

Many of the popular series on TV today are much more expensive to produce than traditional soap operas. Producers (see cheat sheet) spend up to 2.7 million euros on a sin-gle episode. Film directors have even started directing TV series, which used to be consid-ered a lesser job. Woody Allen, for instance, is currently developing a series for Amazon’s online video platform. The German film and television producer Nico Hofmann notes that 35- to 50-year-olds now prefer to stay at home and watch TV series instead of going to the cinema (see interview).

Most of the new series are being created under completely different conditions than their predecessors. Rather than being com-missioned by advertising-financed broad-

casters, pay-TV channels or fee-based online video platforms such as Netflix provide the funds. This means that the audience pays di-rectly for the episodes. New successful series can also afford to be more expensive because they can be marketed world-wide. Successful global shows play an especially important role at Netflix. Reed Hastings, the founder of the platform, wants to bring Netflix to every

country in the world in the coming years. His series, with the exception of the very first Netflix production “House of Cards”, are not shown on any other platforms or TV stations.

T h e s e n e w s h ow s have also changed view-ing habits. The number

of viewers watching a single episode and

then waiting a week for the next episode is constantly shrinking. Instead “binge watch-ing” is becoming ever popular: Here, friends gather to watch several episodes of a series in one sitting. Until recently, this was only possible if someone owned an entire season on DVD. In the age of online video platforms, however, binge watching is a matter of course.

Some German producers are also ben-efiting from the TV boom. The production company Ufa, for instance, landed a huge success outside of Germany with the series “Deutschland 83”. Although the show com-missioned by RTL focuses on life in Germany during the 1980s and the Cold War, it will only début in Germany on 26 November. It has already been sold in all the important TV markets such as the US, France, Russia and Australia.

Photo: UFA FICTION GmbH

Which kinds of TV series do you watch?

Source: Statista 2015

German residents between the ages of 14 and 49 were surveyed in 2014.

Sitcom, comedy

International crime series

Action, adventure

Mystery, horror

Soap operas

Medical dramas

34.71%

58.16%

46.91%

45.54%

34.84%

33.74%

Q&A WITH

... Nico HofmannThe 55-year-old TV producer is head of the company Ufa. It is the largest German production company.

Whether “House of Cards”, “Empire” or “The Big Bang Theory”: Series are as popular as ever. What is behind this development?Series are for young people today what novels were for my generation. They allow us to tell sweeping stories and follow our heroes. And when you consider the amazing diversity of series, they are perhaps the most original medium currently available. No other form of narrative has made such developmental jumps in recent years as the TV series. A series that lasts five, six seasons is the novel of our time.

What is the difference between German and American series? The Americans have much more experience. They have dominated the market for the past 15 years with all their creative energy – in part with the help of Hollywood directors. The Americans are at least five years ahead of us. They tend to be cheekier, more original, daring and edgy. In Germany, we’re a bit slower and often play by the old TV rules. But, German series are constantly improving.

Will the popularity of TV seriescontinue for much longer?Yes, I think they will continue to grow even more popular. This will happen at the ex-pense of the cinema business. The film indus-try is under severe pressure. 35- to 50-year-olds who used to be regular moviegoers, now watch series at home – and often several episodes in one sitting. This is not likely to change any time soon, because the quality of the series is always improving. The film industry, though, currently depends on sequels to successful films like “Hangover”.

The interview was conducted by Kai-Hinrich Renner, Handelsblatt Hamburg. The com-plete interview can be read at: www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Producer and Director

In films and TV series, the

producer is responsible for the

strategic, organizational and

financial matters. For instance,

a producer calculates the budget,

sets the timetable for filming and

clears up any legal issues. The

producer works closely with the

director, who is responsible for

artistic and creative decisions.

4

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Nov. /Dec. 2015, ISSUE 36PROFILE

Simone MalzInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

The most successful film franchise of all-time continues when the film “The Force Awakens” comes to cinemas in

mid-December. The film is the seventh part of the sci-fi saga Star Wars, which began with the episode “A New Hope” almost 40 years ago. In 1977, American film maker George Lucas released the film that gave us Jedi Knights, the Force and light sabers. The film series has thrilled millions of people around the world and across generations with its epic battle between good and evil.

