节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2013-11-29
难易度:High
关键字:swap, royalty, shell out, unearth, barter, cowrie shell
Today we're talking about Money Down Through the Ages.
So far we've learned that money has not always been used.
There was a time before money.
That's quite surprising.
But empires were built, like the Incan Empire, and they didn't use any money.
They had all they needed provided by the Incan royalty in exchange for service.
So the men would work, and then the Incan royalty would give them all that they
needed.
Well, we still have a lot more to learn about the history of money.
Let's continue on to the next section: Shell it out.
(Music).
Money Down Through the Ages.
Shell it out.
People around the world used cowrie shells as currency.
This began in China, possibly as early as the 16th century B.C.
Cowrie shells were still used in Africa in the 20th century, making them the
world's longest and most widely used currency.
Moving to metal.
Many ancient civilizations used precious metals like gold and silver as money.
At first they measured the metals by weight, but then they began creating coins.
The earliest known coins, which were unearthed in modern-day Turkey, date back
to the 7th century B.C.
OK, let's go back to the beginning of this section.
It's called Shell it out.
And before we continue, that's a phrase from our Word Bank.
To shell out something, that means to pay for something.
What else can you shell out?
Well, you usually hear this phrase talking about money.
So you might say: I had to shell out a lot of money in order to get these great
concert tickets.
They were worth it, but they were expensive.
I shelled out over $1,000 for my flight to Mexico just last month.
But it was a great trip.
And of course you might shell out a lot of money to repair something like your
car or your scooter.
The idea of shelling out is the idea of paying, but it seems kind of negative.
Nobody likes to shell out a lot of money.
That's right.
But that is not what we are talking about here.
We are talking about actual shells.
And we read: People around the world used cowrie shells as currency.
Well, that is a very interesting form of money.
Yeah, that's right, a cowrie shell.
Some are big, some are a little smaller.
These little cowrie shells, maybe you've seen them before.
There are so many, I guess so many so you could use them as currency.
Well, this began in China, possibly as early as the 16th century B.C.
That's a long time ago, 16... 1600 B.C., that's almost 3,600 years ago.
Yeah.
Well, it is quite a long time ago.
And you see those letters there: B.C.
They are very important in telling you when this happened.
And Steve and Ken have some more information for us about that in the Info
Cloud.
B.C. is an abbreviation for Before Christ.
And A.D. is short for Anno Domini, which is Latin for year of our Lord.
It's the Western world system of keeping time based on Jesus Christ's life here
on Earth.
OK. A few centuries back, some people decided that using this notation wasn't
fair to people outside the Christian faith.
They felt there should be a system of marking time that was religiously neutral.
And so came the B.C.E. and C.E. system.
B.C.E. means Before the Common Era.
It corresponds to B.C.
C.E. means Common Era.
And it corresponds to the A.D. notation.
This religiously neutral notation has gained wide approval but it, too, is
controversial.
Right.
Some argue that other religious belief systems are still heavily represented in
the Western calendar.
Remember all the Pagan gods in the names of our months and days?
So if we really want to be fair to people of other religious beliefs, shouldn't
we neutralize those as well?
Well, today, the two systems co-exist.
You'll find the neutral notation in almost all American textbooks and scientific
literature.
However, guides like my AP Stylebook still endorse the traditional B.C. and A.D.
notation.
(Chinese).
Thank you, guys.
Well, Jesus certainly did have a big impact on history and the way we see time.
Well, let's continue here learning about cowrie shells.
Cowrie shells were still used in Africa in the 20th century (just last century),
making them the world's longest and most widely used currency.
OK. So 3,600 years, that's how long cowrie shells were used.
That's very impressive for just one single form of currency to be used and not
just in one place.
Africa, China, many different places used cowrie shells.
Continuing on to the next section: Moving to metal.
Many ancient civilizations used precious metals like gold and silver as money.
At first they measured the metals by weight, but then they began creating coins.
So they started out just measuring them, weighing them.
And eventually they made them into coins so they were all about the same size,
and you didn't need to weigh them anymore.
That's right.
Well, of course this makes a little more sense.
We still know the idea and the value of silver and gold today. OK.
So of course people would be using metals like this as currency.
Now the earliest known coins, which were unearthed in modern-day Turkey, date
back to the 7th century B.C.
All right.
Let's take a look at a word from our Word Bank: unearth.
Unearth, that means to dig something up.
It was, well, it was in the ground or in the earth, and now you've dug it up.
That's right.
So it has come out of the ground.
And we usually hear this when we're talking about artifacts or things that are
very old that get unearthed somewhere after they've been buried for a long time.
Well, right now it is time for us to enjoy a review skit about this lesson.
And then we'll spend some time with Michelle in the Language Lab.
Wow! Look at that! Laptops.
Hey, that's pretty cool.
I think I want one.
Yes. Everyone wants a laptop.
They are very popular.
All right! I'll take one.
I'll give you... er... oh, 50 chickens for it.
50 chickens?
What will I do with 50 chickens?
All right, all right. I'll get it for just 40 chickens.
No... I... I don't want any chickens.
You don't want my chickens?
Well, uh, how about a cow?
I got one outside. Or goats?
No, no. I don't want to barter.
I don't want to trade things.
You won't swap something?
No. I don't barter. I'm sorry.
OK, OK. How much is it?
How many shells?
Oh, so now you want to give me shells?
Yes, cowrie shells.
How many do I have to shell out for the laptop?
I don't want any.
You can't pay with shells.
But these are cowrie shells.
Cowrie shells are accepted around the world.
Well, not here. I'm sorry.
All right.
Oh! Well, then take this.
(Background Noise).
This... this bag is heavy.
What's in here?
Metal. This bag is filled with iron.
I don't want iron.
I want money!
Money?
What kind of money?
Cash, dollar bills.
Oh... But I don't have any of that.
Then give me your credit card, like... this.
You take a plastic card?
I think you should take my chickens.
(Music).
OK.
(Chinese).
And now let's see what our teachers are doing.
Well, I've enjoyed learning a lot about today's money, Money Down Through the
Ages.
Hey, Carolyn.
OK, Gabe, um...
What are you doing?
Well, we've been talking about bartering today.
And I think that we should swap.
Swap?
Um, yes, yes. You see I have um, these shells.
And I was wondering if I could trade these shells for that smartphone.
Oh, no, no, no. Carolyn, I said 20 chickens for this smartphone.
Well, how about the shells and a chicken leg?
Nope, not doing it.
No? What about if I add a fish?
Nope.
Um... a dinosaur?
A dinosaur?
A dinosaur.
Yeah, maybe. No.
Gabe, come on now.
Dinosaurs are so ancient.
I have a sheep.
A sheep?
A sheep! I will add a sheep, plus the dinosaur, the fish, the chicken leg and
the shells.
Carolyn, I'm sorry.
Twenty chickens or no deal. I'm not...
Or a cow!
A cow?! Carolyn, you brought everything.
Yes.
I'm sorry. Um, listen, we're going to continue talking about this in a moment.
Thank you for joining us here today, friends.
We will continue learning about Money Down Through the Ages next time at Studio
Classroom.
See you.