In discussion of technological changes,the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells(细胞) are the basic units of all living things,and until recently,scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond 120 years because the basic materials of cells,such as those of brain cells,would not last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100,medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so,people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs(器官). The medicine,made up of the basic building materials of life,will build new brain cells,heart cells,and so on-in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence,but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.
1. According to the passage,human death is now mainly caused by ________.
A.diseases and aging | B.accidents and war |
C.accidents and aging | D.heart disease and war |
A.the Internet | B.medicine |
C.brain cells | D.human organs |
A.heart disease will be far away from us |
B.human brains can decide the final death |
C.the basic materials of cells will last forever |
D.human organs can be repaired by new medicine |
A.Over 100 years. |
B.More than 120 years. |
C.About 150 years. |
D.The passage doesn’t tell us. |
2 . Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let’s make believe (假设;虚构) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.
Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment (娱乐) of young and old.
What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven’t yet started to take on heir (继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.
Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.
Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.
People are now largely vegetarians (素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animals decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.
Such would be our life in 2060.
1. According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?A.Many tourists. | B.Many other animals. |
C.Many plants. | D.A sea. |
A.Biscuits in pill form. | B.Foods in pill form. |
C.Foods in water form. | D.Foods in gas form. |
A.there are fewer population | B.there are more pests |
C.there is less water | D.the crops are getting better |
A.Because they don’t eat meat. |
B.Because doctors advise them not to eat meat. |
C.Because the number of animals decreases. |
D.Because all the animals have died of diseases. |