Unit 2 Looking into the Future
基础默写
Ⅰ.核心单词——写其形
1. switch vt.转换；交换vi.&vt.（使）改变；转变n.开关；改变；转换器
2. remote adj.远程的；偏远的
3. routine n.常规；正常顺序adj.常规的；日常的
4. command n.指令；控制vt.命令；控制
5. obey vi.&vt.服从；遵守
6. relevant adj.有关的；有意义的
7. fantasy n.幻想；想象
8. available adj.可获得的；（人）有空的
9. nevertheless adv.尽管如此；不过；然而
10. forecast vt.&n.预测；预报
11. hence adv.因此；由此
12. advocate vt.提倡；支持n.提倡者；支持者
13. career n.职业；事业
14. prospect n.可能性；前景
Ⅱ.拓展单词——通其变
1. persuade vt.劝说；说服 → persuasion n.劝说；说服 → persuasive adj.有说服力的；令人信服的
2. distant adj.遥远的；疏远的；心不在焉的 → distance n.距离
3. secure adj.安全的；可靠的；牢固的vt.获得；保护→ security n.保护措施；安全工作
4. automatic adj.自动的 → automatically adv.自动地；无意识地
5. efficient adj.效率高的；有功效的 → efficiently adv.有效地；效率高地 → efficiency n.效率
6. prefer vt.较喜欢 → preference n.爱好；偏爱
7. instant n.瞬间；片刻adj.立即的；速食的；速溶的→ instantly adv.立即；立刻；马上
8. warn vt.&vi.警告；提醒注意 → warning n.警告；警示；先兆
9. constant adj.不断的；重复的；不变的n.常数；常量→ constantly adv.经常地；不断地
10. critical adj.严重的；关键的；批判性的 → criticize vt.批评 → criticism n.批评；责备 → critic n.批评家；评论家
11. potential adj.潜在的；可能的n.潜力；可能性 → potentially adv.潜在地；可能地
12. innovate vt.&vi.创新；革新 → innovation n.创新；创造
13. combine vt.&vi.（使）结合；混合 → combination n.合并；联合
14. predict vt.预测；预言 → prediction n.预测；预言→ unpredictable adj.不可预测的
15. occupy vt.占用；占据 → occupied adj.使用中；忙于 → occupation n.职业；占领
16. oppose vt.反对；抵制；阻挠→ opposed adj.反对的；对立的
17. absent adj.缺席的；缺乏的 → absence n.不存在；缺乏；缺席
18. emphasize vt.强调 → emphasis n.强调；重视；重要性
19. resist vi.&vt.抵制；反抗；抵挡→ resistance n.抵制；反对；抗拒 → resistant adj.有抵抗力的；抵制的
20. accurate adj.精确的；准确的 → accuracy n.准确性
Ⅲ.阅读单词——晓其意
1.phrase n. 短语；词组
2.appliance n. 电器；器具
3.mode n. 模式；方式；风格
4.leak vi.&vt. 漏；渗漏；透露 n. 漏洞；裂缝；透露
5.detect vt. 发现；查明
6.structure n. 结构；体系 vt. 系统安排；精心组织
7.crime n. 犯罪活动；不法行为
8.artificial adj. 人工的；假的
9.deceased adj. 已死的；亡故的
10.rural adj. 乡村的；农村的
11.luxury n. 奢华
12.essay n. 文章
13.librarian n. 图书管理员；图书馆馆长
Ⅳ.核心短语——明搭配
1. switch off/on 关/开（电灯、机器等）
2. early on 在初期；早先
3. catch fire 着火
4. in this sense （in...sense） 从这种（某种）意义上来讲
5. keep in touch （with...） （与……）保持联系；了解（某课题或领域的情况）
6.remote control 遥控器；遥控
7.air conditioner 空调机；空调设备
8.daily routine 日常生活
9.artificial intelligence （AI） 人工智能
Ⅴ.经典句式——会运用
1.Your lights will come on the instant you enter the door along with your favourite music or TV programmes， and you will find your dinner already prepared for you. （the instant引导的时间状语从句）
你一进家门，灯就会亮起，你最喜爱的音乐或电视节目会自动播放，而且你会发现晚餐已为你准备好了。
2.Of course， when new technology changes the way we live ， it can be a scary prospect. （the way作先行词）
当然，当新技术改变我们的生活方式时，这可能会是一个可怕的前景。
3.Nevertheless， it will take some years before most new homes begin to use this new technology . （ It will take＋一段时间＋before ...）
然而，还需要过些年大多数新住宅才会开始使用这种新技术。
4.It has also made finding opportunities in life much easier， as it allows people to make larger networks of friends through using social media . （as引导的原因状语从句）
它（互联网）还使人们在生活中更加容易找到机会，因为它让人们能够通过社交媒体建立更大的朋友网。
5.However， in the not-too-distant future， we will be living in smart homes that will lock the door for us when we are away and remember to switch off the TV when we forget. （将来进行时）
然而，在不久的将来，我们将生活在智能的家里。当我们外出时，智能的家会为我们锁上门；当我们忘记关掉电视的时候，智能的家会记得关掉它。
语境自测
Ⅰ.单词拼写（用本单元词汇）
1.The law would encourage companies to switch （转换） from coal to cleaner fuels.
