Listen again - Bonds: Heroes or villains?
Business Daily

Listen again - Bonds: Heroes or villains?

B2Upper-intermediateOctober 4, 202617 min
  • Interview
  • Business & money

With the cost of government debt reaching its highest for several decades, we're giving you another chance to hear our exploration of how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world. We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown. If...

Play episode

Opens the player: the full transcript, every word clickable, with translation and flashcards.

Try it: tap any word

Real sentences from the start of this episode. Every word is marked with its level.

Sentence 2 of 12 · 0:30

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

. . . ..

The

Hear this sentence

Tap a word to see its meaning in your language.

Do you know these words?

8 harder words from this episode. Tap one to see what it means, then mark it.

  • B20:30
  • B23:54
  • B26:26
  • C19:19
  • B210:45
  • B214:15
  • B216:03
  • C118:50

Mark a few words and we'll tell you how this episode fits your level.

Is this episode right for you?

B2

B2 · Upper-intermediate

Comfortable if you already follow TV news

A1 36%A2 36%B1 20%B2 7%C1 1%
  • 92% of the words are B1 or easier.
  • 156 words a minute: a natural pace.
  • 96 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

Transcript

The opening of the episode. The whole transcript is in the player.

0:00

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. millions save billions on hidden fees. Be smart. Get wise. Visit wise.com. Tease and The the

1:33

how money and work impacts people around the world, please do subscribe to get the latest and enjoy my look at how bonds have changed the world. When I was asked to make a programme about bonds, I leapt at the chance. After all, I'm a huge fan of James Bond, the suave British spy who repeatedly saves the world,

1:58

I was wrong. These aren't the bonds with tuxedos and martinis. These are financial bonds, silent operators in the global economy. Like their fictional namesake, they've worked in the shadows, rarely noticed yet shaping the fate of nations. They've even played roles in wars and crises. But here's the twist. Today some economists see bonds not

That was the opening. The rest of the episode (16 min) is in the player: every word clickable, with translation, saved words and flashcards.

Continue in the player

Automatically generated from the audio. May contain errors. Audio belongs to its publisher and is played from their feed. Rights holders can request removal — copyright & takedown policy