Question

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Counting before numbers

Before the invention of written numbers, people used many different ways to count things.

At first, people used their fingers, and even their toes. However, they could only count small numbers in this way.

After that, they began to make small marks on sticks and bones. This helped them count bigger numbers. They used them to count things like the days of a month, the amount of food and the number of animals they had.

Then people began to use tokens made from clay or small stones. This helped them count even bigger numbers. They often put the tokens on pieces of string so that they could carry them around easily. This developed into tools like the abacus.

Finally, people began to develop systems of written marks to show different numbers, and this led to the Hindu- Arabic system (0-9). We are still using this system today.

1.Did people use many ways to count things before written numbers were invented?

2.What did people use to count small numbers at first?

3.Why did people put the tokens on pieces of string?

4.How many ways of counting are mentioned(提到) in this passage?

5.Which appeared earlier, the abacus or tokens?

Answer

1.Yes, they did.

2.They used their fingers and even their toes.

3.In order to carry them around easily.

4.There are five.

5.Tokens.

【解析】

本篇介绍数字的发明过程。在没有数字之前，人们用手指、连同自己的脚趾计算，再来用棍棒和骨头制作一些小物件，依靠它们计算更大的数字；接着人们使用由粘土或小石块做成小物件，用来计算更大的数字，人们为了方便携带把它们穿成串儿，这就发展成了算盘。最后人们开始扩展文字系统，产生印度-阿拉伯数字。

1.根据第一段“Before the invention of written numbers, people used many different ways to count things.”，可知“在书面数字发明之前，人们用许多不同的方法计算东西”，故答案为Yes, they did.

2.根据第二段“At first, people used their fingers, and even their toes.”，可知“起初，人们用手指，甚至脚趾来计数”，故答案为They used their fingers and even their toes.

3.根据第四段“They often put the tokens on pieces of string so that they could carry them around easily.”，可知“他们经常把代币放在几根绳子上以便携带”，故答案为In order to carry them around easily.

4.根据文中“At first, people used their fingers, and even their toes；After that, they began to make small marks on sticks and bones. ；Then people began to use tokens made from clay or small stones；This developed into tools like the abacus. Finally, people began to develop systems of written marks to show different numbers”，可知“有五种计数方法”，故答案为There are five.

5.根据第四段“Then people began to use tokens made from clay or small stones….This developed into tools like the abacus.”，可知“代币比算盘早出现”，故答案为Tokens.