1 . What if we had the power to control time, instead of moving from the past to the present to the future? What if we could jump, loop and travel through time in a machine? What if we could go wherever and whenever we pleased?
This ability would allow us to witness historic wonders, change decisions and see people from the past. We could right wrongs and stop wars from starting.
The mysterious puzzle of time has kept people debating its nature for hundreds of years. Science fiction writers have turned it into imaginative stories. Some scientists have even attempted to explain it using math. This math tries to make the dream of time travel come true.
The scientist Albert Einstein said that time and space are one thing. He called it “spacetime.” Einstein said that there are three dimensions in space: height, width and depth. A scientist named Hermann Minkowski added time as a fourth dimension.
Einstein introduced two ideas that have led to theories about the possibility of time travel. The first is relativity. The idea of relativity is that the force of gravity causes space to bend, which causes time to twist. The second idea focuses on special relativity. The idea is that a traveler moving super-fast through flat spacetime will enter the future. Einstein considered time “relative” because it is measured based on where we are on Earth or in space.
Stephen Hawking is a famous scientist. He believes that a time machine will never be built. If it were possible, he thinks we would already know. If a time machine could be built, how come no one from the future has invaded us?
The first science fiction story with this theme is The Clock That Went Backward by Edward P. Mitchell, which was published in 1881. Since then, thousands of books, films and television shows have explored the idea of time travel, in which some tools such as phones, watches, photographs and old books take travelers backward and forward.
Will time travel ever happen? Who knows? Most important is to keep your eyes open and have a sense of wonder.
1. What is the author’s purpose of writing the first paragraph?| A．To show time and space are connected. |
| B．To show people’s interest in time travel. |
| C．To draw readers’ attention to time travel. |
| D．To make people believe time travel is possible. |
| A．Time travel is possible in the future. |
| B．People can’t move faster than light. |
| C．Time travel is against scientific rules. |
| D．Spacetime is not a real thing in theory. |
| A．The first science fiction story. |
| B．Some tools used in time travel. |
| C．Edward P. Mitchell, the pioneer. |
| D．Different works about time travel. |
| A．cautious. | B．pessimistic |
| C．sceptical | D．optimistic. |
2 . “Big data” lives up to its name: We produce 2.5 quintillion bytes (字节) of data every day through the digital connections that link people, objects, and devices. Every email, text, post, online search and doctor’s visit contribute to big data.
Many believe it is. Stores are using it to improve our shopping experience.
Banks are also putting quite a lot of money into big data.
Health care is also seeing a marked difference. Data collection is helping to reduce preventable deaths, improve quality of life, predict and cure diseases.
Big data is still just getting started, but it already influences almost every area of our lives — mostly attempts to make them better. By 2021, there will be 200 billion connected devices.
| A．It’s even used in cancer research. |
| B．But is big data really making a difference? |
| C．Why is big data important to your business? |
| D．Over $20 billion were spent on data analysis in 2016. |
| E．Without big data analysis, companies are blind and deaf. |
| F．And we’re predicted to produce 1.7 million bytes of data per person, per second. |
| G．Data analysis enables stores to predict popular products and ensure competitive pricing. |
3 . Want to get your package delivered via robots? Now there’s an app for that. If you live in Washington D.C., or Redwood, you may have glimpsed a small, boxy robot rolling along a local sidewalk, minding its own business, but attracting the attention of many curious onlookers.
The autonomous machines were part of a pilot program last year by Starship Technologies focusing on delivering meals from local restaurants in dozens of cities around the world. This week, the company unveiled plans to broaden its delivery service beyond food to include package, a move that led it to declare itself “the world’s first robot package delivery service”. The next time you order food, this cute robot might roll up to deliver it. The package delivery service is not available to everyone yet.
The wheeled robots have a top speed of 4mph and can detect obstacles from 30 feet away. “The robot can operate through anything,” Nick Handrick, head of operations for Starship’s D.C. office, sad, “If you had something in the way-a stick –it’s able to climb sticks.”
To sign up for the service, which costs a little more than $10 per month, customers need to download the company’s app. Customers then create a “Starship Delivery Address”, a unique address inside a Starship facility, where they can have package sent from places such as Amazon.com. Once a package is delivered to the Starship address, customers receive a text notification that allows them to schedule a home delivery via robot. The robots are opened by customers via a mobile phone code.
Barriers exist for robotic ground delivery, with many states requiring that humans be in control of delivery robots. Those regulations haven’t stopped Starship Technologies from accumulating experience on streets around the globe ahead of the company’s latest launch. The company says its robots have covered more than 125,000 miles in more than 100 cities in 20 countries.
1. What can we know about the robotic delivery?| A．It is part of a trial project by Starship Technologies. |
| B．The robotic delivery is available to everyone at present. |
| C．You can use the service free of charge via smart phones. |
| D．The robots are opened by customers with a text notification. |
| A．Revised. | B．Released. | C．Restored. | D．Reset. |
| A．The good news of the service. |
| B．How the robotic delivery works. |
| C．The disadvantages of the robotic delivery. |
| D．Robotic delivery develops despite challenges. |
| A．New Robot Was Invented | B．Wheelless Robots Are on the Way |
| C．How Robots Deliver Packages | D．Packages Will Be Delivered by Robots |
4 . For centuries, people have moved to and lived in cities. These urban centres are places to find work, friends and fun. It's no surprise that they continue to grow as more and more people flood in hoping to make the most of the chances they offer but adding to the congestion and pollution that already exist.
