If there is one thing I’m quite sure about, it is that in a hundred years from now we still be reading newspapers. Not those newspapers are a necessity. Even now some people get most of the news from the television or have the radio switched on in the background or in the car. Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday. But for most people a newspaper has bee a habit passed down from generation to generation.
The basic British character won’t change, and one of the characteristics of the British is that we don’t much like talking to each other when we get up. So what better way is there to keep yourself thinking in the morning than to wrap yourself in a newspaper?
Over the past couple of centuries, human beings have developed a close relationship with the newspaper. It has bee as natural as breathing or enjoying the sun. And it is not just the British who love newspapers. On suburban trains in Calcutta, for instance, just one person in the whole car will buy a newspaper and read aloud the best bits to his fellow passengers, much to everybody’s enjoyment.
The nature of what is news may change. What essentially (本质上) makes news is what affects our lives and the big political stories, the coverage of the wars, earthquakes and other disasters, will continue much the same. I think there will be more coverage of scientific research, though. It’s already happening in areas that may directly affect our lives, like genetic engineering. In the future I think there will be more coverage of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do, whether it’s love or depression. We develop a better understanding of how the brain operates and what our feelings really are.
It’s quite possible that in the next century newspaper will be transmitted electronically from the national equivalents of Fleet Street (伦敦的舰队街，以报馆集中而著称) and printed out in our own homes. In fact, I’m pretty sure that that is how it will happen in future. You’ll be probably selecting from a menu, making up your own bespoke newspaper by picking out the things you want to read and say. You might even have an intelligent screening device (装置) to do the job for you.
I think people have got it wrong when they talk about the petition between the different media. They actually have a relationship, feeding off each other. It was once predicted that television would kill off newspapers, which hasn’t happened. What is read on the printed page is more enduring (持久的) than pictures on a flickering screen or sound lost in the sky. And as for the Internet, it’s never really satisfying to read something just on a screen.
【小题1】The author of the passage is most probably from .A．RussiaB．IndiaC．BritainD．America【小题2】According to the passage, the future of newspapers .A．will be mainly connected with scientific research B．will report more important political activitiesC．will directly cover more on scientific research D．will build a bridge between different people【小题3】The underlined part “bespoke newspaper” of the passage probably refers to .A．a newspaper which dares to report the truth B．a newspaper edited to one’s own interestC．a newspaper edited and published for the public D．a newspaper which only covers the life of family members【小题4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A．It was centuries ago that newspapers came into being .B．Televisions have taken the place of newspapers .C．The Internet will gradually take the place of newspapers.D．The nature of news may remain the same over generations.C
网友回答
(答案→)C
解析：
【小题1】C 推理题。根据第二段第1，2行one of the characteristics of the British is that we don’t much like talking to each other when we get up.说明我是一个英国人。故C正确。
【小题2】C 细节题。根据第四段3,4行. I think there will be more coverage of scientific research, though.说明C正确。
【小题3】B 猜测词义题。根据本句You’ll be probably selecting from a menu, making up your own bespoke newspaper by picking out the things you want to read and say.后半句by picking out the things you want to read and say挑出你自己想要看的内容，故化学部分是一种符合自己个人口味的报纸，故B正确。
【小题4】A 推理题。根据第三段1,2行Over the past couple of centuries, human beings have developed a close relationship with the newspaper说明报纸在一个世纪前就出现了，故A正确。