Comprehension passage - JSS1 English Language Lesson Note

Comprehension Passage: A History of Currency (adapted for Effective English, Unit 13, Page 169)

Imagine a world without coins or bills! In the past, people didn't carry around cash. They bartered, which means they traded goods directly. For example, a farmer might trade a sack of rice for a new pair of shoes from the cobbler.

This system worked for a while, but it became inconvenient. What if the farmer didn't need shoes, but the cobbler didn't want rice? This is where currency came in.

The first forms of currency were simple. People used things that had value, such as:

Salt: It was used for preserving food and was easy to transport.
Cowrie shells: These pretty shells were rare and valuable in many cultures.
Metals: Precious metals like gold and silver were eventually used because they were durable, valuable, and easy to divide into smaller pieces.
Coins emerged later. Made from precious metals, they were stamped with a design to show their value. This made trading much easier because everyone knew the worth of each coin.

Paper money came much later. It was first used in China around 700 AD. Paper money was lighter and easier to transport than heavy metal coins. However, it only worked if people trusted the government that issued it.

Today, we use a variety of currencies. We still have coins and bills, but we also use credit cards, debit cards, and even digital wallets for electronic payments.