George Lucas is no longer directing the films. Lucas sold the film rights for Star Wars to the American production company Disney Enterprises in 2012 for nearly 3.56 billion euros. The price included a range of award-winning special effects and recording studios as well as the trademark rights for the Star Wars universe. Names like Yoda,

Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader and their respective outfits are protected by trade-mark. This means that if someone wants to manufacture a Darth Vader mask or print images of Yoda on clothing, they have to pay Disney a fee.

With these rights, the company will likely make that money back soon – and much

more. That’s one reason why the seventh part will not be the final film. Parts eight and nine are already scheduled to provide a con-clusion to the space saga. Films that explain the history of individual characters, such as Han Solo, are also being considered. Fans will soon be able to experience Star Wars at a theme park that is being planned for the US.

The Force ReturnsThe seventh part of the space saga Star Wars comes to cinemas starting on 17 December. Disney Enterprises is hoping to break box office records and earn major profits.

Photos: Corbis | JASON REED/Reuters; Rudy Torres/Image Press/Splash News

Michael KochInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

André Young, aka Dr. Dre, is living the Ameri-can dream. The 50-year-old musician was born and raised in Compton, a part of Los Angeles, California, that is considered a ghet-to. Today, he is the richest hip-hop artist in the world. Inventing gangsta-rap in the 1980s together with his band Niggaz With Attitude (NWA), selling millions of albums and later producing rappers like Eminem and 50 Cent is only part of his success story. The largest part of his wealth has been earned thanks to headphones with a small b on the side.

Together with a partner, Dr. Dre founded the company Beats Electronics in 2006. Over the

years, his headphones have become a cult

object. In 2014, Apple made a move and bought the company f o r a n e s t i m a t e d

2.85 bil l ion euros. The computer giant

was most interested in the streaming platform

that Beats had devel-oped. Making music available to listeners

anywhere and anytime via the internet is the future of the music market. Apple created Apple Music on the basis of Beats’ technology. This past summer, the company launched its product to compete with Spotify & Co. And Dr. Dre? He recently published his long-awaited third solo album while also bringing the history of his ascent with the band NWA to the cinemas. Whether with the past or future – the man knows how to make a profit.

Gangsta Rapper and Headphone Billionaire

Dr. Dre

Production costs and global box o�ce receipts for the Star Wars films

Soruce: Box O�ce Mojo / Statista

53

from 1977 to 2014 (in million US-dollars)

Episode IV: A New Hope

1977

Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

1980

Episode VI: The Return of

the Jedi1983

Episode I: The Phantom

Menace1999

Episode II: Attack of the

Clones2002

Episode III: Revenge of

the Sith2005

11 18 32115 115 113

775

538 475

1.027

649

848

1000

0

200

400

600

800

Production costsGlobal box o�ce receipts

A true Star Wars fan prepares for the next film.

Nov. / Dec. 2015, ISSUE 36 5

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COMPANIES AND MARKETS

Jennifer GaricHandelsblatt Düsseldorf

Many milk farmers in Germany took their tractors to Munich and Brussels this past summer. They went to protest

and blocked roads in a show of anger at how low milk prices had fallen. The price for milk has fallen from 42 cents per litre at the end of 2013 to around 28 cents. That is not enough for most farmers. Most need at least 35 cents per litre to cover the costs of their operations.

One of the reasons for the fall in prices is the recently ended milk quota (see cheat sheet). It was established by the European Commu-nity, the forerunner to the European Union (EU), in 1984. The quota established how much milk each farmer could produce. Those that didn’t follow the quota had to pay fines. The idea was to keep milk prices stable by ensuring that milk and butter were not overproduced. This would guar-antee that the farmers earned enough money.

When milk supply and demand are rough-ly the same, the milk price remains stable – at least that was what the politicians hoped would happen. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way. Distributors and discounters like Aldi and Lidl were so big, they could set their

own milk prices irrespective of the quota. Farmers need to sell their milk and have a limited number of potential buyers. At some point they have to accept the prices offered. The result was a steady fall in the price of milk.

In April, EU politicians finally ended the quota. Now, they hoped that farmers would produce as much milk as possible and sell any remaining milk to foreign buyers. This would let them earn enough money to run their farms. And many farmers did increase their production, hoping to find buyers in countries like Russia and China. German milk is popular in these countries. But this plan failed because

demand suddenly dropped. The Russian gov-ernment blocked the import of dairy products from the EU because of a political dispute (the Ukraine crisis). And the Chinese economy is losing steam, affecting demand. The value of the Chinese currency (the Yuan) has fallen sharply, making foreign products more expen-sive for Chinese buyers. Now, the milk supply is much larger than demand, driving the milk price even lower.

