1 . Education in 2080 is distinctive from education in the 2020s. Until about 2035, the main function of education systems was to supply the economy with the next generation of workers. In 2080, the purpose of education is the well-being of society and all its members. To make this a bit more tangible for you, I would like to give an example of what a child’s education looks like in 2080. Her name is Shemsy. Shemsy is 13, and she is confident and loves learning.
Shemsy does not go to school in the morning because schools as you know them no longer exist. The institution was abolished as it was widely thought of as more like a prison or a factory than a creative learning environment. Schools have been replaced with “Learning Hubs” that are not restricted to certain ages. They are where intergenerational learning happens, in line with the belief that learning is a lifelong pursuit.
Every year, Shemsy designs her learning journey for the year with a highly attentive “teacher-citizen”. Shemsy is actively engaged in designing her education and has to propose projects she would like to be involved in to contribute to and serve her community. She also spends lots of time playing as the role of play in learning has finally been recognized as essential and core to our humanity. Shemsy works a lot collaboratively. Access to education is universal, and higher education institutions no longer differentiate themselves by how many people they reject yearly. Variability between students is expected and leveraged (利用) as young people teach one another and use their differences as a source of strength. Shemsy naturally explores what she is curious about at a pace she sets. She still has some classes to take that are mandatory for children globally: Being Human and the History of Humanity.
We invite you to think about your vision for education in the year 2080, what does it look like, who does it serve,and how does it transform our societies?
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us?| A．There are different types of education. |
| B．The present education needs improvements. |
| C．Education and economy are closely associated. |
| D．The goal of future education is fundamentally different. |
| A．It accepts students of all ages. | B．It promotes competition. |
| C．It discourages individualized learning. | D．It is all about play-based learning. |
| A．Tough. | B．Satisfactory. | C．Optional. | D．Required. |
| A．An Example to All | B．A Vision for Education |
| C．A Challenge for Education | D．A Journey into the Future |
2 . There’s a classic short story in which a young man travels years ahead and meets his future self. Narratives like this have always been related to science fiction. But what if you could meet your future self?
I’m a psychologist and professor. My research over the past 15 years isn’t far from this theme. I’ve largely focused on how people think about and relate to their future selves, and explored the reasons why we have such a hard time making long-term decisions. In my research, I’ve learnt that we often imagine our future selves like strangers, which can impede us in making long-term choices. One way to bridge the emotional gap is to think of future selves in more concrete and vivid ways, like writing letters to and from one’s future self, which can strengthen the connection between current and future selves.
Admittedly, having people engage in an imagined conversation is a far cry from actually meeting one’s future self. But it’s believed that far richer interactions may happen in the near future through artificial intelligence (AI). It wouldn’t be predicting exactly what choices you’d make. It’d be more about showing your potential, based on the lives of people similar to you: not just one possible life for you, but rather, the most possible life path for you. Such interactions could offer valuable insights into our potential future selves.
So, to return to my original question: if you could time-travel to meet your future self, what aspects of your life would you want to know more about? I realized, through thorough reflections, that the most powerful questions would be ones that helped me make better choices today —questions exploring personal growth, regrets and unfulfilled actions.
Actually, you don’t need to wait for time travel or advanced AI for answers that you can act on. Through my research, I’ve learnt that simply taking a bit of time to picture this meeting can help you make better choices now. All you need is a little imagination, and the willingness to put yourself in the shoes of a person you currently treat as a stranger.
1. Why is it difficult for people to make long-term decisions according to the author?| A．Technology for time travel is not available. |
| B．Strangers cannot help with decision-making. |
| C．Writing letters to one’s future self is impractical. |
| D．People find it hard to connect with their distant selves. |
| A．contradictory to | B．very different from |
| C．not as convenient as | D．less popular than |
| A．Why hasn’t my hard work ever paid off? |
| B．What can AI do to help people become better persons? |
| C．If given the chance, what would you have done differently? |
| D．How can I succeed without going through all the difficulties in life? |
| A．Time travel: What if you met your future self? |
| B．My research: How do people view their future selves? |
| C．Emotional gap: Why can’t we talk with our future selves? |
| D．Artificial intelligence: Is it possible to meet your future self? |
3 . Children’s Sci-fi Art Predicts Extraordinary Future
More than 80 sci-fi artworks are on display at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, showing a beautiful yet puzzling future. The “Brave New Sci-Fi World” exhibition features paintings and art installations (设备) by students from Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing and other cities. They imagine the future as a world where robots and human beings co-exist.
