Short Texts from Oz © copyright Thorold May 1998 All Rights Reserved; published by The Plain & Fancy Language Company
go to end; go to Table of Contents / 53. Money (5): Cheques / 54. Taxation Basics / 55. Road Accident Insurance (1): Types / 56. Road Accident Insurance (2): Claims
pattern:
text:
[1] A cheque is a written instruction from a drawer (e.g. you) to a bank. [2] This instruction tells the bank to pay a payee a certain sum of money. [3] Cheques can be written on anything, but usually they are a standard bank form. [4] You can obtain your own cheque forms from a bank (with a current account), or buy each cheque form separately (a bank cheque). [5] A cheque with two lines across it can only be paid into a bank account. [6] If "not negotiable" is written between the lines, then the person who gets it will have to repay the money if the cheque was stolen. [7] Cheques can be passed from person to person unless "or bearer" is crossed out. [8] It is even safer to write "account payee only" on the cheque. [9] Be careful not to leave blank spaces on a cheque or it might be changed! [10] Bank cheques are useful for paying large sums (e.g. for a second hand car) because the bank guarantees payment. [11] A bank draft is a cheque meant to be paid overseas, and is often written in a foreign currency.
response:
1. Who instructs the bank on a cheque?
2. What does the cheque's instruction tell the bank?
3. Make a sentence using these words: cheque / can / written / anything
4. How is a bank cheque different from a personal cheque?
5. What do two parallel lines across a cheque mean?
6. What happens if you accept a not negotiable cheque that turns out to be stolen?
7. How can the drawer stop a cheque being passed around like money by other people?
8. What does account payee only mean?
9. Make a question using these words: why / careful / blank spaces / cheque
10. When are bank cheques especially useful?
11. What can you use a bank draft for?
keywords
[1] instruction; [2] payee; [3] standard; [4] cheque form; [5] two lines; [6] not negotiable; [7] bearer; [8] safer; [9] blank; [10] bank cheques; [11]draft
pattern:
text:
[1] Tax has two main purposes in an open, democratic country like Australia. [2] The first purpose of tax is to provide money for many community services, ranging from schools to hospitals to national defence. [3] The second purpose of tax is to redistribute some income from richer citizens to poorer people. [4] For example, a so-called "social wage" now passes to mostly poorer people. [5] Much of this "social wage" is in services, and is often worth over $200 per week. [6] We pay direct income tax, plus many indirect taxes. [7] Indirect taxes include sales tax (about 20% on many items), import duties (tariffs), and company tax (36%, which is often added to prices). [7] In 1998* the tax free threshold was $5400 on personal income. [8] Income tax goes up in steps from 20% (to $20,700 p.a.), 34% (to $38,000 p.a.), and 43% (over $50,000 p.a.) [9] Most people pay about 34%. [10] If you don't give your employer a tax number, you will be taxed at 43%. [11] The Department of Social Security and banks can also ask for your tax number.
* [The tax system was being reviewed at the end of 1998. It was planned to lower personal taxes and introduce a value-added tax on goods & services.]
response:
1. How is tax collected in another country that you know about?
2. What is the main reason for collecting tax?
3. What is a second reason for collecting tax?
4. Why do many people receive a social wage from the government?
5. Make a sentence using these words: pay / direct / indirect
6. Can you make a list of indirect taxes that your know about?
7. Make a question using these words: how much / earn / before tax
8. What are the taxation steps in Australia in 1998?
9. How much of their income does a person from your country pay in tax?.
10. You don't have to tell anyone (except Social Security) your tax file number. However, you probably will tell your employer. Why?
11. Who is allowed to ask for your tax number in Australia?
keywords
[1] purposes; [2] community; [3] redistribute; [4] social wage; [5] direct; [6] indirect; [7] tax free; [8] steps; [9] most people; [10] employer; [11] Social Security.
pattern:
text:
[1] Road accident insurance in Australia falls into four categories. [2] Firstly there is insurance for the driver. [3] Secondly there is insurance for other people involved, called "Third Party Personal Insurance". [4] Thirdly there is insurance to cover the cost of damage to other vehicles or objects, called "Third Party Property Insurance". [5] Fourthly, there is insurance to cover damage to the driver's car. [6] An insurance policy which covers all four categories is called "Comprehensive Insurance". [7] The cost of Comprehensive Insurance varies a) with the type of vehicle, and b) with the age and driving history of the driver. [8] Third Party Personal Insurance is compulsory, and is paid at the time of vehicle registration. [9] The cheapest kind of extra insurance is Third Party Property Insurance. [10] Insurance companies make claimants pay a part of any claim, called "Excess", and reduce premiums when no claims are made, called a "No Claims Bonus".
response:
1. How many different categories of road accident insurance are there?
2. Make a sentence using these words: there / insurance / driver
3. What is Third Party Personal Insurance?
4. What do we call insurance to cover damage to other vehicles?
5. Which do you think most drivers insure against first: a) damage to their own car, or b) damage to other people's cars?
6. Explain what Comprehensive Insurance is.
7. Who will pay the highest insurance premiums: a) a twenty year-old man driving a sports car, or b) a forty-year old man driving a station wagon?
8. Make a question using these words: which / insurance / compulsory
9. Which is the cheapest kind of extra insurance?
10. Explain the meaning of these terms: Excess; No-Claims Bonus
keywords
[1] four; [2] driver; [3] other people; [4] other vehicles; [5] driver's car; [6] comprehensive; [7] cost; [8] compulsory; [9] cheapest; [10] Excess.
56. Road Accident Insurance (2): Claims
pattern:
text:
[1] In Victoria insurance cover is provided for all people involved in road accidents by the Transport Accident Commission. [2] Drivers of Victorian registered vehicles in other states are also covered. [3] The TAC provides "no fault" cover, which means that for insurance it does not matter who caused the accident. [4] The TAC will not make insurance payments if the accident is not reported to police. [5] You may make a property insurance accident claim in two ways. [6] Firstly, you can write a letter of demand, plus a written quote for repairs, to the person who caused the accident. [7] Secondly, you can take the claim to your own insurance company and let them follow up the matter. [8] A letter of demand is the best method if you are not comprehensively insured, or if the amount of damage is small. [9] If the other party does not pay, you can take them to court. [10] It is convenient to go to your own insurance company. [11] However, you will lose your "No Claims Bonus", and also have to pay "Excess" on the claim. [12] The "Excess" will (usually) be refunded if you win the case.
response:
1. Explain the job of the Transport Accident Commission.
2. When does the TAC cover you in other Australian states?
3. What is the meaning of the term no fault cover?
4. Make a sentence using these words: TAC / not / payment / police
5. Make a question using these words: how / make / property / claim
6. What is a letter of demand?
7. Who can follow up a road accident claim for you?
8. When is it best to use a letter of demand?
9. What is your remedy if the person who caused the accident does not pay?
10. Why might you make a claim through your own insurance company?
11. What is a disadvantage of claiming through your own insurance company?
12. When will you get an Excess charge on the claim refunded?
keywords
[1] TAC; [2] states; [3] no fault; [4] police; [5] two; [6] demand; [7] insurance company; [8] small; [9] court; [10] convenient; [11] bonus; [12] refunded
Short Texts from Oz © copyright Thorold May 1998 All Rights Reserved; published by The Plain & Fancy Language Companygo to top; go to Table of Contents