Module 1 Life in the Future

跟蹤导练（一）

阅读理解

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 program from a “menu” and a computer will send the program directly to the television. By 2050， music， films， programs， 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 scientists predict that water could be the cause of wars if we dont act now.

In the future， cars will run on new， clean energy and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed and there wont 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 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. What does the underlined word “vanished” in Paragraph 1 probably mean？

A. Settled.  B. Spread.  C. Disappeared. D. Dropped.

2. What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us about robots？

A. They can work in different places.  B. They have much to be improved.

C. They work for humans for free.  D. They have many advantages.

3. What can we learn about the author from the last paragraph？

A. He is interested in how to control genes.

B. He is looking forward to using cloning technology.

C. He probably disagrees with the idea of human cloning.

D. He thinks scientists have much difficulty in controlling genes.

4. What can be the best title of the text？

A. High-tech Cars     B. Life in the Future

C. Is Cloning Really Good？   D. Are You Ready for the Future？

阅读七选五

A Japanese company has been working on how to organize holidays to the moon for severalyears now.1

Trying to make the holiday possible will not be an easy task， and the Japanese company plans to make it in stages.2 A transport system like the space shuttle （航天飞机） used by NASA at the moment is likely to be developed for this purpose.

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.3 While this may not seem very exciting at first， think about new sports that can be designed for people to play in zero gravity.

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.4 Its also important to find a flat part to build a long runway for the space shuttle to land on. Meanwhile， the company has already developed ways to make cement （水泥） on the moon 5 The company plans to produce water from oxygen elements， which can be found in moon rocks and hydrogen.

A. This plan seems easy to carry out.

B. Next， the hotel will have a wide range of sporting activities.

C. Tourists who want to travel into space can stay at a big hotel.

D. The first thing to do is to organize trips around the earth for a few hours.

E. There would probably be holidays to a moon hotel within the next ten years.

F. There is plenty of sand， but the big problem will come with producing water.

G. This is because a lunar day， which is 14 earth days long， is followed by 14 days of darkness.

1.2.3.4.5.

跟蹤导练（二）

完形填空

What will man be like in the future？ We can only make a 1 ， of course， but we can be sure that he will be 2 from what he is today， for man is slowly 3 all the time.

Let us take an example. Man， even 500 years ago， was 4 than he is today. Now， on average， men are about three inches taller.500 years is a relatively short period of 5 ， so we may guess that man will 6 to grow taller.

Again in modern world we use our 7 a great deal. Even so， we still 8 only about 20% of the brain's capacity （容量）. As time goes on， we shall have to use our brains more and more—and 9 we shall need even larger ones！ This is likely to 10 a physical change， too. The head in 11 ， the forehead， will grow larger.

Nowadays our eyes are in 12 use. In fact， we use them so much that very often they become weaker and we have to wear 13. But over a long period of time its likely that mans eyes will grow stronger.

On the other hand， we 14 to make less use of our arms and legs. These， as a result， are likely to grow weaker. At the same time， 15 ， our fingers will grow more sensitive because they are used a great deal in modern life.

But what about hair？ This will， probably 16 from the body altogether in course of time because it does not 17 a useful purpose any longer. In the future， then， both sexes are likely to be bald （禿顶的）.

Perhaps all this gives the impression that future man will not be a very 18 creature to look at！ In spite of all these changes， future man will still have a lot in 19 with us. He will still be a human being， with 20 and emotions similar to our own.