Ru Chen, from Shanghai New Putuo Primary School, has pictured a robot chameleon (变色龙) to be used in outer space to aid in the search and rescue of human beings in case of danger.
Li Jiaqi from Guangzhou Dongfeng East Road Primary School has painted a city where advanced technologies are everywhere, and even the city itself turns into a large robot.
Huang Yanrui from Beijing Shijingshan Gucheng No. 2 Primary School imagines his rubber, pencil box and such stationery (文具) becoming conscious robots, and beginning to design future human beings.
Wang Zhihan, from Shanghai Shangde Experimental School and her schoolmates, stick electronic components on stone faces as a metaphor (隐喻) for the increasingly unclear boundaries between the reality and virtual world. “We hope to remind people never lose yourself in a world with advanced technologies,” she said.
The exhibition will last till November 4.
Opening hours:
Tuesdays-Sundays 9: 00- 17: 15; legal holidays 8: 45- 18: 30.
Transportation Guide:
Metro: Metro Line 2: Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Station.
Metro Line 4, Metro Line 6 and Metro Line 9: change to Metro Line 2 at the Century Avenue Station.
Bus Routes: Bus 184, 640, 794, 983, 984, 987, 1023, 640 inter-zonal bus will take you there.
1. Whose artwork is related with space?| A．Ru Chen’s. | B．Li Jiaqi’s. | C．Huang Yanrui’s. | D．Wang Zhihan’s. |
| A．Shanghai. | B．Guangzhou. | C．Chongqing. | D．Beijing. |
| A．Metro Line 2. | B．Metro Line 4. | C．Metro Line 6. | D．Metro Line 9. |
4 . Everything is going to change more in the next ten years than it has in the last hundred, so it’s difficult to think about 100 years in the future. I can only guess what it might be like.
After 100 years, I think that borders will disappear through the development of science and technology.
Food from Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will become popular.
My family will live in Mangshi, but I’ll take the super airplane daily to my work office. It’ll take 30 minutes from Mangshi to New York. My wife will go to her office in London.
| A．We plan to eat dinner in Paris. |
| B．They will fly to Tokyo for shopping. |
| C．In other words, the world will be united into one. |
| D．What kinds of car will we be driving in the future? |
| E．However, I think it will be better to live then than now. |
| F．People who don’t have time will eat such things as beans. |
| G．The clothes that people will wear in the future are easy to wash. |
5 . 2050 seems a long way away, but it is not impossible to predict the future though. With the speed we are moving now so many amazing things are going to happen in the future.
·The Internet will be free for everyone.
The Internet is really a key driver these days.
·
With the increasing population, it is not very hard to predict that common methods of transportation will not be enough. There will be much heavier traffic on the road. So in this case personal airplanes will be a handy method of transportation for common people.
Of course, there will be proper air traffic control for these personal airplanes.
·Most cancers will be treated successfully.
·Humans will live on other planets.
There will be great achievements in space research.
We will receive more intelligent signals from space. Chances are we will be able to find the next Earth-like planet.
| A．But it is not free for everyone yet. |
| B．So where is technology going in the future? |
| C．The world's population will cross 9.6 billion. |
| D．What do you think of my predictions of 2050? |
| E．In the year 2050, humans will be able to live on Mars. |
| F．Personal airplanes will be used widely for short journeys. |
| G．The number of deaths caused by cancers will be greatly reduced. |
6 . “How are you feeling, Klinker?” Dr. Blooper asked his new robot. “Well, I can see out of one eye,” said Klinker. “I can hear out of one ear. But my left shoulder keeps falling down, my belly has a hole in it, one knee feels funny, and my fingers are missing something at the ends. Otherwise, I feel fine.”
Dr. Blooper laughed. “ I have made a list of your missing parts,” he said. “When I have finished my experiment, I will buy them. Then you will be finished, and I will let you see yourself in the mirror.” Dr. Blooper went into the next laboratory.
After a few minutes Klinker began to feel bored. He looked at the list. Suddenly he had an idea. “I will surprise Dr. Blooper and buy these things myself,” Klinker said.
Klinker came to the store. He chose a small blue ball and a toy drum and gave them to the clerk. “Please charge these to Dr. Blooper,” he said. Then he chose a knife with a sharp blade(刀片), ten long steel nails and a small red button. “This is going to be easy,” he said. “One thing is for sure ---I have a good brain. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.”
