Credit cards

            Hello, dear Lyudmila Vladimirovna, my colleagues and other readers of the Blog. It is time to write the second message here and I am going to do it with big pleasure.

            I have chosen an audio record from BBC Learning English site which most of all corresponds to topic «international market», it is about сredit cards. Here is the reference: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/02/100211_6min_creditcard_page.shtml

            This audio record is silly a bit (if it is possible so to say so) because a lot of determinations of very simple words are given in the record; the words like "credit card", "cash", "profit" and etc. It is obvious that the tape is made especially for people who only start to study business English. But on the other hand, this audio record is interesting enough from the history point of view, how and when the first credit cards and cash machines have appeared.

            It was enough for me to listen to the audio record once. The words and the text of all people, who were on the tape, were clear enough; it was not so fast and easy for understanding. 99 % of the record is absolutely clear to me. The exception was only the small time interval in which girl Kate told about credit cards (in the beginning of the tape). Her speech was very fast, but I had paused the record, thought the words over, and all became clear for me.

             At the beginning of the tape Dan and Kate (if I am not mistaken in their names) made clear the word "credit card" and told for what it is used (for purchasing in shops and so on). Kate assumed that the first credit card appeared in 1962.

            After that the conversation about pros and cons of credit cards has begun. There were examples that credit cards are easy in use and more convenient, than cash and so on. But it was noticed that many people consider that using credit cards takes much more money than just using cash. Then the reporter Mark who was talking about the first cash machines joined to Dan and Kate's conversation. Mark told us the first cash machines had appeared in 1967, and the first credit card had appeared not in 1962 (as Kate believed), but in 1951 (this information Dan has added).

            In summary Dan told the story (some kind of "baize") about the creation of the first credit card. As he said, certain Frank had a supper at the restaurant with his lawyer and they didn't have enough money to pay off. So Frank sent his wife for money. It was a shame to him and Frank decided to "think up" credit cards. In my opinion, it is pretty cheerful and lovely history. But truth it or not, I can't say.

            I can add that the audio record was very easy, but interesting from the historical point of view.

            Thanks for attention.