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Idioms:
Jim: The stock market has lost one-hundred points today, and I'm worried about my money.
Stacy: I hear a lot about the stock market instability these days. I have sold all my stocks and put my money in the CD market and Municipal Bonds.
Jim: CD interest rates are only about 3.2 percent for one year investment. For the Municipal Bonds, the interest is just a little bit higher. Still you have to pay taxes for both CD and Municipal Bonds.
Stacy: Yeah. You're right. But you put your back against the wall with all this volatile stock market.
Jim: But, without taking risk, you cannot make money in the stock market.
Stacy: Who needs this kind of risk? In the last four years the stock market has earned almost nothing.
Jim: I am still bullish somewhat.
Stacy: Your bullishness worries me. How long you will be bullish? Until you lose your shirt?
put your back against the wall: idiomatic phrase. put yourself in a dangerous situation. If you put yourself against the wall. there is no way to escape. If you put your self against the wall with the stock market, there will be no way to escape after losing all your money.
back against the wall: adverb. In a trap. With no way to escape; In bad trouble. Example: The soldiers had their backs to the wall. This sentence means: The soldiers were in a bad situation and they had to fight or give up
lose your shirt: idiomatic phrase. to stay in a bad situation, keep doing things until you lose everything. For example I have tried to support my daughter's college education until I lost my shirt. This sentence means: I have spent all my money on my daughter's education.
bullish: adjective. to be optimistic about the stock market.
lost: past and present participle form of the verb lose. " I have lost; he has lost". See Present Perfect Tense.
instability: noun. uncertainty, changing situation
CD: a stock market investment. Certificate of Deposit
Municipal Bond: Government's bonds
interest: the money your investments earn. Example: I earned 5 percent interest on my savings.
take risk: idiomatic verb: If you take a risk, you may succeed or fail. There is no guarantee. But it's worth taking a risk sometimes. For example: I will undergo this surgery. I know I am taking a risk but it's worth it, I may get better.
Who needs it: an idiomatic phrase in this conversation. If someone tells you: "Who needs this salty food?", it means: This salty food is not good for your health.
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