# Science in the future

- 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4）
- 考频：超高频
- 最近考试：2021.11.11/2017.2.8/2012.11.8
- 题目数：10
- 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/bd446453-127a-4300-9902-a7471588094e（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面）
- 数据更新：2026-10-29

## 题目原文

00:00:00,480 
 Part four. You will hear a lecturer giving a talk on how science may change in the future. 
 00:00:07,380 
 First, you have some time to look at questions thirty-one to forty. 
 00:01:01,980 
 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 
 00:01:09,560 
 In this final lecture of our course on the history of science, I would like to look to the future and tell you about some predictions that have been made about scientific developments. 
 00:01:21,490 
 The content for my talk is based on some research in which thirty scientific leaders were invited to comment on the developments that they envisage as likely to come about in their own discipline within fifty years. 
 00:01:37,120 
 After summarizing some of their most interesting contributions for you, I'll ask you to give me your opinions as to the likelihood of these changes occurring within this timescale. 
 00:01:49,780 
 You may also like to suggest some other likely changes yourselves. 
 00:01:54,700 
 So first, let's start with computer science, as this is clearly an area where there are bound to be dramatic developments and even more significantly, perhaps, these developments are likely to impact on every other field of learning. 
 00:02:12,360 
 The invention of computers represents an enormous leap forward in the field of human endeavor. It could indeed be considered as being as momentous a development as when our predecessors in caves first learned to make fire and use it for all sorts of purposes. 
 00:02:32,100 
 In the future, the computational revolution is certain to be generally recognized as a transformation as significant as, say, the Industrial Revolution. 
 00:02:44,680 
 The computer scientists in the study I referred to felt that in the coming decades, lives will be significantly enhanced by automated reasoning systems of different types. There was considerable agreement that people will increasingly perceive these computer systems as intelligent. Although many of these will be deployed behind the scenes, others will be in the foreground, serving in an elegant, often collaborative manner to help people do their jobs, to learn and teach, to reflect and remember, to plan and decide. 
 00:03:23,660 
 Without going into further detail about this at this point, let's turn to what predictions psychologists had to make. 
 00:03:32,100 
 Their key point was that psychological research would inevitably become increasingly varied. It would move into such areas as behavioral economics and social neuroscience. There is likely to be further expansion into domains with more practical relevance as increasing numbers of women become research scientists, so areas such as health, environment, family, and social identity will receive more attention. 
 00:04:03,720 
 At the same time as they broaden their horizons, psychologists will also intensify their search to discover what exactly determines how we act. They will be assisted in this by imaging devices that will be inserted into the brain and provide a great deal of information about how it behaves. There should be some fascinating discoveries coming to light very soon. 
 00:04:33,800 
 Another field that is currently undergoing enormous changes is that of genetics. It is not new to suggest that average life expectancy is likely to continue rising in most countries. However, today, geneticists emphasize that it is vital that the increasing number of the elderly in society must take quality of life into account. So how will genetics help this to happen? 
 00:05:03,560 
 To start with, they hope to develop technologies that can sequence each person's genome extremely cheaply. This information about our DNA enables healthcare providers to predict our likelihood of suffering from any particular disease. From there on, it is a matter of weighing up various factors with a view to determining what can be done to minimize each individual's level of risk. 
 00:05:33,000 
 With such information in hand, new treatments will be developed and the current one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare will give way to a more personal approach. 
 00:05:46,240 
 The final subject area that I wish to bring to your attention is that of zoology. Once again, computers and technology have a key role to play here. Experts comment specifically on the importance of satellites for future developments in this field. These enable people to explore the world from their homes, offices, and schools. It is now possible, for instance, to go online and see for yourself the abundant wildlife in one part of East Africa and in the surrounding region, the harm people have done by destroying the forests, all supposedly in the name of development. 
 00:06:29,340 
 Zoologists believe the breakthrough that lies ahead is how people act on such information as this. They hope that we will learn to connect our minds to our hearts and apply this knowledge to help protect our planet. They express a clear hope that a greater understanding of the consequences of human shortsightedness will make people anxious to rectify what we can before it is too late. 
 00:07:00,320 
 That is the end of part four.