1. A. guess   B. research   C. joke    D. decision

2. A. different  B. safe    C. far    D. free

3. A. dying  B. changing   C. growing   D. improving

4. A. longer  B. taller    C. bigger   D. shorter

5. A. journey  B. life    C. time    D. distance

6. A. stop   B. continue   C. begin    D. hope

7. A. minds  B. heads    C. brains   D. hearts

8. A. occupy  B. choose   C. control   D. use

9. A. later   B. finally   C. certainly   D. generally

10. A. cause  B. take    C. occur    D. lead

11. A. total   B. trouble   C. particular   D. charge

12. A. constant  B. practical   C. proper   D. suitable

13. A. hats   B. smiles   C. clothes   D. glasses

14. A. plan   B. mean    C. tend    D. decide

15. A. therefore  B. however   C. otherwise   D. besides

16. A. suffer  B. recover   C. disappear   D. survive

17. A. have  B. keep    C. hold    D. serve

18. A. attractive  B. ugly    C. special   D. ordinary

19. A. conflict  B. competition  C. company   D. common

20. A. bodies  B. thoughts   C. mouths   D. noses

跟踪导练（三）

阅读理解

A

What will the house of the future look like？ Could it have gardens on its walls， or a pool with fish for dinner？ Architects believe that they are all possibilities. The only thing for sure is that the houses will be as green as possible.

The tree house

Many architects in the world would like to build a “tree house”. Like a leaf， the surface of the house collects sunlight during the day. The energy can be used to heat water， produce electricity， and even create fresh air for the home. The “root” of the house is deep under the ground. It uses the soil to keep the homes temperature.

The Lizard （蜥蜴） house

Like a lizard， changing color with the weather is the most important design of a lizard house. When its in the bright sun， the cover of the house will turn dark to protect it from strong heat. During dark days， it turns white and takes in as much light and heat as possible to produce energy.

Meals at home

This design is perhaps as much about the future of food production as architecture. It has gardens on the outside wall of the house. People can plant tomatoes， carrots and green tea on them. So every day in the morning， you just need to walk outside and collect your meals.

Learning from the past

Looking to the future isn't the only way to be green. Sometimes， ancient techniques can also help cut down energy use. For example， a chimney （煙囱） can be a useful air conditioner because it is easier for hot air to flow out of the chimney.

1. We can heat water or create fresh air for the home with .

A. the light in the house    B. the energy from sunlight

C. the soil under the ground    D. garden plants on its walls

2. What can we learn about meals at home in the future？

A. They will be more delicious.  B. They needs more cooks.

C. They costs more.    D. They will be greener.

3. The cover of the Lizard house in the bright sun will .

A. take in light      B. produce energy

C. create fresh air      D. turn dark

4. What can be the best title of the text？

A. Green House of the Future    B. The Greener， the Better

C. How to Build Green Houses   D. Changes of the Houses

B

With smart technology increasingly influencing all aspects of our lives， it is only a matter of time before someone invents “smart” shoes—ones that can be made based on personal needs.

Called “ShiftWear”， the sneakers （运动鞋） can be customized by using a smart phone app. Shoe owners will have the option of choosing a design from a variety of HD patterns by famous artists or creating one themselves. The company's founders imagine a marketplace where artists can not only share but also sell their designs to others. Despite being electronic， the designs are clearly visible even in the brightest sunlight. Whats even cooler is that by switching on a backlight， users can even show off their designs in the dark！

The bottom part of the shoes is covered with Kevler fibers， a kind of strong material， reducing normal wear and tear. They are completely waterproof and can even be thrown into an ordinary laundry machine for a quick wash！

The sneakers will keep their charge （充电量）“forever” if only images are displayed. Though they will need periodic recharging， active users have nothing to worry about. Thats because the shoes are equipped with special Walk-N-Charge technology that powers the shoes—with every step. Inactive users also have options of charging the sneakers without using wires.

The company predicts that the shoes will range the price from $150 to $1，000 depending on the size of the e-paper panels （嵌條） where the designs are displayed.

This is not the first time that electronics and shoes have combined. Lithuania-based iShuh Technologies has come up with a similar concept that connects e-reader panels to a smart phone app via the Bluetooth. Whether these smart shoes become as popular as our smart devices remains to be seen， though they surely are attractive.

