The Boy and The Boy and the Bank Officerthe Bank Officer

by Philip Rossby Philip Ross

Banks first emerged in the Banks first emerged in the Middle Ages (around 400-Middle Ages (around 400-1500 AD) when people 1500 AD) when people grew tired of carrying grew tired of carrying around all their gold and around all their gold and began leaving their money began leaving their money with the goldsmith.with the goldsmith.

Italian banking in the 14th century Italian banking in the 14th century (people depositing and withdrawing (people depositing and withdrawing

money)money)

Banks are very important in Banks are very important in modern society.modern society.

They keep, lend and issue They keep, lend and issue money and offer other money and offer other financial services.financial services.They help to regulate They help to regulate economy with changes in economy with changes in interest rate and in money interest rate and in money supply.supply.

a Swiss banka Swiss bank

The city bankThe city bankof New Yorkof New York

an Australian bankan Australian bank

a bank in Kansas,a bank in Kansas,

AmericaAmerica

Bank-related expressions:Bank-related expressions:

an account (abbr: an account (abbr: a/ca/c))

to open/close an accountto open/close an account

to have an account withto have an account with……

I have an account with ICBC.I have an account with ICBC.

(the Industrial and (the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China)Commercial Bank of China)

CBC: Construction Bank of CBC: Construction Bank of ChinaChina

BC: Bank of ChinaBC: Bank of China

I have 500 yuan in my accounI have 500 yuan in my account.t.

Two kinds of accounts:Two kinds of accounts:

a checking account:a checking account:

A checking account allows peoA checking account allows people to withdraw any amount ople to withdraw any amount of money any time.f money any time.

a savings account:a savings account:

A savings account has A savings account has many limitations but offers many limitations but offers a higher interest rate.a higher interest rate.

a checking account booka checking account book

a savings account booka savings account book

to depositto deposit: put money into a b: put money into a bank, esp to earn interest, etcank, esp to earn interest, etc

(other popular ways of investi(other popular ways of investing your money: buy shares/stng your money: buy shares/stocks, buy funds)ocks, buy funds)

to withdrawto withdraw: to draw money o: to draw money out of a bank accountut of a bank account

to deposit (vt.) to deposit (vt.) deposit (n.) deposit (n.)

to withdraw (vt.) withdrawto withdraw (vt.) withdrawal (n.)al (n.)

teller: teller:

person who receives and pays person who receives and pays out money in a bankout money in a bank

balancebalance

The savings book showed The savings book showed a balance of about $200.a balance of about $200.

branch (office):branch (office):

local office belonging to a larlocal office belonging to a large firm or organizationge firm or organization

eg. This bank has branches ieg. This bank has branches in all parts of the country.n all parts of the country.

What does a bank mean to you?What does a bank mean to you?

Have you ever had any Have you ever had any irritating experiences at a irritating experiences at a bank?bank?

Text analyzing:Text analyzing:1. Plot (introduction, problem, 1. Plot (introduction, problem,

climax or crisis, resolution climax or crisis, resolution and conclusion)and conclusion)

2. Characters 2. Characters

3. Settings (places or situations 3. Settings (places or situations where narrative takes place)where narrative takes place)

4. Theme ( the subject or 4. Theme ( the subject or message the writing is message the writing is attempting to communicate)attempting to communicate)

Divide the text into three parts.Divide the text into three parts.

Part 1(para1):Part 1(para1): The writer’s friend’s comment on The writer’s friend’s comment on

banks.banks.Part 2(para 2-23):Part 2(para 2-23):

The start and the development of The start and the development of the story.the story.

Part 3(para 24-32): Part 3(para 24-32): The ending.The ending.

How do you understand what the How do you understand what the writer’s friend says about banks?writer’s friend says about banks?

““A bank is just a store, a A bank is just a store, a candy store or a grocery candy store or a grocery store. ……If banks were store. ……If banks were required to sell wallets and required to sell wallets and money belts. They might act money belts. They might act less like churches.”less like churches.”

a candy storea candy store

a grocery storea grocery store

Note how the appearance of the Note how the appearance of the bank officer is described.bank officer is described.

He was a fortyish black man He was a fortyish black man with short, with short, pressedpressed hair, a pe hair, a pencil moustache and a ncil moustache and a neatly pneatly pressedressed brown suit. brown suit.

(the use of past participle)(the use of past participle)

a carefully dressed authoritya carefully dressed authority

The appearance of the boy:The appearance of the boy:

He was wearing a V-necked He was wearing a V-necked sweater, khakis, and loafers. sweater, khakis, and loafers. He had sandy hair.He had sandy hair.

KhakisKhakis

loafersloafers

Note the use of Note the use of the past progressive tense:the past progressive tense:

The officer was standing……The officer was standing……(para. 4)(para. 4)He was holding an …… and wHe was holding an …… and wearing an ……earing an ……He was saying to ……He was saying to ……(para. 6)(para. 6)

When do people say these?When do people say these?

““Now if you’ll excuse me.”Now if you’ll excuse me.”

““Excuse me?”Excuse me?”

Useful expressions:Useful expressions:

to happen to: to happen to:

I happen to be out when he I happen to be out when he called.called.

in the first placein the first place

I didn’t go to the party. In the I didn’t go to the party. In the first place, I was too busy. In first place, I was too busy. In the second, I didn’t really the second, I didn’t really want to go. want to go.

overlighted:overlighted:

overdressedoverdressed

overheatedoverheated

overcrowdedovercrowded

be (un)aware ofbe (un)aware of

I was especially aware of him I was especially aware of him because he was overdressed. because he was overdressed.

He was watching an exciting He was watching an exciting movie and was unaware of movie and was unaware of the danger he was going to the danger he was going to face.face.

more … than…more … than…

What she said was more of a What she said was more of a threat than a request. threat than a request.

because ofbecause of

They are here because of us.They are here because of us.

He walked slowly because of He walked slowly because of his bad leg.his bad leg.

to wear an expression of…to wear an expression of…

He stood there wearing an He stood there wearing an expression of complete expression of complete surprise. surprise.

a fourteen-year-old=a fourteen-year-old=a fourteen-year-old boya fourteen-year-old boy

All the passengers got off All the passengers got off the train, including the the train, including the five-year-old.five-year-old.

to think twiceto think twice

Think twice before you make Think twice before you make the decision; it may change the decision; it may change your life.your life.

as to…as to…

We are still uncertain as to We are still uncertain as to who made this virus on the who made this virus on the Internet. Internet.

There is no doubt as to There is no doubt as to whether the data is reliable.whether the data is reliable.

have no choice but tohave no choice but to

She had no choice but to She had no choice but to back out of the project.back out of the project.

He had no choice but to sign He had no choice but to sign the agreement.the agreement.

move in on sbmove in on sb

The police moved in on the The police moved in on the (house occupied by the) (house occupied by the) terrorists. terrorists.

to zero in on…to zero in on…=to aim a gun at…, =to aim a gun at…,

to fix attention on…, to fix attention on…, to focus on… to focus on…

The bank robber zeroed in on The bank robber zeroed in on the officer.the officer.Let’s zero in on the key Let’s zero in on the key issues.issues.

looklook

He looked annoyed.He looked annoyed.

He looked destroyed. He looked destroyed.

to shake sb. downto shake sb. down

Some neighborhood bully Some neighborhood bully has been shaking the boy has been shaking the boy down for over a month.down for over a month.

to make an arrestto make an arrest

The police made five arrests The police made five arrests at the demonstration today.at the demonstration today.