In 1917 Orville Wright predicted that “the aeroplane will help peace in many ways —in particular I think it will have a tendency to make war impossible.” Earlier in 1904, American journalist John Walker declared, “As a peace machine, the value of the aeroplane to the world will be beyond computation.” This wasn't the first grand promise of technology. In that same year Jules Verne announced, “The submarine(潜艇) may be the cause of bringing battle to a stoppage.”

    Alfred Nobel, sincerely believe his dynamite(火药) would be a war obstacle: “My dynamite will sooner lead to peace than a thousand world conventions(公约).” Similarly, when Hiran Maxim, inventor of the machine gun, was asked in 1893, “Will this gun not make war more terrible?” he answered, “No, it will make war impossible.” Gugliemo Mareconi, inventor of the radio, told the world in 1912. “The coming of the wireless time will make war impossible, because it will make war ridiculous.” General James Harbord, chairman of the board of RCA in 1925, believed, “Radio will serve to make the concept of Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men a reality.”

    David Nye, a historian of technology, adds to the list of inventions imagined as abolishing war forever and leading to universal peace the hot-air balloon, poison gas, land mines and laser guns.

    It is not that all these inventions are without benefits—even benefits toward democracy（民主）. Rather, it's the case that each new technology creates more problems than it solves. “Problems are the answers to solutions,” says Brian Arthur.

    Most of the new problems in the world are problems created by previous technology. These problems are nearly invisible to us. Every year 1.2 million people die in automobile accidents. The technological transportation system kills more people than cancer. Global warming, environmental poisons, nuclear terrorism, and species loss, are only a few of the many other serious problems troubling people.

    If we embrace(拥抱) technology we need to face its costs.

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。

    Your school asked parents about the social development in children in the last Parents' Meeting. Here are some opinions. Read following information and answer the questions.

    Mr. White was born in a small village. His parents worked hard on their farm but they couldn't get enough food for the family. Of course, he couldn't be sent to school and his uncle who worked in a school taught him at home. And he learned a lot before he left there. When he was sixteen, he found work in a factory. As an abled worker, the boss liked him and seven years later the boss married his daughter to him and with his help, Mr White had his own factory after another seven years passed.

    Mrs. White liked her husband very much. So she was always afraid he loved the other women. She often asked him a lot of questions. He wouldn't make her angry and was more careful.

    One evening Mr. White was very busy and he told his secretary to help him. When they finished the work, it was ten in the evening. He had to see her home. That night his wife felt unwell and told him to take her to a hospital. He helped her to get on the car and started. But soon after that he found there was a shoe in the car. He had a look at his wife. The woman seemed to be asleep. He picked it up gently and threw it out of the window.

    Soon they got to the hospital. As he was going to help her to get off, suddenly the woman called out, “Where's my shoe?”

    With beautiful canals, top art museums, and cycling culture I Amsterdam is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. As the capital and most populous city in the Netherlands, it's often referred to as the “Venice of the North” because of its wide system of bridges and canals. Here are some key points for you to keep in mind while planning a trip there.

    Must-See Attractions

    Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre, which is full of traditional architecture, shopping centers, and coffee shops. The top museums to visit are the Rijks museum, the Ann Frank House, and the Van Gogh Museum. As a World Heritage Site, the Canal Ring was originally built to attract wealthy home owners and an area for celebrity spotting and nightlife today.

    Transportation

    Travelers should be aware that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the busiest airports in the world. This airport is located about 15 kilometers southwest of the city center. You can catch a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station, which has many connecting routes. It's not a good idea to drive a car to the city center. Cycling is popular here, and it's easy to rent a cheap bike around the town. Amsterdam has a flat terrain (地形) and it's a good choice to explore the city on foot.

    Money-saving Tips

    Look for accommodations in Amsterdam's South District where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.

    Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.

    Instead of hiring a tour guide, jump onto a canal boat. They're inexpensive and will give you a unique point of view of the city.

    A nine-year-old kid was sitting at his desk when suddenly there was a puddle（水潭、泥坑） between his feet and the front of his trousers was wet. He thought his heart was going to stop because he couldn't possibly imagine how this had happened. It had never happened before, and he knew that when the boys found out he would never hear the end of it. When the girls found out, they would never speak to him again as long as he lived.

    He prayed this prayer, "Dear God, I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat!" He looked up from his prayer and here came the teacher with a look in her eyes that said he had been discovered. As the teacher was walking toward him, a classmate named Susie was carrying a goldfish bowl full of water. Susie tripped （绊倒） in front of the teacher and dumped （倒） the bowl of water in the boy's lap. The boy pretended to be angry, but all the while was saying to himself, "Thank you. Lord!"

    Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy was the object of sympathy. The teacher rushed him downstairs and gave him gym shorts to put on while his trousers dried out. All the other children were on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy was wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his had been transferred （转移） to someone else+—Susie. She tried to help, but they told her to get out.

    When school was over, the boy walked over to Susie and whispered, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispered back, "I wet my trousers once, too!"

    Here we introduce some rental houses to you.

    Apartment Levant in Komiza

    Overlooking one of the most beautiful fishing villages in Croatia, our two storey house also gives you a full view of Komiza bay as well as neighboring island of Bisevo. The apartment has a wide, covered balcony and a small garden with lemon trees. It is only 10 minutes'walk from the centre of the village, although it is on the edge of the village, with forests behind the house.

    Apartment Domina

    Located in the centre of the city, the apartment is protected as a historical site. All other facilities are at your fingertips such as restaurants, shops and museums. The apartment is fully equipped and air—conditioned, having a kitchen with a dishwasher, a satellite TV and the free Web access. It contains a bedroom with a double bed and antique furniture. Besides, the apartment offers pet-friendly accommodation.

    Apartment Tonka

    The apartment is located in an old stone house in the centre of Komiza. It offers two bedrooms, each with a separate bathroom, and a living room with a furnished kitchen. The house is only a couple of minutes away from the old harbor, along the old town's street where you can enjoy Komiza's rich cultural history. The bus stop is less than 200 meters away, near the fruit and vegetable market.

    Pearl of Issa

    This two-bedroom apartment is only a few minutes'walk from beautiful beaches, shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. It consists of two bedrooms, a fully equipped modern kitchen, a dining room and a resting area with a sofa, which can be used as an extra sleeping place for one person, a bathroom and a balcony with comfortable garden furniture and barbecue equipment.