Read and memorize the following words and word combinations:
- усилие
- предотвращать
- в дополнение к
- текущий счет
- выпускать, пускать в обращение
- давать в долг
- посредник
-заём
- денежные потоки
- заемщик, получатель ссуды
- следовательно, поэтому
effort
to prevent
in addition to
current account
to issue
to lend
an intermediary
loan
streams of money
a borrower
consequently
Read and translate the Text
BANKS AND BANKING
Banks are closely concerned with the flow of money into and out of the
economy. They often co-operate with governments in efforts to stabilize economies
and to prevent inflation.They are specialists in the business of providing capital, and
in allocating funds on credit. Banks originated as places to which people took their
valuables for safe-keeping, but today the great banks of the world have many
functions in addition to acting as guardians of valuable private possessions.
Banks normally receive money from their customers in two distinct forms: on
current account, and on deposit account. With a current account, a customer can issue
personal checks. No interest is paid by the bank on this type of account. With a
deposit account, however, the customer undertakes to leave his money in the bank for
a minimum specified period of time. Interest is paid on this money.
The bank in turn lends the deposited money to customers who need capital.
This activity earns interest for the bank, and this interest is almost always at a higher
rate than any interest which the bank pays to its depositors. In this way the bank
makes its main profits.
The primary function of a bank today is to act as an intermediary between
depositors who wish to make interest on their savings, and borrowers who wish to
obtain capital. The bank is a reservoir of loanable money, with streams of money
flowing in and out. For this reason, economists and financiers often talk of money
being liquid, or of the liquidity of money. Many small sums which might otherwise
be used as capital are rendered useful simply because the bank acts as a reservoir.
The system of banks rests upon a basis of trust. Innumerable acts of trust built
up the system of which bankers, depositors and borrowers are part. They all agree to
behave in certain predictable ways in relation to each other, and in relation to the
rapid fluctuations of credit and debit. Consequently, business can be done and checks
can be written without any legal tender visibly changing hands.
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