1 . Life will probably be very different in 2050. First of all, it seems that TV channels will have vanished by 2050. Instead, people will choose a programme from a “menu” and a computer will send the programme directly to the television. By 2050, music, films, programmes, newspapers and books will come to us in the similar way.

In many places, agriculture is developing quickly and people are growing fruit and vegetables for export. This uses a lot of water. Therefore, there could be serious shortages of water. Some scientist predict that water could be the cause of wars if we don’t act now.

In the future, cars will run on new, clean fuels (燃料) and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed and there won’t be any accidents. Today, many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to your destination. Also, by 2050, space planes will fly people from Los Angeles to Tokyo in just two hours.

Some big companies now prefer to use robots that do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and work 24 hours a day. They are also easy to control. And they never argue with people. They can be easily used in a variety of places — factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes.

Scientists will have discovered how to control genes (基因). Scientists have already produced clones (克隆) of animals. By 2050, scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look and how they behave. Scientists will be able to do these things, but should they?

2 . “We are running out of space and the only places to go to are other worlds... Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I’m convinced that humans need to leave the earth.” These are the words of the famous scientist Stephen Hawking, spoken at a science festival in Norway in 2017, a year before his death.

Hawking was not alone in this view. Many experts feel that the only way for humanity to last far into the future is to colonise (移民于) other planets. That way, if a terrible disease, nuclear war or some other disasters strike the earth, civilisation as we know it would still have a chance. Mars is one of the most attractive destinations. NASA, the United Arab Emirates, the private company SpaceX, and the organisation Mars One all have plans to send humans there. “Either we spread the earth to other planets, or we risk going extinct,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said at a conference in 2013.

But not everyone agrees that colonising Mars or any other planet is such a great plan. The most common argument against going is that it’s just too expensive or dangerous. It will take huge amounts of money and other resources just to get people there,let alone set up a place for them to live. It’s not even clear if humans could survive on Mars. One of the biggest dangers is its deadly radiation that ruins the planet.

Maybe all the time and money people would pour into a Mars mission would be better spent on more urgent projects here on Earth, like dealing with poverty or climate change. Some experts argue that handling a problem like an asteroid (小行星) strike or a disease outbreak while staying here on Earth would be much easier and less expensive than surviving on a new planet.

In addition, moving to a new planet could harm or destroy anything that already lives there. Mars seems uninhabitable, but micro-organisms could exist on Mars. Human visitors may destroy these lives or permanently change or damage the Martian environment. Some feel that’s too much of a risk to take.

People gathered at the US National Zoo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first pandas from China. “Pandaversary” was the main event of a six-month series of events arranged by the zoo.

Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing arrived 50 years ago,     1     was one of the most meaningful     2     (outcome) of President Richard Nixons significant visit to China in 1972. Now, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their youngest cub, Xiao Qi Ji,     3     (be) in the zoo. Their other cubs, Bao Bao and Bei Bei, were returned to China several years ago

Pandas are the symbol     4     friendships. Fifty years of cooperation between the United States and China on panda conservation     5     (accomplish) truly remarkable achievements. The panda is no longer an     6     (endanger) species. The Chinese Ambassador to the United States thanked the zoo for making Washington a wonderful home for pandas. “And     7     successful story of panda conservation is a very good example of China and the United States, which shows the     8     (possible) that we can cooperate to work together, not only in the area of panda conservation, but we can achieve more in other areas     9     (benefit) our two peoples,” said he. “So I wish pandas lived a happy life forever in DC, and we are looking forward to     10     (far) cooperation. ”

Have you ever forgotten to lock the door of your house or switch off the TV? These kinds of things often happen to us,     1     may lead to serious problems. However, in the near future, we will be living in smart homes that will lock the door and switch off the TV     2     (automatic). These smart homes will provide us     3     a comfortable environment.

Your home will learn your daily routine and     4     (preference), so everything will be ready for you when you get home each evening. For example, lights will come on     5     (instant) you enter the door along with your favourite music. All controls will respond to voice commands, so you just say     6     you want and the home system will obey. Besides, it will give you suggestions on a     7       (healthy) diet and how     8     (sleep) better.

This smart technology is not     9     fantasy. Nevertheless, it will take some years     10     most new homes begin to use it.

When I think about what makes Christmas so magical, it’s not just gifts and Father Christmas     1     come to mind. It’s also my memory of Granny. I can well remember the last Christmas Granny     2     (spend) with us. On a cold, windy day, Granny moved in. She was very sick. Somehow, I failed to notice it. Granny made     3     effort to help me with my letter to Father Christmas. With her hand     4     (slight) shaky, she wrote “Father Christmas, the North Pole” on the envelope.

In December, we made sugar biscuits, stuffed the turkey and sang Christmas songs. Granny had     5     (patient) to sing my favorite part over and over again. Granny watched as we put up the Christmas tree. I was the one     6     hung most of the decorations on the branches.

On Christmas morning, I was on my best     7     (behave) as we opened the presents. Later, Granny called me over. “I have something special for you,” Granny     8     (whisper). It was a music box with a ballet dancer inside. After breakfast, as I played outside, Granny stayed inside by the fire. I remember     9     (catch) her eye through the window. I called and asked her to join us, but she just waved. Lunch was late, but it was a loud and exciting affair. There was a lot of laughter.

A few weeks after that Christmas, Granny passed     10    . I think of her often. Each Christmas, I always make a G-shape sugar biscuit in memory of Granny and take out the music box, which is also a reminder of Granny.

9 . For four long years, Owen Connors had to spend his Saturday afternoons playing rugby(橄榄球) at school. He’d be out there in all weathers. As a teenager, he _________Saturdays.

The boy would walk home in the dark,_________ in mud(泥浆) and frozen to the bone. So, imagine his_________when he opened the door of the family’s small house to be_________by the delicious aroma(香味) of Guinness pie. Outside, the cold wind was blowing, and the cold rain was_________the windows. But in the_________kitchen, Owen and his parents would_________the homemade pie with mashed potatoes(土豆泥) _________.

“It was the exact_________of standing on a field in the rain and wind,” says Owen, who now works as an editor. “It was the__________of home and it felt like a warm hug.”

For some reason, Owen had__________really fitted into Dublin society. So after graduation from college, he left his hometown in search of a(n)__________life. On a short visit to Munich, he felt a sudden__________ to stay. He can remember thinking: “This place is__________— it’s clean, safe, near the mountains and lakes.”

Owen doesn’t eat Guinness pie very often in Munich. Recently he tried to make one with his mum and daughters — it was a(n)__________! Three generations shared the food of his childhood.

“I’d like to show my kids more of that kind of food,” Owen said.