Today our lives are changing faster than at any time in history. Here we report on three important changes that will have a big impact on our everyday lives in the future．

The cashless society 

        Cash and bank-notes will disappear almost completely. They will be replaced by smart cards, namely plastic cards: microchip（微芯片）processors（处理器）loaded with some money. When we pay for goods，the shop assistant will put our smart card into a payment terminal（终端）and money will come into his card from our card. When all the money is used up，we will be able to reload it by putting it into a telephone，dialing our bank account and money will be put into the card from the account.

        Interactive telephones 

        Talking computers will play an important part. They will recognize speech, ask us what information we need, look through a database，and put the information into speech．If we want to book a flight or pay a bill by phone, we will interact with a talking computer to do so. Human telephone operators will be used only for more complex operations such as dealing with complaints or solving special problems.

Traffic jams in cities will be reduced because drivers will use electronic route maps to find the quickest route to their destination. Electronic systems will start changing motorists for driving in cities．As soon as motorists have to pay to drive in cities, they will stop using their cars and use public transport instead. Speed control systems will be built into cars. These systems will automatically（自动地）regulate the speed of the car to take account of traffic and weather conditions and prevent accidents. It will be many years before these changes bring results but when they do，there will be a titanic improvement in road safety.

        With the development of science and technology, more and more advanced things will be invented or created. Life in the future is undoubtedly different from that at the present.

60. Cash and bank-note will disappear because         .

  A. they will be out of use sooner or later  B. they will be replaced by plastic cards convenient to use

  C. we can load money from the bank D. they will be rejected by payment terminals

61. What will you do if the money in your card is used up?

  A. Go to the bank to deposit some money.   B. Put the card into a telephone and dial the bank account.

  C. Buy a new card.  D. We don’t know.

62. Which of the following would be the best subtitle for the fourth paragraph?

  A. Future cars           B. Speed control systems   C. Intelligent cars   D. Traffic jams

63. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

  A. When we buy tickets for flying somewhere else, we can have a talk with the computer.

  B. If you make a complaint, you can use human telephone operation.

  C. Drivers will stop using their cars and use public transport in order to prevent accidents.

  D. The help of electronic route maps will decrease traffic jams.

64. The underlined word “titanic” in Paragraph 4 means        .

  A. huge and great             B. the name of a ship   C. slight     D. increasing  

The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched (草盖的) roof cottages around a church, a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white, the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings―these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part of the attraction of the English countryside.
　　　 Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts（工艺）practised in the British Isles. Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches, too.　　

　　　 Thatching is a solitary（独自的）craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practised toady has changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time thatchers are employed in England and Wales today, keeping and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses. Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.
　　　 In fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world lives under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often unwilling to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to get the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which has been done the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defiance against the heat.
56. Which of the following remains a special feature of the English countryside?
A. Narrow streets lined with pink or white houses. B. Rolling hills with pretty farm buildings.
C. Cottages with thatched roofs.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Churches with cottages around them.

57. What do we know about thatching as a craft?
A. It is a collective activity.　 B. It is practised on farms all over England.
C. It is quite different from what it used to be. D. It is in most cases handed down among family members.

58. Thatched houses are still preferred because of _________.
A. their style and comfort B. their durability

C. their easy maintenance 　 D. their cheap and ready-made materials

59. People in developing countries also live under thatch because ________.
A. thatched cottages are a big tourist attraction　　　　　　

B. thatched roof houses are the cheapest

C. thatch is an effective defense against the heat

D. they like thatched houses better than other buildings

Seventeen-year-old Rivertown teenager, John Janson, was honoured at the Lifesaver Awards last night for carrying out lifesaving first aid on his neighbour after a shocking knife    36   .

     John was presented with his award at a ceremony which recognized the    37    of the ten people who have saved the life of others.

  John had been studying in his room when he heard  38  . When he and his father rushed outside, they    39    that Anne Slade, mother of three, had been stabbed（刺）   40    with a knife by her ex-boyfriend（前男友）. The man ran from the  41   and left Ms Slade lying in her front garden    42    very heavily. Her hands had almost been cut off.

        It was John’s quick    43    and knowledge of first aid that saved Ms Slade’s life. He immediately asked a number of the    44    people for bandages（绷带）, but when nobody could put their hands on anything, his father got some tea towels（毛巾）and    45    from their house. John used these to dress the most severe    46    to Ms Slade’s hands. He slowed the bleeding by applying pressure to the wounds until the    47    and ambulance arrived.

        “I’m    48    of what I did but I was just doing what I had been    49   ,” John said.

John had taken part in the Young Lifesaver Scheme at his high school. When   50   John, Mr Alan Southerton, Director of the Young Lifesaver Scheme, said, “   51  is no doubt that John’s quick thinking and the first aid52    that he had learned at school saved Ms Slade’s life. It shows that a simple knowledge of the first aid can make a real   53   .”

        John and the nine other lifesavers also attended a    54    reception yesterday hosted by the Prime Minister before    55    their awards last night.

36. A. show      B. attack        C. work                  D. defend

37. A. bravery     B. life            C. thinking               D. progress

38. A. quarrelling   B. arguing      C. laughing        D. screaming  

39. A. realized           B. believed      C. thought        D. discovered

40. A. repeatedly   B. quickly       C. frequently            D. gradually

41. A. home        B. place        C. scene          D. house

42. A. shaking       B. struggling     C. bleeding      D. crying

43. A. action            B. answer        C. experience     D. request

44. A. several       B. nearby            C. familiar      D. curious

45. A. water        B. tape             C. bandages     D. scissors

46. A. damages      B. pains          C. injuries       D. arms

47. A. neighbours     B. children       C. doctor       D. police

48. A. proud        B. fond         C. sure         D. tired

49. A. expected      B. taught         C. encouraged     D. educated 

50. A. thanking     B. recognizing      C. admiring       D. congratulating

51. A. There         B. It             C. He           D. She

52. A. skills         B. instructions       C. key         D. history

53. A. discovery       B. harm           C. difference    D. choice

54. A. recent          B. secret           C. private       D. special

55. A. giving          B. offering         C. announcing   D. receiving

―Shall I invite Tom to my party?

―Yes. It’ll be nice if you 　　　　.

A. to　　　　　　　 B. invite　　　　　 　　 C. will　　　 D. do

 The little boy          the last bit of toothpaste from the tube.

  A. squeezed out            B. squeezed in     C. pushed in     D. pushed out

 When trees are cut down, there is nothing to hold the soil         on the hillside.

  A. take place        B. out of place     C. in place      D. in place of

 On his way home, he suddenly heard his name         .

  A. calling                 B. called               C. to call            D. call

 Everybody thought the battle would be        . And they were right.

  A. losing            B. missing             C. lost                D. missed

 One of the provinces in the north has          to form a new state.

  A. broken down            B. broken up            C. broken out                   D. broken away 

         by the beauty of nature, the girl from London decided to spend another two days on  the farm.

  A. Attracting   B. Attracted        C. To be attracted       D. Having attracted