5. What can we know about ShiftWear from the text？

A. The designers make sure every pair of it is special.

B. Its electronic designs cannot be seen clearly at night.

C. It has to be washed by hand to protect the electronics.

D. The bottom of it can last longer due to special materials.

6. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about？

A. How the sneakers are designed.  B. How the sneakers are charged.

C. What images the sneakers show.  D. What technology the sneakers carry.

7. The varied prices of the sneakers mainly depend on .

A. the length of the shoes    B. the designers of the shoes

C. the materials of their bottoms   D. the size of their e-paper panels

8. How does the author feel about the future market of the sneakers？

A. Negative. B. Anxious.  C. Uncertain. D. Confident.

跟踪导练（四）

完形填空

I worked in a restaurant. One night a woman came in with three small children. As a 1 ， I could usually tell who is going to tip well and who isnt going to tip at all. I 2 got the latter vibe （气息） from her. She asked about the 3 of everything on the menu， but she ordered only water to drink. She wasn't 4 appetizers （开胃饮料）. At one point her daughter asked her very politely， “Mom， can I have 5？” The woman pulled out her coin purse and 6 up her change before saying yes. Then I was 7 that I wouldn't get a tip， but they were very nice and pleasant to 8 so I didn't even think twice about it.

At the end of the meal， she paid 9 in coins.

When I went back to clear the table， to my 10 ， there were a lot of quarters left for me. They amounted to $8， or about 25% of the 11. Here was a woman who had to count her money before 12 her daughter a milk because she wanted to 13 she still had enough to tip me.

Was it the largest tip I ever got？ No， but it's the only one I 14 after all these years.

This story is a（n）15 that the very best aspects of human nature can shine through in even the most 16 of everyday situations. The first 17 may be powerful， but it's important to let others 18 their true nature rather than making a snap （倉促的）19 about them. As a matter of fact， generosity （慷慨） is a valuable virtue， whether you 20 to be rich， poor， or somewhere in between.

1. A. manager  B. director   C. waiter   D. cashier

2. A. certainly  B. positively  C. suddenly   D. regularly

3. A. material  B. price   C. taste   D. color

4. A. content with  B. aware of   C. interested in  D. ready for

5. A. juice  B. soda   C. milk   D. cocoa

6. A. counted  B. used   C. looked   D. checked

7. A. worried  B. sure   C. disappointed  D. upset

8. A. contact  B. approach   C. serve   D. attend

9. A. largely  B. partly   C. rarely   D. completely

10. A. surprise  B. satisfaction  C. amusement  D. regret

11. A. dish  B. meal   C. amount   D. menu

12. A. ordering  B. fetching   C. passing   D. preparing

13. A. admit  B. insist   C. make sure  D. believe in

14. A. understand  B. remember  C. require   D. save

15. A. container  B. educator   C. performer  D. reminder

16. A. abnormal  B. ordinary   C. important  D. unusual

17. A. impression  B. thought   C. prediction  D. expression

18. A. value  B. measure   C. shape   D. show

19. A. choice  B. comparison  C. analysis   D. decision

20. A. attempt  B. happen   C. fail    D. wish

跟蹤导练（五）

阅读理解

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 （核武器）. 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 heath-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 （匿名的）， 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 speaking answers out， those “black box” tools make decisions in digital systems. It is an erosion （削弱） in our ability to think for ourselves.

1. Why is Stephen Hawking mentioned in Paragraph 1？

A. To remind readers an AI age is coming.

B. To warn humans to slow AI development.

C. To introduce AI's benefits in the near future.

D. To prove great scientists care much about the future of AI.

2. What does the underlined word “canvassed” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A. Researched. B. Collected. C. Learned.  D. Shared.

3. Why are some experts concerned about “black box” tools？

A. They make decisions in digital systems.

B. They can take data in and speak answers out.

C. They may weaken our ability to think independently.

D. They may decrease humans' welfare in the long term.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about？

A. AI's influence on society.   B. Experts' concern about AI.

C. Experts' expectation of AI.   D. Humans' being controlled by AI.

選词填空

用方框里单词的正确形式填空，使其句意完整。有两个词是多余的。

resource  rely  power     definite   load predict

charge     risk  shape      limit       crime      disability

1. What are the  in this hotel？

2. The results of the experiment proved our .

3. These dangerous  have all been locked up.

4. He  the goods into the back of the car when we arrived.

5. Employers are being encouraged to hire workers with .

6. The children  the sand into a hill there right now.

7. I can't tell you  when I will come.

8. The medicine I took last night has a  effect， and I'm feeling much better.

9. At home one  on one's parents and outside on one's friends.

10. You drove too fast round the corner—it was a（n） thing to do.

语法填空

The 21st century is dominated by more technology-oriented inventions than before. The 20th century 1（see） man land on the moon. The 21st century will witness man landing on several planets. The first will be Mars， also 2（call） the Red Planet. As planned by NASA， the mission can be achieved by 2030. That will set a precedent （先例） for explorations by future generations. Furthermore， increased investment in research is likely 3（lead） to the discovery of a vaccine （疫苗） for AIDS.

