(单词翻译:单击)
Recording three.
录音三
Virtually every American can recognize a dollar bill at a mere glance.
几乎所有美国人一眼就能认出美元。
Many can identify it by its sound or texture, but few people indeed can accurately describe the world's most powerful, important currency.
许多人可以通过它的声音或纹理来识别它，但很少有人能真正准确地描述出这个世界上最强大、最重要的货币。
The American dollar bill is colored with black ink on one side and green on the other, the exact composition of the paper and ink is a closely guarded government secret.
美元钞票的一面是黑色墨水，另一面是绿色，纸张和墨水的确切成分是政府严格保守的秘密。
Despite its weighty importance, the dollar bill actually weighs little.
尽管美钞很重要，但它实际上并不重。
It requires nearly 500 bills to tip the scales at a pound.
需要近500张钞票才能重达一磅。
Not only is the dollar bill lightweight, but it also has a brief lifespan.
美钞不仅重量轻，而且使用寿命短。
Few dollar bills survive longer than 18 months.
很少有美钞能保存超过18个月。
The word "dollar" is taken from the German word "taler," the name for the world's most important currency in the 16th century.
“美元”一词来源于德语“泰勒”——16世纪世界上最重要的货币。
The taler was a silver coin first minted in 1518 under the reign of Charles the 5th, emperor of Germany.
泰勒是一种银币，于1518年德国皇帝查理五世统治时期首次铸造。
The concept of paper money is a relatively recent innovation in the history of American currency.
纸币这个概念是美国货币历史上一个相对较新的创新。
When the constitution was signed, people had little regard for paper money because of its steadily decreasing value during the colonial era.
当宪法签署的时候，人们很少重视纸币，因为在殖民时期纸币的价值在不断下降。
Because of this lack of faith, the new American government minted only coins for common currency.
由于缺乏这种信心，新的美国政府只铸造硬币作为通用货币。
Interest-bearing bank notes were issued at the same time, but their purpose was limited to providing money for urgent government crises, such as American involvement in the war of 1812.
同时发行有利息的银行票据，但是他们的目的仅限于为紧急的政府危机提供资金，比如美国卷入1812年的战争。
The first noninterest-bearing paper currency was authorized by congress in 1862, at the height of the civil war.
1862年，国会批准发行了第一种无息纸币，恰逢内战最激烈的时候。
At this point, citizens, old fears of devalued paper currency had calmed, and the dollar bill was born.
那时候，市民们对纸币贬值的恐惧已经平息，美元纸币随之诞生。
The new green colored paper money quickly earned the nickname "greenback."
这种新的绿色纸币很快获得了“美钞”这个绰号。
Today, the American dollar bill is a product of the federal reserve and is issued from the 12 federal reserve banks around the United States.
今天，美元钞票是美联储的产品，由美国各地的12家联邦储备银行发行。
The government keeps a steady supply of approximately 2 billion bills in circulation at all times.
政府始终保持着约20亿张流通钞票的稳定供应。
Controversy continues to surround the true value of the dollar bill.
围绕美元纸币的真正价值的争论仍在继续。
American history has seen generations of politicians argue in favor of a gold standard for American currency.
在美国历史上，几代政治家都支持美国货币的金本位制。
However, for the present, the American dollar bill holds the value that is printed on it and little more.
然而，就目前而言，美元钞票只持有它上面所印的价值。
The only other guarantee on the bill is a federal reserve pledge as a confirmation in the form of government securities.
美元唯一的其他担保是美联储以政府证券形式所做的抵押品。
22. What does the speaker say about the American dollar bill?
22. 关于美钞，说话者说了什么?
23. What does the speaker say about the exact composition of the American dollar bill?
23. 关于美钞的确切构成，说话者说了些什么?
24. Why did the new American government mint only coins for common currency?
24. 为什么新的美国政府只铸造硬币作为通用货币?
25. What have generations of American politicians argued for?
25. 几代美国政治家都在争论什么?
