单选题 Dollars and cents are the basic units of American money. The back of all dollar bills are green (hence "greenbacks"). The commonly used coins are: one cent(penny), five cents(nickel), l0 cents ( dime), and 25 cents (quarter). 50 pieces ( half dollar) and silver dollars ( not really silver anymore) are gaining in usage, while there has been talk of phasing out the penny--that's inflation for you. "Always early plenty of quarters when travelling. Very useful for phones, soda machines, laundry machines, etc." There is generally no problem in using U. S. dollars in Canada, but this is never possible in reverse.
It's useful always to carry small change for things like exact fare buses, but do not carry large sums of cash. Instead keep the bulk of your money in travellers' cheques which Can be purchased both in the US and abroad and should be in dollar denominations. The best known cheques are those of American Express, so you will have the least difficulty cashing these, even in out of the way places. Thomas Cook travellers' cheques are also acceptable, especially as lost ones can be reclaimed at Some car rental companies. Dollar denomination cheques can be used like regular money. There's no need to cash them at a bank: use them instead to pay for meals, supermarket purchases or whatever. Ten or twenty dollar cheques are accepted like this almost always and you'll be given change just as though you'd presented the cashier with dollar bills. Be prepared to show I. D. when you cash your cheques.
Credit cards can be even more valuable than travellers' cheques, as they are often used to guarantee room reservations over the phone and are accepted in lieu of deposit when renting a car--indeed without a credit card you may be considered so untrustworthy that not only a deposit but your passport will be held as security too. The major credit cards are VISA, Master Charge and Access, Diners Club and American Express. If you hold a bank card, it could well be worthwhile to increase your credit limit for travel purposes--you should ask your bank manager.

单选题 Why is it useful to carry enough 25-cent coins with you?
A. They can act as small change for the exact bus fares.
B. There is generally no problem in using them in Canada.
C. As a basic unit of money, they are gradually gaining in usage.
D. They may come in handy for pay phones or laundry machines.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。在文中第一段最后明确提出了25美分硬币的各种用途,其中包括“在付电话费或者洗衣机费用的时候会用上”。所以D项正确。
单选题 It is not necessary to carry cash instead of dollar travellers' cheques because the latter can be ______.
A. used for phones, bus fares and hotel reservations
B. exchanged easily, even at car rental companies
C. used like credit cards, even in remote areas
D. used to pay in restaurants and big stores
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 释义题。文章第二段倒数第三句说“…use them instead to Day for meals,supermarket purchases or whatever.”其中them指代cheques。可知支票可以用来支付餐馆和商店的费用。故选D。
单选题 The phrase "in lieu of" (line 2, paragraph 3 )most probably means " ______."
A. on behalf of B. instead of C. with regard to D. in line with
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 推理题。破折号后面的文章说到如果不使用信用卡出租公司会收取订金还会扣留护照,说明如果有信用卡的话公司就不会另收订金,可以总结信用卡的作用是代替订金。故选B。
单选题 Which of the following statements is true?
A. One-cent coins have been withdrawn from circulation.
B. Dollar bills are as convenient as credit cards.
C. Credit cards have more advantages than travellers' cheques.
D. You can increase your credit limit as you like.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 判断题。由文章最后一段第一句话“Credit cards can be even more valuable than travellers' cheques…”,可知信用卡比旅行支票更具价值,这与C项表述一致。
单选题 This passage is most probably taken from ______.
A. a tourist guide B. a handbook on U.S. currency
C. a booklet about car rental D. a bank brochure
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 这道题考查考生的推理能力。从全文来看,文章介绍了货币、支票和信用卡的用途,所以A、C断章取义,说法不合题意。而B强调的是货币,以偏概全。a bank brochure的意思是“一本银行的小册子”,所以只有D符合文意。