2.The police commanded （命令） the witness to describe what had happened the day before yesterday.
3.Your local library can help you start a business by providing relevant （相关的） information and supporting service.
4.Our school advocates （倡议） that we should commit ourselves to building a low-carbon campus.
5.Many young people， well-educated， headed for remote （偏远的） regions to chase their dreams.
6.It is everybody’s duty to obey the traffic rules to keep our society in order and on the right track.
7.She started her career as an English teacher after she graduated from Peking University.
8.Our duty is to help process information and make the information available to the public.
9.If you want to improve your oral English， particular emphasis should be put on communication with native speakers.
10.The weather forecast says it will be cloudy with a slight chance of rain later tonight.
Ⅱ.用所给单词的适当形式填空
1.The park has set a signal to warn people not to swim in the river， but some people just ignore this warning . （warn）
2.The secretary’s computer is very efficient at manipulating information， so she works efficiently . And her efficiency has been praised by her boss. （efficient）
3.George prefers to read novels during his free time and shows a strong preference for sci-fi. （prefer）
4.Tom’s mother tried to persuade him to give up playing computer games. Although her words were persuasive ， her persuasion didn’t work. （persuade）
5.A good manager should combine technology with management. That’s a winning combination . （combine）
6.Her occupation is a secretary， and she occupies a separate office on the third floor. She is always occupied with routine office tasks. （occupy）
7.Our monitor was absent from school today， and his absence was due to a high fever. （absence）
8.The earthquake is unpredictable ， but scientists are trying to predict it and hope that they can give accurate prediction one day. （predict）
Ⅲ.用方框内短语的适当形式完成句子
switch off/on early on catch fire
in this sense keep in touch with
1.A high-rise building in this district is reported to catch fire last night， which left over ten people injured.
2.Please switch off the lights when you leave to save energy.
3.When we sleep， our body temperature drops slightly. In this sense ， if you take a cold shower before going to bed， you will quickly fall asleep and improve the quality of your sleep.
4.It’s important to teach good spending habits to our kids early on ， which helps them make informed choices about how to use their money in adulthood.
5.Thanks to social media tools， we can move around the world and still keep in touch with the people that we want to remain friends with.
Ⅳ.句式仿写
1.一听到这个消息，他就难以抑制心中的兴奋，高兴得跳了起来。（the instant引导的时间状语从句）
The instant he heard the news ， he was unable to control his excitement and jumped with joy.
2.我想说的第一件事是，你开始谈话的方式非常重要。（the way作先行词）
The first thing I would say is that the way you begin the conversation is very important.
3.这座大楼的建造工作即将结束，还有两个月才能投入使用。（It will take＋一段时间＋before ...）
The construction of the building is coming to an end. It will take two months before it is put into use .
4.一些人提倡使用移动支付，因为它使我们的生活更方便，而另一些人则觉得它不安全。（as引导的原因状语从句）
Some advocate using mobile payment， as it makes our life more convenient ， while others feel it is not secure.
5.简不能参加今天下午3点的会议，因为那时她正上课。（将来进行时）
Jane can’t attend the meeting at 3 o’clock this afternoon because she will be teaching/having a class at that time .Unit 2 Looking into the Future
Artificial intelligence（AI） can get many appliances such as air conditioners switched on in a remote place at the owner’scommand. Besides， some sensors have been installed to give warnings the instant they detect something abnormal like a gas leak. Apart from these， some innovations combined with space technology can also make accurate weather forecasts and even predict potential natural disasters. In this sense， technological advances make our lives more comfortable and convenient. Hence， most students advocate the development of new technology.
Nevertheless， othersoppose developing new technology， thinking it not secure. They resistautomaticvehicles and even try to persuade people to live a simple life in the absence of high technology.
Personally， I think new technology has a promising prospect. I have decided to seek my career as an AI engineer early on. I will read a lot of relevant essays to keep in touch with the latest development.
1 persuadevt.劝说；说服
1.[外研必修③－2]He started to ask for help from his classmates and neighbours and persuaded them to donate （donate） money.
2.When shopping， we can’t help being persuaded into buying things we don’t really need.
3.Only after much persuasion （persuade） from Elis had she agreed to hold a show.
点拨
only修饰状语或状语从句且位于句首时，主句用部分倒装，即把句子或主句谓语中的助动词、情态动词或系动词放在主语之前。
4.成功说服大卫不要退出越野赛，我笑着松了一口气。 （读后续写之情绪描写）
Successfully persuading David not to quit/out of quitting the cross-country race ， I smiled and sighed with relief. （现在分词作状语）
★persuade sb.to do sth. ＝ persuade sb.into doing sth.说服某人做某事 persuade sb.not to do sth. ＝ persuade sb.out of doing sth.说服某人不做某事 ★persuasion n. [U]说服；劝说 persuasive adj.有说服力的；令人信服的
2 instantn.瞬间；片刻 adj.立即的；速食的；速溶的
1.Once published， the novel was instantly （instant） a great success and was soon translated into nine foreign languages.