Because of the many protests by dairy farmers, a discounter recently announced that it will raise its prices for fresh milk. Whether that will bring relief to the milk mar-ket, remains to be seen.

Sour MilkDairy products seem to be getting cheaper by the day. This is making it tough for farmers to earn a living. One of the reasons is the end of the milk quota.

Photos: Corbis | Helmut Meyer zur Capellen/imageBROKER; Frank Beer

Federal Agriculture Minister Chris-tian Schmidt makes it seem so simple. “Milk is currently cheaper than water which is not right – it’s not fair,” he said recently in a radio interview. But when is a price fair? Scolding the retailers that sell the milk makes little sense. After all, consumers have choices: Option #1: Consumers buy cheap milk and en-joy the savings. These savings are quite small.

Still, this will lead some farmers to quit, until the price rises again as supply drops. Option #2: Consumers buy directly from region-al milk providers. They offer milk farmers prices that they need to operate their farms – but these consumers must pay more.

There is no such thing as a fair price – no matter how much the farmers, retailers and

politicians argue. We consumers need to ask the key question here: How much value do I place on a healthy nutrition? And this is not only true for milk. Whoever values a new

smartphone or a Caribbean vacation more than his daily bread shouldn’t be surprised if a few big producers wind up determining what we eat and drink.We need to take on more responsibility for one another and for our planet. And we can start with milk. Florian Kolf Handelsblatt Düsseldorf

COMMENT: WHAT IS A FAIR PRICE?

The student editorial board says:

» There should be a minimum price for milk. «

Hanna, Year 9

A quota ...

...specifies a fixed proportion

of a total quantity. It is usually

given as a percentage. In Ger-

many, the milk quota regulated

how much milk a single farm

could sell in relation to all of

the milk produced in Germany.

Other examples of quotas are

the unemployment rate or the

viewer rate for TV shows.

6

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Nov. /Dec. 2015, ISSUE 36

Christoph SchlautmannExcerpt from a Handelsblatt article from 04 August 2015

The Aldi cashier looks at the customer as though he has said something crazy. A new law requires shops to accept

electronic waste free of charge? Even devices bought from competitors? No, the cashier shakes his head, that can’t be right.

But Aldi, Amazon & Co. can no longer feign ignorance. If they do, they risk getting sued by angry consumers. In early July, the German Bundestag declared that shops and online re-tailers must become official collection points for old electronics. […]

Retailers that sell electronics must now also accept old devices without charging the customer a fee. The law targets shops that sell electronics – if the shop has more than 400 square meters of sales space. Even online retailers, like Amazon or Redcoon, that have warehouses larger than 400 square meters will be required to ac-cept old devices.

Large items, such as old refrigera-tors or flat screen TVs, must only be accepted if the customer is purchasing an equivalent device from the shop.

For smaller devices like hair dryers, mobile phones or shavers, however, the shops are required to collect them even if no equivalent device is being purchased. A device is consid-ered small if it doesn’t measure more than 25 centimetres in any direction. No one has yet provided a solution for how this should work on a practical level. Many expect that shops will be overwhelmed with the collection of old devices.

That’s the students’ view

HANDELSBLATT EXPLAINED

A Handelsblatt article explained

This time on the topic ofrecycling

Your computer is no longer state-of-the-art and repairing a broken hair-dryer is more effort than it is worth. On average, Germans buy 27.5 kilograms of electronics every year – and throw 23.3 kilograms away. Collection agencies run by cities and communities collect old electronic devices. Waste disposal companies process them according to environmental requirements. That sounds simple – but it is not.

Why does the government need to intervene?According to a study, only about one-third of electronic waste is disposed of properly in Europe.

The remaining 6.2 million tonnes either land in the household waste or are illegally shipped to devel-oping countries. This is concerning because old electronics contain hazardous pollutants as well as valuable raw materials such as gold and silver. In Africa, it is not uncom-mon to find people going through the landfills – crushing and burning old electronics to get at the metals. They do this without any protective gear. This is a dangerous job as these devices can contain poisons such as lead and mercury which are harmful both for people and the environment. The waste of precious raw materials

also causes economic damage. According to estimates, 1.7 billion euros worth of materials are lost in Europe each year. With the new law (see above), the federal government wants to improve the collection of old electronics while protecting the environment and natural resources. By 2019, at least 65 percent of electronic waste should be correctly collected, recy-cled and disposed of across Europe.

