Listening Student Banking

Julian Amey gives a talk to first-year international University students in America about the best ways of opening an account with one of the major banks for the period of their studies.

Ex. 1. Think and answer.

1. What kind of account do students usually have? How do they use it?

2. Do students in Belarus have any advantages with banking? What are they?

3. What do students need to open a current account in a bank?

Ex. 2. Make sure that you understand the following words and word- combinations:

• a handout;

• to be eligible for sth;

• to provide evidence;

• a certificate of enrolment;

• a concession.

Ex. 3. While listening to the text the first time complete the notes. Write no more than three words for each answer.

Student Banking

Recommended Banks	Location
National Westminster	Realty Square
Midland	Example Preston Park
Barclays	City Plaza
Lloyds	(1) .............................

Note:

May not be allowed all facilities given to resident students.

Funding

Must provide (2)...............................................................I can support myself.

Services will depend on personal circumstances and discretion of Bank Manager.

Opening an account

Take with me: (3)........................................................... and letter of enrolment.

Recommended account: (4) ............................................................................….

Bank supplies: (5) ..........................and cheque card which guarantees cheques.

Other services

Cash card: (you can (6) ...........................................................cash at any time.)

Switch/Delta cards: (take the money (7) ...........................…….....the account.)

Overdraft

Must have (8) ......................................................................................…………

Sometimes must pay interest.

Opening times

Most banks open until (9) .........................................................during the week.

Some open for a limited lime on Saturdays.

Ex. 4. After listening to the text the second time answer the questions.

1. What is the safest way of keeping money according to the speaker?

2. What banks does the speaker recommend students?

3. Are international students eligible to all the facilities offered to resident students?

4. Under what conditions can international students open a current account?

5. What concessions can a bank provide them with?

6. What is the advantage with the card called Switch or Della?

Ex. 5. Act as a student who had been listening to the speaker and share the information with the students who had missed the meeting. Put down some notes of a plan before you speak.

SPEAKING

A. The polite formula:

If you expect the other person to do what you ask (A), or to know the information (I) that you want, use:

Could you (A)	I’d like you to (A)	I wonder if you could (A)
Could you tell me (I)	I’d like to know (I)	I wonder if you could tell me (I)

If you are not sure whether the other person will do what you ask (A), or knows the information you want (I), use:

Do you think you could (A)	Do you know (I)
I wonder if you could (A)	Do you happen to know (I)
Would you mind (A)

Ex. 1. Act as a customer who visits a bank and asks a series of questions about the bank services. Use different forms of polite requesting information.

Model. The account has been credited with the dividend.

Can you tell me whether my account has been credited with the dividend?

1. the kinds of current account available;

2. the normal bank charges on overdrawn account;

3. the frequency of sending statements ( How often…);

4. interest rate on deposit account;

5. current level of interest they charge on loans;

6. getting an appointment to discuss the cash flow problem with a loan officer;

7. checking whether the cheque paid in last Monday has been cleared.

Ex. 2. Read the short conversations in a bank. Pay attention to the formula of expressing request. Practice the conversations with your partner.

1. A. I want to change some English money into euro (Belarusian roubles/ dollars; ..). Can you help me?

B. Certainly, sir. The exchange rate today is …euros to the pound (Belarusian roubles to the dollar; ..). How much do you want to exchange?

2. A. I’d like to transfer some money to my account in London, please.

B. You have an account here, madam? How urgent is it? Would you like us to send it by mail transfer?

3. A. I’d like to know how long it takes for a cheque to clear. I paid the cheque into the account on Friday.

B. Unless it’s a local cheque it will take a full five working days to clear. That means we should be able to treat it as paid by this time next week.

Ex. 3. Make a dialogue with your partner. Use these phrases in the conversation.

Requests	Reactions
pay this into my current/deposit account	show me your cheque card/passport
withdraw from my…	sign it /initial it
cash this cheque/travellers’ cheques	put the name of the payee/ the date
transfer money to…

Dialogue 1

Read the dialogue and do the tasks that follow.

Student:	I’d like to know who really owns the bank?
Banker:	The stockholders own it. In the beginning, they put up the necessary capital and were granted a charter from the government.
Student:	Am I right to say that all the members of the board of directors are stockholders?
Banker:	Oh, yes. They are chosen by the other stockholders to operate the bank.
Student:	And the board hires the president and the vice-president to manage it?
Banker:	That’s right. Along with the cashier, the tellers and the clerical workers.
Student:	I guess most of your work has to do with checking and savings accounts and making loans.
Banker:	Yes. But we invest money too. Planning the bank’s investment is also very important.
Student:	I wonder if you divide all the profits among the stockholders.
Banker:	Not all of them. The stockholders receive regular dividends. But some of our earnings are held in reserve accounts.
Student:	I suppose that would be necessary.
Banker:	Here is a copy of our last published statement. You see, the reserves are shown here as surplus and undivided profits.

Ex. 1. The dialogue deals with the structure and functions of an American bank. You should keep in mind that there are some differences in American and British terminology. Give the American terms corresponding to the British ones given below.

British terms	American terms
to run a bank
cheque
current account
deposit account
managing director
shareholder
cashier
note

Ex. 2. Work with your partner. Make up a dialogue using different forms of requesting information and the following questions.

Model:

– What is discussed in the dialogue?

– Could you tell me what is discussed in the dialogue.

1. Who owns the bank?

2. How does a bank start?

3. Who chooses the board?

4. What’s the board’s task?

5. Who hires the employees?

6. What are the bank’s main activities?

7. How are the profits distributed?

8. How are the stockholders kept informed?

Dialogue 2

Read the dialogue and do the tasks that follow.