2.As soon as Jenny saw her father， she threw her arms around him， looking sad and helpless.
→① Instantly Jenny saw her father ， she threw her arms around him， looking sad and helpless. （instantly）
→② The instant Jenny saw her father ， she threw her arms around him， looking sad and helpless. （the instant）
→③ Upon seeing her father ， Jenny threw her arms around him， looking sad and helpless. （upon）
点拨
表示"一……就……"的还有：
（1）on/upon＋n./doing
（2）as soon as； the＋瞬间名词（moment/minute/second）
（3）hardly...when.../no sooner...than...
（4）directly/immediately
★in an instant 立即；马上 for an instant/for a moment 刹那间；一时 the instant＋从句（＝instantly＋从句）一……就…… ★instantly adv.立即，马上
3 commandn.指令；命令；控制 vt.命令；控制
1.I’m at your command — what would you like me to do？
2.When the captain found out that the ship was rapidly sinking， he commanded his men to send （send） out a signal for help.
→When the captain found out that the ship was rapidly sinking， he commanded that his men（should） send （send） out a signal for help.
点拨
command后跟宾语从句时，谓语动词应用"（should＋）动词原形 "。
3.我的英语很好，这使我能够毫无困难地与其他国家的学生交流。 （申请信）
I have a good command of English， which enables me to communicate with students from other countries without difficulty.
★at sb.’s command 服从某人的指挥；可支配 in command of 指挥；控制 have a good command/knowledge of... 熟练掌握…… ★command sb. to do sth.[command that sb.（should） do sth.] 命令某人做某事
4 combinevt.&vi.（使）结合；混合
1.[人教选必①－3] Combining （combine） city life， nature， and wetlands makes the park a popular destination both for tourists and local residents.
2.[人教选必③－3]The expression "smog" originated in Britain and means a combination （combine） of "smoke" and "fog".
3.[外研选必②－3]Well， as you can see， corporate knowledge combined with creativity has brought my humble bookstore into the 21st century！
4.记住把工作和娱乐结合起来。正如俗话所说："只工作不玩耍，聪明的孩子也变傻。"
（建议信）
Remember to combine work with play . Just as the saying goes， "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
★be combined with... 与……结合 combine... with... 把……与……结合起来 ★combination n.结合；联合 in combination with... 与……联合起来
5 opposevt.反对；抵制；阻挠
1.Regardless of her husband’s opposition （oppose）， the woman bought her daughter a new iPad.
2.My mother was opposed to my idea of going on a trip around Europe alone， because she thought it dangerous.
3.在全国反对浪费食物的情况下，学校发起了一项活动呼吁我们学生节约食物。
（活动介绍）
With the nation opposing wasting food ， our school launched an activity to call on us students to save food.
点拨
"反对"的其他表达：reject，be against， disapprove等。
★oppose （doing）sth. 反对（做）某事 oppose sb.doingsth. 反对某人做某事 ★opposed adj.反对的；对立的 be opposed to （doing）sth. 反对（做）某事 ★opposition n.反对
6 absencen.不存在；缺乏；缺席
1.[译林选必③－2]Due to the near absence （absent） of gravity in space， we have to attach ourselves so that we don’t float around.
2.It really worried me that you were absent from school all day.
3. In the absence of teachers’ instruction （没有老师们的指导）， we would have no idea how to combine what we have learnt with practice.
4.你最近在课堂上很心不在焉。我很担心你，想提供帮助。
You have been really absent-minded in class recently . I’m worried about you and want to offer help.
★in the absence of... 没有或缺乏…… in/during sb.’s absence某人不在时 absence of mind心不在焉 ★absent adj.缺席；心不在焉的；不存在；缺少 be absent from... 缺席…… ★absent-minded adj.心不在焉的；健忘的
7 resistvi.&vt.抵制；反抗；抵挡
1.Whenever I turn on my phone to check， I can’t resist having （have） a quick look at my social media accounts.
2.It is not true that elderly people are always resistant to change.
3.This disease is surprisingly difficult to catch as most people have a natural resistance （resist） to it.
点拨
can’t resist doing sth. 无法抵抗做某事的诱惑；忍不住做某事
★resist doing sth. 抵制/反对做某事 ★resistance n.抵抗；抵抗力 ★resistant adj.抵制的；抵抗的 be resistant to... 抵制……；对……有抵抗力
8 inthissense（in...sense）从这种（某种）意义上说
1.make sense of common sense a sense of security in a sense
①Careful observation can help you more deeply appreciate how artists express their emotions and make sense of the world around them.
②Growing up on the horseback， they are attached to horses. In a sense ， horses are at the heart of Mongolian culture.
