外研版高中英语必修四课文文本

Module1ReadingTheCityoftheFutureWhatwillthecityofthefuturelooklike?Nooneknowsforsure,andmakingpredictionsisariskybusiness.Butonethingiscertain—theyaregoingtogetbiggerbeforetheygetsmaller.Inthefuture,carefortheenvironmentwillbecomeveryimportantasearth'snaturalresourcesrunout.Wewilluselotsofrecycledmaterials,suchasplastic,aluminium,steel,glass,woodandpaper,andwewillwastefewernaturalresources.Wewillalsohavetorelymoreonalternativeenergy,suchassolarandwindpower.Allthisseemscertain,butthereareplentyofthingsaboutcitylifeinthefuturewhicharenotcertain.Tofindoutwhatyoungpeoplethinkaboutthefutureofurbanlife,ateacheratauniversityinTexasintheUnitedStatesaskedhisstudentstothinkhowtheywouldrunacityof50,000peopleintheyear2025.Herearesomeoftheideastheyhad:GarbageshipsTogetridofgarbageproblems,thecitywillloadhugespaceshipswithwastematerialsandsendthemtowardsthesun,preventinglandfillandenvironmentalproblems.BatmanNetsPolicewillarrestcriminalsbyfiringnetsinsteadofguns.ForgetsmokingNosmokingwillbeallowedwithinafuturecity'slimits.Smokingwillbepossibleonlyoutsidecities,andoutdoors.ForgetthemallsInthefutureallshoppingwillbedoneonline,andcatalogueswillhavevoicecommandstoplaceorders.TelephonesforlifeEveryonewillbegivenatelephonenumberatbirththatwillneverchangenomatterwheretheylive.RecreationAllformsofrecreation,suchascinemas,bowling,softball,concertsandothers,willbeprovidedfreeofchargebythecity.CarsAllcarswillbepoweredbyelectricity,solarenergyorwind,anditwillbepossibletochangethecolourofcarsattheflickofaswitch.TelesurgeryDistancesurgerywillbecomecommonasdoctorscarryoutoperationsfromthousandsofmilesaway,witheachcityhavingitsowntelesurgeryoutpatientclinic.HolidaysathomeSeniorcitizensandpeoplewithdisabilitieswillbeabletogoanywhereintheworldusinghigh-techcamerasattachedtotheirhead.SpacetravelTravellinginspacebyordinarycitizenswillbecommon.Eachcitywillhaveitsownspaceport.CulturalCornerFamousLastWordsNotallpredictionscometrue.Manyofthemarewrong,andsomeareverywrong.Herearejustafewofthebadpredictionspeoplemadeinthetwentiethcenturyaboutthetwenty-firstcentury:AIRPLANESNoflyingmachinewilleverflyfromNewYorktoParis.OrvilleWright,1908.COMPUTERSIthinkthereisaworldmarketformaybefivecomputers.ThomasWaston,chairmanofIBM,1943.CLOTHESThirtyyearsfromnowpeoplewillbewearingclothesmadeofpaperwhichtheywillbeabletothrowawayafterwearingthemtwoorthreetimes.ChangingTimesMagazine,1957.MENONTHEMOONWiththefirstmooncoloniespredictedforthe1970's,workisnowinprogressonthetypesofbuildingrequiredformentostayinwhenthey'reonthemoon.ArnoldB.BarachinTheChangestoCome,1962.THEBEATLESWedon'tliketheirsound,andguitarmusicisonthewayout.DeccaRecordingCo.rejectingtheBeatles,1962.ROBOTSINTHEHOUSEBytheyear2000,housewiveswillprobablyhavearobotshapedlikeaboxwithonelargeeyeonthetop,severalarmsandhands,andlongnarrowpadsonthesideformovingabout.NewYorkTimes,1966.KEYSBythemid-1980'snoonewilleverneedtohideakeyunderthedoormatagain,becausetherewon'tbeanykeys.ComputerscientistChristopherEvans,TheMicroMillennium,1979.Module2ReadingGettingAroundinBeijingTaxisTaxisareonthestreets24hoursaday.Simplyraiseyourhand,andataxiappearsinnotime.Theyareusuallyred,andtheydisplaythepriceperkilometreonthewindow.Youshouldcheckthecabhasabusinesspermit,andmakesureyouaskforareceipt.BusesandtrolleybusesPublictransportprovidesacheapwaytogetaroundinBeijing.Thereare20,000busesandtrolleybusesinBeijing,buttheycangetverycrowded.It'sagoodideatoavoidpublictransportduringtherushhour(6:30a.m.–8:00a.m.and5:00p.m.–6:30p.m.).Faresarecheap,startingat1yuan.Air-conditionedbusescostmore.Busesnumbered1to100arelimitedtotravelwithinthecitycentre.Highernumbershavedestinationsinthesuburbs.Touristsshouldn'tmissthe103buswhichoffersoneofthemostimpressiveroutes,pasttheForbiddenCityandtheWhitePagodainBeihaiPark.Ifyougetonadouble-deckerbus,makesureyousitupstairs.You'llhaveagoodviewoftherapidlychangingcity.Mostbusesrunfromabout5:00a.m.tomidnight.However,thereisalsoanightbusservice,providedbybuseswithanumberinthe200s.MinibusesMinibuseswithseatsfor12passengersofferanalternativetoexpensivetaxisandcrowdedpublictransportinsomeareas.Theyrunregularservicesandfollowthesameroutesaslargepublicbuses.Andinaminibusyoualwaysgetaseateveninrushhours.UndergroundTherearefourundergroundlinesinBeijing,andseverallinesareunderconstruction.Trainsarefastandconvenient,butrushhourscanbeterrible.Aone-waytripcosts3yuan.Stationnamesaremarkedinpinyin.Theundergroundisopenfrom5:00a.m.to11:00p.m.PedicabsTouristslikethesehuman-pedalledtricycletaxis,buttheycanbeexpensive.Youshouldtalktothedriver,andmakesureyouknowthepricebeforeyoubeginthejourney,forexample,ifitisperperson,singleorreturn.Tricyclesareworthusingifyouwanttoexplorethenarrowalleys(hutong)ofoldBeijing.CulturalCornerTheLondonCongestionChargeBeijingisn'ttheonlycitywithtrafficproblems.Youcangetstuckinatrafficjamanywhereintheworld.Theworstproblemsoccurincitieswhicharegrowingfast,suchasSaoPaoloinBrazilandLagosinNigeria.ButevencitiesindevelopedcountriessuchastheUSsuffer.LosAngeles,whichwasbuiltwiththemotorcarinmind,andisfamou