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

Passage Thirteen (The Neutrality of American in the Early World War II)

The establishment of the Third Reich influenced events in American history by starting a chain of events which culminated in war between Germany and the United States. The compete destruction of democracy, the persecution of Jews, the war on religion, the cruelty and barbarism of the Nazis, and especially the plans of Germany and her allies, Italy and Japan, for world conquest caused great indignation in this country and brought on fear of another world war. While speaking out against Hitler’s atrocities, the American people generally favored isolationist policies and neutrality. The Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1936 prohibited trade with any belligerents or loans to them. In 1937 the President was empowered to declare an arms embargo in wars between nations at his discretion.

American opinion began to change somewhat after President Roosevelt’s “quarantine the aggressor” speech at Chicago (1937) in which he severely criticized Hitler’s policies. Germany’s seizure of Austria and the Munich Pact for the partition of Czechoslovakia (1938) also aroused the American people. The conquest of Czechoslovakia in March, 1939 was another rude awakening to the menace of the Third Reich. In August,1939 came the shock of the Nazi-soviet Pact and in September the attack on Poland and the outbreak of European war. The United States attempted to maintain neutrality in spite of sympathy for the democracies arrayed against the Third Reich. The Neutrality Act of 1939 repealed the arms embargo and permitted “cash and carry” exports of arms to belligerent nations. A strong national defense program was begun. A draft act was passed (1940) to strengthen the military services. A Lend Act (1941) authorized the President to sell, exchange, or lend materials to any country deemed necessary by him for the defense of the United States. Help was given to Britain by exchanging certain overage destroyers for the right to establish American bases in British territory in the Western Hemisphere. In August, 1940 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met and issued the Atlantic Charter which proclaimed the kind of a world which should be established after the war. In December, 1941, Japan launched the unprovoked attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor. Immediately thereafter, Germany declared war on the United States.

1.One item occurring before 1937 that the author does not mention in his list of actions that alienated the American public was

A.the burning of the Reichstag.

B.German plans for conquest.

C.Nazi barbarism.

D.the persecution of religious groups.

2.The Lend-Lease Act was designed to

A.help the British.

B.strengthen the national defense of the United States.

C.promote the Atlantic Charter.

D.avenge Pearl Harbor.

3.American Policy during the years 1935-1936 may be described as being

A.watchful.

B.isolationist.

C.peaceful.

D.indifferent.

4.The Neutrality Act of 1939

A.permitted the selling of arms to belligerent nations.

B.antagonized Japan.

C.permitted the British to trade only with the Allies.

D.led to Lend-Lease Act.

5.We entered the war against Germany

A.because Germany declared war.

B.because Japan was an ally of Germany.

C.after Germany had signed the Nazi-soviet Pact.

D.after peaceful efforts had failed.

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36-55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中选出最佳选项。?

During the years of depression(萧条), food and money were very hard to find and people had to trade things with each other.

One day I was   36   some potatoes from Mr Miller. I noticed a small poor boy hungrily   __37   a full basket of freshly picked green peas. Then I was _ 38   to see that Mr Miller sold the boy a bag of peas for just a marble (弹球).

Mrs Miller, who had been standing nearby,   39__ and told me that Mr Miller loved to trade with the three boys in the village for peas, tomatoes, and other things  _40   he didn’t really need any marbles. I left the stand, smiling to myself,   41   by this man.

Several years went by. One day I learned that Mr Miller had died. I took part in the funeral(葬礼), _ 42__  three young men. They came over to Mrs Miller, hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke with her and moved on, __43__ their eyes.

Our __44__ came to meet Mrs Miller. I mentioned __45_  she had told me about the __46__ . She told me, “Those three young men above were the boys I told you about. They just told me    how they appreciated the things Jim ‘_ 47 _ ’with them. Now, at last, they came to pay their debt.”

“We’ve _ 48__ had a great deal of the wealth in this world,” she __49__, “but right now, Jim would consider himself to be the __50__ man.”

Then she gently lifted the  _51_  fingers of her husband. Resting underneath were three red marbles.

At that time I realized that we would not be  _52   by our words, but by our kind  _53 _ . It is said that it takes a minute to find a  _54_  person, an hour to appreciate him, a day to love him, but an entire life to _55  him.