③It is common sense that the earth revolves around the sun.
④It’s highly suggested that parents spend more time with children， which gives the kids a sense of security .
2.为过去担忧没有意义。
There is no/little sense worrying about the past.
3.我们决不该放弃我们的梦想。 （建议信）
In no sense should we give up our dreams. （倒装结构）
点拨
表示"决不"的短语还有：at no point， at no time， by no means， in no case， in no circumstances， in no way， on no account。
★common sense 常识 make sense 有道理；讲得通 make no sense 没道理；没意义 make sense of 弄懂……的意思，理解 in a sense 从某种意义上说 in no sense 决不（位于句首时，句子要部分倒装） a sense of belonging/duty/humour/direction 归属感/责任感/幽默感/方向感 ★There is no/little sense （in） doing sth. 做某事没有道理/没有意义。
9 keepintouch（with...）（与……）保持联系；了解（某课题或领域的情况）
1.If we had exchanged email addresses last week， I would have no trouble getting in touch with him （和他取得联系） now.
2.James wasn’t invited. We’ve been out of touch for years （我们已经多年没有联系了）.
3.当我们意识到我们在森林深处迷路时，我们与其他远足者失去了联系。
When we realized we had lost our way in the deep forest， we had lost touch with other hikers .
4.由于互联网的发展，我们与远方的朋友保持联系更加方便。 （互联网的利弊）
Because of the development of the Internet， it is more convenient for us to keep in touch with our friends far away.
★stay in touch （with ...）（与……）保持联系 be in touch （with ...）（与……）有联系 be out of touch （with ...）（与……）失去联系 以上短语表状态，可与表示一段时间的状语连用。 ★get in touch （with...）（与……）取得联系 lose touch （with...）（与……）失去联系 以上短语表动作，不可与表示一段时间的状语连用。
10 Itwillbe/take＋一段时间＋before... 要过……才……
1.It didn’t take long before they walked （walk） through the front door carrying a big box.
2.If you miss this chance， it may be years before you get another one （可能要过几年你才能得到另一个机会）.
3.As a matter of fact， it was/took a long time before I knew the truth （过了很久我才知道真相）.
4.一周后，比赛才开始。 （比赛通知）
It will take a week before the competition begins. （it will take＋一段时间＋before...）
★It was/took＋时间段＋before... 过了……才…… It was not long before.../It didn’t take long before...不久就…… It won’t be long before.../It won’t take long before...不久就会……
前缀com-/con-
本单元：com-（共同）＋-bin-（二，双）＋e→两个在一起→combine（使）结合；混合
拓展：
从[构词示例]中选择适当的单词，并用其正确形式填空。
1.[外研选必④－2]TheBlueBird is a typical full-length play， which means it has several acts and each act is composed of several scenes.
2.[人教选必②－4]The bushes and maple trees outside their windows were red， gold， and orange， and there was frost on the ground， confirming that autumn had arrived in Canada.
3.When we miss a night’s sleep， we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information.
4.Now we do almost everything on the Internet. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without Internet connection .Unit 2 Looking into the Future
一、阅读理解
A
[科技创新]In Palo Alto， California， Elon Musk presented a prototype（原型） of the humanoid（类人的） robot Optimus， which his company Tesla hopes to produce one day by "millions" to "transform civilization" and build a "future of abundance" where poverty will be gone. The robot， which remains work in progress， waved to the audience and raised its knees.
Tesla is adopting its autonomous car technology to give Optimus abilities such as walking safely or working on the factory floor. "The robot can actually do a lot more than we just showed you，" said Musk. "Tesla is designing Optimus robots to be produced at high rates， pushing the price perhaps lower than $20，000，" Musk added. "This means a future of abundance， a future where there is no poverty and where you can have what you want in terms of products and services. It really is a fundamental transformation of civilization as we know it."
Musk， who once warned of artificial intelligence being a threat to mankind， said that Tesla wants to make sure the transition（过渡） to a society in which robots do the work and people gain the benefits is a safe one. "We always want to be careful we don’t go down the Terminator path，" he cautioned， referring to a famous film about a killer robot and noting that Tesla is building in safeguards including a stop button that can’t be changed without permission.
Musk said Tesla will begin testing Optimus on the factory floor， letting the robots do simple tasks like carrying parts， and that the general public should be able to purchase the robots in three to five years. He also added， "Tesla， as a publicly traded company， will be held accountable by its shareholders if they think it isn’t being socially responsible. It’s very important that I can’t just do what I want. Tesla’s structure is ideal for that."
Elon Musk展示了人形机器人Optimus的原型，他的公司特斯拉希望有一天能大量生产这种机器人，以"改造文明"，建立一个消除贫困的"富足的未来"。
【词语积累】 transform v.使改观，使变形，使转化
autonomous adj.有自主能力的，自主的
fundamental adj.根本的，基本的，基础的；必不可少的，十分重要的
safeguard n.安全设施，保护措施
accountable adj.负有责任的
【熟词生义】 caution 常用义：n.谨慎，小心 文中义：v.告诫，提醒
【长难句解读】 Musk，who once warned of (artificial intelligence being athreat to
Who引导的定语从句，artificial…
mankind)，said that Teslawants to make sure{the transition(过渡) to a society (in which robots
mankind为动名词短语的复合结构，that引导的宾语从句，其中包含一个省略了引导词的宾语从句，
do the work and people gain the benefits)is a safe one}.
