Here are 10 things Swedes do better than Americans.

Swedenhas given the world a lot to be happy about, from Absolut vodka to the supergroup Abba, but they’re also at the forefront of more serious matters, like the environment, industry, and the business of living. Here are 10 things Swedes do better than most, particularly Americans.

Number 10. Recycle. Of all of the trash the nation’s 9 and a half million or so citizens produce, only 1 percent of it winds up indumps. The rest of it is recycled in various ways for a number of purposes, among which is the production of energy.

Number 9. Stand in line. Swedes are able to, and quite often do, wait in one without pushing, cutting, or trying to sneak around it. Thanks to a variety of highly developed take-a-number systems, they can also do it without giving any indication that they’re queued up at all.

Number 8. Balance work and life. According to the most recent report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the people of Sweden are among the best in the world when it comes to divvying up their time in a way that’s most personally satisfying.

Number 7. Glassblowing. In southern Sweden is a place known as the Kingdom of Crystal, which is home to Orrefors and Kosta Boda as well as about a dozen other makers. The area also draws a lot of tourists as it offers boutiques, galleries and outlet stores as well as the opportunity to enjoy a drink at a bar made entirely of glass.

Number 6.  Live longer for less. According to 2011 figures released by the OECD, the average life expectancy in Sweden is just under 82 years, which makes them the world’s 8th most enduring humans. The nation’s per capital health expenditure is about 4 thousand dollars.

Number 5. High style, low prices. IKEA, which has become synonymous with well-priced, stylish home goods, has expanded greatly over the years and is now world’s number 1 furniture store. H&M, which has done for fashion what IKEA has for décor, is the planet’s 2nd largest apparel retailer.

Number 4. Parental Leave. Not only does Sweden offer a generous paid duration of it, the perk is gender-neutral, meaning fathers can spend time with their newborns, too, without sacrificing much income.

Number 3. Happiness. Sweden is the world’s 5th most joy-filled country, based on the United Nations’ World Happiness Report 2013. The rankings were determined based on how residents feel about their lives overall, not just their mood at the moment.

Number 2. Treating the elderly well. Swedes came in first place in the UN’s Global AgeWatch Index. Factors considered included health provisions, income, and environment.

Number 1. Sustainability. The Nordic nation gets top marks in this category as well, earning the distinction of being the ‘most sustainable country in the world’ according to a 2013 report by a Swiss investment group. Among the strengths that secured it the highest spot are a commitment to renewable energy sources and notably low CO2 emissions.

What do you think Sweden does best?

In 1947 Hennes women’s clothing store opened in Västerås, Sweden. Today the H&M Group offers fashion for everyone under the brands of H&M, COS, Monki, Weekday, Cheap Monday and & OtherStories, as well as fashion for the home at H&M Home.

1947
The first store opens in Västerås, Sweden, selling women’s clothing. The store is called Hennes.

1952
Hennes opens in Stockholm.

1964
The first store outside Sweden opens in Norway.

1968
Founder Erling Persson buys Mauritz Widforss, a hunting and fishing equipment store. Sales of men’s and children’s clothing begin. The name is changed to Hennes & Mauritz.

1974
H&M is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

1976
The first store outside Scandinavia opens in London, in the UK.

1977
Impuls stores, focused on teenagers, are launched. Sales of cosmetics begin.

1980s
Stores open in Germany and the Netherlands. H&M acquires the mail order company Rowells.

1990s
Progress continues in Europe with the opening of the first store in France in 1998. Newspaper and magazine advertising is complemented by outdoor advertising featuring famous models.

In 1998
H&M online shopping begins.

2000
The first US store opens on Fifth Avenue in New York. The same year stores open in Spain. In subsequent years, H&M opens in more European markets.

2004
H&M initiates designer collaborations starting with Karl Lagerfeld. More collaborations follow with Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Madonna, Roberto Cavalli, Comme des Garçons, Matthew Williamson, Jimmy Choo, Sonia Rykiel, Lanvin, Versace, Marni, David Beckham, Anna Dello Russo, Maison Martin Margiela and Isabel Marant.

2006
A major expansion of online and catalogue sales begins with the Netherlands as the first market outside the Nordic region. The first stores in the Middle East open via franchise.

2007
The first Asian stores open in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In the same year, the new concept store COS is launched. The expansion of online and catalogue sales continues with the inclusion of Germany and Austria.

2008
H&M opens its first Japanese store in Tokyo and acquires fashion firm FaBric Scandinavien AB, which comprises the brands Weekday, Monki and Cheap Monday.

2009
The first H&M stores in Russia open. Beijing also gets its first H&M and Lebanon becomes a new franchise market. H&M Home is launched. Weekday and Monki open in Germany.

