What's going to happen in the future? Will robots take over our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now, according to the BBC. 1.Digital money We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we swipe  our bus pass or use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us even seeing it. In fact, we are already using one type of digital money. You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash. When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. People in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, according to the Associated Press, and the US might be next. 2.Bionic eye It's no longer something only in a scifi movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back--by wearing bionic eyes. A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to "see" the environment and send data directly to the brain. Although the bionic eye that's out now only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a highresolution  version could be just a few years away. 3.Selfdriving cars Everything is going automatic these days--washing machines, ticket selling machines and even cars. Unlike a human driver, a selfdriving car won't get _ by a phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car drives itself. Many vehicle companies are now planning selfdriving cars. "By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road," said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US, in Wired magazine. Jeffrey Miller's attitude towards selfdriving cars is   _  . A) optimistic B) pessimistic C) doubtful D) cautious
A


(Question)
Who would have thought that potato fries could unite an entire country? Well, that seems to be the case in Belgium where there is currently a movement to have Belgian potato fries officially recognized as cultural heritage. The fries are served in a paper cone  from a "fritkot", which is a shack or a food truck. Across Belgium, there are at least 5,000 fritkots which is 10 times more common than McDonald's restaurants in the United States. The movement for the fries to be declared official cultural heritage was started by UNAFRI, also known as the national association of fritkot owners. They claim that their establishments represent Belgium very well. "A cone of potato chips is Belgium in miniature . What's amazing is that this way of thinking is the same, in spite of differences among communities and regions," added spokesman Bernard Lefevre. Tourists can even be seen to line up with locals in Brussels to buy a cone of fries from wellknown fritkots such as Frit Flagey and Maison Antoine. "Before I came here, the only thing I knew about Belgium [Z-x-x-k.Com]was that they liked their fries," said Rachael Webb, a tourist from Ottowa, Canada. In order to be recognized by UNESCO, it has to be formally supported by the Belgian government of culture. As of right now, UNESCO has a list of 314 items of "cultural heritage" that they say is worthy enough to be preserved. Items on the list include Turkish coffee and the old native singing of the Central African Republic. Potatoes reached Belgium in the 16th century, but it wasn't until the 19th century that they were cut up into fries and sold as a meal. The movement to have potato fries declared cultural heritage was started by   _  . A) the Belgian government B) many Belgian communities C) a Belgian industry D) a Belgian cultural association
(Answer)
C


Learning English is one of the few things I have been doing consistently over the past 16 years.Like most Chinese students, I started learning English because it was a compulsory   course in my middle school.More importantly, English was a central subject for the college entrance exam. At that time, studying English was not a pleasant experience for me.There was no fun in the process of learning.The focus of our English education was getting a good mark in exams.And nobody told me that the real meaning of studying mother language was communication. When I became a university student, I spent nearly half of my time on English.In fact , more than 90 percent of the job offer ads in Shanghai list " proficiency   as a main requirement. How did I improve my English? People told me that TOEFL was very helpful and useful.As a result, I took a TOEFL training course and studied like mad.After six months' preparation, I took part in the exam and got a high score.Later on, I had a chance to further my study in Britain.I soon discovered that all of my past English learning had been futile  .When I first went shopping in a local supermarket, I really could not understand what the cashier was saying at all. It was then that I realized I had totally missed the point.Instead of just passing exams, the main function of learning English or any other language is communication.What is more, language does not exist independent of culture.Hence, mechanical memorization helps very little in communication.That's why I was still unable to freely express myself after learning English for many years.By no means am I talented in any foreign language.I am still learning English.Why? First and foremost, my job requires me to use English everyday.Secondly, English helps me to have access to more information.Thirdly, as a bookworm, English gives me a chance to dive into the huge pool of inspiring English books.Last but not least, it is such a great experience to write in another language.Indeed, English has become part of my life. How can we master English well? A) We need more mechanical memorization. B) We should read and recite more books. C) We should study English as well as its culture and use it more. D) We can study hard in classrooms and houses and get high marks in exams.

C