该宾语从句中又包含一个“in+关系代词which”引导的定语从句
译文：Musk曾警告说人工智能会对人类构成威胁，他表示，特斯拉希望确保向机器人工作、人类受益的社会的过渡是安全的。
1. What is Optimus expected to do？
A. Play a big role in factory work.
B. Lift the future world out of poverty.
C. Walk and wave greetings like humans.
D. Provide fundamental services people want.
解析 B 细节理解题。由第一段中的"which his company Tesla hopes to... build a ‘future of abundance’ where poverty will be gone"和第二段中的"This means a future of abundance， a future where there is no poverty and where you can have what you want in terms of products and services"可知，特斯拉希望有一天能大量生产Optimus机器人，以"改造文明"，建立一个"富足的未来"，让贫穷消失。这意味着一个富足的未来，一个没有贫穷的未来，在那里你可以得到你想要的产品和服务。由此可知，Optimus机器人被期待能让未来世界摆脱贫困。综上可知，本题选B。
2. Why is the film mentioned in paragraph 3？
A. To share a story about humanoid robots.
B. To tell the harm of using humanoid robots.
C. To warn of the threat of artificial intelligence.
D. To prove Tesla’s devotion to safe humanoid robots.
解析 D 意图推断题。由第三段中的"a safe one""‘We always want to be careful we don’t go down...noting that Tesla is building in safeguards ... without permission"可知，提及电影《终结者》是为了证明特斯拉会规避电影中机器人害人的隐患，竭力打造安全的人形机器人，故选D。
3. What do Musk’s words in the last paragraph imply？
A. He is in favor of Tesla’s management.
B. Robots will be easily available for all soon.
C. Tesla should be more socially responsible.
D. Optimus is none of Tesla’s shareholders’ concern.
解析 A 推理判断题。由最后一段内容可知，Musk补充道，如果股东认为特斯拉公司没有负起社会责任，公司要对此作出解释。特斯拉的体系是理想的。由此可知，Musk对特斯拉的管理模式是认同的，故选A。
4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text？
A. Optimus： A Breakthrough Product by Elon Musk
B. Optimus： A Possibility of Transforming the World
C. Humanoid Robots： A Promise of a Better Future
D. Humanoid Robots： A New Technical Focus of Tesla
解析 B 标题归纳题。通读全文可知，本文的主要内容是：Elon Musk展示了人形机器人Optimus的原型，他的公司特斯拉希望有一天能大量生产这种机器人，以"改造文明"，建立一个消除贫困的"富足的未来"。由此可知，B项（Optimus：改变世界的可能性）做本文标题最佳。
B
[科技创新/2024湖北武汉外国语诊断]Cars powered by batteries made from seawater and planes fueled by ammonia（氨） will become common over the next 10 years， Bill David， a professor of materials chemistry has predicted.
Most batteries for electric cars and smartphones are powered by lithium（锂）， which has to be mined， but David thinks that they will be overtaken by batteries made from sodium（钠）， which can be obtained from seawater and salt. The future of air travel could also be greener thanks to biofuels.
David said， "We are developing an ammonia-based plane. In principle， we can improve on an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 787 and essentially replace jet fuel with ammonia."
David said that batteries could， at first， combine sodium and lithium， as sodium is not quite as powerful as lithium but is much more sufficient. "It’s not quite perfect in terms of performance， so we need both，" David said. "Sodium is on the way up and most electric cars have had a combination of lithium and sodium batteries in them. My estimate is that by 2040 I would not be surprised if there were ten times more sodium batteries than lithium ones， maybe even 100 times."
The first generation of mass-produced sodium batteries has been used for an electric car for the first time. Sodium will not be the final answer to eco-friendly air travel， however， which is why David’s team is looking into the use of ammonia. Some companies are looking into whether jet fuel can be replaced with hydrogen， but David sees ammonia more sustainable. He said， "If you do a sum， then at 500mph you get the same amount of power as jet fuel， but just 40 per cent of the range. However， even though， a Boeing 787 could still go from London to New York."
However， a report from the Royal Society on net-zero aviation， which David co-wrote， says that replacing jet fuel with biofuels would require half of the agricultural land in the UK.