2010
The first H&M stores in South Korea and Turkey open. Israel becomes a new franchise market. Online shopping starts in the UK. The first H&M Home stores open outside Sweden. Monki moves into Asia with a store in Hong Kong. H&M becomes the world’s largest consumer of organic cotton and continues to increase its use of sustainable materials in the following years.

2011
H&M opens in Romania, Croatia and Singapore, as well as via franchise in Morocco and Jordan. COS opens in Sweden, and Monki and Cheap Monday in the UK. The H&M Incentive Program – a reward and recognition programme for all employees – starts. COS and Monki launch online shopping in 18 markets.

2012
H&M opens in Bulgaria, Latvia, Malaysia and Mexico, and via franchise in Thailand. COS opens in Finland, Italy, Poland, Hong Kong and Austria, and opens via franchise in Kuwait. The Monki brand grows in China and Weekday opens in the Netherlands.

2013
The first H&M store in the southern hemisphere opens in Chile. H&M also opens in Estonia, Lithuania and Serbia. Indonesia becomes a new franchise market. H&M introduces online shopping in the US. COS, Monki, Weekday and Cheap Monday also open in new markets. Weekday and Cheap Monday launches online shopping. A global clothing collecting initiative starts in selected stores.  

brand – márka
founder – alapító
hunting and fishing – vadászat és horgászat
equipment – felszerelés
to be listed – listázva lenni
to acquire – megszerezi
progress – fejlődés
advertising – reklámozás, hirdetés
subsequent – egymást követő
to initiate – kezdeményezni
collaboration – együttműködés
major – nagy
expansion – terjeszkedés
via … – … útján
inclusion – beleértés, belefoglalás
to comprise – magába foglal
to be launched – piacra dobva lenni
consumer – fogyasztó
organic – bio …
cotton – pamut
to increase – növelni
sustainable – fenntartható
material – anyag
following – következő
reward – jutalom, jutalmazás
recognition – elismerés
employee – alkalmazott
to grow – növekedni
southern hemisphere – déli félteke

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Listening exercises

I. True or false statements on the history of H&M until 2010. 

1. The predecessor of H&M was a shop called Hennes.
2. The first Hennes store opens in Stockholm.
3. 1964 is the year that the first Hennes store opens abroad.
4. The introduction of men’s and children’s clothing coincides with H&M’s debut on the stock exchange.
5. The first store outside Scandinavia was opened over 40 years ago.
6. In 1998 online shopping begins and H&M opens their first American outlet the same year.
7. After 2000 H&M begins to collaborate with famous designers.
8. Tokyo welcomed H&M in 2008 as their first outlet in Asia.
9. In certain European countries the catalogue shopping option is also available.
10. Russia and China see the opening of H&M stores in the same year.

II. Gap-filling exercise on the history of H&M after 2010.

2010

1. The first H&M stores in South Korea and Turkey open. Israel ……………….. a new franchise market. Online ……………….. starts in the UK. The first H&M Home stores open outside Sweden. Monki moves ……………….. Asia with a store in Hong Kong. H&M becomes the world’s largest consumer of ……………….. and continues to increase its use of sustainable materials in the following years.

2011

2. H&M opens in Romania, Croatia and Singapore, ……………….. via franchise in Morocco and Jordan. COS opens in Sweden, and Monki and Cheap Monday in the UK. The H&M Incentive Program – a ……………….. and recognition programme for all employees – starts. COS and Monki launch online shopping in 18 …………………

2012

3. H&M opens in Bulgaria, Latvia, Malaysia and ……………….., and via franchise in Thailand. COS opens in Finland, Italy, Poland, Hong Kong and Austria, and opens via franchise in Kuwait. The Monki brand ……………….. in China and Weekday opens in the Netherlands.

2013

4. The first H&M store in the ……………….. hemisphere opens in Chile. H&M also opens in Estonia, Lithuania and Serbia. Indonesia becomes………………..new franchise market. H&M ……………….. online shopping in the US. The & Other Stories brand is launched in ……………….. European countries. COS, Monki, Weekday and Cheap Monday also open in new markets. Weekday and Cheap Monday launches online shopping. A global clothing ……………….. initiative starts in selected stores. 

answers:
I. 1-T 2-F 3-T 4-F 5-F 6-F 7-T 8-F 9-T 10-T

II. 1. becomes, shopping, into, organic cotton
2. as well as, reward, markets
3. Mexico, grows
4. southern, a, introduces, several, collecting

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… és a MEGLEPETÉS (hiszen a héten jön a Mikulás:) nem más, mint egy kupon, amelyet, ha kinyomtatsz, akkor 20% kedvezményt kapsz a H&M üzletekben december 10-ig! 

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