人教版（2019）高中英语选择性必修第一册 Unit 2 L...

From self-driving cars to carebots (care＋robots) for elderly people, rapid development in technology has long represented a possible threat to many jobs normally performed by people. But experts now believe that almost 50 percent of occupations existing today will be completely unnecessary by 2025 as artificial intelligence continues to change businesses.

"The next fifteen years will see a revolution in how we work, and a revolution will necessarily take place in how we plan and think about workplaces," said Peter Andrew, Director of Workplace Strategy for CBRE Asia Pacific.

A growing number of jobs in the future will require creative intelligence, social skills and the ability to use artificial intelligence.

The report is based on interviews with 200 experts, business leaders and young people from Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. It shows that in the US technology already destroys more jobs than it creates.

But the report states:" Losing occupations does not necessarily mean losing jobs—just changing what people do." Growth in new jobs could occur as much, according to the research.

"The growth of 20-to-40 person companies that have the speed and technological know-how will directly challenge big companies，" it states.

A 2014 report by Pew Research found 52 percent of experts in artificial intelligence and robotics were optimistic about the future and believed there would still be enough jobs in the next few years. The optimists pictured "a future in which robots do not take the place of more jobs than they create," according to Aaron Smith, the report's co-author.

"Technology will continue to affect jobs, but more jobs seem likely to be created. Although there have always been unemployed people, when we reached a few billion people there were billions of jobs. There is no shortage of things that need to be done and that will not change," Microsoft's Jonathan Grudin told researchers.

Some experts feel that the automobile is to "die". They see a day in the not-too-distant future when all automobiles will be abandoned. They think that the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the near future.

It should become smaller, safer, and cheaper, and should not be powered by the petrol engine. The car in the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.

Regardless of its power source, the automobile in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic jams.

When the automobile enters the freeway system，a retractable (可缩进的) arm, which can be moved forwards or backwards, will drop from the automobile and make contact with a rail, which is similar to the electrically powered subway trains. Once attached to the rail，the car will become electrically powered from the system, and the control of the vehicle will be passed to a central computer.

The driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system. The computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the freeway. It is estimated that an automated freeway will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day freeway.

A. Other authorities, however, think the automobile is here to stay.

B. The computer will then monitor all of the car's movements.

C. One proposed solution to this problem is the automated freeway system.

D. Experts have different views on what role the automobile will play in the near future.

E. The motor car will undoubtedly change significantly over the next 30 years.

F. Drivers in the freeway svstem can sit back and do nothing but control the direction.

G. The driver will then be free to relax and wait for the buzzer (蜂鸣器) that will warn him of his coming exit.

I had an interesting question from my 10-year-old daughter Claire. She asked me if I had always been this confident. I thought about it for a while and gave her the best answer in terms of my own personal development.

I was born and1in a small town in Zambia. From a very young age I was encouraged to 2 the world and ask as many questions as I could. My grandfather was a(n) 3 holding a high position in the government, but he treated everyone with 4 like what others did to him. And I often watched him 5 with people that way. As a child, I was determined to be like him 6 I grew up. I wanted to make people feel good about 7 and have meaningful conversations that would 8 people to take action and create a better world for everyone.

As an ordinary African girl, I know what life had to 9. And I also knew that I would have some bad days as well as good days. I saw this with my parents, as they 10 hid their feelings or situations. And from that, I had a 11 view of my reality.

I tell Claire that my confidence comes from within and I am bound to 12 moments when I'm worried about whether things will work in my 13, but I have the courage not to give up on my dreams. It's the strong belief that I am good enough and I can do it that has had me going for the last 20 years. A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid that the branch will 14 because its trust is not on the branch but on its own 15. Always believe in yourself.

Keep Your Eyes Open for Weight Loss Ads

"In only six days I lost seven pounds of weight."

"Two full inches in the first three days!"

These are the kinds of statements (use) in magazine, newspaper, radio and television ads, (promise) new shapes and new looks to those who buy the medicine or the device. The promoters of products say they shape the legs, slim the face and smooth wrinkles. Often such products are nothing more than money-making things for their promoters. The results they produce are questionable, and some are dangerous to health.

To understand how these products can be legally promoted to the public, is necessary to understand something of the laws covering their regulation. If the product is a drug, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) can require proof that it is safe and effective before it (put) on the market. But if the product is a device, FDA has no authority (require) premarketing proof of safety or effectiveness. a product already on the market is a danger to health, FDA can request the producer or distributor to remove it from the market voluntarily, or it can take legal action, including seizure (查封) of the product. One notable case a few years ago (involve) an electrical device called the Relaxacisor, had been sold for reducing the waistline. The Relaxacisor produced electrical shocks to the body through contact pads. FDA took legal action against the distributor to stop the sale of the device on the grounds it was dangerous to health and life.

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Recently, our class has held a heated debate on whether to develop cloning technology or not. Different people hold different opinions.