Question

Nearly everyone agrees that money doesn’t buy as much as it used to, no matter when you want to spend it. This is certainly true of the paper money that passes so quickly through one’s hands. But what about coins that seem to do very little except stay in purses and pockets? Unlike notes, metal money becomes more valuable the longer it is held, especially if it is put away where it won’t get scratched or worn. Why is this? One reason is that coins, being more durable, fall more readily into a category for collectors. Naturally, the rarer gold pieces must become more valuable as the price of this metal goes up.

But, curiously, one of the rarest coins in the world is not made of gold, but of the relatively cheaper silver. In 1840, the United States mint (造幣廠) struck 19570 silver dollars. That is what its records show. Today only six of this original number remain and these are unlikely ever to reach the auction (拍賣) market. So what happened to some 19564 large silver coins, not the easiest sort of things to lose? One of the more romantic theories is that they were part of the payment to Napoleon for the American land then known as Louisiana. But they never reached France. Somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship transporting them was sunk, either by a storm or by pirates. The probable answer to the mystery is that they were melted down — since the silver value was greater than the actual value of the coin. What really happened to the rest will probably always remain a mystery. What is known is that whoever can come up with one will find himself instantly rich.

1.We can learn from the passage that _______.

A. money buys as much as it did before

B. money does not buy as much as it did before

C. paper money buys more than metal money

D. metal money buys more than paper money

2.Which of the following is true of a coin?

A. The longer it is held, the less valuable it becomes.

B. The more it wears out, the more valuable it becomes.

C. The less it gets scratched, the less it values.

D. The longer it lasts, the more it values.

3.According to this passage, one of the rarest coins in the world is made of _______.

A. silver B. gold

C. copper D. paper

4.Coins become more valuable because _______.

A. they stay in purses and pockets

B. the price of metal goes up

C. they fall more readily into a category for collectors due to their duration

D. Both B and C

5.What really happened to some 19564 large silver coins?

A. They were melted down.

B. They were sunk in the Gulf of Mexico.

C. It is still a mystery.

D. They were stolen by pirates.

 

Answer 1

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.D

5.C

【解析】

試題分析：本文提到錢已經(jīng)不象過去那樣值錢，一些硬幣的價值開始上升， 不僅僅因為他的收藏性還因為原料的價格上升而上漲，提到在1840年，美國生產(chǎn)19570銀幣，只有六個最初的編號存在，其它成為一個謎。

1.B 細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段提到Nearly everyone agrees that money doesn’t buy as much as it used to, no matter when you want to spend it幾乎每個人都知道今天的錢已經(jīng)不象以前那樣值錢了，故選B項。

2.D 細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第根據(jù)第一段One reason is that coins, being more durable, fall more readily into a category for collectors. Naturally, the rarer gold pieces must become more valuable as the price of this metal goes up.可知年代越久，越有價值，故選D項。

3.A 細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段提到But, curiously, one of the rarest coins in the world is not made of gold, but of the relatively cheaper silver可知是由銀做的，故選A項。

4.D 細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段提到Why is this? One reason is that coins, being more durable, fall more readily into a category for collectors. Naturally, the rarer gold pieces must become more valuable as the price of this metal goes up.一個原因是因為他的耐用性而得到收藏，二是金屬的價格會上升，故選D項。

5.C 細節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)最后一段提到Today only six of this original number remain and these are unlikely ever to reach the auction (拍賣) market.只有6個編號還在，其它的不可能出現(xiàn)，再根據(jù)What really happened to the rest will probably always remain a mystery.故選C項。

考點：日常生活類閱讀。