[5:18] Real Life English Unit 29: Finance - Learn Practical Financial Vocabulary and Dialogues

Learning English isn't just about mastering grammar and vocabulary, but being able to naturally use the language in real-life situations. However, sentences in textbooks often sound too formal and are far from how people express themselves in everyday life. To speak authentic, natural English, it is necessary to engage in dialogues from real contexts. In this article, we have selected high-frequency English expressions used in daily life, covering socializing, work, travel, and more, to help you move away from 'textbook English' and start using phrases that native speakers actually use. Below is the content of 'Real Life English Unit 29: Finance,' which will help make your English more practical and closer to real life! Unit 29 Finance Finance Part One: Expressions 1. How are your stocks doing, Jim? Jim, how are your stocks doing? 2. I lost a bunch of money in the last two years. I lost a lot of money in the last two years. 3. I changed my strategy around too. I changed my strategy too. 4. I like to open up a savings account, please. I would like to open a savings account. 5. I want the one with the highest interest rate. I want the one with the highest interest rate. 6. You have to maintain a balance of $10,000 in the account. You must maintain a balance of $10,000 in the account. 7. I’ll be with you in one second. I’ll be with you in one second. 8. I want to take out a loan for school. I want to take out a student loan. 9. Do you qualify for any of the federal loan programs? Do you qualify for any federal loan programs? 10. How do I go about taking it out? How do I go about getting it? Part Two: Dialogues 1. Investments A: How are your stocks doing, Jim? B: Oh, alright. I lost a bunch of money in the last two years, but this year has been pretty good. A: Yeah. I lost money investing in the Internet too. B: Just goes to show that you should buy companies, not ideas. A: I changed my strategy around too. I invest in good companies now. B: Yeah, me too. Did you hear about Frank? A: No, what happened? B: He lost his kids’ college money day trading. A: Oh, boy. His wife can’t be happy about that. A: How’s your stock, Jim? B: Oh, it’s fine. I lost money in the last two years, but this year is looking good. A: Yeah. I also lost money in the internet investments. B: That shows you should invest in companies, not just ideas. A: I’ve changed my strategy too, investing in promising companies. B: Yeah, same here. Have you heard about Frank? A: No, what’s going on? B: He lost his children’s college savings in day trading. A: Oh, wow. His wife must be upset about that. 2. Savings Accounts A: I like to open up a savings account please. B: Okay, we offer a few different kinds. A: I want the one with the highest interest rate. B: That would be our Saver’s Plus account. A: 4.5%, that’s good. How much money do I have to keep in it to get that rate? B: You have to maintain a balance of $10,000 in the account, or the rate drops to 3%. A: Alright. I’ll open one of those. B: Just fill out these forms, and I’ll be with you in one second. A: Thanks. A: I want to open a savings account here. B: Okay, we have several options. A: I want the one with the highest interest rate. B: That would be our Saver’s Plus account. A: 4.5%, that’s good. How much do I need to keep in there for that rate? B: You must maintain a $10,000 balance, otherwise the rate drops to 3%. A: Alright, I’ll go with that one. B: Please fill out these forms. I’ll be right with you. A: Thanks. 3. Loans A: Hello, how can I help you, sir? B: I want to take out a loan for school. What kind of interest rates do you offer? A: Do you qualify for any of the federal loan programs? B: Yes, but I need to borrow some more money. A: Well, in that case, we can offer you a private educational loan. B: What’s the interest rate? A: It’s a 7.2% fixed-rate loan. B: How do I go about taking it out? A: Just fill out this application. We can let you know right away if you qualify. B: Alright. Thank you. A: Hello, how can I assist you? B: I need to take out a loan for school. What are your interest rates? A: Do you qualify for any federal loan programs? B: Yes, but I need to borrow more money. A: In that case, we can offer you a private education loan. B: What’s the interest rate? A: 7.2% fixed rate. B: How do I apply for it? A: Just complete the application, and we’ll let you know if you qualify. B: Thank you. Part Three: Substitution Drills 1. A: How are your (stocks/ assets/ funds) doing, Jim? B: Fine, thanks. 2. A: I lost a bunch of money in the last two years. B: You should change your (brokerage firm/ strategy/ investments). 3. A: I invest in good companies that (are promising/ have smart management/ a strong record). B: Now that’s great thinking. 4. A: Can I help you? B: I like to (open up a savings account/ change money/ take out a loan), please. 5. A: I want the one with the highest (interest rate/ returns/ rate). B: Certainly. 6. A: You have to maintain a balance of ($10,000/ $100/ $5,000) in the account. B: I see. 7. A: Excuse me, sir. B: Yes, I’ll be with you in one (second/ moment/ minute). 8. A: I want to take out a loan for (school/ a new house/ new business). B: I’ll have to do a background check. 9. A: Do you qualify for any of the federal (loan/ scholarship/ aid) programs? B: I’m not sure. 10. A: How do I go about (taking it out/ applying/ signing up)? B: Just fill out these forms and we’ll get back to you. Part Four: Monologue Loans are very common in the United States. Americans take out loans to buy cars or houses, and many young people borrow money to attend university. The interest rate on a loan is very important. It is the amount of money you pay to the lender in exchange for the ability to borrow money, and it is added to your monthly payments. A typical education loan may have an interest rate of 5-8%, and it may take 10 years to repay. Under the government loan program, students do not have to pay for their loans while they are in school. This is a very helpful program, considering that attending college can cost as much as $120,000. Part Five: Vocabulary and Phrases --loan: 贷款 --interest rate: 利率 --fixed rate: 固定利率 --application: 申请表 --qualify: 资格 --balance: 余额 --maintain a balance: 保持账户余额 --invest: 投资 --investment: 投资 --stock: 股票 --strategy: 策略