## 题目与答案

### 31. Science in the Future Scientists were asked to predict changes in their own field in the next 50 years. Computer Science The invention of computers is as significant as the discovery of how to create and use 31_____ .

Science in the Future Scientists were asked to predict changes in their own field in the next 50 years. Computer Science The invention of computers is as significant as the discovery of how to create and use 31_____ .

**答案**：fire

原文定位：It could indeed be considered as being as momentous a development as when our predecessors in caves first learned to make fire and use it for all sorts of purposes

同义替换：「as significant as」↔「as momentous a development as」；「create」↔「make」

### 32. Computer will be seen as being 32_____ .

Computer will be seen as being 32_____ .

**答案**：intelligent

原文定位：There was considerable agreement that people will increasingly perceive these computer systems as intelligent

同义替换：「seen」↔「perceive」

### 33. Psychology Researcher will become much more 33_____ ,

Psychology Researcher will become much more 33_____ ,

**答案**：varied

原文定位：Their key point was that psychological research would inevitably become increasingly varied

同义替换：「much more」↔「increasingly」

### 34. and also more practical since more 34_____ will be working in the field.

and also more practical since more 34_____ will be working in the field.

**答案**：women

原文定位：as increasing numbers of women become research scientists, so areas such as health, environment, family, and social identity will receive more attention

同义替换：「more」↔「increasing numbers of」；「working in the field」↔「become research scientists」

### 35. Imaging devices will give information about the behaviour of the 35_____ .

Imaging devices will give information about the behaviour of the 35_____ .

**答案**：brain

原文定位：They will be assisted in this by imaging devices that will be inserted into the brain and provide a great deal of information about how it behaves

同义替换：「give」↔「provide」

### 36. Genetics With increased life expectancy, it is important to consider the 36_____ of elderly people`s lives.

Genetics With increased life expectancy, it is important to consider the 36_____ of elderly people`s lives.

**答案**：quality

原文定位：However, today, geneticists emphasize that it is vital that the increasing number of the elderly in society must take quality of life into account

同义替换：「consider」↔「account」

### 37. Knowledge of a person`s genome will indicate whether they are likely to be affected by a 37_____ .

Knowledge of a person`s genome will indicate whether they are likely to be affected by a 37_____ .

**答案**：disease

原文定位：This information about our DNA enables healthcare providers to predict our likelihood of suffering from any particular disease

同义替换：「genome」↔「DNA」；「indicate whether they are likely to be affected by」↔「predict our likelihood of suffering from」

### 38. The approach to treatment will be on an increasingly 38_____ basis.

The approach to treatment will be on an increasingly 38_____ basis.

**答案**：personal

原文定位：With such information in hand, new treatments will be developed and the current one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare will give way to a more personal approach

同义替换：「increasingly」↔「more」；「basis」↔「approach」

### 39. Zoology People can explore the world satellite. For example, it is possible to see the effects of the destruction of 39_____ in East Africa.

Zoology People can explore the world satellite. For example, it is possible to see the effects of the destruction of 39_____ in East Africa.

**答案**：forests

原文定位：It is now possible, for instance, to go online and see for yourself the abundant wildlife in one part of East Africa and in the surrounding region, the harm people have done by destroying the forests, all supposedly in the name of development

同义替换：「see the effects of the destruction of」↔「see the harm people have done by destroying」

### 40. Such increased awareness should enable us to do more to look after the 40_____ .

Such increased awareness should enable us to do more to look after the 40_____ .

**答案**：planet

原文定位：They hope that we will learn to connect our minds to our hearts and apply this knowledge to help protect our planet

同义替换：「Such increased awareness」↔「a greater understanding of the consequences」；「enable us to do more to look after」↔「help protect」

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