【英語多益通】電影《大賣空》教你一次看懂金融海嘯
文／羅伊伶Janet Lo
2008年金融海嘯是怎麼發生的？次級房貸對金融市場的衝擊又是什麼？由暢銷小說改編而成的電影《大賣空》，訴說着利用錢滾錢、操弄金錢槓桿而致富的情節，主角們玩着自殺性的金融遊戲，賭上房市崩盤、金融海嘯的發生，全美經濟的毀滅反而促使他們暴富的矛盾故事。讓我們從主角們如何淘空華爾街，學多益測驗常考的金融單字。
1. 從Michael Burry的致富秘訣學「房貸」mortgage
電影中Michael Burry是對金融投資有高度熱忱、性格古怪的醫生，他發現當時房貸市場有許多不良債權的問題存在，在普羅大衆都看好且積極參與房市投資時，他堅決篤定次級房貸（subprime mortgage）絕對會讓房市泡沫化（housing bubble burst）。而在此時他找了六間保險公司客制保單，透過「信用違約互換交易」（Credit Default Swaps）來賺取房貸泡沫化後保險公司必須賠償他的鉅額保費而因此致富。
Michael’s study on residential real estate convinced him that subprime mortgages and the bonds based on these mortgages would start losing value when the original rates reset, which could happen within two years after commencement.（Michael對住宅不動產的研究讓他確信次級房貸和相關債券將會在原利率重新設定後失去其價值，預計在兩年內就會發生。）說明了有亞斯伯格症的Michael在衆人皆醉我獨醒的狀態下，具有獨到的見解和神準預測。
mortgage一字在多益測驗中的不動產情境中經常出現，請參考以下例句：The young couple had seen the house they wanted to purchase, but they still had to speak to their bank manager to arrange the mortgage.（這對年輕夫婦已經看過他們想買的這間房子，但他們仍必須與他們的銀行經理討論房貸的事項。）
多益單字補充：*abstruse (adj.) 深奧的、艱深的*purchase (v.) 購買; 採購
2. 從Jared Vannett的債券賣空提案學「資產」asset
在德意志銀行擔任的交易員Jared用疊疊樂來說明房貸債券（mortgage backed securities）的運作方式及其風險，他提到房貸債務能轉變爲債券（bonds）販賣，若是購買到評級較低的債券，賺取的利潤雖然高，但風險也相對提高，尤其是當時對於借貸條件的限制過低，以及浮動利率（adjustable rate）的變化，造成衆多人房貸無法償還引發毀滅性的崩盤局面。
One man’s liability has always been another man’s asset, but now more and more of the liabilities could be turned into bits of paper that you can sell to anyone.（一個人的債務一直都是另一人的資產，但現在債務能夠轉變爲一張紙，讓你能夠轉賣給任何一個人。）
asset這個單字在多益閱讀測驗的財務情境也很常見，請參考以下例句：Committed exclusively to socially responsible investing, we are happy to handle your asset management.（專門處理社會責任投資的我們非常樂意替您管理您的資產。）
多益單字補充：*liability (n.) 債務*commit (v.) 委任*exclusively (adv.) 專門地；獨家地
3. 從Mark Baum的田野調查學「市場崩盤」market collapse
Mark Baum領導的團隊成員，爲了確保信用違約互換交易（Credit Default Swaps）的可行性，實地採訪房仲業、脫衣舞娘、租貸房屋的居民，還參加了大型金融會議與銀行界重量級人物訪談，才發現政府、國會與金融機構爲了這高獲利的交易形成了幾近詐騙的共犯結構，讓原本應爲公正的信評機構和借貸條件形同虛設，造成根本不符合借貸資格的民衆無止盡地借貸買房，促使次級房貸崩盤，引發嚴重的金融風暴，但最後也因此讓Mark和Jared獲得了暴利。
Mark and Jared discover that the impending market collapse is being further perpetuated by the sale of collateralized debt obligations(CDOs), groups of poor loans that are packaged together and incorrectly given AAA ratings due to the conflicts of interest and dishonesty of the rating agencies.（Mark和Jared發現即將崩盤的市場更是被債權擔保憑證的販售給惡化，此爲一種呆帳的套裝組合，由不誠實的信評機構爲了自身利益而給予其不實的AAA信用評級。）
market collapse市場崩盤也常有另一個說法market crash，collapse和crash皆是崩壞的意思，請參考以下例句：Several noted economists and distinguished investors are warning of a stock market collapse/crash.（幾位知名的經濟學家與著名的投資人皆在警告可能會有股市崩盤的情況。）
多益單字補充：*impending (adj.) 即將發生的*loan (n.) 貸款*noted (adj.) 有名的*economist (n.) 經濟學者*distinguished (adj.) 卓越的；知名的 *investor (n.) 投資人
看完文章後，是否對電影《大賣空》和多益金融情境字彙都更加了解了呢？來閱讀以下多益閱讀試題，測試一下你的閱讀實力吧！
＊多益模擬試題1. The delinquent mortgage payments to SP Bank were caused by an accounting error which was not my fault. The payments due have been cleared as of January 15, 2016 which you can confirm in the enclosed statement from SP Bank. I am requesting that this item be deleted immediately from my record.
What is the purpose of this message?A) Explaining the late payment was caused by himB) Confirming the deadline of the paymentC) Requesting to remove the delayed payment recordD) Complaining about the accounting error from the bank
2. Studies have shown that the key to successful investing is to ______________ your wealth among different asset classes. A) divergeB) expandC) range D) spread
3. The law textbook, _______________ after the market collapse has been re-written.A) developingB) developedC) developsD) develop
＊多益模擬試題－正解與解析1. The delinquent mortgage payments to SP Bank were caused by an accounting error which was not my fault. The payments due have been cleared as of January 15, 2016 which you can confirm in the enclosed statement from SP Bank. I am requesting that this item be deleted immediately from my record.（這遲繳給SP銀行的費用是因爲會計上的問題，並不是我的過失，這個款項已經在2016年一月十五日就付清了，您可以參考SP銀行附加的說明。我希望能請您能即刻將此筆項目從我的紀錄中刪除。）
What is the purpose of this message?此訊息的主要目的爲何？A) Explaining the late payment was caused by him（解釋這個遲繳款項是他自己造成的）B) Confirming the deadline of the payment（確認付款的截止日）C) Requesting to remove the delayed payment record（提出刪除遲繳紀錄的需求）D) Complaining about the accounting error from the bank（抱怨銀行的會計失誤）
正解(C)。如文中第一句提到，是因會計上的失誤造成遲繳，並非他的過失，答案非(A)。關於截止日的部分，筆者是告知銀行他是於哪一天付款的，並不是在向銀行確認，答案非(B)。此訊息僅是說明遲繳原因，並不是在抱怨，因此答案非(D)。
2. Studies have shown that the key to successful investing is to ______________ your wealth among different asset classes. （研究顯示成功投資的關鍵就是將你的財產分散於不同的資產類別中。）A) diverge（開岔）B) expand（拓展）C) range（排列）D) spread（分散）
正解(D)。在此句中是要表示財產分散於不同的資產類別中，僅(D)spread的字義符合句思，故(D)爲正解。
3. The law textbook, _______________ after the market collapse has been re-written.（在市場崩盤後研發的法律課本已被重新改寫。）A) developing（進行式）B) developed（被動式）C) develops（第三人稱單數）D) develop（原形動詞）