What will the city of the future look like? No one knows for sure, and making predictions is a risky business. But one thing is certain － they are going to get bigger before they get smaller. In the future, care for the environment will become very important as earth’s natural resources run out. We will use lots of
To find out
Garbage ships To get rid of garbage problems, the city will load huge spaceships with waste materials and send them towards the sun,
Forget smoking No smoking will be allowed within a future city’s
Batman Nets Police will arrest
Telephones for life Everyone will be given a telephone number at birth
Recreation All forms of recreation, such as cinemas, bowling, softball, concerts and others will be provided free
Cars All cars will be powered by electricity, solar energy or wind, and it will be possible to change the colour of cars at the flick of a switch.
2 . 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 |
3 . Do you want to live another 100 years or more？Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span.
“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生),”said Michael Zey，a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. “I think by 2075 we will see it and that's a conservative estimate（保守的估计）.”
At the conference in San Francisco，Donald Louria,a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nano technology（纳米技术）make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. “There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said. “Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.”
However, many scientists who specialize in aging are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less diseases, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.
Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live." It remains to be seen if you pass 120, you know; could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life？" said Leonard Poon，director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre." At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all."
1. By saying “we are knocking at the door of immortality”, what does Michael Zey mean?| A．they believe that there is no limit of living |
| B．they are sure to find the truth about long living |
| C．they have got some ideas about living forever |
| D．they are able to make people live past the present life span |
| A．people can live from 120 to 180 years |
| B．it is still doubtful how long humans can live |
| C．the human body is designed to last past about 120 years |
| D．it is possible for humans to live longer in the future |
| A．a great push | B．the idea of living from 200 to 300 years |
| C．the idea of living beyond the present life span | D．the conservative estimate |
| A．Living Longer or Not | B．Science，Technology and Long Living |
| C．Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living | D．No Limit for Human Life |
What will the home of the future look like? A team of architects in Hong Kong say that city homes will be tiny, as populations continue to grow and space becomes more expensive.
They have designed “space flats” with just 30 square meters in size as the houses in the following years. These flats have several small rooms: a living room, a bathroom and a bedroom, but everything is carefully planned to make good use of the limited space.
The living room is the main room of the flat. It can be used as an office, a kitchen or even a second bedroom. There is a sofa that can be changed into a bed. The dining table can be changed into a computer desk. And, if not needed, both the sofa-bed and the table can be folded and put away. There is a flat-screen TV, which can also serve as a computer monitor. In one corner of the room, a small cooker, a microwave oven and a mini-refrigerator are hidden out of sight. The other rooms are small but practical. The bathroom contains a toilet and a shower. The double bed in the bedroom can also be transformed into a sofa, if required.
“Space flats” are wonderful and they are now being tested in a building in Hong Kong. It is believed that “space flats” will be improved to be our future homes.
1. According to the architects, why will city homes be tiny?(no more than 10 words)2. How many rooms does a “space flat” have?(no more than 1 word)
3. How can we deal with the sofa-bed and the table if we don’t need them?(no more than 8 words)
4. According to the passage, list 3 kinds of kitchen equipment in the flat.(no more than 10 words)
5. What do you think of the “space flats”? Give your reasons.(no more than 20 words)
5 . 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 could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging medicine. 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 to change your clothes’ color.
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 that contains information about the milk, and it knows the milk is out of date. In 2035, every article of food in the 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 Zoll, “it has to be so much better than it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?
1. In 2035, many people could live to be 150 because of ________.| A．the magical mirror |
| B．the magical food |
| C．the good scientists |
| D．the better medical technology |
| A．mirror | B．clothes |
| C．food | D．cars |
| A．everyone will look the same |
| B．people will never get old |
| C．clothes can change the color by themselves |
| D．people can get fresh milk anytime from the fridge |
| A．Food and Clothing in 2035 |
| B．Welcome to Your Future Life! |
| C．Medical Technology of the Future |
| D．What Will Be the Next? |
注意：1.文中不得透露个人姓名、班级或学校名称；
2.词数100左右；
3.标题给出，不计入总词汇。
| Future schools | |
| Students | All ages from anywhere |
| Courses | More courses to choose from Offered on the Internet |
| Buildings and equipment | Modern Run by computer Easy to use |
| Ways of learning | At school or at home Choose teachers |
| Activities | Many different kinds |
| School life | Richer and more interesting |
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7 . NextFest is an unusual exhibition where you can meet the most creative minds and discover new technology from around the world and see the things that will change the way we live, work and play in the future. For example,......