According to a report by the United Nations, 54 percent of the world's population lives in urban areas and it predicts that by 2050,this figure will have increased to around 70 percent. But as more and more people move from the countryside to the city to get better chances, they can end up with nowhere to live.
This is true in places such as Rio de Janeiro, where the people from the countryside can't rent or buy a home,and they end up building their own communities and houses on unoccupied land. These are called shanty towns— poor communities where the houses are built out of cheap materials—and often don't have any electricity or water supply.
These are, of course, not the future cities we want to see. Some serious urban planning is needed to make our cities of the future good, safe and modern places to live in. This involves improving the housing conditions, the chances for education and employment and so on.
Something urban planners are looking at now is the creation of“smart cities”. According to John Rossant, founder and chairman of the non-profit organisation New Cities Foundation, technology is the way forward. He thinks that it's generally accepted that “cloud computing, ubiquitous Internet, robust 5G networks etc, will change our cities”. He says technology is really “a game changer” in urbanization (城市化). It would collect large amounts of data about how a city is working and may improve how a city functions.
1. Why will a larger population be living in a city by 2050?| A．Because the government encourages the development of cities. |
| B．Because more people will have more children. |
| C．Because the countryside will disappear. |
| D．Because more people will move into the city to get more good opportunities |
| A．They have good quality housing built for poor people. |
| B．They are filled with people living under poverty. |
| C．They are built by the government. |
| D．They are developed and modern. |
| A．Traditional cities. | B．Future cities. |
| C．Smart cities. | D．Developing cities |
5 . Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and younglooking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people at your age could live to 150, so at 40, you're not old at all. And your parents just had an antiaging (抗衰老的) treatment. Now, all three of you look the same age!
You say to your shirt, "Turn red." It changes from blue to red. In 2035, "smart clothes" contain particles (粒子) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed (编程) to change your clothes' color or pattern.
You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says, "You shouldn't drink that!" Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk, and it knows the milk is old. In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip.
It's time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your "smart car" where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology" is all around you.
So will all these things come true? "For new technology to succeed," says scientist Andrew Zolli, "It has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already." The Internet is one example—what will be the next?
1. We can learn from the text that in the future .| A．people will never get old | B．everyone will look the same |
| C．red will be the most popular color | D．clothes will be able to change their pattern |
| A．Milk will be harmful to health. |
| B．More drinks will be available for sale. |
| C．Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information. |
| D．Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer. |
| A．Food and clothing in 2035. | B．Future technology in everyday life. |
| C．Medical treatments of the future. | D．The reason for the success of new technology. |
6 . Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people at your age could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging(抗衰老的) treatment. Now, all three of you look the same age!
You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles(粒子) much smaller than the cells(细胞) in your body. The particles can be programmed to change your clothes’ color or pattern(样式).
You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says,“ You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk , and it knows the milk is old . In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip.
It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.
So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed,” says scientist
Andrew Zolli ,“it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?
1. We can learn from the text that in the future__________.| A．people will never get old |
| B．everyone will look the same |
| C．red will be the most popular color |
| D．clothes will be able to change their pattern |
| A．Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information. |
| B．More drinks will be given for sale. |
| C．Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer. |
| D．Milk will be harmful to health. |
| A．Cars will be able to drive automatically(自动地). |
| B．Fridges will know what people need. |
| C．Jacket sleeves can be used as a guide. |
| D．Nothing can replace the Internet. |
| A．Food and clothing in 2035 |
| B．The reason for the success of new technology. |
| C．Medical treatments of the future. |
| D．Future technology in everyday life. |
For all the technological wonders of modern medicine, health care-with its fax machines and clipboards(写字板)—is out of date. This outdated era is slowly drawing to a close as the industry catches up with the artificial-intelligence ( AI) revolution.
Eric Topol, an expert in heart disease and enthusiast for digital medicine, thinks AI will be particularly useful for such tasks as examining images, observing heart traces for abnormalities or turning doctors' words into patient records. It will be able to use masses of data to work out the best treatments, and improve workflows in hospitals. In short, AI is set to save time, lives and money.
The fear some people have is that AI will be used to deepen the assembly-line culture of modern medicine. If it gives a “ gift of time” to doctors, they argue that this bonus should be used to extend consultations, rather than simply speeding through them more efficiently.
That is a fine idea, but as health swallows an ever-bigger share of national wealth, greater efficiency is exactly what is needed, at least so far as governments and insurers are concerned. Otherwise, rich societies may fail to cope with the needs of ageing and growing populations. An extra five minutes spent chatting with a patient is costly as well as valuable. The AI revolution will also enable managerial accountants to adjust and evaluate every aspect of treatment. The autonomy of the doctor will surely be weakened, especially, perhaps, in public-health systems which are duty-bound to cut unnecessary costs.
