國發會與ICRT共同製播的時事英語廣播“The World in Brief”固定於每周三在雙語資源網更新，與大家一起聽時事學英文。

本周主題：股市熱潮 Stock Market

“stock”最常見的意思是股票，但也可以表示一種高湯、商品的庫存、或是中古世紀歐洲的一種酷刑工具等。股票的交易通常會在證券交易所進行，其中世界上最大的兩家證券交易所都位於紐約市。證券交易所的規模取決於其上市公司的數量，以臺灣證券交易所(Taiwan Stock Exchange, TWSE)為例，美廉社(Simple Mart)、World Gym 世界健身俱樂部、聯發科技(MediaTek)和台積電(TSMC)等皆為上市公司。加權指數(TAIEX)也於今(2024)年創下新高！想知道更多嗎？讓我們用3分鐘一起跟著主持人了解更多吧！

您喜歡這則時事英語廣播嗎?進入表單與我們分享您對The World in Brief的喜好與看法吧！

 

Transcript

Voice: You’re listening to the World in Brief …

Crowd: … On tour! 

Jenny: ‘Dear ICRT, my soup needs a good, strong chicken stock. Where can I find Taiwan’s famous stock market?

Host: Jenny in Chiayi’s got soup to serve! Let’s dish out the facts …

Host: We’ve made it! Gosh, this place is so busy with stuff. There’s something historical everywhere you look! Old photos of important folk litter the walls, and cabinets filled with facts are everywhere, all beautifully lit and stunningly displayed. We must be in a museum … Over there is a map of the world, cleverly illuminated with color. And, above our heads … wow! What is that?

Expert: That’s a special design, made just for this museum! Do you like it?

Host: Like it? I love it! It’s round and beautiful … and it’s up on the ceiling!

Expert: Yes it is! I like how intricate it is, with all its beautiful lines and patterns.

Host: It’s really lovely. But, what does it have to do with chicken soup?

Expert: Eh? You do know this is the Taiwan Stock Museum, don’t you?

Host: That sounds about right! My friend needs help finding the stock market. She wants a tasty chicken stock, to help flavor her soup …

Expert: Oh, I see! Haha! That’s a different kind of stock altogether!

Host: I don’t understand …

Expert: The word “stock” has many different meanings in English. It can be a kind of broth, used in gravy, soups and sauces. That’s what your friend means. It can also be a supply of something, you can say a warehouse is “fully stocked.” In medieval Europe, “stocks” were a common instrument of torture!

Host: Wait … What kind of museum is this?!

Expert: Don’t worry, you’re safe! We’re all about stocks and shares here.

Host: What are they?

Expert: A company might want to sell parts of its ownership to investors to raise money. Those parts are called “shares of stock.” The more shares you buy, the more parts of a company you own.

Host: OK. So, “the stock market” must be where people trade in shares.

Expert: You got it! Here in Taiwan, we trade on the TWSE. That’s the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

Host: Does every country have its own stock exchange?

Expert: Most do, but not all. Some have several, like the USA. Two of the largest stock exchanges in the world are based in New York City.

Host: How are they the largest? You mean, they have the biggest buildings?

Expert: No way. The TWSE is based in Taipei 101. There aren’t many buildings bigger than that! The size of a stock exchange depends on the number of companies it has listed. A company must be listed in order to trade.

Host: What companies are listed with TWSE? Any I would know?

Expert: For sure! They have some big household names. Companies ranging from Simple Mart and World Gym, to MediaTek and TSMC! The TAIEX hit a record high in April this year, in the Year of the Dragon!

Host: Whoa! If that isn’t a good omen, I’m not sure what is! I’ve got to go and share all this with Jenny in Chiayi. Thanks, bye-bye! 

 

Vocabulary

litter 亂丟（雜物） (v.) 

Before electronic systems made trading largely paperless, order sheets littered the New York Stock Exchange floor.

 

torture 折磨，痛苦 (n.)

People should only invest in the stock market with money they can afford to lose so that whenever the value of their stock portfolio falls, it won’t feel like torture!

 

ownership 所有權 (n.)

One company share represents a fraction of ownership of that company, but a mutual fund share represents a fraction of ownership of all the companies the fund holds.

 

household name 家喻戶曉的名字(n.)

The term “household name” doesn’t sound exciting at all, but many companies and people would love to be one because it would mean that they’re very well known!