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.
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!
ng feelings. Well, we’re watching Bridget Jones’ Diary this Friday night. Will that help us live longer?