Salt, shells or metals are still used as money in out-of-the-way parts of the world today.

Salt may seem rather a strange (31)____ to use as money, (32)_____ in countries where the food of the people is mainly vegetable, it is often an (33)_____ necessity. Cakes of salt, stamped to show their (34)____, were used as money in some countries until recent (35)_____, and cakes of salt (36)____ buy goods in Borneo and parts of Africa.

Sea shells (37)_____ as money at some time(38)____ another over the greater part of the Old World. These were (39)___ mainly from the beaches of the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean, and were traded to India and China. In Africa, shells were traded right across the (40)___ from East to West.

Metal, valued by weight, (41)____ coins in many parts of the world. Iron, in lumps, bars or rings, is still used in many countries(42)_____ paper money. It can either be exchanged(43)____ goods, or made into tools, weapons, or ornaments. The early money of China, apart from shells, was of bronze, (44)_____ in flat, round pieces with a hole in the middle, called "cash". The (45)_____ of these are between three thousand and four thousand years old - older than the earliest coins of the eastern Mediterranean.

Nowadays, coins and notes have (46)____ nearly all the more picturesque (47)____ of money, and (48)____ in one or two of the more remote countries people still keep it for future use on ceremonial (49)____ such as weddings and funerals, examples of (50)____ money will soon be found only in museums.

(31) A. object B. article C. substance D. category

(32) A. but B. and C. so D. even

(33) A. abstract B. advantageous C. abundant D. absolute

(34) A. weight B. value C. role D. size

(35) A. times B. events C. situations D. conditions

(36) A. even B. also C. still D. never

(37) A. had been used B. are used C. would be used D. would have been used

(38) A. and B. but C. yet D. or

(39) A. collected B. produced C. grown D. raised

(40) A. city B. district C. communib D. continent