Open World p 44

Do Ex 1

Do Ex 2

Script


Track 019

Did you know that the word salary derives from the Latin word for salt, salarium?

It may be one of the cheapest and most readily available items on your shopping list today, but salt has had a tremendous importance in economies across the world throughout history.

Due to legal restrictions in its production, it was precious enough to be welcomed as payment for wages as well as in trade.

I had always wondered why we say someone is ‘not worth his salt’ when we mean he is not good enough. So is that linked to salt being used to pay workers?

Another thing I learnt is that salt is still used as currency today among the nomads of the Danakil plains in Ethiopia.



Do Ex 4

Script


Track 020

The benefits of using seashells as currency were many: they are small, light, durable and easy to transport.

Perhaps the key advantage was that they have very specific shapes and distinctive textures, making forgery a challenge.

Apparently, China was the first to use them as currency, which surprised me as the cowrie shells came from places like the Maldives and other parts of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

I need to do some more research on how they managed to transport them so far.

One really fascinating fact is that the Chinese language still reflects this aspect of China’s history as words related to money contain the symbol for a cowrie shell!


Vocabulary:


cowrie: /ˈkaʊri/ a small shiny shell that was used as money in the past in parts of Africa and Asia.

Open World p 44. Forms of Currency. Sentence Selection. Listening

1. The idiom "not for all the tea in China" means not even for a great reward. ______

2. Tea was used as currency because the state controlled its production.  _____

3. Only the tea of highest quality could be used as currency. ______

4. The extras would help make a very appetising cup of tea. ______ 

5. The mobile phone airtime is commonly used as a form of currency. _______

6. Pre-paid mobile phone minutes allow people to get round legal restrictions. ______

7. The pre-paid mobile phone minutes can be exchanged for goods and services. _____

 

KEY

1. T

 

 

2. T

3. F (The bricks were of various sizes and qualities)

 

 

 

4. F (I don’t think they would have made a very appetising cuppa!)

 

 

 

5. F (In fact, it would be interesting to see how widespread this actually is.)

 

 

 

6. T  (It occurs because regulations affecting banks mean that account holders are not permitted to transfer money via their phones.)

 

 

 

7. T  (can also be even bartered for goods and services.)

 

Script

Track 021

Speaker 1: I’ve heard the expression ‘not for all the tea in China’ used to say there is no price high enough, but I didn’t realise it related to the time when tea was actually a form of currency.

From the 9th century onwards, the Chinese Emperor had a monopoly on tea, making it hard for ordinary people to get hold of and easier for his empire to oversee.

Tea bricks were produced in the Chinese province of Sichuan and transported in caravans of yaks and camels.

The bricks were of various sizes and qualities, the poorest quality ones containing extras like twigs, soot and wood shavings.

It’s not clear if these went on to be drunk but I don’t think they would have made a very appetising cuppa!

Speaker 2: This form of currency actually relates to the present day rather than to a period of history.

In many parts of Africa, pre-paid mobile phone minutes have been serving as de facto currency. In fact, it would be interesting to see how widespread this actually is.

It occurs because regulations affecting banks mean that account holders are not permitted to transfer money via their phones.

As up to 99.5% of connections are pre-paid in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda, users’ credit can be used for digital purchases such as games and song downloads.

The airtime can also be exchanged for cash with phone dealers or even bartered for goods and services.

 

get hold of: obtain.

E.g.

Can you tell me where I can get hold of a watch like yours?

You need to get hold of a copy of his birth certificate.

 

oversee: supervise.

E.g. 

United Nations observers oversaw the elections.

 

yak: an animal of the cow family, with long horns and long hair, that lives in central Asia.

 

twig: small branch.

 

soot: black powder that is produced when wood, coal, etc. is burnt. Sp. hollín.

E.g.

The fireplace was blackened with soot.

 

wood shavings: thin curly wood shavings used for packing or stuffing.

 

de facto: /ˌdeɪ ˈfæktəʊ/ 

existing in fact, although perhaps not intended, legal, or accepted. Sp. de hecho.

E.g. 

The city is rapidly becoming the de facto centre of the financial world. 

He's her de facto husband though they're not actually married. 

English is de facto the common language of much of the world today.
The general took de facto control of the country.

 

airtime: 

1) the amount of broadcasting time that a person, a subject, or an advertisement has on television or radio: 

E.g. 

advertising/radio/television airtime

2) the amount of time that is paid for when you are using a mobile phone.

E.g.

This deal gives you 180 minutes free airtime a month. 

barter: the system of exchanging goods, property, services, etc. for other goods, etc. without using money

E.g.

The islanders use a system of barter instead of money.