-Module1ReadingTheCityoftheFutureWhatwillthecityofthefuturelooklike?Nooneknowsforsure,andmakingpredictionsisariskybusiness.Butonethingiscertaintheyaregoingtogetbiggerbeforetheygetsmaller.Inthefuture,carefortheenvironmentwillbecomeveryimportantasearthsnaturalresourcesrunout.Wewilluselotsofrecycledmaterials,suchasplastic,aluminium,steel,glass,woodandpaper,andwewillwastefewernaturalresources.Wewillalsohavetorelymoreonalternativeenergy,suchassolarandwindpower.Allthisseemscertain,butthereareplentyofthingsaboutcitylifeinthefuturewhicharenotcertain.Tofindoutwhatyoungpeoplethinkaboutthefutureofurbanlife,ateacheratauniversityinTexasintheUnitedStatesaskedhisstudentstothinkhowtheywouldrunacityof50,000peopleintheyear2025.Herearesomeoftheideastheyhad:GarbageshipsTogetridofgarbageproblems,thecitywillloadhugespaceshipswithwastematerialsandsendthemtowardsthesun,preventinglandfillandenvironmentalproblems.BatmanNetsPolicewillarrestcriminalsbyfiringnetsinsteadofguns.ForgetsmokingNosmokingwillbeallowedwithinafuturecityslimits.Smokingwillbepossibleonlyoutsidecities,andoutdoors.ForgetthemallsInthefutureallshoppingwillbedoneonline,andcatalogueswillhavevoicecommandstoplaceorders.-TelephonesforlifeEveryonewillbegivenatelephonenumberatbirththatwillneverchangenomatterwheretheylive.RecreationAllformsofrecreation,suchascinemas,bowling,softball,concertsandothers,willbeprovidedfreeofchargebythecity.CarsAllcarswillbepoweredbyelectricity,solarenergyorwind,anditwillbepossibletochangethecolourofcarsattheflickofaswitch.TelesurgeryDistancesurgerywillbecomecommonasdoctorscarryoutoperationsfromthousandsofmilesaway,witheachcityhavingitsowntelesurgeryoutpatientclinic.HolidaysathomeSeniorcitizensandpeoplewithdisabilitieswillbeabletogoanywhereintheworldusinghigh-techcamerasattachedtotheirhead.SpacetravelTravellinginspacebyordinarycitizenswillbecommon.Eachcitywillhaveitsownspaceport.CulturalCornerFamousLastWordsNotallpredictionscometrue.Manyofthemarewrong,andsomeareverywrong.Herearejustafewofthebadpredictionspeoplemadeinthetwentiethcenturyaboutthetwenty-firstcentury:AIRPLANESNoflyingmachinewilleverflyfromNewYorktoParis.OrvilleWright,1908.COMPUTERSIthinkthereisaworldmarketformaybefivecomputers.-ThomasWaston,chairmanofIBM,1943.CLOTHESThirtyyearsfromnowpeoplewillbewearingclothesmadeofpaperwhichtheywillbeabletothrowawayafterwearingthemtwoorthreetimes.ChangingTimesMagazine,1957.MENONTHEMOONWiththefirstmooncoloniespredictedforthe1970s,workisnowinprogressonthetypesofbuildingrequiredformentostayinwhentheyreonthemoon.ArnoldB.BarachinTheChangestoCome,1962.THEBEATLESWedontliketheirsound,andguitarmusicisonthewayout.DeccaRecordingCo.rejectingtheBeatles,1962.ROBOTSINTHEHOUSEBytheyear2000,housewiveswillprobablyhavearobotshapedlikeaboxwithonelargeeyeonthetop,severalarmsandhands,andlongnarrowpadsonthesideformovingabout.NewYorkTimes,1966.KEYSBythemid-1980snoonewilleverneedtohideakeyunderthedoormatagain,becausetherewontbeanykeys.-ComputerscientistChristopherEvans,TheMicroMillennium,1979.Module2ReadingGettingAroundinBeijingTaxisTaxisareonthestreets24hoursaday.Simplyraiseyourhand,andataxiappearsinnotime.Theyareusuallyred,andtheydisplaythepriceperkilometreonthewindow.Youshouldcheckthecabhasabusinesspermit,andmakesureyouaskforareceipt.BusesandtrolleybusesPublictransportprovidesacheapwaytogetaroundinBeijing.Thereare20,000busesandtrolleybusesinBeijing,buttheycangetverycrowded.Itsagoodideatoavoidpublictransportduringtherushhour(6:30a.m.8:00a.m.and5:00p.m.6:30p.m.).Faresarecheap,startingat1yuan.Air-conditionedbusescostmore.Busesnumbered1to100arelimitedtotravelwithinthecitycentre.Highernumbershavedestinationsinthesuburbs.Touristsshouldntmissthe103buswhichoffersoneofthemostimpressiveroutes,pasttheForbiddenCityandtheWhitePagodainBeihaiPark.Ifyougetonadouble-deckerbus,makesureyousitupstairs.Youllhaveagoodviewoftherapidlychangingcity.Mostbusesrunfromabout5:00a.m.tomidnight.However,thereisalsoanightbusservice,providedbybuseswithanumberinthe200s.Minibuses-Minibuseswithseatsfor12passengersofferanalternativetoexpensivetaxisandcrowdedpublictransportinsomeareas.Theyrunregularservicesandfollowthesameroutesaslargepublicbuses.Andinaminibusyoualwaysgetaseateveninrushhours.UndergroundTherearefourundergroundlinesinBeijing,andseverallinesareunderconstruction.Trainsarefastandconvenient,butrushhourscanbeterrible.Aone-waytripcosts3yuan.Stationnamesaremarkedinpinyin.Theundergroundisopenfrom5:00a.m.to11:00p.m.PedicabsTouristslikethesehuman-pedalledtricycletaxis,buttheycanbeexpensive.Youshould