BBC初級口語:Chinese Mortgages in the UK 中行房貸現英國

Background: 中國銀行已經開始面向歐洲市場發放購房貸款。作爲全球第三大銀行，中國銀行提供的貸款要比英國當地資金緊缺的銀行更具吸引力，很多業主將會看到中行的利率和信貸緊縮前的利率相差無幾。

【文本】

Chinese Mortgages in the UK

The Bank of China's entry into the British market will come as a surprise to some and a relief to many.
It hasn't been crippled by the credit crunch and it's rich with Chinese savings when many big European banks are still struggling with massive government bailout loans.

The Chinese also bring with them more than a whiff of old-fashioned banking; the kind of rules that prevailed before the credit crunch, when bankers actually talked first to their customers.

The Bank will use its own capital, another return to past practice. Economists will laud what's happening as evidence that the market does work: the Chinese earn money from selling cheap goods to Europeans, then save what they earn in banks which then cycle the money back to Europeans as loans for them to buy Property.

Others have spotted the same opportunities as the Bank of China. Israeli and Swedish banks, also less affected by the credit crunch than the mainstream European banks, are offering loans in the potentially lucrative British home loans market substantially cheaper than the local alternative.

【口語突破】

relief 慰藉

crippled 受創了

credit crunch 信貸緊縮

savings 存款

struggling 掙扎

massive 巨大的

bailout loans 緊急援助貸款

whiff 一點點

old-fashioned 傳統的，老套的

prevailed 盛行，普遍

capital 資本

past practice 過去的做法

laud 讚美

goods 商品

cycle 流轉

property 房產

mainstream 主流

lucrative 利潤豐厚的

spotted 發現了

substantially 大大地

【Exercises】

Questions: 請在聽下面錄音的時候試着回答這些問題。這是一個用來幫助你提高聽力技能的練習。

1. Was the Bank of China as badly affected by the credit crunch as European banks?

2. What will the Bank's loans be used to buy?

3. Are Bank of China the only foreign bank entering the UK mortgage market?

4. Why would UK home buyers be interested in using Bank of China loans?

【Keys】

Answers

1. Was the Bank of China as badly affected by the credit crunch as European banks?
No, it wasn't crippled by the credit crunch.

2. What will the Bank's loans be used to buy?
Property.

3. Are Bank of China the only foreign bank entering the UK mortgage market?
No, Isreali and Swedish banks will also be offering home loans in the UK.

4. Why would UK home buyers be interested in using Bank of China loans?
Because their loans are cheaper than those offered by UK banks.

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