Computers are very important to modern life. Many people think that in the future computers will be used a lot in everyday life. Maybe we won't have to go shopping because we will be able to buy most things on the Internet.There will be fewer books because we will be able to get all texts from computers. The Internet will be used to play games and see films. Most telephone calls will be made by computers, too.

    Some people are glad about these new ways of shopping and communicating(交流). Others do not think that computers will replace（代替）our old ways.

    Let's take books for example. Some people think that one day we won't read books made of paper. Instead, we will buy and read books by using computers. We will read texts on small pocket computers. The computers will keep many different books in them at the same time. We won't need to turn lots of pages and paper will be saved. Computerized books（电子图书）will be used more and more.

    Is Internet shopping such a pleasure as going to the shop? Many people say it is not. It is pleasant to go into shops and look at things you want to buy. It is also impossible that many people will want to read large texts on our computers. Because paper books will perhaps be more friendly. Maybe computers won't change these two habits.

    The "green" car has become popular in recent years. A green car is an environment friendly car. Today, most cars are powered (驱动) by petrol (汽油). They make our life easier. But cars have also made problems for the environment.

    There are a few new types of cars that use no petrol or a little petrol.

    Electric cars：This kind of car uses a battery (电池) for power. When you're not driving it, just plug it in like a mobile phone to power up the battery. They don't make exhaust (排放物). But car makers still can't make a battery that lasts for more than a few hours. That's why electric cars aren't very popular.

    Fuel cell cars (燃料电池车) : Fuel cell cars use hydrogen (氢) and oxygen (氧) to make power. The only exhaust they produce is clean water. But fuel cell cars are still much too expensive to make.

    Solar cars : This kind of car has large panels (板) on the top that take power from the sunshine. The car holds that power in a battery. Solar cars might be the cleanest of all. But no one uses them, because solar panels can't get enough power from the sun to make a car go for a long time. Also, they are very slow.

    Hybrid cars（油电混合车）： This kind of car is the most exciting kind, because it is very clean and not too expensive. The hybrid car is very smart: Half the time, it uses petrol, and half the time it uses a battery. So, when the petrol engine is working, it puts some of its power back into the battery. It uses much less petrol than other cars. It also makes less pollution for the environment.

    Mr. Beynolds, my teacher, handed us a list of thoughts, and asked us to write a paper on one of those thoughts. I chose the topic “I wonder why things are the way they are.”

    I wrote down all the questions that puzzled(困扰) me about life. I realized that many of them were hard to answer, and perhaps others could not be answered at all. When I handed in my paper, I was afraid that I might fail because I did not answer the questions.

    The next day, Mr. Reynolds handed me the paper and asked me to read it for the class. The other students became quiet as I began to read my story:

    Mum, why are the roses red? Why is the grass green and the sky blue? Why do I have to graduate(毕业)? Why do I have to grow up? Why do I have to be called “Grandma” on day? ...

    Dad, why can't I stay out until 12:00? Why do I miss my old friends? Why do I miss being at home? Why do you love me so much? ...

    Mum, Dad, why did you have to leave me? I need you.

    At the end of my story, I looked at Mr. Reynolds, and I saw a tear slowly coming down his face. Then I realized that life is not built on the answers we receive, but on the questions we asks.