Brainball is a computer game with a difference: if you’re too competitive, you'll lose. The more relaxed you are, the better you play. Brainball measures your brainwaves and the person who is the most relaxed can push the ball to the other side and win. I’m sure it will be a popular game with yoga teachers and nervous parents everywhere.
If you’re interested in fashion, NexlFest can show you the clothes of the future—cloth which you can change by downloading styles from the web, clothes which look after your health and a biometric(生物测量的) suit which watches over your body and gives you medicine when you need it.
Another hit is a humanoid(类人的) robot which can walk, turn, climb up and down stairs—and even dance. Asimo copies human movement and is friendly-looking. Its maker, Honda, believes it will be a big help to blind or elderly people and to those who can’t get out of bed.
The Skyear looks as if it could only appear in a Hollywood film. It certainly lives up to its name: it can fly. It can climb at more than 2.000 metres a minute and reach a speed of 365 mph. If you want one, it will cost you about $500,000!
If you want to see the future, come to NexiFest. It’s open all this whole week at the State Science Exhibition Centre.
1. What should you do if you want to win a game of Brainball?| A．Keep a cool head. | B．Be strong enough. |
| C．Have a creative mind | D．Be highly competitive. |
| A．Direct human movement. | B．Look after human’s health. |
| C．Give patients medical treatment. | D．Help the elderly and the disabled. |
| A．It lasts five days. | B．It is held by Honda. |
| C．It is related to technology. | D．It sells clothes and medicine. |
8 . Some experts pessimistically believe that cars (motor vehicles) will inevitably be eliminated(淘汰）. They see a day in the not-too-distant future when all cars will be abandoned and allowed to rust. Other authorities, however, think the car is here to stay. They hold that the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable future.
The car will undoubtedly change significantly over the next 30 years. It should become smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.
Regardless of its power source, the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic jams. One proposed solution to this problem is the automated (自动 化的) highway system. When the auto enters the highway system, a retractable ( 可 伸缩的) arm will drop from the auto and make contact with a rail, which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically.
Once attached to the rail, the car will become electrically powered from the system, and control of the vehicle will pass to a central computer. The computer will then monitor all of the car’s movements.
The driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system. The computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway. The driver will then be free to relax and wait for the buzzer that will warn him of his coming exit. It is estimated that an automated highway will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway.
1. One significant improvement in the future car will probably be _____________.| A．its seating space | B．its speed |
| C．its monitoring system | D．its power source |
| A．How to make automobiles pollution-free. |
| B．How to solve the problem of traffic jams |
| C．How to make smaller and safer automobiles. |
| D．How to develop an automated subway system. |
| A．A rail. | B．An engine. |
| C．A retractable arm. | D．A computer controller. |
| A．keep in the right route |
| B．wait to arrive at his destination |
| C．inform the system of his destination by phone |
| D．keep in constant touch with the computer center |
Nobody knows for sure
10 . What will restaurants look like in the future? What would your dinner taste like if a robot cooked it? A robot restaurant in Tianjin may give you the answers.
Covering an area of over 400 square meters with a total of 112 seats, the X Future Restaurant is a robot restaurant opened in November 2018. The restaurant has amazed customers with its fully-automated(全自动的)technology, which covers every step of the dining experience, from ordering to cooking to serving the dishes and even taking payment.
Entering the restaurant, one can order dishes by simply scanning(扫描)the QR codes on the table. There are over 40 choices of dishes. After taking the order, "robot cooks" prepare dishes using fixed time, temperature and ingredients designed by famous Chinese cooks.
"As the cooking is controlled by a computer system, the taste and quality of dishes can be good, "said Li Xiaokui, manager of the X Future Restaurant.
Robots also complete the delivery of dishes. Without following any designed route, the robot waiters serve meals thanks to automated driving technology, which helps each robot timely change its route when something is in the way.
These eye-catching technologies have received wide praise from customers. "The dishes taste surprisingly good. I couldn't believe that they were made by robots, especially dishes that were difficult to cook" one customer said. "The application of robots has increased our efficiency(效率)and cut down our costs, "Li said, "I think robot restaurants will develop fast and have a bright future. "
1. What do we know about the X Future Restaurant?| A．It covers over 112 square meters with 400 seats. |
| B．Robot waiters deliver dishes following fixed routes. |
| C．Customers could enjoy fully-automated services |
| D．Robot cooks design dishes by themselves. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Doubtful. | C．Puzzled. | D．Worried |
| A．Robots Are Helpful in Many Restaurants. |
| B．Robots Cook Delicious Dishes like Humans. |
| C．A Robot Restaurant Was Opened in Tianjin. |
| D．The X Future Restaurant Has Become Popular. |
