It's March, 2050.

 

Frank and Mary Smith wake up in their comfortable house in the morning and switch on the bedroom computer to get the latest news. They used to read the Times, but changed to electronic newspapers many years ago.

  There is the usual news about space: another space flight has returned from Mars and scientists have discovered a new planet. Then they turn to business news: the US dollar has risen greatly in Shanghai, one of the world's leading business centres. Mary tells the computer to buy 5,000 dollars, and there is a quick response that it has been done.

     As they watch the screen, Mary orders one of the household robots to make coffee for them.

Frank disappears into the study to join a video conference with his partners around the world. He is a computer engineer, working for several companies. This is his third job: he used to be in marketing and then television.

     Mary has a quick look at the shopping channels - the usual selection of electric cars, household robots and cheap travel offers - before picking up the video phone to talk to her assistant. She also has a job and she is doing medical research. Both she and Frank used to have an office desk in London, but in 2014 they decided to move to the seaside and work from home.

       Frank and Mary have one daughter, Louise, who also has her own workstation at home. She goes to school only one day a week, mainly to play with other students. Classrooms disappeared in 2030 because there was no longer any need for them: communications systems have made it much easier to learn at home.

     Louise, now thirteen, is studying Chinese at present, which has become a world language as important as English. Louise has many Chinese friends. They communicate by computer.

       According to the family doctor, Louise will live to at least 130. Her wish is to work for a few decades (???) and then spend her time on music and painting.

1.Why do Frank and Mary switch on the bedroom computer in the morning?

   Because they _________________________________________________

2.Does Mary read space news or business news?

    __________________________________________________________

3.Who makes coffee for Mary and Frank?

____________________________________________________________

4.How does Frank work with others from home?

    _____________________________________________________________

5.What are the two world languages in 2050?

    ______________________________________________________________

6.What do you think of Louise's life in 2050?

   I think her life in 2050 is ____________ because ________________________

 

 

 Some students who are from all around the world are talking about the way they go to school on School Bus Bar at http://tieba.baidu.com/.

In our country, most of the students go to school by school bus. For me, I go to school by school bus every day. It takes me about 30 minutes to get to school, because my home is far from the school. The school bus is not only beautiful but wide and strong. It makes me feel safe when I am in school bus.

Mary Smith from America

I think riding is one of the best ways to go to school because my school isn’t very far from my home. It takes me about 15 minutes. I like riding a bike and I think it’s good for my health. But nowadays, the number of the cars is becoming larger and larger and the crowded traffic will certainly bring about the risk of safety. So my parents hope that I can take the school bus to school.

Li Ping from Wenzhou

I went to school by bus one month ago, but now I walk to school with my parents or my classmates. It’s because the school bus accident. In the accident, lots of students died. I have to get up one hour earlier than before. I spend one and a half hours getting to school. And now it’s very cold outside. I hope to have a school bus.

Bing Bing from Jiangsu

1.Mary Smith’s school bus isn’t ______.

  A. safe            B. beautiful          C. strong         D. dangerous

2.Why does Li Ping go to school by bike?

  A. Because she likes riding.         

B. Because the crowded traffic.

  C. Because her school is far.        

D. Because there is no school bus.

3.How long does Bing Bing spend on the way to school?

A. 30 minutes         B. 15 minutes      

C. one hour           D. one and a half hours

 

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