材料化学专家Bill David预测，未来10年由海水制成的钠电池驱动的汽车和以氨为燃料的飞机将变得普遍。由于生物燃料的使用，未来的航空旅行也会更加环保。
1. What is an advantage of sodium batteries？
A. Their performance is easy to improve.
B. Their raw material is easily accessible.
C. They are widely applied to various vehicles.
D. They are more powerful than other batteries.
解析 B 细节理解题。由第二段中的"David thinks that they will be overtaken by batteries made from sodium（钠）， which can be obtained from seawater and salt"可知，David认为锂电池将被钠制成的电池取代，钠可以从海水和盐中获得。由此可知，电池的原材料钠可以轻松获得，故选B。
2. According to David， which is ideal for future electric cars？
A. The lithium battery.
B. The sodium battery.
C. Hydrogen fuel.
D. Ammonia fuel.
解析 B 细节理解题。由第四段中的"My estimate is that by 2040...maybe even 100 times"可知，到2040年，如果钠电池的数量是锂电池的10倍，甚至可能是100倍，David不会感到惊讶。由此可知，David认为未来电动汽车的理想选择是钠电池，故选B。
3. What is paragraph 5 mainly about？
A. Hydrogen casts a light on the jet fuel market.
B. Electric car makers favor sodium batteries.
C. Ammonia features sustainability and practicability.
D. Companies have mass-produced recycled batteries.
解析 C 段落大意题。结合第五段内容，尤其是本段中的"David sees ammonia more sustainable""If you do a sum， then at 500mph...a Boeing 787 could still go from London to New York"可知，该段主要讲述氨的可持续性和实用性特点，故选C。
4. What’s David’s attitude to replacing jet fuel with biofuels？
A. Tolerant. B. Unclear.
C. Cautious. D. Doubtful.
解析 C 态度推断题。由最后一段的内容可知，David参与撰写的一份来自英国皇家学会关于净零排放航空的报告称，用生物燃料取代喷气燃料将需要英国一半的农业用地。由此可推知，David对于用生物燃料取代喷气燃料这一举措持慎重态度，故选C。
二、七选五
[2023江西名校联考]Whenever humans consider the future of AI， they have one big question in mind： will robots take my job？ While it’s true that some jobs will disappear， new ones that involve working specifically with AI will arise. 1 Many jobs will become more rewarding as people perform their work alongside AI， solving problems in new and exciting ways.
AI has already changed almost every industry， but the future of AI promises to revolutionize even more businesses.
Health care： 2 This will make early lifesaving treatment more likely. They might use AI to create new ways to treat illnesses like dementia（痴呆） and cancer. They could use it to predict future illnesses， combining a patient’s health history and genetic data to create a preventative care plan.
Service industry： In the future， robots and machines run by AI could replace customer service representatives and cashiers. 3 Robots are already used at some fast-food restaurants.
Law enforcement：Some day soon， AI facial recognition in security cameras could help police officers catch potential criminals. 4
Transportation： Say goodbye to taxi drivers. In the future， cars will be able to drive themselves （some already do）. 5
Marketing： AI already targets you with customized ads on social media sites， but soon it may even be able to create the ads you see or articles you read.
A. We can also have AI-equipped robot cooks.
B. We may also see automated trains and airplanes.
C. The biggest change may be in what we get from work.
D. With AI， doctors will be able to better diagnose illnesses.
E. AI-run robots are already used as security officers in some businesses.
F. There are already articles that are almost as good as what a human creates.
G. While the future of AI has lots of positives， there are some negatives， too.
本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了人工智能已经或即将被用于哪些领域。
1.C "Many jobs will become more rewarding as people perform their work alongside AI， solving problems in new exciting ways"与C项（The biggest change may be in what we get from work）相吻合。
2.D 由小标题"Health care"可知，第三段主要介绍人工智能在医疗保健领域的应用。D项（有了人工智能，医生将能够更好地诊断疾病）符合本段主旨。
3.A 由小标题"Service industry"可知，第四段主要介绍人工智能在服务行业的应用。A项（我们也可以有配备人工智能的机器人厨师）符合本段主旨，且与下文中的"Robots are already used at some fast-food restaurants"衔接自然。
4.E E项（人工智能运行的机器人已经被用作一些企业的安保人员）与Law enforcement相吻合，且与下文衔接自然。
5.B 由小标题"Transportation"可知，第六段主要介绍人工智能在运输领域的应用。B项（我们还可能看到自动化的火车和飞机）符合本段主旨。
三、完形填空
[2024广东揭阳阶段考]We asked Professor John Williams， a futurologist， for his expert predictions on life in the next few decades. Here’s what he said.
Unfortunately， it looks quite likely that the climate may 1 significantly， with hotter summers， colder winters and more flooding. At the same time， fuel for heating or air conditioning will probably become much more expensive. For these reasons， our houses will certainly have to become much better 2 . People are already building so-called ‘passive houses’， which have little or no central heating at all， 3 the body heat of the people who live there.
Homes probably won’t be as big， and so we will need more adaptable furniture， such as sofa beds， and when we are not 4 our furniture we will be able to fold it away into wall cabinets（壁橱）. Houses could have moveable walls so that the same space can be 5 in different ways.
