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?
1. Which of the following best explains “vanished” underlined in paragraph 1?| A．Settled. | B．Spread. | C．Disappeared. | D．Decreased. |
| A．Robots can work in different places. |
| B．Robots have much to be improved. |
| C．Robots work for humans for free. |
| D．Robots have many advantages. |
| A．He probably disagrees with the idea of human cloning. |
| B．He is looking forward to using of cloning technology. |
| C．The scientists have already discovered how to control genes. |
| D．The scientists will face many difficulties of controlling genes. |
| A．High-tech Cars | B．Life in the Future |
| C．Is Cloning Really Good? | D．Are You Ready for the Future? |
2 . Since several organisations plan to put the first man on Mars by 2030, new trips to the Moon will take place around 2025. If you go to the Moon, you need a place to stay in. So what will it be like? Maybe the following article can give us some inspiration.
August 23, 2025—Today a new chapter in space travel was written. Rod Markham and his wife-to-be Susan Millster arrived safely on the Moon to spend 5 nights as the first guests at the Starbright Hotel that was set up for this purpose two years ago.
Not only are they the first hotel guests on the Moon, but they also set a new record for expensive accommodation since the price was $3.7 million per night, per person. However, the move from the Earth to the hotel is included in the price.
The hotel itself will probably have a hard time just to try to gain one star in any hotel rating system, because there is no room service. The guests have to do the cleaning of the room themselves and there is no bathroom in it. However. they have more stars than they need just outside their windows.
Rod and Susan will get married by linking their local minister in San Diego, California at 9:00 p.m. EST tonight, and the wedding will be broadcast live by several major TV networks in a 1-hour special report, including the preparations for the trip.
Six astronauts are along with them and during the stay they’ll set up further accommodations for the guests who have made reservations at the Starbright Hotel next year. The hotel has no employees, only some workers when guests stay at it.
1. What does the new chapter in space travel refer to according to paragraph 2?| A．That humans landed on Mars for the first time. |
| B．That the first hotel on the Moon was set up. |
| C．That the first hotel guests landed on the Moon. |
| D．That the hotel on Mars welcomed its first guests. |
| A．They can't find much help. |
| B．They will get five-star service. |
| C．They have to cook food themselves. |
| D．They can use the bathroom in their room. |
| A．It will last for an hour. |
| B．It can be watched live on the Earth. |
| C．A minister on the Moon will host it. |
| D．Their relatives and friends will be present. |
| A．Accept reservations from others. |
| B．Improve room service for the couple. |
| C．Look for several employees for the hotel. |
| D．Prepare accommodations for future guests. |
3 . Ian Mercer doesn’t set an alarm clock. The former Microsoft senior manager doesn’t check the weather, either. He doesn’t turn on lights, water the yard, or adjust the thermostat ( 恒温器 ). He doesn’t open the curtains, answer the phone, or call his children for dinner. There’s something unique about Ian’s home. He has programmed it to do all these things for him.
Ian doesn’t live in a typical home or have a typical lifestyle. He spent over a decade designing the systems that feature in his unique home. He bought a home automation software package and then improved it.
Now there are 79 sensors and monitors, and 48 light switches in his home. Lights turn on automatically in rooms with people in them. Even being out, Ian can also control his home remotely using voice commands or his phone in any location. That is only the beginning of what this home has been programmed to do.
It connects with online calendars, caller ID, online weather services, online address books, and email, among other things, to get Ian through his day. For example, if there is a meeting in Ian’s calendar, it will wake him up, open his bedroom curtains, start and set his shower to his desired temperature. It also informs Ian about traffic conditions.
There is plenty more this home has been programmed to do. It keeps him updated on his favourite sports teams and scores. It even monitors online activity to check that Ian’s children are doing their homework. The “dinner’s ready” command stops operation of their computers and TVs. This is easier than asking his children to shut them down.
Ian’s home is unique. Most homes are not this smart, but soon more homes will be technologically advanced.
1. What makes Ian’s home unique?| A．Having more furniture than usual. |
| B．Being programmed with smart software. |
| C．Creating a traditional atmosphere for Ian. |
| D．Working automatically without Ian’s order. |
| A．He invented the home automation software. |
| B．He devoted years to improving the systems. |
| C．He is seeking to control his home remotely. |
| D．He failed to monitor his children’s homework. |
| A．Smart homes are future trends. |
| B．Ian’s home is far from satisfaction. |
| C．Technology of the smart home is too expensive. |
| D．Homes smarter than Ian’s can be found everywhere. |
4 . You’ve heard the predictions from some of the brightest minds about AI’s influence. Tesla and SpaceX’s chief Elon Musk worries that AI is far more dangerous than nuclear weapons. The late scientist Stephen Hawking warned that AI could serve as the “worst event in the history of our civilization” unless humanity is prepared for its possible risks.
