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Basic Listening Practice 1. Script
W: Let me recommend my brother to you. He’s really done well in the stock market over the last few years.
M: The real question is this: How have you dine by taking his advice? Q: What does the man mean?
2. Script
M: Many investors jump on IPOs, hoping to get rich by getting into a stock early before it goes up.
W: But isn’t that a bit like buying a book without reading it? I mean, what if it doesn’t go up? Q: What is the woman’s opinion?
3. Script
W: The Dow was down again today. It’s hard to make money when high fuel prices are killing the stock market.
M: There’s still money to be made. If you bought oil futures three months ago, you’d be smiling right now.
Q: What can we learn from the dialog?
4. Script
M: I can’t wait to get back to my computer. Online share trading has totally changed the stock market and the lives of investors. Hook up to the Internet and be your own broker!
W: In other words you can cut out the middle man now. For about $500, you can open an account and begin buying and selling shares from your own home, 24 hours a day. Q: Which of the following is true if they want to trade shares on the Internet?
5. Script
M: Hold onto your hat! We’ll be rich. I’m buying shares in a new company.
M: You can’t buy IPO shares unless you have a big active with a broker. The day of dot-com fortunes from IPOs are over.
Q: According to the conversation, what is the condition for buying IPO shares.
1.D 2.C 3.A 4.B 5.C
Listening In
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Task 1: Tell me about the stock exchange. Script
George: I’m supposed to give a presentation on the stock exchange, but I don’t yet know a thing
about it. Could you give me some tips?
Diana: The problem with you is that you’ve skipped too many classes. Now, let me give you a few tips. First of all, you need to define the stock exchange. It’s an organization of brokers and investment bankers. In Europe it is often called a bourse.
George: Could you tell me more about it? Like, how does it work?
Diana: It provides facilities for the trading of company stocks, mainly the location and the
record-keeping devices.
George: Can I go and trade there?
Diana: It depends. You have to be a member of the exchange before you can buy and sell shares
there. They call it having “a seat” on the exchange.
George: Something they use the term “stock market”.
Diana: Well, the trading of stock on stock exchanges is called the stock market. George: How can a company be listed on the stock exchange?
Diana: It has to meet certain requirements. To be listed on the New York Stock Exchange last year,
for example, a company had to have issued at least a million shares of stock worth$16 and had to have had more than $2.5 million net income. George: Wow, that’s a huge sum! Small companies haven’t got a chance. Diana: Big companies have more influence on the stock prices after all. George: I see what you mean.
Stock exchange a thing some tips define investment bankers Europe a member stock market requirements a million shares net income
Task 2: Stockbroker helps Mr. Junkie to short
Script
ABC stock reached$155. “$155” for a stock that should be valued at$100. Wow! “That’s it,” I said to myself. “It’s time I make a decision. I’m going to short that stock.” I thought to myself, “This stock is overvalued. It can’t remain at the present level for long. This means money in the bank.”
So I phoned my broker.
“I want to place a trade. I want to short 1,500 shares of ABC.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Junkie,” he said, “I can’t process that for you. Your account is cash account. You need a margin account to short a stock. I can send you the application form or you nearest financial institution to fill out the forms.”
The minute I got of the phone, I heard out the door because time is money. I ran to the financial institution to fill out the form and sent it to the broker by express mail service. Next morning I
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called him.
“Hello, it’s Mr. Junkie. Did you get my application? “Yes.”
“Great, I would like to short ABC then.”
“One minute please…I’m sorry, Mr. Junkie, but you now need a shorter’s account.” “What! You mean the margin account isn’t enough?”
“No, you also need a shorter’s account. Any financial institution nearby has the forms.”
Off I ran again. I completed the form and had a taxi deliver to my broker. In the afternoon I called again.
“Hello, it’s Mr. Junkie. I want to short 1,500 shares of ABC at $155.”
A few moments later he answered, “Mr. Junkie, I am sorry, but I don’t think that is possible.” “Why not?”
“Well, the last trade went through at $99.”
F 1. The broker did not believe ABC stock could remain at $155 for long.
T 2. Mr. Junkie wanted to short 1,500 shares of ABC.
T 3.Mr. Junkie could get a margin account through either a financial institution or his broker. T 4. To short a stock, one needs both a margin account and a shorter’s account. F 5. Mr. Junkie asked a taxi driver the forms for a margin account to the broker.
Task 3: Who am I if I own stocks?
Script
When a person buys stocks in a company, that person becomes a shareholder in that company. Stockholder is another name for shareholder. A shareholder can also be called an investor of the company. When that company makes money, which can also be called earned income or profit, the value of the company’s stock often increases. That’s because more people may become interested in investing in the company. Sometimes, shareholders receive a dividend, which is part of the company’s earned incomes, in the form of a cash payment.
