It is easy to open a bank account. There are lots of high street banks. These are the banks which people use in everyday life. You can open a current account. That is an account that you use from day-to-day. You can put money in it or take money out. If you want to open one, you simply go to your local bank and say that you want to open a personal account. You will have to show a passport and, of course, you will have to give your permanent address. If you want to pay money into your account you simply fill in a very short form and pay in the money. If you want to take money out of your account, it is the same procedure. You usually get a statement once a month from the bank. It shows how much money you have in your account. Most banks also take a monthly sum for services. Of course, if you spend more money than you have in your account, this is a serious situation. And the bank will certainly ask you to repay the money as soon as possible. And the bank will take interest. But if you need money, you can always ask the bank to lend you a sum of money. This is called a loan. Of course, you have to repay this loan month by month. And you will have to pay interest as well. And, of course, if you need money for shopping you don’t have to go into the bank. You can use ‘the hole in the wall’. This is the cash machine. You simply enter your personal identification number, say how much money you want and the machine will give it to you. The other type of account is a savings account. You use it to save money. I think everybody has a credit card. But you need to be very careful with credit cards. So, if you always remember that the bank is not there to help you – the bank is there to make money out of you – then you will be OK.
1. Is it easy to open a bank account?
2. What are high street banks?
3. What is a current account?
4. What can you do with a current account?
5. What should you do if you want to open a current account?
6. Will you have to show a passport in the bank?
7. How can you pay money into your account?
8. How can you take money out from your account?
9. How often do you get a statement from the bank?
10. You don’t have to pay for bank services, do you?
11. What happens if you spend more money than you have?
12. What can you do if you need more money?
13. How should you repay the loan?
14. What can you use if you need money for shopping?
15. What is ‘the hole in the wall’ called?
16. How can you get the money from the cash machine?
17. Very few people have a credit card these days, don’t they?
18. What is a savings account used for?
19. Why should you be very careful with credit cards?
20. The bank is there to help you, isn’t it?
Training 1
You can use your current account from day to day. You can put money in it or take money out. If you want to pay money into your account you simply fill in a very short form and pay in the money. If you want to take money out of your account, it is the same procedure. You usually get a statement, once a month, from the bank. It shows how much money you have in your account.
Training 2
If you need money for shopping you don’t have to go into the bank. You can use ‘the hole in the wall’, this is the cash or ATM machine. You simply put your plastic bank card in, enter your personal identification number, say how much money you want and the machine will give it to you. You can also use your bank card to buy goods and services.