But many experts, even those who are aware of such risks, have a more positive attitude, especially in health-care and possibly in education. That is one of the results from a new AI study released Monday by the Pew Research Centre.
Pew canvassed the opinions of 979 experts over the summer, a group that included famous technologists, developers, innovators, business and policy leaders. The interviewed experts, some of whom chose to remain anonymous, were asked to join in the discussion of a serious and important question: “By 2030, do you think it is most likely that advancing AI and related technology systems will improve human capacities and control them?”
Nearly two-thirds of experts predicted most of us will be mostly better off. But a third thought otherwise, and a majority of the experts expressed at least some concerns over the long-term impact of AI on the “essential elements of being human”. Among those concerns were data abuse, loss of jobs and loss of control brought by autonomous weapons and cybercrime. Above all, by taking data in and spitting answers out, those “black box” tools make decisions in digital systems. It is an erosion in our ability to think for ourselves.
1. Why is Stephen Hawking mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To warn humans to give up AI as soon as possible. |
| B．To remind readers that a new AI age has come into view. |
| C．To prove great scientists care much about the future of AI. |
| D．To introduce the main idea of the text that AI benefits the future. |
| A．Most experts are certain that AI will be out of control. |
| B．Pew asked experts from different fields for opinions. |
| C．Pew concludes that humans will suffer from AI. |
| D．33% of experts think AI will have little impact on humans. |
| A．Because they make decisions in digital systems. |
| B．Because they can take data in and spit answers out. |
| C．Because they may weaken our ability to think independently. |
| D．Because they may decrease humans’ welfare in the long term. |
| A．Experts’ concern about AI. | B．Humans’ being controlled by AI. |
| C．Experts’ Expectation of AI. | D．AI’s influence on society. |
5 . Life on Mars: Is it really possible?
Now that Curiosity is beaming back Earth-like pictures of Martian landscape, the old question raises its head: Could man and woman ever go there? The answer is very definitely yes. There are a number of practical challenges to overcome first, however. There are differences between Earth and Mars, but also a number of similarities.
Phobos and Deimos
Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a polar magnetic field. Scientists believe that the two Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, are little planets.
For the annual IGEM or International Genetically Engineered Machines competition, students around the world attempt to make living cells perform new tasks. In preparation for the human colonization of Mars, seeds and organic matter would have to be transported from Earth to begin growing plants and establishing a food supply.
Super-sized Bees
Plants need pollinators as well as water, and the best pollinator on Earth is the humble bee-and entire hives would be transported to Mars.
Overcoming Challenges-Opening Possibilities
There will be other challenges to overcome, for example, the effect on the human body of living in a field with low gravity.
| A．IGEM |
| B．The next question is: Could man colonize Mars? |
| C．Once there, the insects would be let loose among the plants. |
| D．However, all kinds of other interesting things will be happening. |
| E．But these are already issues for astronauts living on the International Space Station. |
| F．They do not have the stabilizing effect on the spin of the planet like the moon has upon Earth. |
| G．Mars has Earth-like seasons and the planet surface is abundant in minerals essential for plant growth. |
Life on Mars
Some people believe humans could live on the planet Mars by the year 2100. Our own planet, the Earth, is becoming more and more crowded and polluted because of the rapid increase in population.
Among all the fast growing science and technology, the research of human genes, or biological engineering as people call it, is drawing more and more attention now. Discussions about it are increasingly heated around the world.
The greatest thing that gene technology can do is to cure serious diseases that doctors at present can almost do nothing with, such as cancer and heart disease. Every year, millions of people are murdered by these two killers. And to date, doctors have not found an effective way to cure them. But if the gene technology is applied, not only these two diseases can be cured completely, bringing happiness and more living days to the patients, but also the great amount of money people spend on curing their diseases can be saved. Therefore, it benefits the economy as well. In addition, human life span( 寿命) can be prolonged.
Gene technology can help people to give birth to more healthy and clever children. Some families have genetic diseases. This means their children will for sure have the family disease, which is a great trouble for these families. In the past, doctors could do nothing about genetic diseases. But gene technology can solve this problem perfectly. Scientists just need to find the wrong gene and correct it, and a healthy child will be born.
