A long time ago, before there was any money (coins or paper money), people got the things that they needed by trading or exchanging. Salt was one of the first items used to exchange for other items. Later, some of the common things that were used for exchanging were tea leaves, shells, feathers, animal teeth, tobacco, and blankets. Around 3000 BC, barley, a type of grain, was used for exchanging.

The world’s first metal money was developed by the Sumerians who melted silver into small bars all weighing the same. This was around 1000 BC. About three hundred years later, people started using coins as official money.

Around 640 BC, people in the ancient kingdom of Lydia ( which was in Turkey) created special coins of exact with and purity (纯度). They were made of gold and silver and were stamped with a lion’s head.

Later, other empires such as Greece, Persia, and Rome adopted the concept of coins and started developing their own in many different shapes and different metals.

Around the year 1000, the Chinese started using paper money. The Chinese were the first to use paper money. The Europeans discovered this thanks to Marco Polo who went to China in 1295. the Chinese had different values for the paper notes which were made by the Chinese government.

Around 1661, Sweden became the first European country to make paper money. Until 1850, the Spanish dollar was the coin most widely used throughout the world.

What is the best title for this passage?

A.    The history of money

B.    How people traded in the past

C.    The invention of paper money

D.    The use of coins around the world

We learn that before coins and paper money were used, _____.

A.    barley had always been used for exchanging

B.    only a few people knew how to trade with others

C.    salt was the most widely used item for exchanging

D.    many kinds of things were used for exchanging

According to the passage, when did people start using coins as official money?

A.    Around 1300 BC.      B. Around 1000 BC.

C.    Around 700 BC.        D. Around 640 BC.

The underlined word “adopted” in Paragraph 4 probably means “____”.

A.    replaced      B.    changed

C.    accepted      D.    invented

Which of the following countries first started to use paper money?

A. Spain     B. China      C. Sweden      D. Lydia

阅读下列应用文及相关信息,并按照要求匹配信息。

首先,请阅读下列中国旅游城市的介绍:

A.Beijing

For travelers in China, Beijing is a must, as it is a political and cultural center and it offers many scenic attractions. Foods are very popular with tourists as well, such as authentic(真正的) Beijing roast duck and instant-boiled mutton.

B. Shanghai

You know what? Shanghai is one of the developed cities in China. It is a commercial (商业的)and industrial (工业的)city. Tourists will be satisfied with what the city supplies, from various snacks and cakes to handcrafts and textiles. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit the city.

C. Suzhou and Hangzhou

Suzhou and Hangzhou are two cities near Shanghai. They were once described by Italian traveler Marco Polo as the most beautiful and prosperous (繁荣的)cities in the world. Both of them are called “Paradise (天堂)on Earth”.

D. Xi’an

Xi’an is the capital of Shanxi Province. It dates back over 2,000 years as an ancient capital which served as the capital for many dynasties in the Chinese history. It is also the starting pointing of the famous ancient Silk Road. The life-size terra cotta soldiers and horses of the Qin Dynasty are described as the “Eighth Wonder of the world”.

E. Harbin

If you want to travel in winter, Harbin is particularly good for sightseeing in January and February. If you have never seen any snow, you may enjoy the ice festival and even go skiing and skating in this world of snow.

F. Kunming

Kunming is regarded as “Scenic City of Eternal Spring” because of its year-round spring weather.

You may find almost every kind of Asian flowers there.

以下是几个人物的信息,请将人物与旅游城市匹配起来。

1.The Whites want to visit China recently. They are fond of Asian cultures. They are both professors of botany, who are interested in the study of species(物种). They expect to discover new species of plants, especially about flowers that no one has ever seen during the trip.

2.Tony is a British young man who likes to play online games. He learns a lot about world history while playing games. Tony is very fond of the history of ancient China and curious about how Qin Shi Huang managed to unite all the seven states.

3.Mark is a sport lover. His hobbies include horse-riding, wrestling, boating, skating and skiing. He is looking forward to a trip with his parents next winter holiday when he can have fun on the snow.

4.Jack is a retired (退休的)teacher in Texas. He has been teaching for over 30 years. He enjoys traveling and tasting all kinds of food in other countries. Recently his friends invited him to a city in China, where he could have some traditional Chinese food such as duck cooked in a special way.

5.Lily is a middle school student who loves reading. Among all her books, she loves the one written by Marco Polo describing a place called “Paradise on Earth” best. She always dreams about taking a trip there one day.

 

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