The Internet, mobile phones and Ipads are part of our lives now. Technology is greatly affecting all ways of our lives, from the ways we work to the ways we play. And it even causes a number of social problems such as cloning humans.

    We have had lots of technology and it has changed our lives a lot. There is no doubt that humans will continue to use more and more technology. Here are some examples of modern technology that will change our ideas and will affect our lives greatly.

    Global positioning system(GPS)(全球定位系统)

    It's a system that uses radio signals from satellites to show exact(精确的) information. It tells you where the user is on the earth in all weather conditions. It's made up of three parts: satellites, control equipments(设备) on land and receivers.

    Space Technology

Russian and American scientists have worked together for the international Space Station(ISS) for a long time. They hope the ISS will provide a long-lasting lab. Such a lab will bring humans limitless(无限的) advantages. It's even hoped that one day spare technology will take humans to their new houses in space.

    Underwater Robot

Hercules is a kind of underwater robot with some high technology equipments. It will be used to search for ancient ships which were destroyed into the deep sea during their journey long ago.

The world is changing so quickly that it's hard for us to catch up with all the new inventions because they seem to come out every month. It's important for us to learn about new technology and the role that it plays in our lives. So we should be willing to accept modern technology, or we will fall behind the times.

                                B     

    Hippos(河马) live in Africa(非洲). They are one of the world's largest land animals. Here are some interesting facts about them.

●Where are hippos born?

    Hippos often give birth in the water. The hippo babies get out of water right after birth to take their first breath.

●How quickly do hippos grow up?

    Hippo babies nurse both under water and on land for a year. Then they stop taking their mothers' milk but they are still with their mothers until they are eight years old. Then they move out.

●What do hippos love?

    Hippos love water and they spend most of the day in it to stay cool. The Hippo can breathe, see and hear when its body is under water because its nose, eyes and ears are on the top of its head.

●Do hippos swim better than people?

    Yes, they are great swimmers and they can hold(屏住) their breath for five minutes. Hippos can even walk under water along the bottom(水底) of rivers and lakes.

C

    In the future, your automobile will run on water instead of gas! You will be able to buy a supercomputer that fits in your pocket! You might even drive a flying car!

    For each prediction(预言) that has come true today, several others have missed by a mile. Many of these predictions didn't consider how people want to use the technology, or if people really needed it in their lives or not. Let's look at some predictions from the not-too-distant past.

    Robot helpers

    Where's the robot in my kitchen? Nowhere, of course. And he's probably not coming any time soon. Robots do exist today, but mostly in factories and other manufacturing environments.

    Back in the 1950s, however, people said that by now personal robots would be in most people's homes.

    So why it hasn't happened? Probably because robots are still too expensive and clumsy. And maybe the idea of robots cooking our dinners and washing our clothes is just too weird. At home we seem to be doing fine without them.

    Telephones of tomorrow

    In 1964, an American company introduced the video telephone. They said by the year 2000 most people would have a video phone in their homes. But of course the idea hasn't caught on yet.

    Why? The technology worked fine, but it overlooked something obvious: People desire for privacy. Would you want to have a video phone conversation with someone after you just stepped out of the shower?

    Probably not—it could be embarrassing! Just because a technology available(可利用的) doesn't always mean people will want to use it.

    Flying cars

    And finally, how about that crazy prediction of the flying car? It's not so crazy any more! But a flying car remains one of the most fascinating technology ideas to capture our imagination. Keep watching the news or perhaps the sky outside your window to see what the future will bring.

    Now there is too much garbage(垃圾) on the earth. Our planet is in danger, so it is urgent(紧迫) to classify(分类) garbage. How should garbage be classified? The following pictures may help you.

Do you have a good time your family? Whether you do or not, these rules will help you.

1. ____

Most people value some privacy in their lives. If you expect your parents to knock before entering your room, you should do the same to remind them that it is important to do so.

2. Let parents know your plans

Whether your parents set some family rules for you or not, they want to be clear about your plans. If you go outlet them know when you'll comeback and who you're with. Doing this can avoid some parental worries.

3. Help with the housework

Everyone knows that the housework is far from fun, including your parents! But if you choose to help with the housework with or before being asked to do so, you will be in control of your own time, Of course, you are selective about what you do around the house. That means you can choose the housework that you prefer to do and avoid the housework you dislike most.

4. Be polite

There is an expression "a little goes along way" in English. It means that a small polite gesture can have a big influence. Most quarrels (争吵) can be avoided by talking with each other nicely.

5. Apologise

Sometimes, when quarrels happen, we just cant get along well with each other. However, there must besom cone who needs to calm down and apologise, Even if apology is just "I'm the sorry that I fought with you", it will work.

①It is very important for us to use a dictionary when we study English.

②When we read some news or passages in English, we often meet some new words. We can look them up in the dictionary so that we can know them.

③What can you look up in the dictionary? The meaning (e.g. homesick: unhappy because you are away from home 思乡的), the pronunciation (e.g. section /'sekʃn/), the part of speech (e.g. dirty adj.; decide v.; law n.) and so on.

④How do we use the dictionary?

✮Find the section of the dictionary through the first letter of your word.

✮Read the guide words .

✮Scan (浏览) the page for your word.

✮Read the definition(释义) .

⑤The dictionary is a tool for us to learn English. So use it well.