Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? Futurologists（未来学家）predict that life will probably be very different in 2050.
First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. A computer will send the program directly to the television. On TV screen appear holograms（全息图）, which are pictures with certain height, width and depth. We will be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television.
Water has become one of our most serious problems. Agriculture is changing and people are growing more fruit and vegetables to export. Demand for water will increase ten times in 2050. Some futurologists predict that water will be the cause of war if we don’t act now.
In transport, cars will run on new fuels and go very fast. A car will have computers to control its speed and there won’t be any accidents. On the other hand, space planes will take people around the earth in about three hours. People will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo by space plane in just half an hour.
In the field of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere. They do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. 
Medicine technology will have conquered many diseases by 2050; we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals and will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. If you want all this to come true, you should study science and technology hard.
【小题1】What is the main difference between today’s and 2050’s TV?

Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? Futurologists（未来学家）predict that life will probably be very different in 2050.

First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. A computer will send the program directly to the television. On TV screen appear holograms（全息图）, which are pictures with certain height, width and depth. We will be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television.

Water has become one of our most serious problems. Agriculture is changing and people are growing more fruit and vegetables to export. Demand for water will increase ten times in 2050. Some futurologists predict that water will be the cause of war if we don’t act now.

In transport, cars will run on new fuels and go very fast. A car will have computers to control its speed and there won’t be any accidents. On the other hand, space planes will take people around the earth in about three hours. People will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo by space plane in just half an hour.

In the field of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere. They do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. 

Medicine technology will have conquered many diseases by 2050; we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals and will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. If you want all this to come true, you should study science and technology hard.

1.What is the main difference between today’s and 2050’s TV?

A．We can use a computer to turn off the TV set.

B．We can talk with the characters appearing on TV.

C．We can choose whatever we like to see on TV.

D．We can touch the things we see on TV.

2.What isn’t mentioned about the future in 2050 in the passage?

A．Technology.        B．Medicine.         C．Movies.           D．Agriculture.

3.What will be more likely to cause the war in the future?

A．The lack of water.                       B．The less farmland.

C．The shortage of robots.                   D．The more space planes.

4.From the passage we can infer that by 2050 ____.

A．people will spend less time in studying

B．more and more people needn’t go to school

C．people will have more time to relax or rest

D．no patients will be found in the world

Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? Futurologists（未来学家）predict that life will probably be very different in 2050.
First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. A computer will send the program directly to the television. On TV screen appear holograms（全息图）, which are pictures with certain height, width and depth. We will be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television.
Water has become one of our most serious problems. Agriculture is changing and people are growing more fruit and vegetables to export. Demand for water will increase ten times in 2050. Some futurologists predict that water will be the cause of war if we don’t act now.
In transport, cars will run on new fuels and go very fast. A car will have computers to control its speed and there won’t be any accidents. On the other hand, space planes will take people around the earth in about three hours. People will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo by space plane in just half an hour.
In the field of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere. They do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. 
Medicine technology will have conquered many diseases by 2050; we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals and will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. If you want all this to come true, you should study science and technology hard

1. 1.

   What is the main difference between today’s and 2050’s TV?

   1. A.
      We can use a computer to turn off the TV set
   2. B.
      We can talk with the characters appearing on TV
   3. C.
      We can choose whatever we like to see on TV
   4. D.
      We can touch the things we see on TV
2. 2.

   What isn’t mentioned about the future in 2050 in the passage?

   1. A.
      Technology
   2. B.
      Medicine
   3. C.
      Movies
   4. D.
      Agriculture
3. 3.

   What will be more likely to cause the war in the future?

   1. A.
      The lack of water
   2. B.
      The less farmland
   3. C.
      The shortage of robots
   4. D.
      The more space planes
4. 4.

   From the passage we can infer that by 2050_____.

   1. A.
      people will spend less time in studying
   2. B.
      more and more people needn’t go to school
   3. C.
      people will have more time to relax or rest
   4. D.
      no patients will be found in the world

Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? Futurologists（未来学家）predict that life will probably be very different in 2050.

First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. A computer will send the program directly to the television. On TV screen appear holograms（全息图）, which are pictures with certain height, width and depth. We will be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television.

Water has become one of our most serious problems. Agriculture is changing and people are growing more fruit and vegetables to export. Demand for water will increase ten times in 2050. Some futurologists predict that water will be the cause of war if we don’t act now.

In transport, cars will run on new fuels and go very fast. A car will have computers to control its speed and there won’t be any accidents. On the other hand, space planes will take people around the earth in about three hours. People will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo by space plane in just half an hour.

In the field of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere. They do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. 

Medicine technology will have conquered many diseases by 2050; we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals and will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. If you want all this to come true, you should study science and technology hard.

67. What is the main difference between today’s and 2050’s TV?

A. We can use a computer to turn off the TV set.

B. We can talk with the characters appearing on TV.

C. We can choose whatever we like to see on TV.

D. We can touch the things we see on TV.  

68. What isn’t mentioned about the future in 2050 in the passage?

A. Technology.     B. Medicine.   C. Movies.                D. Agriculture.

69. What will be more likely to cause the war in the future?

A. The lack of water.              B. The less farmland.

C. The shortage of robots.          D. The more space planes.

70. From the passage we can infer that by 2050 ____.

A. people will spend less time in studying  

B. more and more people needn’t go to school

C. people will have more time to relax or rest  

D. no patients will be found in the world

Future studies, also known as futurology (未来学) or foresight, involves the study of the past and present to make educated guesses about the future. The data gathered from these studies can be used to predict possible or probable future events or situations. It can also be used to design a way to reach preferable future conditions.

Many people believe that history is cyclical, or that certain circumstances will be seen again and again. This is the principle that future studies are based on. Searching history and present times for patterns can allow future forecasters a way to predict the future. A lot of future studies use cause and effect. For example, if a government is being unjust or is unpopular with the citizens of that country, the current government is either changed or overthrown. This has been hundreds of times throughout history, will probably be a pattern seen a hundred times more.

There are numerous applications for future studies. One possible application is as a way to predict future fashion and design fads (时尚). The fashion market typically needs to work 18 months in advance, allowing the designers time to design, advertise, and manufacture the future styles. The stock market is another area where futurology is used. Determining which companies are likely to become successful, and which ones are heading for bancruptcy, requires the ability to use future studies correctly.

Some say that future studies can not predict long-term events and trends in the way that it could a decade ago. Global changes in technology, communication, and marketing have resulted in scenarios (情况) that no one could have predicted. Change is happening at a faster pace than ever before in history. It will be difficult to foresee future trends because of these changes. New future studies professionals will need to be able to consider these new trends carefully before creating their predictions.

60. The author starts the article by _____.

A. telling a story                                           B. offering figures 

C. making comparisons                                        D. providing a definition

61. According to the passage, the basis of futurology is _____.

A. cause and effect                                              B. that history is cyclical

C. how people see the past                             D. studying history for patterns

62. What is mainly discussed in Para.3?

A. The practical use of future studies.             B. The development of future studies.

C. How to learn future studies effectively.       D. How to predict future events correctly.

63. According to the last paragraph, some people believe that it is _____.

A. necessary to predict future changes in the world

B. impossible and unnecessary to predict the future

C. now more difficult to predict the future than before

D. wise now to use the old way to predict the future