New technology will make us more self-sufficient（自给自足的）. Kitchens may have fish tanks which， as well as providing fish to eat， also 6 fresh vegetables. The plants will 7 oxygen for the fish. These tanks will be powered by household waste and create 8 ， which can then be used to run the family car — 9 we might not all have cars！
Water will be more expensive and the home of the future will probably be designed to use much 10 water. Washing machines and dishwashers might use sound waves to shake 11 off. We may even take showers using sound waves. What water we do use will be recycled and used again round the house and private swimming pools will become a thing of the 12 .
We will also 13 have more robots in our houses， though they won’t look like the ones in films. There will probably be small robots 14 to clean the fridge or open the curtains. 15 fridges will tell us when food is about to go out of date and even suggest recipes， and we will be able to communicate with our homes by mobile phone wherever we are.
本文主要讲的是John Williams对未来的预测。
1. A. change B. improve
C. respond D. cool
解析 A 由下文中的"with hotter summers， colder winters and more flooding"可知，气候可能会发生改变，故选A。
2. A. advertised B. placed
C. qualified D.equipped
解析 D 由上文中的"fuel for heating or air conditioning will probably become much more expensive"可知，用于供暖或空调的燃料可能会变得更加昂贵，所以房子应该需要装备得更好，故选D。
3. A. dealing with B. relying on
C. focusing on D. giving out
解析 B 由上文中的"have little or no central heating at all"可知，房屋很少或根本没有中央供暖系统，所以就要依靠人自己的体温了，故选B。
4. A. using B. moving
C. cleaning D. selling
解析 A 家具自然是不用的时候才折叠起来，故选A。
5. A. demanded B.arranged
C. measured D. enlarged
解析 B 房屋可以有可移动的墙壁，这样相同的空间就可以以不同的方式布置，故选B。
6.A. produce B. wash
C. store D. cook
解析 A 厨房可能有鱼缸，除了提供鱼吃，也生产（produce）新鲜蔬菜。
7. A. find B. save
C. provide D. test
解析 C 由上文中的"plants"，下文中的"oxygen for the fish"以及常识可知，植物会给鱼提供氧气，故选C。
8. A. space B.energy
C. system D. material
解析 B 用于驱动汽车的自然是能量，故选B。
9. A. as B. if
C. unless D.though
解析 D 此处表示"尽管（though）我们可能不是每个人都有车"，故选D。
10. A. more B. warmer
C. less D. slower
解析 C 由下文可知，未来用水"更少"，故选C。
11. A. dirt B. water
C. leaves D. hair
解析 A 洗衣机和洗碗机可能会使用声波来除掉污垢（dirt）。
12. A. future B.past
C. life D. imagination
解析 B 私人游泳池将成为过去（past）的东西。
13. A. regularly B. suddenly
C. nearly D. certainly
解析 D 当然（certainly），家里也会有更多的机器人，尽管它们看起来不会像电影里的机器人。
14. A. designed B. discovered
C. repaired D. collected
解析 A 可能会有小型机器人被设计（designed）出来清洁冰箱或拉开窗帘。
15. A. Old B. Additional
C. Common D. Clever
解析 D 由"tell us when food is about to go out of date and even suggest recipes"可知，冰箱是智能的，故选D。Unit 2 Looking into the Future
Ⅰ.语法填空——词形转换、固定搭配
1.[2022新高考Ⅱ] Throughout their no-cost stays in strangers’ homes， they feed pets and water plants in/during the homeowner’s absence.
2.[2022北京]"What’s new，" Johnson wrote， "is that millions of dollars are now potentially available to quantum computing researchers."
点拨
句意：Johnson写道："（该领域的）新情况是，量子计算研究人员现在可能会获得数百万美元。"be available to sb.表示"某人可得到/获得"。
3.[2021天津]This was the first time I struggled to learn a song， because my voice cracked（破音） as I switched to a head voice.
4.[2021天津]Kids with preference （prefer） for the arts have a greater chance of finding employment in the future.
5.[2021北京]You should have a good command of either English or French.
6.[2020全国Ⅲ]I do know how upset the shop staff can get， but I try to persuade them to keep （keep） smiling.
点拨
句中do know是"do＋动词原形"强调结构。do意为"确实，的确"，用来加强谓语动词的语气。
7.[2020江苏]Technological innovations， combined with good marketing， will promote the sales of these products.
8.[2020北京]Baggy has become the first dog in the UK — and potentially （potential） the world — to join the fight against air pollution by recording pollutant levels near the ground.
9.[2020天津] Detective （detect） Ashley Jones works at a police department in England.
点拨
根据语境可知，Ashley Jones是一名警探，空处在此为头衔名词，故填Detective。类似的头衔名词还有professor， president， doctor等。
10.[2020江苏]The health security （secure） systems of many countries are undergoing considerable transformation.