How are the shops reacting? The law is under heavy criticism from the industry because it will mean much more work for the shops. They have to register the

collected devices, separate them into different containers for trans-port and carefully document the recycling process. Retailers argue that the income from recycling the raw materials will not cover the costs. Online shops must also bear the shipment costs for the collec-tion of small electrical devices. This will also mean more work for parcel services like DHL or Hermes. They have to transport the old elec-tronics according to strict safety regulations.

Sulfia WeustenfeldInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Supermarkets are becoming recycling centres: Soon shops and online stores will be required to recycle old electronics for free.

Refusing Refuse

Karikatur: Emma Jensen; Photo: Corbis | Rick Barrentine

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Nov. / Dec. 2015, ISSUE 36 7

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STUDENT JOURNALISTS

Emma Jensen, Hanna Sczesny (Jahrgang 9)Helene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg

Apple, Nike, Beats – young people seem to be covered in brand-name products from head to toe. According to the find-

ings of the Kids Consumer Analysis (KVA), 63.9 percent of 10 to 13-year-olds consider brands important when choosing clothing. By advertis-ing with celebrities like singer Lena Meyer-Lan-drut or Germany’s national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, manufacturers are gaining influence with an ever younger audience.

Pocket money generally isn’t enough for such products. In Germany, young people be-tween the ages of 10 and 13 receive an average of about 34 euros per month according to the KVA. That leaves parents covering the extra costs. But what about the families that cannot afford to support this obsession with brands? Some children earn their own money. For others, the pressure to wear brand-name clothes is so great that even theft seems a reasonable option. With the fashion chain Primark, a popular and affordable alternative to shops like Hollister

or Superdry has recently emerged. Those that shop there, however, should consider how those prices can be so low. Many of their clothing articles are produced in Bangladesh, where the working conditions are often poor – though this also applies to some expensive brands as well. Why are brands so appealing? Is it their quality? Or is that apple on the

tablet and three stripes on the shoe nothing more than a status symbol? We observed that particularly younger students identify with brands and believe that they are necessary for gaining the attention of their peers. But this isn’t necessarily true: Those that are clearly obsessed with brands are often ridiculed by older pupils.

Brand CrazyA shoe is cool only if it is the right brand. At least, that is how many young people seem to think. Two members of the student editorial board take a closer look at the brand craze.

Paula Koch (Jahrgang 10)Herbartgymnasium Oldenburg

I did not know what to expect, as the tiny plane I sat in slowly approached the ground. Below me was the rural US state of Kentucky. I would spend the next year of my life here, in a place called Versailles with 7,500 inhab-itants.

From the plane, Kentucky didn’t look much different from Germany. In everyday life, though, I quickly had to get used to some differences. For instance, most Americans use cars to go anywhere and everywhere. Even when the supermarket was only a three-minute walk away, people still prefer to drive. In my more than ten months there, I don’t think I ever saw anyone on a bicycle. Buses and trains were also nearly as foreign.

Another difference is national pride. Ameri-cans show it much more than Germans do. American flags are everywhere. They were waving to greet me at the airport and hung in front of almost every house. The flag was also present in the class room. Every morning during the first hour, we would recite the “Pledge of Allegiance”, a type of promise to be loyal to the country.

Speaking of national pride, it was notable that history lessons centred around the USA. Other countries were only mentioned if the US had defeated them in a war, for example.

U.S. history and English were compulsory subjects at the school. The pupils in my year could choose how to fill the rest of their schedule. The choices ranged from different maths courses to creative writing, cooking and journalism.

America, the Great!?

Photos: Corbis | Horacio Villalobos; privat

Paula Koch in Kentucky.

On shopping tour: Many young people place a high value on brands.