When Klinker got back, he had an idea.“I will put all my parts together by myself,” he said. “What a surprise Dr. Blooper will have!” After he finished, he was about to look in the mirror when Dr. Blooper walked into the room. He stared at Klinker. “No wonder you are so surprised,” said the happy robot. “I have finished myself. I have an eyeball, a shoulder blade, fingernails, a belly button, and a kneecap. But I still don't feel quite right.”
Dr. Blooper patted Klinker on the head. “I will fix you right away,” he said. “I think I will adjust your brain, just a little.”
1. The first two paragraphs suggest that ________.| A．Dr. Blooper needed to experiment on Klinker. | B．Klinker lost something in the experiment. |
| C．Klinker was in fact an unfinished robot. | D．Klinker worked as an assistant in the lab. |
| A．refused to pay for things he bought. | B．went secretly out of the laboratory. |
| C．chose everything he needed carefully. | D．was confident of his intelligence. |
| A．was still unsatisfied with himself. | B．felt proud in front of the mirror. |
| C．was surprised at his own image. | D．went to greet Dr. Blooper gladly. |
7 . Fancy a holiday to the moon? Sounds crazy? Not really. A Japanese company has been working on how to organize holidays to the moon for several years now.
Trying to make the holiday possible will not be an easy task, and the Japanese company plans to make it in stages.
The next stage is to build a big hotel orbiting 500 km above the earth. The hotel will orbit the earth once every four or five hours, which will offer visitors some fascinating views of the earth.
The final stage in the plan is the construction of a hotel on the surface of the moon itself. As solar energy would be used to provide power, it would be important to build the hotel near one of the poles of the moon in order to gather as much solar energy as possible.
So perhaps in a few years you might be enjoying yourselves on the moon.
| A．Next, the hotel will have a wide range of sporting activities. |
| B．Tourists who want to travel into space can stay at a big hotel. |
| C．The first thing to do is to organize trips around the earth for a few hours. |
| D．There would probably be holidays to a moon hotel within the next ten years. |
| E．There is plenty of sand, but the big problem will come with producing water. |
| F．This part of the development plan does not seem to be too difficult to carry out. |
| G．This is because a lunar day, which is 14 earth days long, is followed by 14 days of darkness. |
8 . It is possible that interstellar（星际的）space explorers could face problems communicating with all the arrivals, their spoken language having changed in isolation（与世隔绝）along the way.
Therefore, a new paper by two American scholars Andrew McKenzie and Jeffrey Punske recommends that such crews include members with knowledge of what is likely to occur and how to adapt. They co-authored the article “Language Development During Interstellar Travel”, in which they discuss the concept of language change over time.
In a recent interview, McKenzie gamed it out.
“If you’ re on a spaceship for 10 generations; new concepts will emerge, new social issues will come up, and people will create ways of talking about them,” McKenzie said, and these will become the vocabulary particular to the ship. People on Earth might never know about these words. And the further away you get, the less you’re going lo talk to people back home.
So if we have Earth English and spaceship English, you will have to learn a little Earth English to send messages back, or to read the information that came with the spaceship.
“Also, keep in mind that the language back on Earth is going to change, too. So they may well be communicating like we’d be using Latin-communicating with this version of the language nobody uses.”
The authors also point out that an adaptation in the form of sign language will be needed for use with and among crew members who, genetics tell us，are sure to be born deaf.
“Every new spaceship will essentially offload linguistic（语言学）immigrants to a foreign land. Given the certainly that issues such as whether they will be discriminated will arise, and the uncertainty of exactly how they will progress, we strongly suggest that any crew exhibit strong levels of linguistic training in addition to simply knowing the required languages. There will be need for an informed linguistic policy on board that can be maintained without referring back to Earth-based regulations.”
If a study of the linguistic changes aboard ship could be performed, it would “add to its scientific value,” McKenzie and Punske conclude.
1. What does the underlined phrase “game it out” mean?| A．Offer a new concept. | B．Make a further study. |
| C．Give a detailed explanation. | D．Lose the game completely. |
| A．They will forget Earth English. | B．They will be using sign language. |
| C．They may have their own language system. | D．They may make adaptations to Earth English. |
| A．Through Earth-based linguistic policy. | B．Through adequate language training. |
| C．By knowing the required language. | D．By referring to informed rules. |
| A．Why space travelers change their language. |
| B．How language is changed in the future time. |
| C．The language challenge during interstellar travel. |
| D．New concepts of language created in a spaceship. |
