20．Wealth starts with a goal and saving a dollar at a time．Call it the piggy bank plan．There are lessons in that historic coin-savings container （容器）．
Any difficult task seems easier when started from 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，to collect the 15，000cost，you have to save 3.93 a day．If you drop that into a piggy bank and then once a year put $1，434 in a savings account，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 connect 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 being rich．Around the world，many believe a gift of a piggy bank on New Year's Day brings good luck and wealth．
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，skillful workers made these inexpensive containers from an orange-colored clay （黏土）called"pygg，"and people then saved coins in pygg jars．As"pygg"pronounced much like the Middle English word"pigge"meaning"pig"，gradually，the two words changed into the same pronunciation．Once a clever worker made a pygg jar in the shape of a pig，pleasing children and adults．The piggy bank was born．
In the past，you had to break the bank to get the money，bringing in a sense of seriousness into savings．While piggy banks teach children the value of saving，adults often need to relearn childhood lessons．Think about the things in life that need a large sum of money-college education，weddings，starting a business，buying a home，and fun things like great trips．So when you have money，take off the top 10%，put it aside，save and use it wisely．
29．What is the piggy bank plan？B
A．Setting a goal before making a travel plan．
B．Putting aside a little money regularly for future use．
C．Hav ing determination even when doing small things．
D．Climbing a mountain a little a day before reaching the top．
30．Why did the writer's parents give him a piggy bank as a gift？A
A．To help him develop the habit of saving．
B．To encourage him to climb mountains．
C．To please him with the latest fashion．
D．To teach him English pronunciation．
31．The piggy bank was firstD．
A．a pig-like toy for children
B．a worker's tool
C．an animal-look dish
D．a cheap clay container
32．The las t paragraph talks aboutB．
A．the enjoyment of taking a great trip
B．the importance of managing money
C．the difficulty of starting a business
D．the seriousness of educating children．
分析 这是一篇记叙文．本文主要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 答案：BADB．
29：B．细节理解题．根据短文第二段的意思可知，如果你想要什么东西，你可以定期地往你的小猪存钱罐里放入一些钱，直到你能攒够，去买你想要的东西．故B选项正确．
30：A．推理判断题．根据短文my parents gave me a piggy bank to teach me that，if I wanted something，I should save money to buy it可知，作者的父母送给了他一个小猪存钱罐作为礼物，这样作者想要什么东西的话，就要自己慢慢存钱来买．所以这样就可以帮助他养成一个存钱的习惯．故A选项正确．
31：D．细节理解题．根据In the Middle Ages，before modern banking，skillful workers made these inexpensive containers from an orange-colored clay （黏土）called"pygg，"and people then saved coins in pygg jars…可知，很久以前，还没有现在的银行的时候，人们在家里攒钱，把一颗颗硬币放在一个用黏土制成的罐子里．后来慢慢演变成了现在的存钱罐．故D选项正确．
32：B．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．故B选项正确．
点评 阅读理解考查对文章的理解能力．在通读全文的基础上，读清题干，看清楚选项，在文章找出选项对应的位置，选出正确答案．