8

www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Nov. /Dec. 2015, ISSUE 36FUN & FACTS

Hans Kaminski (Direktor IÖB) und Dieter Fo-ckenbrock (Chefkorrespondent Handelsblatt)

ImpressumHerausgeber: Dieter Fockenbrock, V.i.S.d.P. (Handelsblatt) und Hans Kaminski (Institut für Ökonomische Bildung IÖB, Uni Oldenburg)Redaktion: Melanie RübartschKonzept: Katrin Eggert, Dieter Fockenbrock, Hans Kaminski, Michael Koch Art Director: Stefan Vieten Objektleitung: Verena von Hugo Koordination: Maren Kienaß, Melanie RübartschLayout und Fotos: Sandra Janzsó, Corinna ThielEnglische Übersetzung: John Dalbey für PONS GmbHVerlag: Handelsblatt GmbH Geschäftsführung: Gabor Steingart (Vorsitzender), Frank Dopheide, Ingo Rieper Kasernenstr. 67, 40213 Düsseldorf, Tel.: +49 (0) 211-887-0Druck: kuncke druck GmbH, Kornkamp 24, 22926 AhrensburgMitarbeiter dieser Ausgabe: Paula Koch, Lehrer und Schüler der Helene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg (Ortrud Reuter-Kaminski, Victor Borghardt, Anton Herrschel, Emma Jensen, Marie Lügger, Yannoh Mügge, Freia Rose-Borsum, Julia Schulte, Hanna Sczesny, Lilly Sophie Sellere, Imke Thomssen)Fragen und Feedback: hb.schule@vhb.de Handelsblatt Newcomer erscheint alle zwei Monate.Lehrkräfte können den Handelsblatt Newcomer für ihre Schüler kostenlos bestellen: www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

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Programme mitfreundlicher Unterstützung von:

Schüler und Lehrer können eine englische Übersetzung des Handelsblatt Newcomers auf unserer Internetseite kostenlos als PDF herunterladen. Mehr Infos unter: www.handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Handelsblatt Newcomer auf Englisch

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Wirtschaftsnachrichten und Informationen zur ökonomischen Bildung. Willkommen sind auch Meinungen zum Handelsblatt Newco-mer oder eigene Themenideen.

Volkswagen is involved in a scandal. The largest car maker in the world sold vehicles that produced more pollution

than they claimed – and more than was allowed according to the law. This was uncovered in the US in September. The scandal has been named “Dieselgate” in reference to the American political affair “Watergate” from the 1970s. It could cost the com-pany billions. US environmental authorities are not shy about levying high fines. Moreover, lawyers are getting ready to sue VW on behalf of their clients.

VW shouldn’t go bankrupt though. The manufacturer of the Golf, Jetta, Touran & Co. makes a great deal of money. And it has notable financial reserves. But the fraud will hurt the company from Wolfsburg for years

and could even endanger jobs – not only at VW, but also at its over 200 suppliers world-wide. People may buy cars from other car

makers because they no longer trust the company. If VW sells fewer cars, its suppliers for engine parts or tyres will also have less work.

Volkswagen employs 260,000 peo-ple in Germany alone. That accounts for one-third of all workers in the Ger-man automotive industry. If VW has a problem, the entire German economy has a problem. How big of a problem it will be, is not yet known. But one thing

is for sure: Dieselgate won’t ruin the German economy.

Dieter FockenbrockHandelsblatt Düsseldorf

Is it true that …*

… Volkswagen could ruin the German economy? Volkswagen manipulated the exhaust gas values for its diesel engines for several years. Now that this has come to light, the consequences will be very expensive for Germany’s largest company.

Photo: Sebastian Damberger

*   The questions for “Is it true that...” are submitted by students. Suggestions can be submitted at: hb.schule@vhb.de

VOCABULARY

ENGLISCH DEUTSCH

forecast Prognose

to be distributed verteilt sein

contraceptives Verhütungsmittel

to capture sth. hier etw. erobernhier

peak Höhepunkt

heartache Herzschmerz

detergent Waschmittel

posture Haltung

(technically) sound (technisch) fundiert

viewing habits Fernsehgewohnheiten

binge watching Komaglotzen (viel Fernsehen in einer Sitzung)

sweeping weitreichend

form of narrative Erzählform

edgy hier ausgefallen

light sabers Lichtschwerter

trademark rights Markenrechte

box office receipts Einspielergebnis

ascent Aufstieg

ENGLISCH DEUTSCH

dairy products Milchprodukte

show of anger Wutausbruch

forerunner Vorgänger

to lose steam an Tempo verlieren

to scold s.o. jmdn schimpfen

retailers Einzelhändler

key question zentrale Frage

to require verlangen

to feign ignorance Unkenntnis vortäuschen

to get sued verklagt werden

to be overwhelmed überfordert sein

hazardous gefährlich

shipment costs Speditionskosten

to be appealing verlockend sein

to be rediculed belächelt werden

to recite sth. etw. Aufsagen

to levy sth. etw. erheben