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  3. Mankind’s fascination with gold is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Egyptians esteemed gold, which had religious signi

Mankind’s fascination with gold is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Egyptians esteemed gold, which had religious signi

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问题      Mankind’s fascination with gold is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Egyptians esteemed gold, which had religious significance to them, and King Tutankhamun was buried in a solid-gold coffin 3300 years ago. The wandering Israelites worshipped a golden calf and the legendary King Midas asked that everything he touched be turned into gold.
     Not only is gold beautiful, but it is virtually indestructible. It will not rust or corrode; gold coins and products fabricated from the metal have survived undamaged for centuries. Gold is extremely easy to work with; one ounce, which is about the size a cube of sugar, can be beaten into a sheet nearly 100 square feet in size, and becomes so thin that light passes through it , an ounce of gold can also be stretched into a wire 50 miles long. Gold conducts electricity better than any other substance except copper and silver, and it is particularly important in the modern electronics industry.
     People have always longed to possess gold. Unfortunately, this longing has also brought out the worst in the human character. The Spanish conquistadors robbed palaces, temples, and graves and killed thousands of Indians in their ruthless search for gold. Often the only rule in young California during the days of the gold rush was exercised by the mob with a rope. Even today, the economic running of South Africa’s gold mines depends largely on the employment of black laborers who are paid about-40 a month, plus room and board and who must work in conditions that can only be described as cruel. About 400 miners are killed in mine accidents in South Africa each year, or one for every two tons of gold produced.
     Great Britain was the first country to adopt the gold standard, when the Master of the Mint, Sir Isaac Newton. established a fixed price for gold in 1717. But until the big discoveries of gold in the last half of the nineteenth century-starting in California in 1848 and later in Australia and South Africa-there simply wasn’t enough gold around for all the trading nations to link their currencies to the precious metal.
     Historically, the desire to hoard gold at home has been primarily an occupation of the working and peasant classes, I who have no faith in paper money. George Bernard Shaw defended their instincts eloquently:" You have to choose between trusting to the natural stability of gold and the natural stability of the honesty and intelligence of the members of the government," he said, "and with due respect to these gentlemen, I advise you.., to vote for gold."
Until the big gold discoveries in the late nineteenth century ______.
选项 A、most nations adopted the gold standard
B、the trading nations were unable to get enough gold
C、gold coins were used by most nations
D、gold ceased to be an important metal
答案B
解析 直到19世纪后半期发现了大量的金子? A大多数国家采用了金子的标准；B做贸易的国家才能得到足够的金子；C金币用于大量的国家贸易中；D黄金才是重要的金属，这个题可以阅读第四段最后一句话发现B是正确的；也可以根据语法知识not…until…来确定B是正确的。
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