If there is one thing I'm sure about, it is that in a hundred years from now we will still be reading
newspapers. It is not that newspapers are a necessity. Even now some people get most of their news from
television or radio or the Internet. Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday. But for most people reading
a newspaper has become a habit passed down from generation to generation.
The nature of what is news may change. What basically makes news is what affects our lives-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 (基因) engineering. In the future, I think there will be more coverage
of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do-as 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 newspapers will be transmitted (傳送) electronically from
Fleet Street and printed out in our own home. In fact, I'm pretty sure how it will happen in the future. You
will probably be able to choose from a menu, making up your own newspaper by picking out the things
you want to read-sports and international news, etc.
I think people have got it wrong when they talk about competition between the different media (媒體).
They actually feed off each other. Some people once foresaw that television would kill off newspapers, but
that hasn't happened. What is read on the printed page lasts longer than pictures on a screen or sound lost
in the air. And as for the Internet, it's never really pleasant to read something just on a screen.
1. What is the best title for the passage?
[ ]
A. The Best Way to Get News
B. The Changes of Media
C. Make Your Own Newspaper
D. The Future of Newspaper
2. In the writer's opinion, in the future, _____.
[ ]
A. more big political affairs, wars and disasters will make news
B. newspapers will not be printed in publishing houses any longer
C. newspapers will cover more scientific research
D. more and more people will watch TV
3. What will probably be on in the newspaper made by yourself?
[ ]
A. Sports and international news.
B. A menu of important news.
C. The most important news.
D. What you are interested in.
4. From the passage, we can infer _____.
[ ]
A. newspapers will win the competition among the different media
B. newspapers will stay with us together with other media
C. television will take the place of newspaper
D. the writer believe some media will die out
5. The phrase "feed off" in the last paragraph means _____.
[ ]
A. depend on
B. match with
C. fight with
D. kill off
