A long time ago, and still in some countries today, the dollar and penny did not even exist. Actually, trading a cow for two pigs is still the norm (常态) for many cultures. So how is it that we get to use paper and coins?
The biggest challenge for ancient cultures was to have a system that would allow people to exchange products with each other. However, the problem came up when one person was in need of something immediately that they didn’t have a product to trade. For example, a farmer that needed wheat only had fruit to exchange but the fruit wasn’t ready to hand over for another two months. This is what started the idea of a “common currency”. The farmer could buy what he needed with “currency” and just as important, the value of the goods he was exchanging was standardized. He did not have to worry about giving anything in return now or later; his deal was complete. Thus “money” was born.
Over time, each country has developed its own currency and something that might cost 1,000,000 lire in one country might be 1 dollar in the US currency. Most countries also frequently use powerful political people as the “face” of their currency. The US currency is the best example of this. Can you name all the presidents that currently appear on not only paper money but also coins?
The real excitement, however, is the future of how we buy things. People have started to use debit cards (借记卡) that allow you to pay using your bank account rather than cash. That has given way to something called Mondex. Mondex allows you to “wave” your card past any special device that can read these cards. You no longer have to insert, swipe (刷) and then punch in numbers, which could cause security problems.
1.What’s the purpose of Paragraph 1?
A.To introduce the topic of the text.
B.To explain what money was like in history.
C.To tell us that there was no money long ago.
D.To compare the difference between a cow and two pigs.
2.The farmer had an idea of using currency when ________.
A.he had a product to exchange B.he had made a lot of money
C.he had nothing to trade for what he needed D.he would harvest his fruit
3.Mondex is a kind of card which can ________.
A.keep you safe if you are in trouble
B.save you a large amount of money
C.help you trade safely and conveniently
D.make you happy whenever you are bored
4.What does this passage mainly talk about?
A.The evolution of payment. B.The trade in ancient times.
C.The use of money in the world. D.New ways of payment.
Better known by his stage name KUN, Cai Xukun is a phenomenon, opening up the music industry in China.
Last year, after participating in the reality TV show Idol Producer, receiving the most votes from fans, the singer-songwriter rose to fame overnight. At just 21 years old, Cai has topped Chinese music charts with multiple singles.
On July 26, KUN released his newest single Young. Within just 20 seconds, it reached a million sales.
KUN wrote the song to share his understanding of youth. He mixed R&B and electronic beats (节拍) to make it more cheerful. A reviewer wrote on QQ Music, “When you listen to the song, you just seem to go back to youth again.”
The song was an early birthday present to himself which he celebrated on Aug 2. KUN also hopes that he always has the courage to pursue (追求) his love of music, no matter what people think. “My works are like my children and I have put my best effort into them.” he told the Global Times.
Indeed, KUN has written and produced most of his songs on his own. “I want every piece of my work to have my own spirit in it,” he told music website Soundigest, “I feel more enjoyment when I'm performing my own work.”
Although KUN loves performing onstage, when the lights go down, he prefers to fall back into his own world and darkness at night. “I always get inspired when it's quiet, late at night/' he told I-D magazine, “It's a great moment for me to create new things. Sometimes, I can write songs with a melody (旋律) I heard in a dream.”
To develop his introspection (反思) and find new inspiration, KUN attends different kinds of musical performances — from festivals to opera houses. “I just like to do everything, all for my music, all for my art,” he told I-D.
With such talent and dedication to music, it seems that KUN will continue to make his mark in the competitive Chinese music industry.
1.What do we know about KUN's newest single?
A.It earns him a birthday present.
B.It makes people feel happy and energetic.
C.It shows how he pursues his dream.
D.It combines jazz and electronic music.
2.What does KUN usually do to get inspiration for music?
A.He goes to music shows.
B.He talks to famous singers.
C.He attends music classes.
D.He finds melodies in his dreams.
3.Which would best describe KUN?
A.Courageous and patient.
B.Talented and humorous.
C.Hardworking and creative.
D.Optimistic and outgoing.
Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
你校准备为高三学生开展一次普及上海历史知识的活动，现有两个方案征求大家意见:
1.学校组织学生集体驱车前往上海市历史博物馆(Shanghai History Museum)，现场参观并聆听专业讲解员(professional museum guide)介绍上海历史，共计五小时；
2.学校邀请某知名大学历史教授到校以“上海历史”为主题做讲座，共计两小时。
请你以李华的名义向王校长写一封信，在信中谈谈你更偏向哪个方案，并说明理由。
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Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets.
1.他很少意识到与他人交流的重要性。(Seldom)
2.大学扩招了，这就意味着更多人能有机会接受高等教育。(access)
3.应该善待为国家做出巨大贡献的人，这样他们才能全身心投入到工作中去。(in order that)
4.这本漫画书内容新颖，价格合理，在此次书展上大受追捧，连老年读者都赞不绝口。(IT...)
Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.
It goes without saying that the language spoken by the majority of British people has the same name as the language spoken by most citizens of the U.S.A. Nonetheless, quite apart from well-documented lexical (词汇的) differences - pavement/sidewalk, lift/elevator, etc. - there are still some words and phrases which can cause confusion and misunderstanding between speakers of the two different forms. That's why some people say that Great Britain and the United States are nations separated by a common language. There are practical reasons for this.
When the first English settlers arrived in what we now call America, the language they spoke was naturally the same as that spoken by their compatriots (同胞) on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, However, they immediately saw things which didn't exist in Europe, often items used and made by Native Americans, such as canoes and moccasins and creatures such as buffalo. They also picked up words which they heard being used by other European immigrants. The word "boss", for example, was used by settlers from Holland in New York in the mid-17th century. It comes from the Dutch word "baas", which means master. The word "cookie" also comes from the Dutch "koekje".
There are many words, phrases and even grammatical structures which are mistaken for Americanisms (美式英语用语) in Britain when they are nothing of the sort. Very often, they represent not an American import, but an original form of British English which has disappeared in Britain. The verbs "guess" meaning think and "loan" meaning lend and the adjective "mad" meaning angry are frequently criticized as Americanisms, yet they all appeared in British English hundreds of years ago. In the case of "loan", it was used as long ago as 1,200 years! In fact, English spoken in the UK has changed so thoroughly in the last 500 years that American English now represents the last place where some original British English forms can be found.
Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.
When he rolls into a gas station to fill his tank, Barkhad Dahir doesn't get out of his car. He pushes a few buttons on his cellphone and within seconds he has paid for the fuel. With the same quick pushes on his phone he pays for almost everything he needs.
Electronic payments offer consumers convenience, provide profits for banks, credit card companies and payment processors and offer merchants improved cash flow and convenience. "I haven't seen cash for a long time. Almost every merchant even hawker (小贩) on the street accepts payment by cellphone. 1. " says Adan Abokora, a democracy activist.
Purchases are made by dialing a three-digit number, entering a four-digit PIN and then entering the retailer's payment number and the amount of money. Both customers and merchants receive text messages to confirm the payment. 2.For instance, the printing and handling of money is expensive. Cash payments can be anonymous (匿名的) and it is hard to track criminal activities conducted in secret. Many governments favor reducing cash dealings in order to better monitor and understand the activities of their citizens. The Swedish government has been discussing the removing of cash since 2010.
3.Do they choose to rob? Do they sit at home and wait? What happens to people who rely on their cellphones to process money dealings when cell service and the Internet are interrupted? A world affected by terrorism and increasingly violent weather may not yet be ready to abandon currency."
Other people fear that electronic payments may create security risks and enable dealings to be tracked and reported. 4.New technologies which balance and address these factors may enable people to remove cash.
A.There's no waiting for it and no counting of cash.
B.The system is impressively simple and secure.
C.Security is nothing to worry about with the procedures.
D.Clearing up cash payments has several advantages as well.
E.However, some people doubt what members of a cashless society will do when the power goes off.
F.Privacy security and convenience are all important factors in the adoption of electronic payment technology.
