7．Wealth starts with a goal and saving a dollar at a time．Call it the piggy bank strategy（策略）．There are lessons in that time-honored coin-saving container．
Any huge task seems easier when reduced to baby steps．If you wished to climb a 12，000-foot mountain，and could do it a day at a time，you would only have to climb 33 feet daily to reach the top in a year．If you want to take a really nice trip in 10 years for a special occasion，to collect the 15，000cost，youhavetosave3.93 a day．If you drop that into a piggy bank and then once a year put $1，434 in a savings account at 1% interest rate after-tax，you will have your trip money．
When I was a child，my parents gave me a piggy bank to teach me that，if I wanted something，I should save money to buy it．We associate piggy banks with children，but in many countries，the little containers are also popular with adults．Europeans see a piggy bank as a sign of good fortune and wealth．Around the world，many believe a gift of a piggy bank on New Year's Day brings good luck and financial success．Ah，but you have to put something in it．
Why is a pig used as a symbol of saving？Why not an elephant bank，which is bigger and holds more coins？In the Middle Ages，before modern banking and credit instruments，people saved money at home，a few coins at a time dropped into a jar or dish．Potters（制陶工） made these inexpensive containers from an orange-colored clay（黏土） called"pygg，"and folks saved coins in pygg jars．The Middle English word for pig was"pigge"．While the Saxons pronounced pygg，referring to the clay，as"pug"，eventually the two words changed into the same pronunciation，sounding the"i"as in pig or piggy．As the word became less associated with the orange clay and more with the animal，a clever potter fashioned a pygg jar in the shape of a pig，delighting children and adults．The piggy bank was born．
Originally you had to break the bank to get to the money，bringing in a sense of seriousness into savings．While piggy banks teach children the wisdom of saving，adults often need to relearn childhood lessons．Think about the things in life that require large amounts of money---college education，weddings，cars，medical care，starting a business，buying a home，and fun stuff like great trips．So when you have money，take off the top 10%，put it aside，save and invest wisely．
21．What is the piggy bank strategy？D
A．Paying 1% income tax at a time．
B．Setting a goal before making a travel plan．
C．Aiming high even when doing small things．
D．Putting aside a little money regularly for future use．
22．Why did the writer's parents give him a piggy bank as a gift？C
A．To delight him with the latest fashion．
B．To encourage him to climb mountains．
C．To help him form the habit of saving．
D．To teach him English pronunciation．
23．What does the underlined word"something"（Paragraph 3）most probably refer to？A
A．Money
B．Gifts
C．Financial success
D．Good luck
24．The last paragraph talks aboutC
A．the seriousness of educating children
B．the enjoyment of taking a great trip
C．the importance of managing money
D．the difficulty of starting a business．
分析 这是一篇记叙文．这篇短文给我们讲述的是小猪银行策略，即存钱罐定期地存钱，这样不仅可以让孩子养成攒钱的好习惯，对于成年人来说，为以后的生活定期地存钱也是很有意义的．
解答 41．D．细节理解题．根据短文第二段的意思特别是最后一句"If you drop that into a piggy bank and then once a year put $1，434in a savings account at 1% interest rate after-tax，you will have your trip money．"每年把1434美元储蓄账户利率税后1%，你会有你的旅行的钱可得出提示．
42．C．推理判断题．根据短文第三段的第一句"When I was a child，my parents gave me a piggy bank to teach me that，if I wanted something，I should save money to buy it．"可得出提示．这样就可以帮助他养成一个存钱的习惯．
43．A．词义猜测题．根据这个单词所在的句子和这一段的内容可知，有了存钱罐，你可以慢慢攒钱，买你想要的东西，当然，你必须得往里放钱．所以这里的something指的就是钱．故选A．
45．C．段落大意题．根据短文最后一段的内容可知，这一段讲述的是我们用存钱罐攒钱的意义是什么，他不仅可以使孩子养成存钱的习惯，而且对于大人们来说，为以后的生活定期地存钱也是很有意义的．
点评 题目涉及多道细节理解题，做题时结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析，结合选项选出正确答案．推理判断题也是要在抓住关键句子的基础上合理的分析才能得出正确答案，切忌胡乱猜测，一定要做到有理有据．
