We've entered a new era: the twenty-first century. Of course, it's exciting and we are trying to predict what our life will be like in the future. It will certainly become better - I'm sure of it. Robots will do all the dangerous and dirty work for us and our daily life will become easier. They'll sweep the floor, dust the furniture, wash the dishes and even cook! It doesn't mean we'll become lazier, no. When everything is automated, we'll be able to do more creative jobs. We'll be able to call our friends on a videophone and type up homework by talking to a small gadget that understands the human voice. Scientists (or probably computers?) will find solutions to our most urgent problems. People will stop dying from cancer and AIDS and will live to be 150 years old. There will be no more famine on our planet and no more hungry children. Our cities will become cleaner, greener and safer. We'll drive electric cars and live in houses with lots of plants and special air-cleaning gadgets. Atmospheric pollution will be stopped and our planet will be saved. There will be no more wars, no more criminals and no more terrorists. People will learn to live in peace and understand each other. We'll have more free time and longer holidays. We'll be able to travel in space and - who knows? - one day we'll be able to spend our holidays on Mars. I'm really optimistic about the future. After all, we are becoming wiser. The superpowers are disarming, governments are waking up to Green issues ... Anyway, it's up to us to look after our planet and try to make it a better place to live.
Questions
1. Are you optimistic about the future?
2. Do you believe that robots will do all the dangerous and dirty work for us?
3. What will robots do for us?
4. Do you think children will go to school in the future?
5. What's the difference between a telephone and a videophone?
6. Will writing by hand become the thing of the past?
7. Why do you think people will become healthier?
8. Will our planet become cleaner or more polluted?
9. Pessimists say that one day we'll have to pay for clean air just like we do now for clean water. Do you think it's possible?
10. Will there be wars in the future?
11. Have you ever seen an electric car?
12. Do you think the world will become more democratic?
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