Some people try to make money by buying and selling stocks. Stock prices can move up and down. Shareholders may make money or lose money by selling stocks that they own, depending on whether the price has gone up or down since they bought their shares. A company’s stock price may be affected by market or economic conditions. For example, let’s say that BCD Enterprises is a software company that has introduced a new video game into the market. If that game is a hit, sales of the video game could boost the company’s earnings. Because of the potential for BCD Enterprises to grow, its stock may be viewed as an attractive investment and its stock price may go up as more people buy its shares. On the other hand, let’s say the video game that BCD Enterprises introduced is a flop. Or, it could be a good time, but BCD introduced it at a time when people are spending less on leisure products, and hardly anyone is buying the game. So it’s reported that BCD is losing money because of this new product. Then the stock price for BCD Enterprises may go down if a number of shareholders decide to sell their shares.
1. What is the passage mainly concerned with?
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C) The influence of shareholders’ buying and selling on a company.
2. Which of the following is NOT the same as a shareholder? B) A person selling shares on behalf of others.
3. What may affect a company’s stock price? D) All of the above.
4. According to the passage, which of the following is true if a company’s product is good? A) The company’s stock price may go up.
5. Why does the speaker mention BCD Enterprises?
D) BCD is used as an example to illustrate the stock market principles
Speaking Out
MODEL 1 The stock market is driven by fear and greed.
Chris: Nora!
Nora: Hey Chris. Why the big grin? You look like the cat that swallowed the canary.
Chris: Even better. An uncle I hardly knew passes away and left an inheritance of $100,000. So
now I’m thinking of making some investments.
Nora: Good idea, thouh it would be more fun if we spent it together. What sort of investment do you have in mind?
Chris: The stock market is looking attractive. It’s been a bear market for several years now, and I
think stock prices are pretty depressed.
Nora: The decling market has investors depressed,too.
Chris: But all things work in cycles. A bear market will eventually be followed by a bull market. Nora: That’s sure. I’ve been reading that investors are coming back to the market, and that will drive up the value of stocks.
Chris: I believe the market is picking up.
Nora: But there’s still a risk. Wars, weather problems—all these impact incestors’ confidence. Chris: I know what you mean. The stock market is driven by fear snd greed. When investors are cinfident od making of a fortune, they buy—that’s greed at work. Nora: But along comes something to shake their confidence…
Chris: Like a rise in interest rates, for example, and bingo, they become afraid that they might lose their shares, so they pull out of the market.
Now Your Turn
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A: I’ve saved a lot of money over the past years, and now I’d like to invest it for a profit. B: What sort of investment do you have in mind?
A: The stock market is looking attractive. It’s been a bear market for several years now, and I think stock prices are pretty depressed.
B: The falling market has discouraged many investors.
A: But all things work in cycles. A bear market will eventually be followed by a bull market. B: That’s true. When the market does touch its bottom, it’ll rebound.
A: I hope the investors will soon come back to the market and drive it up.
B: But there’re still risks. Wars, weather problems—all these affect buyers’ confidence. We’re not sure if the market has reached its bottom.
A: The bear market has lasted over four years; I think it’s time for it to pick up.
B: It’s really hard to say. The Japanese stock market has had a bear run of about ten years. A: Really?
B: And when NASDAQ fell from 5,000 points to 3,000 points, some people believe it was a golden opportunity to enter the market. Then the market plunged. A: So the stock market is really risky. I may lose money. B: And maybe even your shirts.
A: Well, perhaps I’d better put my money on the bank.
The stock has to be launched.
Helen: You know, this has been a privately owned company since we first opened last year and, to
be honest with you, I’m inclined in keeping in that way.
Bill: But the market is changing rapidly, and we need to think long term and take proactive measure; otherwise, we’ll find ourselves behind the competition.
Helen: That’s a good point; perhaps I should be more open—minded about this. Bill: Don’t you think you’re a little short of funds at the moment? Helen: That’s true.
Bill: You simply can’t afford to upgrade your facilities without considerable outside investment.
The bank won't lend you the money. Helen: I haven’t tried it.
Bill: Even if it did, the interest rate for that much capital would be more we could afford. I’m
convinced, the only way to generate the funds we need is to go public. Helen: What should I do then?
Bill: A consultant will be coming in next week to explain the registration procedure for an IPO.
Helen: That’s great because I want to have a thorough understanding of what this entails before any decisions are made. Bill: The important point is that you have to demonstrate you’re financially qualified to be listed on the stock market.