During the twentieth century, cars, electric lights, space travel and amazing advances in medicine changed people’s lives. So what might this new century bring? There are hundreds of predictions flying around — let’s have a light-hearted look at some of them.

In a recent UK survey, teenagers were asked to make predictions about the year 2020. One of the most common predictions was that school uniforms won’t be around. They also predicted that both girls and boys will wear make-up more often, and more than 75% of men will wear skirts regularly. My dad is 65 next Saturday — I think I’ll buy him a skirt as a birthday present and tell him he’ll soon be in fashion!

Other predictions involve changing roles of men and women. By 2017, some people say that single men of working age will form more than 10% of all families. It is also predicted that washing powder advertisements will include more men because more of them will do housework. I’ll tell that to my husband when he gets home and see how keen he is to wash the dishes!

Many predictions are about crime and safety problems. Some people think that crime will improve and the world will become a more peaceful place. Others believe that crime is going to worsen and that people will stay at home becoming completely dependent on the Internet for shopping and work. It is also predicted that you will need an electronic card to get into parks as parents demand safe play areas for their children. This is old news for me --- our local government is going to introduce one this summer.

Technology is predicted to play an even more important role in our lives in the future. Some parents might have cameras at home so they can keep an eye on their children while they are out. Quick, kids, turn off the TV and do your homework!

Here’s another prediction. Researchers have concluded that cultural activity may add years to your life. The cinema, theatre and concerts may give us a longer life because they encourage strong feelings. Well, we’re watching Bridget Jones’ Diary this Friday night. Will that help us live longer?

Let’s finish up with my favourite prediction. In the future, elderly people are going to make up a larger proportion of the world’s population than ever before. In Britain, an estimated 100,000 people now in their thirties may live to be 100. And that includes me! I’ll have a big, big party, I promise!

1. The writer’s father ________ .

   A. has just turned sixty-five

   B. wears skirts

   C. is very fashionable

   D. is about to turn sixty-five

2.Why might more men do housework in the future?

   A. Washing powder advertisements suggest it.

   B. Men won’t want to work in offices any more.

   C. Traditional roles of men and women will change.

   D. Women will refuse to wash the dishes.

3.According to the passage, people might ________ , if crime worsens.

   A. need electronic cards to get into their homes

   B. stay at home and depend on the Internet

   C. help to make the world a more peaceful place

   D. work harder and make more money

4.Which of the following is NOT true？

   A. It’s likely that the writer is to live to be 100.

   B. The writer promises that she is going to hold a big, big party soon.

   C. Without an electronic card, you can’t get into a park freely in the future.

   D. The writer holds a positive attitude towards the changes in the new century.

5.From the passage, we may infer that the writer is probably ____ .

   A. a professional news reporter.

   B. a young and attractive sales girl.

   C. a middle-aged British housewife.

   D. a responsible government official.

 — Anything to drink? What about coffee?

      — Er… I think I'll have a cold drink          coffee.   

   A. rather than       B. more than         C. less than       D. other than

“You'll have to take care of the baby today,” a woman told her husband . “ I'm not feeling well.”

“Then you must stay in bed and rest, dear. “ her husband said. “I'll be pleased to look after our baby. “

“Thank you. I'll have a quiet day and I'll soon get better. “ his wife told him.

“Shall I do the shopping for you as well?” her husband asked.

She was very pleased and said, “That will help me very much. I'll give you a list of things to buy. “

She wrote out the list and gave it to him.

“You can get all these things at the supermarket,” she said.

“You can put the baby in the shopping cart, then you won't have to leave him outside.”

The man took the baby to the supermarket and put him in the shopping cart. Then he pushed the shopping cart along the rows of things to buy and looked for those that were on his list.

At first all was well, but then the baby began to cry.

Then he started to scream.

And scream!

And SCREAM!

“Keep calm ,George, ” the man said. “Don't get excited. Don't shout, George. Don't lose your temper, George.”

A woman in the supermarket heard him saying these things. She walked up to him.

“I think you are wonderful ,”she said. “You are so patient with your little George. ”

　　“Madam, ”" the man said, “I'm George. He's Edward.”

1. Why did the man take care of the baby?

2.Why did the man take the baby to the supermarket?

3.What did the baby do in the supermarket?

4.Finally we can infer from the story that_____ .

It is too cold today. I think I’ll have a hot coffee ______ a cold drink.

— I haven’t got the reference book yet, but I’ll have a test on the subject next month.
— Don’t worry. You ________ have it by Friday.