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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Understand financial expressions in a dated VOA episode without treating it as current market guidance.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe episode uses red and black to describe financial losses and profits, then introduces a bank run and day trading. Because the article is from 2015, this guide teaches the language only; it omits the already-covered “in the black” and does not repeat the source’s dated statistics or trading requirements.
Cultural note: These expressions describe financial conditions but are not financial advice. “Run on the bank” refers to many depositors trying to withdraw funds because they fear a bank may fail; it is not a prediction about a particular institution.
Keep exploringColor words can describe a company’s financial position, while a “run” can mean a rapid wave of withdrawals rather than a race.
Phrase guide · 3 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Recognize a common expression for losing money.
Meaning
Losing money or having a negative financial balance.
Tone & use
Common in business and personal finance. It is an informal summary; exact figures are clearer in reports or decisions.
Example
“After the unexpected repair costs, the small event budget was in the red.”
Understand what happens when many customers withdraw funds at once.
Recognition caution
Meaning
A situation in which many customers try to withdraw their deposits at the same time because they fear the bank may fail.
Tone & use
A financial and historical term. It describes collective withdrawals, not ordinary customers taking out cash.
Example
“The documentary explained how rumors and fear contributed to a run on the bank.”
Do not use the phrase as a prediction or claim about a real bank without reliable evidence.
Learn a term for buying and selling investments within a short time frame.
Recognition caution
Meaning
Buying and selling financial assets repeatedly within a short period, often during the same day.
Tone & use
A technical finance term, not a recommendation. The 2015 article’s examples and statistics should not be treated as current.
Example
“The course defined day trading but emphasized that the term alone says nothing about an individual’s risk or results.”
This is vocabulary, not investment guidance; outcomes and rules vary and can change.
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
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