Ⅱ.阅读理解——一词多义、熟词生义
1.A. 关键的 B. 严重的 C. 批判性的
①[2021北京]The findings show a critical need to invest in disaster prevention. B
②[北京高考] Understanding these reasons will control our own anger if we are willing to evaluate ourselves with a critical eye. C
③[湖北高考]Dartmoor has 1，000 or so ponies， who play a critical role in creating the diversity of species in this area. A
点拨
句意：达特穆尔有大约1 000匹小马，它们在创造该地区物种多样性方面发挥着关键作用。
2.A. adj.安全的 B. v.获得 C. v.固定
①[北京高考]Afterwards， she and her father secured their first business meeting with a supermarket owner， who finally agreed to sell Moore’s product —CanCandy. B
②[全国Ⅰ]Next， cover the hole with the plastic sheet， securing the edges of the plastic with dirt and weighting the sheet’s center down with a rock. The plastic should now form a cone（圆锥体） with 45-degree-angled sides. C
③[北京高考]...we have yet to invent a firewall that is secure against ordinary humans， let alone super intelligent machines. A
点拨
secure的含义有很多，除了上述不太常见的含义"获得""固定"外，它常用作形容词，表示"安全的；可靠的；安心的；牢固的"；它用作动词时，常表示"使安全，保护"，如：
☆[北师选必③－7]Since the company pays well and offers secure jobs， the candidates that do make it through the interview process always say "yes" to the job that is offered. adj.可靠的
☆[译林必修①－2]We were all so proud of Mama’s Bank Account. It gave us such a warm，secure feeling. adj.安心的
☆[外研选必③－3]They work to disarm combatants and to secure weapons and ammunition， removing them from use. v.保护，使安全
3.[2022全国甲]I felt so close to him. However， after I went to high school， somehow I became distant from him. adj.疏远的
4.[浙江10月高考]One reason is that， according to findings of a new survey（调查） of office workers conducted by Wakefield Research for the IT company Citrix， most bosses are doubtful about remote working. adj.远程的
Ⅲ.写作——基础写作、读后续写
写作一 基础写作——家用机器人
你校近期计划举行一个以创新为主题的英语演讲比赛，请你根据以下内容写一篇发言稿参赛，介绍一款家用机器人。这款家用机器人主要有以下功能：
1.多种模式，接受语音指令；
2.可以根据个人爱好做饭；
3.发送紧急预警；
4.跟踪身体健康状况。
◎写作要点
1.这款机器人有不同的模式，能接受语音指令。（mode， command）
The robot has different modes and can respond to voice commands.
2.它可以根据个人喜好烹饪。（preference）
It can cook according to individual preferences.
3.检测到发生紧急情况时，它会立刻发出警告。（detect， warning， instant）
When detecting emergencies， it will send warnings in an instant.
4.它可以定期扫描身体，并了解老人的身体健康状况。（keep in touch with）
It can scan the body regularly and keepin touch with the health condition of the old.
◎连句成篇
请运用恰当的连接词将以上写作要点串联成一篇语意连贯的短文。
Good morning， everyone！
Taking care of the old has become a social problem. To solve this problem， a domestic robot has been launched to help the old with their daily routine.
The robot has different modes and can respond to voice commands. Firstly， it can cook according to individual preferences. Secondly， when detecting emergencies， it will send warnings in an instant. In addition， it can scan the body regularly and keep in touch with the health condition of the old. In this sense， the robot can keep the old from many potential diseases.
Thank you.
写作二 读后续写——情感描写之失望与绝望
积累背诵 仿写运用
单 词 disappointed， desperate， down； disappointment， despair， desperation 根据左栏素材完成下列各句 1.令我们失望的是，我们一整天只卖出了一半的爆米花。 To our disappointment ， we only sold half of the popcorn after a whole day. 2.父母试了几次，还是没能把我的头从南瓜里弄出来。我开始感到绝望。 After several attempts， my parents still could not get my head out of the pumpkin. I started to feel hopeless/desperate . 3.我已经答应妈妈，我会在学校里表现得很好，我不想让她失望。 I have promised Mom that I will behave myself in school. I don’t want to let her down . 4.在他们联系到救援队之前，手机就没电了。他们瞬间陷入绝望。 The phone ran out of power before they got through to the rescue team. They fell/sank into despair instantly. 5.一对夫妇在广告上要求归还一只在我们小学附近丢失的小猎犬。他们听起来很绝望。 A couple was asking on the ad for the return of a lost beagle puppy near our grade school. They sounded desperate .
词 组 1.to one’s disappointment令某人失望的是 2.let sb. down使某人失望 3.be overwhelmed/seized by disappointment/despair非常失望/绝望 4.be/feel disappointed/down感到失望 5.in despair/desperation在绝望中，绝望地 6.fall/sink into despair陷入绝望 7.feel hopeless/desperate感到绝望
佳 句 1.His heart sank when he got noticed that he failed the interview again. 当他得知自己面试又一次失败时，他的心一沉。 2.With my partner sick， I had to go on with the presentation by myself， but the progress was particularly disappointing. 由于我的搭档病了，我不得不一个人继续做报告，但进展特别令人失望。 3.Covering her face in a gesture of despair， she burst out crying. 她以一种绝望的姿势蒙住脸，突然大哭起来。
