What will man be like in the future — in 5,000 or even 50,000 years from now? We can only make _____, of course, but we can be sure that he will be different from what he is today, for man is slowly _____ all the time.

Let us take an obvious _____. Man, even five hundred years ago, was shorter than he is today. Now, on average, man is about three inches taller. Five hundred years is a relatively short period of time, so we may _____ that man will continue to grow taller. Again, in the modern world we use our brains a great deal. Even so, we still make use of only about 20% of the brain’s capacity (能力). As time goes on, _____, we shall have to use our brains more and more, and _____ we shall need larger ones! This is likely to _____ a physical change to the head, and in particular the forehead, which will grow larger.

Nowadays our eyes are in _____ use. In fact, we use them so much that very often they become _____ and we have to wear a pair of glasses. But over a very long period of time it is likely that man’s eyes will grow stronger.

On the other hand, we have a (n) ______ to make less use of our arms and legs. They, ______, are likely to grow weaker. At the same time, however, our fingers will grow more sensitive ______ they are used a great deal in modern life.

Another we are ______ about is our hair. This will ______ from the body altogether in the course of time because it does not ______ a useful purpose any longer. In the future, then, both sexes are likely to be bald (秃顶的).

Perhaps all this gives the ______ that future man will not be a very ______ creature to look at! This may well he true. All the same, ______ all these changes, future man will still have a lot in ______ with us. He will still be a human being, with thoughts and ______ similar to our own.

   The paperless office was first invented in 1975. Four decades later, we’re still chasing (追逐) the paperless office dream. Take the financial industry for example — it is one of the slowest industries to hug digital transformation. Many financial institutions today still send out trade confirmations (确认函) by mail. I can tell you from first-hand experience that going paperless is by no means impossible. The Centric Digital office is a paperless work environment where all the office operations go digital, which has amazed our business partners.

Actually, companies need to stress the benefits of a digital culture. Going paperless can save time and money. You could say goodbye to costly repairs, office supply orders, wasted employee time and so on. Besides, forbidding paper in the office forces information to be 100% digital, where you can make countless backups (备份), which easily increases transparency (透明). Not to mention, top talents want to work for digital companies.

You might think the secret to a paperless company is purely technology. Well, not really. Thanks to products like iPads, smartphones, and cloud services, the ability to go paperless is highly accessible. Yet, even with all this technology, companies continue to rely on paper. It’s not because they don’t have access to the technology, but because they’re lacking the policies, organizational structure, and strong desire to change. In order to go paperless, companies need to change the way they think and operate. The decision needs to be made and carried out, and everyone needs to work together to make it.

Yes, the paperless office has been a very long time in the making — but it no longer has to be. With plenty of software, services, apps, and technology available today, the only thing we need to do is make the decision to go paperless and see it through.

Over the centuries, there have been a few people who plan the future of the world for a living and they 【小题1】 (call) futurologists.

Hundreds of futurologists will gather at Newcastle University to hold a seminar about the future. Many people will attend the seminar with dreams of starting new enterprises 【小题2】 (base) on the predictions they will hear. I clicked 【小题3】 the websites of a few futurologists and got several predictions.

【小题4】 (short), computers will become handier. Then all of us can use our voices to control computers such as downloading files 【小题5】 updating computers just by saying a few words. By 2015, garments will have been made of new materials that will remain stainless 【小题6】 you spill on them, and they will never get old and worn. By 2025, there will have been no 【小题7】 (starve), no people who have to live on welfare, no discrimination, no conflict and people 【小题8】 (live) in peace and equality. By 2030, tiny, insect-like robots may be sent around the cells of our bodies 【小题9】 (assess) our health , which will have made it possible for us to live for at least 150 years. By 2050, we will be linking our brains to the much 【小题10】 (smart) computers and a huge database₉ and a new type of electronic human might have developed!

Your House Will Take Care of You in Old Age

Have you ever thought what your life would be like in old age?

Everyone talks about the “ageing” society with large numbers of elderly people needing home care. Now German researchers have set up a “smart” house, programmed to help the elderly live at home with dignity. Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Society say the house combines existing technology with future-riented technology.

For example, the “smart” bathroom has a touchscreen mirror that can remind people to take their medicine, wash their hands or brush their teeth. The hardware behind Fraunhofe’s electronic bathroom is not new, and the software runs on a regular personal computer.

When the medicine cabinet is opened, a display in the middle of the mirror tells the person how many pills to take. The mirror is linked to a care provider, who can remotely check whether a patient at home is actually taking medicine and brushing his or her teeth. As many elderly people have arthritic (关节炎的) conditions that make it difficult to operate water taps, the mirror also has displays that turn the water tap on or off or control the water temperature.

The bathroom is only the start. Kitchens, bedrooms and all other parts of the “intelligent” home will become “user-friendly” to meet all kinds of individual needs. Sensors in doors, toilets, taps, light switches and carpets detect every activity and record them electronically. Doctors or care staff can see from the computer records what personal hygiene (卫生) tasks have been completed, how often the elderly person visits the bathroom or uses the toilet. In case of an emergency, the computer automatically alerts the chosen contact person or calls the care centre.