In the earliest stages of man’s development he had no more need of money than animals have. He was content with very simple forms of shelter, made his own rough tools and weapons and could provide food and clothing for himself and his family from natural materials around him. As he became more civilized, however, he began to want better shelter, more efficient tools and weapons, and more comfortable and more lasting clothing than could be provided by his own neighborhood or by the work of his own unskilled hands. For these things he had to turn to the skilled people such as smiths, leather workers or carpenters. It was then that the question of payment arose.

   At first he got what he wanted by a simple process of exchange. The smith who had not the time to look after land or cattle was glad to take meat or grain from the farmer in exchange for an axe or a plough (犁). But as more and more goods which had no fixed exchange value came on the market, exchange became too complicated to be satisfactory. Another problem arose when those who made things wanted to get stocks of wood or leather, or iron, but had nothing to offer in exchange until their finished goods were ready.

   Thus the difficulties of exchange led by degree to the invention of money. In some countries easily handled things like seeds or shells were given a certain value and farmer, instead of paying the smith for a new axe by giving him some meat or grain, gave him so many shells. If the smith had any shells left when he had bought his food, he could get stocks of the raw materials of his trade. In some countries quite large things such as cows or camels or even big flat stones were used for trade. Later, pieces of metal, bearing values according to the rarity (稀有) of the metal and the size of the pieces, or coins were used. Money as we know it had arrived.

What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?

A. Man needed little in the earliest stages of development.

B. Man preferred to make tools by himself.

C. How the simple process of exchange arose.

D. What the early man needed from others.

As men became more civilized they __________.

A. all learnt to make by themselves the things needed

B. had to travel a lot to look for what they wanted

C. wanted better things than those they themselves could provide

D. no longer provided food and clothing for themselves

Exchange of goods became difficult because __________.

A. man became more civilized

B. there was not a marketplace for farmers and smiths to exchange their goods

C. farmers hadn’t enough grain or meat to provide for skilled workers

D. more and more goods which had no fixed exchange values appeared on the market.

Money was not used until __________.

A. paper was invented

B. nothing could be offered in exchange

C. people practiced a simple process of exchange

D. the exchange of one thing for another became too complicated

What was used for trade according to the text?

A. Shells                        B. Tea                                C. Salt                           D. Horses

The other day, I happened to meet someone I hadn’t seen for many years. I couldn’t believe the change in him. In fact, he didn’t even seem like the   21  person.

When I first knew Bill, back in   22  , he was one of the most carefree(无忧无虑)people I had ever   23  . He was always ready to have a party. He thought   24  of going out for beer at three o’clock in the morning or driving 50 miles to see an old   25  he really liked. Bill and I were in the same class in college, and   26  was never dull when he was   27  . With him there was one wild   28  after another. Sometimes I wonder how we   29  to study for our exams.

Last week I was in Houston on business and I ran into Bill in the bar at the hotel.  30  , I wasn’t even sure it was   31  . Was this short – haired businessman really the same person? I wasn’t really sure until I came near him but it indeed was Bill. Now he works for a bank. He   32  most of the evening about his job, his new car and his house. How he had changed! Back when we were in college, the  33  thing Bill cared about was possessions. Now they seemed to be his main   34  . Although I have changed quite a bit myself, somehow, I never   35  Bill changing so much. My image of him   36  the one I had formed   37  the time when we were college students together.

I suppose it’s   38  to expect people to remain the same, especially   39  I have changed so much myself. But I must say that I enjoyed the old Bill much more than the new Bill. Maybe he   40  the same way about me.

A.proper      B.same     C.usual        D.right

A.childhood   B.the army   C.his thirties    D.college

A.considered  B.supposed    C.met          D.expected

1,3,5

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