32 Money
People use money to buy food, books and hundreds of other things they need. When they work, they usually get paid in money. Most of the money used today is made of metal or paper．But in ancient times people used to use all kinds of things as money. One of the first kinds of money was shells.
In China，cloth and knives were used as money．Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used in some parts of Africa．Rice was also a kind of money used by the ancient people in some islands．Cattle and other animals were used as money，too．
The first copper coins were made in China．They were round and had a square hole in the center．Different countries have used different metals for their money．Later, some countries began to make coins of gold and silver．
But even gold and silver were heavy to carry when people needed a lot of coins to buy something expensive. The Chinese were the first to use paper money which
can be found in every country today．The first paper money looked more like a note from one person to another than the paper money used today．
Money has had an interesting history from the days of shell money till today．
钱
人们用钱购买食品，书本和所需的各种东西。人们工作的报酬也通常用货币来支付。今天所使用的货币的部分是用金属或纸制的。但在古时候，人们曾把各种各样的东西当作钱来用。贝壳是最早的一种货币。
在中国，刀，和布匹曾经被当作钱用。非洲的一些地区则使用过象牙、猴尾和盐。居住在一些岛屿上的古人还把稻子当钱用。牛和其他的动物也被当作钱用。
铜钱最早产生于中国。它们是圆形的，中间有一个方形的孔。不同的国家用不同的金属造钱币。之后，一些国家开始采用金和银。
当人们需要买贵重物品时要用很多钱，带着金银就大重了。现在全世界都可以看到的纸币最早是中国人使用的。与现在的纸币相比，第一张纸币看起来更像一个人给另一个人开的一张收据。
从贝壳货币到今天的纸币，钱币的发展历史很有趣。
参考译文
词汇：
Metal 金属 shell 壳
Tusk 象牙 cattle 牛
Copper 铜 coin 硬币
Till 直到 island 岛
I．听全文录音，选择正确答案
1 ．In ancient times people used many things as money．But which of
the following is not mentioned in the passage？
A. Shells. B. Salt. C. Rice. D. Stones．
2 ．The first copper coins were made in ．
A .some parts of Africa B. some islands
C. Egypt D. China
3. The first paper money .
A .was exactly the same as the paper money used today
B .had a square hole in the center
C .was used in India
D .was more like a note
II．听录音，补全下列段落
In China, 1 and knives were used as money. Elephant tusks，monkey tails and 2 were used in some parts of Africa. 3 was also a kind of money used by the ancient people in some 4 ． 5 and other animals were used as money，too．
The first 6 coins were made in China. They were round and had a 7 hole in the center. Different countries have used different 8 for their money．Later, some countries began to make coins of 9 and 10 .
答案:
I.1．D 2．D 3．D
II．1 ．cloth 2．salt 3．Rice 4. islands 5．Cattle
6 ．copper 7．square 8．metals 9.gold 10. silver
