Money and payment system of the usa

American money comes in bills (paper money) and coins. The denominations of paper money are $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, though 2 dollar bills are very rare. A slang word for a dollar is "buck". It is interesting that whatever the denomination is all bills are of the same colour and size. There are 100 cents (c) to the dollar. 1 cent is a small copper coin known as a "penny". A 5 cent coin is called a "nickel", a 10 cent coin is a "dime", and a 25 cent piece is known as a "quarter". Half dollar and one dollar coins have no special name and are rather rare. Note the proper way of naming a certain sum: 1.40 — "one dollar and forty cents" or "a dollar and forty cents" or "one forty"; 3.60 — "three dollars and sixty cents" or "three sixty".

You can make your payments in cash, traveller's checks, credit and banking cards, or checks. When travelling, the best way to carry your money is traveller's checks. They are insured, and you can get your money back if they are lost or stolen. For this to be possible be sure to write down the check numbers. In order to have your checks replaced you will have to apply to a refund office where you will be asked to fill out a special form providing information, first of all, on their numbers and, if possible, on the date of purchase, as well as amount, date, location and circumstances of loss. The transaction is free of charge. The inconvenience of traveller's checks is that they should be in dollars as banks in the US usually do not deal with foreign currency. Traveller's checks can be bought at most banks but the service charge may vary. One can use traveller's checks almost anywhere: in hotels, stores, or restaurants. With Americans, the most common way of making pay­ment is by credit card, the major ones being Visa, Ame­rican Express, and Master card. Each company has its own logo, i.e. trade mark. You can often see them on the advertisements of different services, such as hotels, res­taurants, car rentals, etc. To get a credit card one must have a permanent residence and a permanent job. It is common practice for an American to have various credit cards, as every company provides its customers with cer­tain advantages. You receive a bill listing your expenditure from the credit card company once a month. Usually no interest is charged if you pay within thirty days. Other ways of completing business transactions or making a purchase is by means of a check book and a banking card. They are given by your bank when opening an account. A banking card enables you to withdraw money from your account immediately. Both credit and banking cards are commonly called "plastic" money, or just "plastic".

5.2 Travelling

1) Read the text about travelling by car

a) Ask questions about the town. b) Describe the town

A Small Town

This summer the Stogovs spent their holidays in a small town near Krasnodar. At the beginning of August they gath­ered their things, took two tents, put them all in their car, and went to the Black Sea. They wanted to spend a few days near Krasnodar and then to go to Sochi. In two days they saw the town. It was a nice small town, full of green trees and flowers. First their car passed small houses with orchards and kitchen gardens with fruit-trees and vegetables in them. Near the centre of the town there were big buildings, blocks of flats and a lot of shops. In the centre there was a square. The Stogovs saw the Town Soviet, a library and a hotel there. Not far from the hotel they saw a con­cert hall and a cinema. There was no theatre in the town. The Stogovs went to the hotel, but all the rooms were taken. So they had their dinner and left the town. Soon they saw a very nice meadow with green grass near a wood. They stopped there and put up their tents. Their camp was not very far from the town, and they decided to live there for some days.

2) Answer the questions.

1. Where did you spend your summer holidays?

2. How did you get there?

3. Were you with your parents there?

4. Whom were you with?

5. What was the weather like at that time?

6. What did you do there?

7. Did you have a good time?

3) Make a story about how you spent your summer holidays using

the words:

1) to stay, 6) to pick up, 2) to go. 7) to play, 3) holidays, 8) wood, 4) to walk, 9) river, 5) to swim, 10) to have a good time.

4) Situation.

You meet your friend whom you haven't seen for a long time. Ask him (her) how he (she) spent this summer.

Test

1. Write questions to have the given answers.

a)____________________________________

Travelling by car you will never miss your train or plane.

b)___________________________________

$4 for you and your wife.

c)______________________________________

I will take the subway.

2. Translate the following sentences into English.

а) Він ще ніколи не літав.

b) Коли відходить наступний автобус?

c) Мені сподобалася поїздка по місту.

3. Read the text. Choose and mark true (T) and false (F) sentences.