The history of English Coins

English coins have developed and changed over time. In the early 1600s' coins were made using the hammer struck method. Hammered coins or cast coins where the primary way coins were made and thus limited the number of coins that may be placed into circulation (流通). Hammered coins were made as far back as the first millennium BC with continued in use until the 1500s to the 1700s. English coins underwent a change in about 1663.

Hammered English coins were made using a blank quantity of metal that was the required weight and placing it between two dies. A die is a mold (模子) that allows the metal to get cut to a certain size and shape.The metal die contained an image that when hammered without delay would mold the image on each side of the coin. The unit was customarily place on a log or other firm surface which was known as a pile. One person held the die while a second person struck it.

There were several issues with this kind of coin making. For one thing, it was extremely slow and work in depth. Comparatively few coins might be made and placed into circulation. A second problem was that hammered coins had many irregularities. When several coins were placed together in a container and shaken about they were damaged as well. That is why older English coins might have chips(缺口) and rough edges.

During the 17th century hammered coins were replaced with milled (轧有花边的) coins. While France was the first country to start producing coins that were made entirely by machine, Britain wasn't far behind. Britain, in fact, began to manufacture coins on a trial basis in the mid?1500s, but it wasn't until the end of 1662 that English coins were made completely by machine.

The screw press (螺旋压力机) was the first machine to produce coins as an alternative to hammered coins. Leonardo da Vinci was the person who invented the screw press in the 15th century. It was powered by a water mill. Early on efforts were made to protect the coins by edging. You'll see that English?made coins have milled edges.

Milled English coins were much more standard in size and shape as well. The speed at which milled coins could be created allowed the coin circulation to grow and a greater number of coin types to be developed.

English coins were used in this country during the royally period. Hammered coins were produced and used up through the end of the 18th century and were given out across the colonies. English coins went through quite a lot of changes as can be seen in old coins that have been started in the US over time.

__1.__of English coins????????????? Time & Major Events

Hammered

coins????????????? ◆The hammer struck method used to make coins has a history dating back to the first millennium BC.

◆At least two people are needed to carry out the work, with one _2.__the die and the other striking it.

◆__3._：

◆The number of coins made and placed into circulation this way was _4.__.

◆Older English coins were quite __5._，with many having chips and rough edges.

◆Such coins were placed into circulation across the colonies and __6._ in use through the end of the 18th century.

Milled coins????????????? During

the 15th

century????????????? ◆Leonardo da Vinci _7.__the screw press, the 1st machine to produce coins.

????????????? In the

mid?1500s????????????? Britain __8._manufacturing coins.

????????????? In the

17th

century????????????? ◆France became the first country to start producing coins made entirely by machine，_9.__ by Britain, whose machine?made coins were featured by milled edges, but were more regular in size and shape.

◆The coin circulation began to grow.

◆Milled coins appeared as a(n) __10._ to hammered coins.

完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分,满分30分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55题各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

Most people make treehouses using a pile of wood, a hammer, and some nails. Mitchell Joachim, an architect from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has a(n) _36_ vision. He pictures a day when homes will be created from __37__.

Joachim's vision ___38__ an idea called pleaching (编织), where tree branches are grown so that they __39__ weave together. Since the growth patterns of trees are  _40_ by wind and sunlight, it may be __41_ to control the way a tree develops.

These Fabricated Tree House Habitats would use trees grown into shapes as housing. One of the __42_ of these designs is that trees would not have to be cut down __43_.

"A 100 percent treehouse would take _44_ to create," Joachim said．__45_ the climate, a house could take anywhere from 5 to 30 years to grow. Fortunately, there's a way to __46_ the process. Joachim suggests including __47_ materials such as sod (草皮), grasses and living branches in the housing designs. "This material would be able to move __48_ the house grows," Joachim said．

A home would become an actual ecosystem, a community of plants, animals, and bacteria working together. The trees would also give off water vapor that would assist in _49__ the homes. Solar panels and wind would help provide  _50__. The tree homes might even have soil pockets, __51_ plants could grow from the structure itself.

Work has already __52_ on Joachim's first design—a house made from 50 percent recycled and 50 percent living things. Joachim is confident about the __53__ of his work, as he uses natural products _54_ nature.

"The environment and its study are very important. We need to respect nature, don’t _55_," he said．

36．A．similar     B．excellent C．strange     D．different

37．A．living trees      B．small trees       C．living things     D．wild plants.

38．A．agrees with      B．is considered as      C．is based on     D．comes up with

39．A．luckily    B．naturally        C．partly      D．separately

40．A．effected   B．affected  C．attempted        D．intended

41．A．possible   B．impossible       C．important        D．necessary

42．A．designers        B．purposes C．disadvantages D．advantages

43．A．on purpose      B．for wood C．by chance        D．at ease

44．A．troubles   B．great efforts    C．a few months   D．years

45．A．Depending on B．Judging by      C．Protected from       D．Suffering from

46．A．speed up B．carry on   C．slow down       D．smooth away

47．A．compound       B．chemical C．ecological       D．industrial

48．A．for    B．as     C．so     D．because

49．A．cleaning   B．heating    C．cooling    D．lighting

50．A．food        B．energy     C．beauty     D．charming

51．A．where      B．which      C．that D．and

52．A．stopped    B．completed       C．controlled       D．begun

53．A．pleasure    B．happiness        C．benefit     D．importance

54．A．going against   B．without destroying C．by destroying     D．coming from

55．A．think you are it       B．do it ourselves        C．take it for granted    D．put it like this