Lesson 8 banks and business
banks are different in different countries. let’s speak about the banks in the united states of america. there, commercial banks are classified into two main groups. first, there are national banks. they are charted are supervised by the federal government. secondly, there are state banks. they are charted and supervised by the state in which they are operated. all commercial banks can make loans to borrowers.
major commercial banks in such cities as tokyo, paris, rio cooperate with each other. in this way they finance imports and exports between countries.
an importer buys merchandise from another country using the currency of that country. for that purpose he buys this currency from the foreign exchange department of his bank. and in the same way if an exporter receives foreign money from sales to other countries, he sells this currency to his bank. by this method the currency of any country can usually be exchanged.
commercial bank коммерческий банк
national bank национальный банк
to charter учреждать, создавать
to supervise заведовать, контролировать
state bank государственный банк
merchandise товары
currency валюта, деньги
foreign exchange department отдел обмена валюты
to exchange currency обменивать валюту
comprehension questions.
1. what do all commercial banks do?
2. what kinds of commercial banks in the usa do you know? what are they called?
3. who supervises the operations of national banks?
4. what kind of currency does an importer generally use when he buys goods from another country?
5. what do you know about the “international exchange”?
6. what is the currency of this country called?
7. what is the exchange rate between your currency and the currency of the usa and germany? how can you find it out if you don’t know it?
vocabulary practice
choose the necessary word and put it in the sentence.
1. federal government … and … all national banks. | 1. merchandise 2. currency
2. international cooperation between banks makes it possible … imports and exports. | 3. commercial
3. it is possible to convert american dollars to swiss francs in … department. | 4. foreign exchange
4. the … of germany is the mark. | 5. to finance
5. all … banks make loans to borrowers. | 6. to supervise
6. if the importer buys … from another country he will pay for it in the currency of this country. | 7. to charter
My Hobby
I learnt to read when I was five years old and since that time I have read hundreds of books. I read all kinds of books — adventure stories, fantasy, historical novels, science-fiction, biographical novels, horror stories, etc. I love reading and I think it is the best hobby in the world. Let me explain why I think so.
First, I can read a book anywhere whenever I have free time. Secondly, a traditional paper book does not need any batteries or cables. Thirdly, there are so many books in the world that you will never run out of them. Fourthly, reading books makes you smarter, especially if you have a good memory.
Finally, reading is the safest hobby in the world. You can take part in adventures оn the way to the tops of volcanoes, or to Mars and back, around the world in 80 days, down to the bottom of the ocean — and the only injury you could suffer is a paper cut.
Мое хобби
Я научился/научилась читать, когда мне было пять лет, и с тех пор я прочитал(а) сотни книг. Я читаю разные книги: приключения, фэнтези, исторические романы, научную фантастику, биографические романы, ужасы и т. д. Я люблю читать и думаю, что это лучшее хобби в мире. Позвольте мне объяснить, почему я так думаю.
Во-первых, я могу читать книги где угодно, когда у меня есть свободное время. Во-вторых, традиционной бумажной книге не нужны батареи или кабели. В-третьих, в мире так много книг, что ты никогда не перечитаешь все-все. В-четвертых, чтение книг делает тебя умнее, особенно если у тебя хорошая память.
Наконец, чтение — самое безопасное хобби в мире. Ты можешь участвовать в приключениях на пути к вершинам вулканов или к Марсу и обратно, проехать вокруг света за 80 дней, опуститься на дно океана — и единственная травма, которая, тебе грозит, — это порез листом бумаги.
22-hour workday New York, once the largest city in the world, is now only the ninth or tenth largest. Of its over seven million people, 52 per cent are white, 24 per cent black, 20 per cent Hispanic, and 4 per cent «other». As a Korean immigrant, Lee Chang-Soon is one of the «others». Together with his wife and his mother-in-law, Mr Lee runs a fruit and vegetable store on Manhattan's Upper East Side. His workday starts at midnight when he drives his truck to the fruit and vegetable market in the Bronx. It ends at 10 p.m. when he locks the door of his store and goes home with his wife. Here's part of our reporter's conversation with Lee Chang-Soon. Reporter: Mr Lee, you're at work when the rest of us are sleeping, and you're still working when we're watching TV in the evening. Mr Lee: Yes, in our kind of business you have to work long hours. I spend five hours at the market every night, and the store's open from 8 a.m. to p.m. People here want a wide choice of fruit and vegetables; everything must be fresh and clean - and cheap! Reporter: Your wife's cleaning lettuce right now and you're sorting green peas Mr Lee: Yes. We have to be very quick. There are 15 boxes of strawberries and a lot of asparagus and cauliflower waiting. There's always work to do. Reporter: When do you sleep? Mr Lee: Well, when I get back from the market - at about six o’clock in the morning - my wife and I first unload and store everything. That takes us about two hours. After that I sleep for an hour or so. And I get a bit of sleep in the evening after work ... Reporter: ... before you leave for the market again at midnight. Life's pretty hard for you and your family, Mr Lee. Mr Lee: Yes - but that's the way it is. We want to get on. We're not complaining.