Advertising campaigns have, however, promoted a growing realization of the advantages of these small pieces of plastic. They obviate (避免) need to carry large amounts of cash and are always useful in emergencies.

　　All the credit card organizations charge interest on a monthly basis which may work out as high as 25 per cent a year, yet judicious purchasing using a card can mean that you obtain up to seven weeks, interest-free credit. Using the card abroad, where items frequently take a long time to be included on your account, can extend this period even further.

　　It is worthwhile shopping around before deciding on a particular credit card. It is necessary to consider the amount of credit granted; interest rates, which may vary slightly; the number and range of outlets, though most cards cover major garages, hotels, restaurants and department stores; and of course, what happens if your card is lost or stolen. A credit card thief may be sitting on a potential goldmine particularly if there is a delay in reporting the loss of the card.

　　However, if used wisely, a credit card can cost nothing, or at least help to tide you over a period of financial difficulty.

　　26. Which of the following can not make you spend more money?

　　A. Credit cards. B. Hire-purchase.

　　C. Rental and leasing schemes. D. None of the above is right.

　　27. The foolhardy are people who_______.

　　A. spend more money than they have B. spend less money than other people C. save money D. make money

　　28. The disadvantage of credit cards is_______.

　　A. to enable you to buy things without carrying large amount of cash

　　B. to encourage people to spend more money

　　C. to be always useful in emergencies

　　D. to help people tide over a period of financial difficulty

　　29. According to the passage, credit cards are made of_______.

　　A. paper B. gold

　　C. plastic D. tin

　　30. Deciding on a particular credit, you do not have to consider______.

　　A. the amount of credit granted

　　B. the number and range of outlets

　　C. the possibility of loss of money

　　D. the department stores where you are going to use your credit cards

　　Putting the Sun to Work

　　It's a hot summer day, and you, your family, and friends decide to drive to the beach for a cookout.

　　When you get to the beach, the sand and the rocks are so hot that they hurt your bare feet. You put on sneakers in a hurry. The water is so bright and shining in the sun that you can hardly look at it. While the charcoal (木炭) fire is starting to burn in the cookout stove, every one goes for a swim. The water feels good—warm at the top, but cooler down around your toes.

　　A little wind is blowing when you come out. The fire isn't quite ready for cooking yet, so you play tag (兒童捉人游戲) or read.

　　For lunch there are hot dog, corn, salad and rolls, sodas, fruit, and coffee for the adults. By the time the coffee water boils and the corn and hot dogs are cooked, all the bathing suits are dry. So are the towels spread out on the rocks, in the sun.

　　Lunch is good. Just as you are finishing, it starts to rain so you pack up and run. But nobody minds the rain. It will cool things off.

　　At the same time you were having fun at the beach, work was being done. Energy from the sun was doing work. Energy, in one form or another, does all the work in the world.

　　Heat energy from the sun dried the towels. It heated the sand and the rocks, the water and the air. It even made the rain and the wind. Heat from the sun does small work and big work, all over the earth.

　　Light energy from the sun was working on the beach too. It supplied the daylight.

　　It lit the earth and made the sand bright and the water sparkling.

　　The sun also supplied the energy that grew the food you ate.

　　Plants use light energy from the sun to make food for themselves. The food is a kind of sugar. It is also a kind of energy called chemical energy. Green plants change light energy from the sun into chemical energy.

　　Plants use some of that energy for everyday living and growing. They store the rest in their leaves and seeds, in fruit, roots, stems, and berries.

　　The salad and the corn, the rolls, fruit, and coffee all came from plants. You and all animals depend on plants for food.

　　The charcoal you used for cooking began as a plant too. Once, that charcoal was a living tree that used sunlight to make food and then stored part of the food it made. The energy in this stored food remained, even after the tree died. You used that energy when you burned the charcoal.