Can someone explain the stock and bond markets?

I have a basic understanding of the stock market and mutual funds.I am just interested in learning more.Please just lay out the market basics in a couple simple paragraphs.
What is a stock?What are the classes?
What is a bond?What are the classes?
What is a treasury bill?
What is a money market fund?
What is a mutual fund?
What is an index fund?
How does commodity trading work?
How does currency trading work?
What have I missed?

Please have fun with this but only answer if you can truly help.

I know the answers to some of the questions I have asked, so that I can verify those answers and to help me look for validity in the answers to the questions I do not know.

Please do not troll, I am looking for insight in how other people than myself look at these items.

1. You have too many questions. Why can't you ask one question at a time?

2. If you know the answer to the question, then why are you asking the question? I don't like to answer questions when the asker already knows the answer, because I feel like I am wasting my time.

3. Why don't you read a book first, and then ask some questions? Here are good books:
- Stock Investing for Dummies
- If You're Clueless About the Stock Market...
- The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing

http://www.amazon.com/Youre-Clueless-Abo...
http://www.amazon.com/Investing-Dummies-...
http://www.amazon.com/Neatest-Little-Mar...

You can probably find these in your local library too.

You do not have a basic understanding of the stock market or mutual funds, or you would not ask those questions. Start with fool.com, bankrate.com, maybe Money magazine, or a book on personal finance.

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