The Hippocratic Oath(誓言) holds that there is an art to medicine as well as a science, and that “warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug”. There's lots of sense in it: the patients of sympathetic physicians have been shown to recover better. Yet as the supply of human carers fails to satisfy the demand for health care, the future may involve consultations on smartphones and measurements monitored by chatbots. The considerately warmed stethoscope (听诊器) ,placed gently on a patient's back, may become a relic of the past.
1. What's Dr Topol's attitude toward AI's coming into medicine?| A．Concerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Optimistic. | D．Cautious. |
| A．Medical costs. | B．National wealth. |
| C．Longer consultation. | D．Greater efficiency. |
| A．To prove the bright future of AI. |
| B．To show the advantage of a human doctor. |
| C．To explain medical equipment is more important. |
| D．To argue a human doctor performs as well as a robot. |
| A．Health care and AI | B．AI and its applications |
| C．Doctors and Patients | D．Dr Topol and digital medicine |
1.家庭：
2．工作：
3.业余生活。
注意：1.词数100左右：
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯：
3.开头语已为你写好。
I often imagine what my life will be like in the future._______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
9 . In the far future, robots live on Earth as humans but the population of humans is smaller than a thousand. This is a story of a repair robot R-62.
One day, a car came to the repair factory and a human stepped out of the car.
“Wow, a human! I have never seen a real one,” said R-62.
“Humans are quite clever. They’re able to do any action they want to. They’re even able to harm other human beings or organize wars, which they have been doing a lot in the history. Also they don’t even have to follow orders if they don’t want to,” said another robot T-59 quietly to R-62.
“How terrible it is! And almost all robots seem afraid of him and don’t look at him directly,” said R-62.
The human then sat down and asked if there had been any problems in the last 10 years and he only got a quick answer, “No, sir.”
Then suddenly, R-62 said loudly, “I have one question for you.”
The human said, “Yes”, a bit unhappy for not getting “sir”.
“Why do human create so many robots?” asked R-62.
Silence followed the question and he then said, “I don’t need to answer questions from robots!” He then went into his car and drove away quickly.
“I really don’t understand why humans replaced (取代)themselves with robots,” asked R-62.
“Because they thought that robots were more advanced(先进的) than humans. They created us to support themselves,” answered T-59.
“But there are so few humans on Earth. What they should do is take away the robots or at least make them stop doing the work which humans are supposed to do,” said R-62.
“I agree. But we can do nothing about it. And now we have to finish repairing this car,” said T-59.
“All right, let’s continue.”
1. In T-59’s opinion, humans are ________.| A．stupid | B．polite |
| C．dangerous | D．smart |
| A．dared not look at the human directly | B．decided to give up its job |
| C．was not friendly to the human | D．hope to live on Earth |
| A．R-62 doesn’t know what human beings look like. |
| B．T-59 knows a lot about human beings. |
| C．T-59 doesn’t want to support human beings. |
| D．R-62 and T-59 are brothers and do different jobs. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Excited. |
| C．Frightened. | D．Supportive. |
10 . What will man be like in the future—in 5000 or even 50,000 years from now? We can only make guesses, of course, but we can be sure that he will be different from what he is today, for man is slowly changing all the time.
Let us take an obvious example, Man, even five hundred years ago, was shorter than he is today. Now, on averse, men are about three inches taller. Five hundred years is a relatively short period of time, so we mayassumethat man will continue to grow taller. Again, in the modern world we use our brains a great deal. Even so, we still make use of only about 20% of the brain’s capacity. As time goes on, however, we shall have to use our brains more and more, and eventually we shall need larger ones! This is likely to bring about a physical change too: the head, in particular the forehead, will grow larger. Nowadays our eyes are in constant use. In fact, we use them so much that very often they become weaker and we have to wear glasses. But over a very long period of time it is likely that man’s eyes will grow stronger.
On the other hand, we tend to make less use of our arms and legs. These, as a result, are likely to grow weaker. At the same time, however, our fingers will grow more sensitive because they are used a great deal in modern life.
But what about hair? This will probably disappear from the body altogether in course of time because it does not serve a useful purpose any longer. In the future, then, both sexes are likely to be bald (光秃的).
Perhaps all this gives the impression that future man will not be a very attractive creature to look at! This may well be true. But in spite of all these changes, future man will still have a lot in common with us. He will still be a human being, with thoughts and emotions similar to our own.
1. The passage mainly tells us that ________.| A．humans needn’t wear glasses in the future |
| B．man’s life will be different in the future |
| C．future man will look quite different from us |
| D．man is growing taller and uglier as time passes |
| A．predict | B．think |
| C．pretend | D．know |
| A．future life is always predictable(可预测的) |
| B．human beings will become less attractive in the future |
| C．less use of a bodily organ (器官) may lead to its degeneration (退化) |
| D．human beings hope for a change in the future life |
| A．colour and height | B．size and appearance |
| C．thought and observation | D．thought and emotion |