A.buying                   B. selling                      C. borrowing             D. hunting

A.reaching for         B. glancing at            C. staring at                  D. picking up

A. astonished              B. pleased                     C. annoyed                   D. worried

A.turned over             B. went over              C. came over                D. looked over

A.but                         B. otherwise                 C. or                            D. although

A.suspected             B. impressed                 C. regretted          D. embarrassed

A.discovering             B. watching           C. finding                     D. seeing

A.closing                   B. rolling                            C. cleaning                   D. wiping

A. time                   B. chance                      C. turn                         D. decision

A. the story          B. the proverb            C. the legend                D. the joke

A. marbles                B. men                         C. debt                         D. life

A. talked           B. traded                      C. shared                      D. left

A. ever                    B. always                         C. never                       D. seldom

A. laughed            B. cried                        C. sighed                      D. added    

A. honest                 B. happiest                   C. coldest                         D. richest

A. lifeless                 B. regretless                  C. useless                     D. hopeless

A. thought                B. touched                    C. remembered             D. affected

A. deeds                   B. things                      C. remarks                    D. rewards

A. strict                   B. honest                      C. special                         D. learned

A. ignore                 B. forget                      C. recognize                 D. remind

    Macao is only forty miles from Hong Kong and it is easy to reach. You can get there by sea. It is an interesting place and it had a long history. Macao is part of China and most people living there are Chinese.
The first Europeans to go to Macao came from Portugal. More than four hundred years ago the Portuguese went there to trade with China. Some settled and made their homes there. They built strong forts to guard the city and the harbor. They also built churches, schools, hospitals and other places. Slowly the city grew. People from many countries came to live and work in Macao.
Today many people visit Macao. Some only go there to watch dog-racing or motor-racing or to gamble with their money. But Macao is a quiet and peaceful place. It is pleasant just to walk around and look at old buildings and forts. You feel you are back in the old days. Of course, some of the buildings are now in ruins. The Church of St. Paul has only the front wall with many steps leading up to it. But it is still interesting to see.
When you are hot and tired, there are small cool gardens to rest in. When you are hungry, there are good restaurants with many kinds of food. Nearby there are some islands, which are also nice and are easy to get to. There is certainly a lot to do in Macao.
56. You feel in Macao you are back in the old days because_________.
A. most of the buildings are now in ruins
B. you can watch dog-racing or motor-racing
C. you can go about to see the old buildings and forts
D. it is a peaceful place
57. Where will you have a break when you feel worn out?
A. In good restaurants.                                       B. In small cool gardens.
C. On some islands.                                                        D. In beautiful parks.
58. The main idea of this passage seems to be that_________.
A. people from many countries came to live and work in Macao
B. Portuguese were willing to do business in China
C. people in Macao serve good food
D. Macao is a quiet and peaceful place with a lot to see and to do

During the years of depression(萧条), food and money were very hard to find and people had to trade things with each other.
One day I was  36  some potatoes from Mr Miller. I noticed a small poor boy hungrily   37  a full basket of freshly picked green peas. Then I was  38  to see that Mr Miller sold the boy a bag of peas for just a marble (弹球).
Mrs Miller, who had been standing nearby,   39_ and told me that Mr Miller loved to trade with the three boys in the village for peas, tomatoes, and other things  40  he didn’t really need any marbles. I left the stand, smiling to myself,   41  by this man.
Several years went by. One day I learned that Mr Miller had died. I took part in the funeral(葬礼),  42_  three young men . They came over to Mrs Miller, hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke with her and moved on, _43_ their eyes.
Our _44_ came to meet Mrs Miller. I mentioned _45   she had told me about the _46. She told me, “Those three young men above were the boys I told you about. They just told me  47  they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded ’with them. Now, at last, they came to pay their debt.”
“We’ve _48   had a great deal of the wealth in this world,” she _49_, “but right now, Jim wouldW#W$W%.K**S*&5︿U consider himself to be the _50_ man.”
Then she gently lifted the  51   fingers of her husband. Resting underneath were three red marbles.
At that time I realized that we would not be  52   by our words, but by our kind  53  . It is said that it takes a minute to find a  54  person, an hour to appreciate him, a day to love him, but an entire life to 55  him.