Some people are worrying that the gene research can be used to create human beings in large quantities. In the past few years, scientists have succeeded in cloning animals such as mice, sheep, and dogs; therefore, these people predict that human babies would soon be cloned( 克隆) and that it would be beyond control, leading to some disastrous consequences. But many believe that cloned babies will not come out in large quantities, for most couples in the world can have babies in a very normal way and they also believe the governments will control gene technology and make laws to make sure the gene technology will help improve our lives instead of harming us.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8 . Have you ever run out of coffee or tea? Found no eggs in the fridge? No bread for the sandwich and the nearest shop is too far away? Well, all that can change in the future.
If all goes well, the intelligent future kitchen will soon help solve all your problems. In the future, all kitchen units will be connected to the Internet. The intelligent future kitchen will give wise advice on planning your menu for the day. Worried about your weight?-- It will tell you the right diet and what is good for your health. It will even keep in mind your likes and dislikes!
Designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this smart kitchen promises to pay attention to all your needs. The computer’s system will help keep an “eye” on the fridge. If the fridge is empty, the kitchen will automatically call and place an order at the local supermarket. So you don’t have to worry about it at all.
You get home late, and don’t know what to make from the collection of ingredients (原料) in your fridge. A while back you might have ordered a take-out but now, instead of worrying about eating a collection of this and that, you’re excited. You can pull out each vegetable, and pass each one in front of a web camera next to your fridge. A few moments later, a screen on your fridge would display a tasty recipe.
After dinner, you take your plates to a box next to the sink. You don't have to clean them, your machine does. It produces new plates every time you need to eat. Later in the evening, you phone your other half, who is on a business trip half-way around the world. As you drink your cup of hot coffee, it makes your other half’s cup change color on the other side of the world, another special way to keep in touch.
1. The problem mentioned in the first paragraph will be solved ______.| A．by the intelligent kitchen itself |
| B．by finding a good housekeeper |
| C．after you call the supermarket |
| D．after you buy great amounts of food |
| A．lose weight fast | B．keep a healthy diet |
| C．cook delicious food | D．clean fridge in time |
| A．in secret | B．by chance |
| C．by itself | D．again and again |
| A．will order a take-out for you if you get home late. |
| B．has a big color television and some web cameras |
| C．can pull out all the vegetables from you fridge |
| D．can give a suitable recipe according to your ingredients |
9 . Most people, when they travel to space, would like to stay in orbit (轨道) for a few days or more. And this stands to reason, if you’re paying $ 20,000 for your trip to orbit! So in order for tourism to reach its full potential there’s going to be a need for space hotels. What would a space hotel actually be like to visit? Hotels in orbit will offer the services you expect from a hotel — private rooms, meals, bars. But they’ll also offer two unique experiences: impressive views — of Earth and space — and the endless entertainment of living in zero gravity — including sports and other activities that make use of this.
The hotels themselves will vary greatly — from being quite simple in the early days to huge luxury (奢侈的) structures at a later date. It’s actually surprising that as later as 1997, very few designs for space hotels were published. This is mainly because those who might be expected to design them haven’t expected the costs to come down far enough to make them possible.
Lots of people who’ve been to space have described vividly what it’s like to live in zero gravity. There are obviously all sorts of possibilities for dancing, gymnastics, and zero-G sports. Luckily, you don’t need to sleep much living in zero gravity, so you’ll have plenty of time for relaxing by hanging out in a bar with a window looking down at the turning Earth below.
Of course all good things have come to an end, unfortunately. And so after a few days you’ll find yourself heading back to the earth. You’ll be thinking how soon you can save up enough to get back up again-or maybe you should change jobs to get to work in an orbiting hotel!
1. When traveling in space, most people would like to stay in orbit for a few days because ________.| A．it is expensive to travel in space |
| B．they would find the possible life in other star systems |
| C．they could enjoy the luxury of space hotels |
| D．they want to realise the full potential of tourism |
| A．The gravitational pull. | B．The special views. |
| C．The relaxation in a bar. | D．The space walk. |
| A．When was the space traveling made possible? |
| B．What are the unique experiences that space hotels will offer? |
| C．Why were there not many published designs for space hotels? |
| D．How can the travelers enjoy themselves in space hotels? |
| A．traveling in space | B．the ways of living in space hotels |
| C．zero gravity and space hotels | D．the description of space hotels |