Technology is advancing fast. Social media at present acts as one of the leading 4（source） of news and interaction， 5 has a negative influence on traditional media， 6（particular） print newspapers. Social media will soon take over the market.

Mobile phones will play a greater role 7 the purchase of goods， as well as the withdrawing and depositing of money. Electronic money will replace paper money. In addition， with declining oil reserves across the world， electric cars will replace petrol cars in a few decades. As 8 result， there will be a major shift in job trends.

Global warming will become an even 9（big） problem， with sea levels 10（continue） to rise . Freshwater sources will be polluted . Fresh water will become a major issue . Hence environmental destruction will increase greatly.

1. ______ 2. ______ 3. ______ 4. ______ 5. ______

6. ______ 7. ______ 8. ______ 9. ______ 10. _____

跟踪导练（六）

短文改错

On January 5th， students in our school visited Robot World， which we saw a great variety of robot. It was amazing to find those robots could do a lot of things just like real people， including playing the chess， playing the piano and draw pictures. What's more， the robots are in different kinds and shapes， which made us happily. In addition， what exciting me most was the show giving by a group of robots. They danced just as if we were dancers on the stage. By visiting Robot World， I have learned a lot robots， especially about their functions and shapes.

书面表达

在英语课上，你们班将围绕“Life in the Future”这一主题，展开关于科技对未来的影响的讨论。请写一篇英语短文，参加讨论。内容包括：

1.医疗、旅行等;

2.教育方面。

注意：

1.词数100左右;

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Life in the Future

Write Your Letter to Your Future Self

给未来的自己写封信

When you look back on yourself in the past—10，20 or more years ago—it's surprising to see howmuch you have changed over time. Your experiences，your friends， your family and your work have allshaped who you are right now. But where will you bein another few years？ How will you have changed？Reflective writing in your journal is an excellent wayto think  about whatyou want in the future.

当你十年、二十年或更多年后回顾过去时，你会吃惊地发现，随着时光的流逝，你也发生了很大的变化。你的经历、朋友、家庭和工作造就了现在的你。但是再过几年你会在哪里呢？你会有怎样的变化呢？反思性的写作，会是思考你未来想要什么的一种好方式。

Just imagine writing a letter to your future self 5 years from now， then opening it at that exact moment 5 years down the road to see how much of it resonated with you.

想象一下，给五年后的自己写一封信，当五年后你打开这封信时，你会产生多少共鸣。

When you open the letter in the future， you as your future self gets to compare how you used to be in the past and compare with how you are currently. This makes you see in totality how much things have changed since then—and this can be a really intriguing experience. It's interesting to just see how much you have changed since you wrote the letter.

當你以后看信时，你会把过去的自己和现在的自己进行比较，这会让你看清从写信时起你发生了哪些变化。这种体验是非常有趣的，光看看从你写信开始发生了哪些变化就很有趣了。

Look at todays date. Now imagine y o u w r i t i n g t o yourself， exactly N years from now. What do you want to say to your future self？

看看今天的日期。现在想象一下你在给若干年后的自己写信。你想对未来的自己说些什么呢？

What are the different dreams and goals you would want to be realized by then？

到那时你想实现的梦想和目标会有哪些不同呢？

What is your desired status of the areas of your life wheel at that time？

那时你想要的人生轨迹和状态会是什么样的呢？

Once you're done， sign off your name with today's date. Put the papers in an envelope. Seal it. Keep your letter in a safe place.

写完后，别忘了在名字下面写上今天的日期。把信纸放在信封里，封上信封，妥善保管你的信件。