新标准大学英语4unit4Reading across cultures.ppt

What did the idea of punched round coins come from? What were the advantages of round coins? 3. Why was there a square hole in the middle of a coin? 1. What did the idea of punched round coins come from? inspired by a spinning wheel or a jade ring. Symbolic of the structure of the universe 2. What were the advantages of round coins? Easier to carry and use Attractive as symbols of sun and moon 3. Why was there a square hole in the middle of a coin? Provide unmistakable reference points for the inscription Allow the coin to be secured while being polished What does the character at the top and bottom refer to? The “period title” of the emperor under which the coin was cast. 2. What does the characters on the right and left refer to? They have the general meaning of “currency”. “通宝” refers to “universal currency” or “circulating currency”. France Germany Greece Ireland Portugal The creation of a single currency would virtually eliminate all the transaction costs and allow a free flow of money. The money saved from the elimination of transaction costs could be put into positive global needs, such as feeding the hungry or funding research to cure diseases. The introduction of a universal currency would eliminate the possibility of a currency epidemic, that is, a currency crisis in one nation has the potential to spread fear amongst its trading partners. A universal currency system without exchange rate volatility would ease the fears of creditor nations and might even encourage more lending between nations. The decision making at the central authority to control its monetary policy will be very difficult as it tries to balance the world economy as a whole at the expense of individual nations. The adoption of a universal currency would lead to a loss of individual identity. The process of selecting officials of a universal central bank and figuring out an appropriate amount of representation for each country will be sore points of contention. Classi