What picture do you have of the future? Will life in the future be better, worse or the same as now? What do you hope about the future?

Futurologists (未来学家) predict that life will probably be very different in 2050 in all the fields of activity, from entertainment to technology. First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. Instead, people will choose a program from a 'menu' and a computer will send the program directly to the television. By 2050, music, films, programs, newspapers and books will come to us by computer.

 In what concerns the environment, water will have become one of our most serious problems. Demand for water will increase ten times between now and 2050 and there could be serious shortages. Some futurologists predict that water could be the cause of war if we don't act now.

In transport, cars will run on new, clean fuels and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed of the cars and there won't be any accidents. Today many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to your destination.

In the domain of technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. Many factories already use robots. Big companies prefer robots—they do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere—in factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes.

Last but not least, medicine technology will have conquered many diseases. Today scientists have discovered how to control genes. They have already produced clones of animals. By 2050, scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. Scientists will be able to do these things—but should they?

The new model is the highly interactive (互动的) learning model. We could also call it the conversational model, or the tutorial model. It is computer based, with the interaction between the students, or a small group of students, and learning programs are like the conversation between a student and a skilled tutor. Distance learning will be the main delivery method.

Student interaction with the learning material on the computer will use the student's natural language; it will seem like a conversation between a student and a human tutor. This is the key point of highly interactive, or conversational, learning units. Programs will ask questions in the student's native language, and respond reasonably to free-form student input. Multiple choice and pointing will seldom be used; they often do not allow individualization (个体化) of education.

An important aspect of this model is that the computer will frequently store information about the student, about problems and about how far individual students have progressed. These records will be used often within the programs. Thus when a student returns to the learning activity, the computer knows about that student and knows where to begin the new part.

Global education is critical for the future, to get rid of poverty, corruption (腐败), violence and war, to solve major problems such as the lack of drinkable water, and to insure a happy life for all. Education should no longer be limited to the wealthy of the world, but should be available to everyone.

In the new distance learning environment, learning can take place in markets, libraries, public buildings, learning centers, and homes. Gradually schools and universities will play a smaller role in learning, both because better learning can be delivered through such highly interactive material, and because such learning will be less costly for the individual student. Motivation (动机)is particularly important in a mastery-based distance learning, as the usual threats of traditional classrooms such as that of low grades are no longer possible.

Voice input will probably be the mode for this interaction. The new voice input systems from several companies are useful, cheap, and speaker independent in highly interactive learning. Keyboards may not be needed. Speech is a natural way for humans to communicate.

Students will work in small peer groups, about four. Other contacts with people, learning circles, will be possible, directly or electronically.

One of the most efficient ways to achieve peace and speed up economies (经济) is to provide girls with better education and more rights. Today, girls' lack of access (进入) to basic education is getting more serious when it comes to the use of digital (数码的) technology, leaving them far behind boys. And because the world is even more digital, those who lack basic internet skills will find it increasingly more difficult to take part in the formal economy, to get a quality education, and to have their voices heard.

Since 2013 the global gender gap (性别差异) in male and female access to the Internet has actually increased from 11 to 12 percent. Worse yet, women and girls living in the poorest countries are 31 percent less likely than men and boys to have access to the Internet. In developing countries, some 200 million fewer women than men own a mobile phone, the most common means of Internet access there. This digital divide is increasing, and should it continue at the present pace, it is projected that over 75 percent of women and girls will lack Internet access and digital skills.

There are many causes of the digital gender gap. They include girls' exclusion (排斥) from basic education, from specific technology education and high costs of mobile phones and Internet access.

Indeed, one of the so-called reasons why girls may be discouraged from learning how to access and use digital technology is also a groundless one—that girls are simply not good at using technology.

Without the help of the government, most of the benefits of technological change will be enjoyed only by men, exacerbating gender inequality.

"Remember, your father is only one year (old) than you." That was Mum's usual excuse when Dad said the wrong things or did something (fool).

Dad quitted drinking exactly one year before I was born. He joined a group of other people. He said they  (stop) drinking, too. I loved my dad  I hated the way his weekly meetings took him away  me. It seemed that they were more  (importance) to him than I was. But with my birthday coming up I thought Dad would make an exception. "Can't you miss it just this time? Saturday is my birthday!" I begged him but  (refuse). He said "I am chairing the meeting this Saturday. We will have your party on Sunday."

Saturday evening I sat on my bed, (feel) sorry for myself. Dad started to leave, then paused and said, "Why not come with me together tonight? It's an open meeting. All are welcome." would I do at a meeting? But maybe I needed to see why something Dad did every week mattered so much.

After we arrived, Dad announced the theme of the meeting was going to be gratitude. He told his story about giving up smoking. Later, a man(call) Dave also told his story. Only then did I know it was Dad that saved his life from drinking. Showing up week after week and meeting with people, Dad was changing lives. Shame washed over me.

1）家中有能处理一切家务、参与各种活动的智能机器人(intelligent robot);

2）无人驾驶的环保型汽车成为主要的交通工具；

3）月球成为我们度假的好去处。

注意：可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。