Question

    Someone has put forward a dream home which is so advanced that its kitchen can suggest what to make with certain things. Also, a Microsoft home doesn’t just warn you when you’re out of milk—it can send you a fresh gallon.

But are these innovations just magic, or are they really coming soon to a neighborhood near you? To find out, US News asked some experts to get their opinions about the home of the not-so-distant future. Here’s a look at the innovations.

The housing boom was marked by mass-produced buildings filled with units which look the same. The coming years, however, will give way to a personalized approach to home construction, with houses as more of an instrument of self-expression. “The successful builders will be the ones that figure out how to change their production model enough to make the buyers feel like they are really getting something that is designed for them, not just a model,” says Kermit Baker, the chief economist at the American Institute of Architects.

Future homes will probably shrink. “We will be building smaller but smarter houses,” says Ed McMahon, a senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute. “Instead of having a room for just one use, consumers will demand homes that make better use of space,” says Susanka, whose best-selling book, The Not So Big House, has become increasingly influential in home design. Seldom-used quarters, such as dining and living rooms, will be replaced with space that can serve both functions. “The goal of his ‘right-size’ home is to fit its owners like a specially cut suit rather than a jacket you buy in a store,” says Susanka.

1.Why does the writer mention a dream home and a Microsoft home?

A.To lead to the topic of the passage.

B.To tell us what kind of house to buy.

C.To tell us that technology develops fast.

D.To tell us something about future homes.

2.According to the third paragraph, future houses will ________.

A.be mass-produced

B.have a lot of things in common

C.express the owners’ personalities

D.be designed by the owners themselves

3.The underlined word “shrink” can be replaced by “________”.

A.become cleaner

B.become brighter

C.become smaller

D.become more comfortable

4.Smarter houses in the last paragraph refer to houses that ________.

A.have a room for every use

B.can make better use of space

C.have very advanced furniture

D.can warn you when you’re out of milk

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.C

4.B

【解析】

本文是说明文。文章介绍了未来的房子更小但更智能。

1.推理判断题。根据第二段中But are these innovations just magic, or are they really coming soon to a neighborhood near you? To find out, US News asked some experts to get their opinions about the home of the not-so-distant future. Here’s a look at the innovations.(但是这些创新只是魔法，还是真的很快就会来到你附近的一个社区？为了找出答案，美国新闻请一些专家对不太遥远的未来的家园发表意见。这里看看创新之处。)可知，作者在第一段提到a dream home and a Microsoft home是为了引出本文话题。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段中The coming years, however, will give way to a personalized approach to home construction, with houses as more of an instrument of self-expression.(然而，未来几年，将让位于个性化的住宅建设方法，房屋更多地是一种自我表达的工具。)可知，未来的房子将表达业主的个性。故选C。

3.词义猜测题。根据最后一段第二句We will be building smaller but smarter houses(我们将建造更小但更智能的房子。)可知，划线词的意思是“缩小”，故选C。

4.细节理解题。根据最后一段中Instead of having a room for just one use, consumers will demand homes that make better use of space可知，消费者会要求更好地利用空间，而不是只有一个用途。因此可知更智能的房子指的是能够更好地利用空间的房子。故选B。