Up until a few decades ago, our visions of the future were largely - though by no means uniformly - glowingly positive. Science and technology would cure all the ills of humanity, leading to lives of fulfillment and opportunity for all. Now utopia has grown unfashionable, as we have gained a deeper appreciation of the range of threats facing us, from asteroid strike to epidemic flu and to climate change. You might even be tempted to assume that humanity has little future to look forward to. But such gloominess is misplaced. The fossil record shows that many species have endured for millions of years - so why shouldn t we? Take a broader look at our species place in the universe, and it becomes clear that we have an excellent chance of surviving for tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of years. Look up Homo sapiens in the Red List of threatened species of the International Union for the Conversation of Nature ,and you will read: Listed as Least Concern as the species is very widely distributed, adaptable, currently increasing, and there are no major threats resulting in an overall population decline. So what does our deep future hold? A growing number of researchers and organizations are now thinking seriously about that question. For example, the Long Now Foundation has its flagship project a medical clock that is designed to still be marking time thousands of years hence. Perhaps willfully, it may be easier to think about such lengthy timescales than about the more immediate future. The potential evolution of today s technology, and its social consequences, is dazzlingly complicated, and it s perhaps best left to science fiction writers and futurologists to explore the many possibilities we can envisage. That s one reason why we have launched Arc, a new publication dedicated to the near future. But take a longer view and there is a surprising amount that we can say with considerable assurance. As so often, the past holds the key to the future: we have now identified enough of the long-term patterns shaping the history of the planet, and our species, to make evidence-based forecasts about the situations in which our descendants will find themselves. This long perspective makes the pessimistic view of our prospects seem more likely to be a passing fad. To be sure, the future is not all rosy. But we are now knowledgeable enough to reduce many of the risks that threatened the existence of earlier humans, and to improve the lot of those to come. 31. Our vision of the future used to be inspired by [A] our desire for lives of fulfillment [B] our faith in science and technology [C] our awareness of potential risks [D] our belief in equal opportunity 32. The IUCNs Red List suggest that human being are [A] a sustained species [B] a threaten to the environment [C] the worlds dominant power [D] a misplaced race 33. Which of the following is true according to Paragraph 5? [A] Arc helps limit the scope of futurological studies. [B] Technology offers solutions to social problem. [C] The interest in science fiction is on the rise. [D] Our Immediate future is hard to conceive. 34. To ensure the future of mankind, it is crucial to [A] explore our planets abundant resources [B] adopt an optimistic view of the world [C] draw on our experience from the past [D] curb our ambition to reshape history 35. Which of the following would be the best title for the text? [A] Uncertainty about Our Future [B] Evolution of the Human Species [C] The Ever-bright Prospects of Mankind [D] Science, Technology and Humanity Text 3 参考答案: 31. B. our faith in science and technology 32. A. sustained species 33. D. our immediate future is hard to conceive 34. C. draw on our experience from the past 35. C. the ever-bright prospects of mankind
高一英语作文:Family life in China
高一英语作文:Friendship
高一英语作文:What Do You Like?
高一英语作文:A Happy Day
高一英语作文:My Geography Teacher
高一优秀英语作文关于奥运会(1)
高一英语作文:A Letter of Thanks
高一作文:Road Safety
高一作文:About Subjects
2010-2011学年高一上学期英语期末考试话题作文
高一优秀英语作文:Taiwan Is Part of China
高一英语作文:Becoming a Good Student
高一优秀英语作文关于奥运会(2)
高一英语作文:Great Changes in My Hometown
高一优秀英语作文关于自我介绍100字
高一英语作文:兴趣的作用
高一英语作文:My Little Cousin
高一优秀英语作文范文:Never Forever
高一优秀英语作文关于奥运会(3)
高一英语作文:桂林山水
高一优秀英语作文关于雪灾:The common disaster
高一英语作文:A Day in My Summer Vacation
高一英语作文:暑假生活回忆
高一英语作文:Wonderful Class
高一英语作文:步行有益健康
高一英语作文:Good Health
高一英语作文:写英语日记的好处
高一英语作文:My Mother
高一英语作文:我的人生计划
高一英语作文:I Misunderstood You
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |