1. The customer would like to open a _________/ ____________ with his partner, who _______ elsewhere.
2. The teller needs to see some proof of __________ for both of them.
3. The customer would like to know how __________/ ___________ works.
4. The customer will need a _________/ _________ to make payments by bank transfer.
5. The teller says that it will be easy to manage their ____________ online.
6. A ____________ / ___________ is always the same amount, in contrast, a _________ / ________ can be changed by the recipient.
7. So that the customer can get a ____________, the shop assistant needs to see the ____________.
8. The customer cannot have the money back because the boots were in the sale. However, she can get a
___________ / _________ instead.
9. Dominique needs to borrow some money off Pete because she is _________ / ________ .
10. Pete cannot ___________ her out because he is _________ / ________ / _______ himself at the moment, __________ / ____________ the course fees being due next month.
11. Pete is pretty much living _______________ until the end of the semester.
12. Dominique ____________ / ____________ the money she had put aside for the tuition fees.
13. Dominique has ____________ / _________ her credit card, so she can’t use it to get her out of jail.
14. Pete suggests extending her _________.
15. Pete tells Dominique that she'd better __________ / _______ / _________ reality.
16. According to Pete, it's about time Dominique paid her ________ / _________ because she has ________ / _______ the whole family long enough.
KEY
1. joint account
banks
2. identity
3. online banking
4. card reader
5. payees
payee: a person that money is paid to
6. standing order
standing order: an instruction that you give to your bank to pay somebody a fixed amount of money from your account on the same day each week/month, etc.
E.g.
to set up a standing order
to pay by standing order
direct debit
direct debit: an instruction to your bank to allow somebody else to take an amount of money from your account on a particular date, especially to pay bills.
E.g.
We pay all our bills by direct debit.
7. refund
receipt
8. credit note
credit note: a letter that a shop gives you when you have returned something and that allows you to have goods of the same value in exchange.
E.g.
If damaged items have to be returned, the manufacturer may issue a credit note.
9. flat broke
10. bail/ bale
bail/ bale somebody out (of something) to rescue somebody from a difficult situation.
E.g.
The government had to bail the company out of financial difficulty
barely getting by
what with
11. hand-to-mouth
12. dipped into
dip into: to take an amount from money that you have saved.
E.g.
We took out a loan for the car because we didn't want to dip into our savings.
13. maxed out
max out: to reach, or make something reach, the limit at which nothing more is possible.
E.g.
The car maxed out at 150 mph.
I maxed out all my credit cards (= reached the spending limit on each one).
14. overdraft
the amount of money that you owe to a bank when you have spent more money than is in your bank account; an arrangement that allows you to do this.
E.g.
She had run up an overdraft of £3 000.
to pay off/clear an overdraft
The savings account has no overdraft facility.
15. face up to
face up to: to accept and deal with something that is difficult or unpleasant. Sp. enfrentar, confrontar.
E.g.
She had to face up to the fact that she would never walk again.
You have to face up to your responsibilities.
16. own way
pay your way
to pay for everything yourself without having to rely on anyone else’s money.
E.g.
Sofia worked to pay her way through college
sponged off
sponge (off/on somebody) /spʌndʒ/ (informal, disapproving) to get money, food, etc. regularly from other people without doing anything for them or offering to pay.
E.g.
He spent his life sponging off his relatives.
SCRIPT
Track 024
Conversation 1
Customer: Hi I’m interested in opening a joint account with my partner. Could you tell us what we need to do?
Teller: Sure. Are either of you already customers?
Customer: Yes, I have my current account with you but my partner banks elsewhere.
Teller:
That’s fine. We just need to see some proof of identity for both of
you. Either a passport or driving licence with a photo on. You’ll need
to deposit at least £20 initially.
Customer: No problem. And can you explain a little bit about how your online banking works?
Teller:
Yes, it’s really easy. We will send you each a card reader along with
your debit cards within five working days. You’ll need your card reader
to make payments by bank transfer.
And it’s easy to manage your
payees online. Once you have set up a payee, you won’t need to do so
again for future transactions.
Customer: But what about security?
Teller:
You’ll have a password and you’ll set up security questions with secret
answers to protect your account. Once you’re in your account, you can
set up, cancel or change standing orders and direct debits.
Customer: Sorry, what’s the difference between a standing order and a direct debit? I thought they were the same?
Teller:
Well, they’re very similar. A standing order is always the same amount,
whereas a direct debit can be changed by the recipient.
So, for
example, electricity bills will be different every month, so would be
paid by direct debit, whereas something like a club membership will be
the same every time.
Customer: Oh, I see. So, shall we fill in the forms now …
Conversation 2
Customer: Hi. I bought these boots online and they don’t fit very well.
I was planning to exchange them, but I’ve just had a look and the next size up is not available. Could I get a refund, please?
Shop assistant: Can I see your receipt please?
Unfortunately, we can’t give a refund on these items because they were in the sale. We can give you a credit note instead.
Customer: Sorry, what’s a credit note?
Shop
assistant: It means you can replace the boots with anything in the shop
up to the amount you paid for them, which was, er … £36.50.
Customer: What if I can’t find anything I want?
Shop assistant: The credit note is valid for up to six months from today.
Customer: Oh, that sounds OK then. I’ll have a look around and if I can’t find anything, I’ll come back in a few weeks.
Conversation 3
Dominique: Pete, I need to borrow some money off you. I am flat broke.
Pete: Sorry, Dominique, but this time I cannot bail you out.
I’m barely getting by myself at the moment, what with the course fees being due next month.
I can just about afford to pay those but then I am pretty much living hand-to-mouth until the end of the semester.
Dominique:
Then I’m in even deeper trouble. I dipped into the money I put aside
for the tuition fees, just to get by, and now I don’t know where I’m
going to find the money.
I can’t ask Mum and Dad for anything as
they have already given us both more than they can afford. And I have
maxed out my credit card, so I can’t use that to get me out of jail.
Pete: Have you spoken to the bank about extending your overdraft?
Dominique: No, not yet. I am reluctant to get into more debt.
Pete: I don’t think you have a choice here – it’s that or be expelled from the course.
If you are worried about the debt, perhaps you should consider a part-time job, you know, in a bar or restaurant somewhere.
They’re advertising for someone to work Saturdays in that clothes shop in town, the one next to our favourite coffee shop.
Dominique: But that would mean losing my Saturdays.
Pete: I know, but you have to face up to reality.
Sooner or later you are going to have to pay your own way. You have sponged off me and Mum and Dad long enough.
Vocabulary
These goods are on sale = for sale = these goods are available for purchase.
These goods are in the sale = these goods are included in the cut-price offer.
