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 (造币厂) 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 (拍卖) 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】

试题分析：本文提到钱已经不象过去那样值钱，一些硬币的价值开始上升， 不仅仅因为他的收藏性还因为原料的价格上升而上涨，提到在1840年，美国生产19570银币，只有六个最初的编号存在，其它成为一个谜。

1.B 细节理解题。根据第一段提到Nearly everyone agrees that money doesn’t buy as much as it used to, no matter when you want to spend it几乎每个人都知道今天的钱已经不象以前那样值钱了，故选B项。

2.D 细节理解题。根据第根据第一段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，越有价值，故选D项。

3.A 细节理解题。根据第一段提到But, curiously, one of the rarest coins in the world is not made of gold, but of the relatively cheaper silver可知是由银做的，故选A项。

4.D 细节理解题。根据第一段提到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.一个原因是因为他的耐用性而得到收藏，二是金属的价格会上升，故选D项。

5.C 细节理解题。根据最后一段提到Today only six of this original number remain and these are unlikely ever to reach the auction (拍卖) market.只有6个编号还在，其它的不可能出现，再根据What really happened to the rest will probably always remain a mystery.故选C项。

考点：日常生活类阅读。