Life in 2060

　　Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let’s make believe (假裝；虛構(gòu)) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.

　　Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment (娛樂(lè)) of young and old.

　　What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven’t yet started to take on heir (繼承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.

　　Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.

　　Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.

　　People are now largely vegetarians (素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animal decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.

　　Such would be our life in 2060.

1. When was the passage written?

　　A. In about A.D. 2060.

　　B. In about 1960.

　　C. In about 2000.

　　D. In about 2004.

2. According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?

　　A. Many tourists.

　　B. Many other animals.

　　C. Many plants.

　　D. A sea.

3. What will people eat then according to the passage?

　　A. Biscuits in pill form.

　　B. Foods in pill form.

　　C. Foods in water form.

　　D. Foods in gas form.

4. The passage tells us that in 2060, ____ on the earth than now.

　　A. there are fewer population

　　B. there are more pests

　　C. there is less water

　　D. the crops are getting better

5. Why are people largely vegetarians in 2060?

　　A. Because they don’t eat meat.

　　B. Because doctors advise them not to eat meat.

　　C. Because the number of animals decreases.

　　D. Because all the animals have died of diseases.

Life in 2060

　　Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let’s make believe (假裝；虛構(gòu)) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.

　　Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment (娛樂(lè)) of young and old.

　　What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven’t yet started to take on heir (繼承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.

　　Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.

　　Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.

　　People are now largely vegetarians (素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animal decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.

　　Such would be our life in 2060.

36. When was the passage written?

　　A. In about A.D. 2060.   B. In about 1960.

　　C. In about 2000.      D. In about 2004.

37. According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?

　　A. Many tourists.    B. Many other animals.

　　C. Many plants.     D. A sea.

38. What will people eat then according to the passage?

　　A. Biscuits in pill form.   B. Foods in pill form.

　　C. Foods in water form.   D. Foods in gas form.

39. The passage tells us that in 2060, ____ on the earth than now.

　　A. there are fewer population   B. there are more pests

　　C. there is less water       D. the crops are getting better

If you have ever gone through a toll booth(收費(fèi)所), you know that your relationship to the person in the booth is not the most intimate you'll ever have. It is one of life's frequent affairs: You hand over some money; you might get change; you drive off.
　　Late one morning in 1984, headed for lunch in San Francisco, I drove toward a booth. I heard loud music. It sounded like a party. I looked around. No other cars with their windows open. No sound trucks. I looked at the toll booth. Inside it, the man was dancing.
　　"What are you doing?" I asked.
　　"I'm having a party," he said.
　　"What about the rest of the people?" I looked at the other toll booths.
　　He said, "What do those look like to you?" He pointed down the row of toll booths.
　　"They look like……toll booths. What do they look like to you?"
　　He said, "Vertical coffins. At 8:30 every morning, live people get in. Then they die for eight hours. At 4:30, like Lazarus from the dead, they reemerge and go home. For eight hours, brain is on hold, dead on the job. Going through the motions."
　　I was amazed. This guy had developed a philosophy, a mythology about his job. Sixteen people dead on the job, and the seventeenth, in precisely the same situation, figures out a way to live. I could not help asking the next question: "Why is it different for you? You're having a good time."
He looked at me. "I knew you were going to ask that. I don't understand why anybody would think my job is boring. I have a corner office, glass on all sides. I can see the Golden Gate, San Francisco, and the Berkeley hills. Half the Western world vacations here……and I just stroll in every day and practice dancing."
【小題1】According to the first paragraph, in most cases, how do you describe the relationship between drivers and toll booth?

A high school history teacher once told us, “If you make one close friend in school, you will be most fortunate. A true friend is someone who stays with you for life."_26_ teaches that he was right. Good friendship is just not easily _27_.
It is possible that we simply do not stay in one place long enough for_28_friendship to _29_. However, there can be_30_disagreement on the need for each of us to think carefully about the kind of friendship we want.
To most of us, friendships are considered very important, but we need to have it clear in our _31_ what kinds of friendship we want. Are they to be close or _32_ at arm's length? Do we want to _33_ourselves or do we want to walk on the surface? For some people, many friendships on the surface are _34_enough—and that' s all right. But at some point we need to 35 that our expectations are the same as our friends' expectations. The sharing of_36_experience _37_ our tears as well as our dark dreams is the surest way to deepen friendships. But it _38_be undertaken(進(jìn)行) slowly and carried on only if there are _39_of interest and action in return.
　　What are some of the _40_of friendship? The greatest is the attraction to expect too much too soon. Deep relationships _41_time. Another “major difficulty" is the selfishness to think one “possesses" the other, including his time and attention. Similarly, friendships _42_ actions in return. In 43 words, you must give as much as you take. Finally there is a question of taking care of. Unless you spend _44_time together, talking on the phone, writing letters, doing things together, friendships will die _45_?.