1. Unit Five At the Bank Part I Culture Background Part II Functional Language Part III Sample Dialogues Dialogue 1 Part IV Reproduction Part V Words, phrases and Sentences Part VII Speaking Practice Making a Dialogue Speaking English Through Picture Translation

2. Warming-up Questions (1) How would you like to pay for your purchase, cash or card? (2) Do you know how to open a savings account in the bank? (3) What’s the difference between a savings account and a fixed deposit account?

3. Part I Culture Background Deposits are money balances in banks due to those who have placed funds with them on savings. The bank and the depositor are in a debtor creditor relationship. The bank owns all deposits but owes each individual depositor an amount equal to his deposit balance. Bank deposits are usually in two forms: current account and deposit account. Sometime, the checking-savings account is belonged to the service of current account.

4. Current account, or Demand Deposits are deposits that are subject to depositors’ withdrawal at any time. While the deposit account, or Time Deposits are not subject to depositors’ withdrawal at any time but have different fixed maturities. That means, the deposits are repayable after specified period varying from months to years, with different interest paid to the depositors in accordance with their terms respectively.

5. Part II Functional Language Questions Can I open a deposit account here? How do I open a checking-savings account? What’s the procedure for opening a checking- savings account? What’s the service charge? Do you charge for checks? What if I overdraw? Can I renew the certificate on maturity? What’s the difference between a savings account and a checking account?

6. What’s the minimum original deposit? What’s the annual interest rate? What’s the interest rate? Have you got your ID card with you? Have you got any identification?

7. Responses Of course, how would you like to deposit your money? Just fill out this form, please. Ten yuan is the minimum original deposit. Yes, Each check you write will cost 2.5 Yuan. You can open an account with an initial deposit of 10 dollars. Certainly. The interest rate for time deposits is much higher than regular savings.

8. Our minimum deposit is 10 yuan. The account carries interest of 4.5%. Interest is paid at the rate of 4.5%. Yes, here you are.

9. Part III Sample Dialogues Dialogue 1 (Preston got used to changing some currency at the bank. While waiting for his turn, he found a foreign customer consulting banking service with the receptionist.) Receptionist: Good morning, Sir. What can I do for you? Customer: I’m just here for several days, and I’d like to know some information about the service in your bank.

10. Receptionist: Very pleased to introduce. Will you stay for a long time? Customer: Yes. So I need open an account in this period. Receptionist: I see. We usually have checking accounts and savings accounts. With the checking account enclosed a card; you can withdraw money whenever you need. Customer: Sounds convenient.

11. Receptionist: And the saving accounts, we usually called it fixed deposit, have different period with different interests, for example, the 3 month, 6 month, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year. Customer: I see. Is the procedure easy to follow? Receptionist: What you need to do is to fill out the application form and show me your passport or ID. Besides, there is the minimum of RMB ￥ 10 for the current account.

12. Customer: How much do you charge for each account? Receptionist: Opening an account is free of charge. But later, the account enclosing a card will be checked for annual fee ￥ 10 RMB. The ordinary account with the balance lower than ￥ 300 RMB will be charged according to certain percent. Customer: How can I check my balance after I open an account in the bank?

13. Receptionist: The service of checking balance can be various. You can visit the E-bank through internet, get the telephone service, know it on the ATM in 24 hours and you also can find an individual consultant to help you when you think it’s necessary. Customer: OK. Your service is quite convenient. When I want to close my account, is it time-consuming to finish the procedure?

14. Receptionist: No. We’ll withdraw all your balance in cash or in check on your requirement. Customer: Thanks a lot.

15. Part IV Reproductions Try to reproduce the sample dialogues. One receptionist greeted a foreign customer, gave some information about bank service to her. He first knew that the customer would open an account during her stay here. He explained the 2 types of accounts: checking accounts, which are usually enclosed a card, and savings accounts which has certain period to withdraw.

16. Then the customer asked if the procedure of opening an account was easy. He said that she needed to fill out an application form and show her passport or I.D, and also there was a minimum of RMB ￥ 10 for the current savings account. The customer wanted to know the charge for the different accounts. The receptionist told her that opening an accounts is free, but the annual fee RMB ￥ 10 would be charged for the card fee.

17. And the ordinary account with the balance lower than RMB ￥ 300 would also be charged. The customer showed her interest at how to check the balance. The receptionist told her that she could have several ways: the E-bank, the telephone service, the ATM, and the personal consultant. When asking the way of closing an account, she was told that it’s not time-consuming and the bank would withdraw her balance in cash or in check on her requirement.

18. 3. Useful Sentences Cheques issued must be made payable to a specified person only. 签发的支票必须由指定的人支取。 Please tell me my balance. 请把我帐上的结余金额告诉我。 It allows you to earn a little interest on your money. 这使您可以从存款得到一点利息。 Some green backs, please. 请给我美钞。 I want to cash this money order, please. 我想把这张汇款单兑现。

19. I want to deposit these cheques in my account. 我想把这些支票存入我的帐户。 I want to convert the full amount of the remittance into us dollars. 我想把汇款全部换成美元。 Please fill in the receipt in duplicate. 请一式两份填写这张收据。 Please sign it under signature. 请在签名栏下签名。 Please write your account number on the back of the check. 请在支票背后写上您的账号。

20. Part VII Speaking Practice 1. Making Dialogues You and your partner are supposed to make dialogues according to the situations. (1)You want to open an account with the bank and you want to take out money whenever you need it. The bank clerk advises that you open a current account that has no interest to it. And then the clerk asks you for your full name and address. (2)You want to apply for an ATM card but you don’t know how. The clerk says it’s easy and you can just apply for it by filling out a form.

25. 4. Translation (1) 如果您能一直保持 500 美元的余额， 我们就不收手续费。 (2) 支票账户有利息吗？ (3) 请您给我两张 50 元和 5 张 20 元好吗？ (4) 抱歉，您的存款支完了。 (5) 今天的汇率是美元兑换 7.3 港元。