Many Americans learned this the hard way by investing all their money in stock shares, which then lost value.

VOA: special.2011.03.27

They became almost worthless because they were investing in subprime debt and the value of the debt collapsed and so these collapsed as well.

它们变的分文不值,因为它们投资次级债务,而这些债券价格一落千丈,所以这些银行也跟着倒下

耶鲁公开课 - 金融市场课程节选