What will man be like in the future-in 5000 or even 50,000 years from now? We can only make guesses, of course, but we can be sure that he will be different from what he is today. For man is slowly changing all the time.
Let us take an obvious example. Man, even five hundred years ago, was shorter than he is today. Now, on average, men are about three inches taller. Five hundred years is relatively short period of time, so we may assume that man will continue to grow taller. Again, in the modern world we use our brains a great deal. Even so, we still make use of only about 20% of the brain’s capacity. As time goes on, however, we shall have to use our brains more and more, and eventually we shall need larger ones! This is likely to bring about a physical change to the head, in particular the forehead, will grow larger.
Nowadays our eyes are in constant use. In fact, we use them so much that very often they become weaker and we have to wear glasses. But over very long period of time it is likely that man’s eyes will grow stronger.
On the other hand, we tend to make less use of our arms and legs. These, as a result, are likely to grow weaker. At the same time, however, our fingers will grow more sensitive because they are used a great deal in modern life.
But what about hair? This will probably disappear from the body altogether in course of time because it does not serve a useful purpose any longer. In the future, then, both sexes are likely to be bald.
Perhaps all this gives the impression that future man will not be a very attractive creature to look at! This may well be true. All the same, in spite of all these changes, future man will still have a lot in common with use. He will still be a human being, with thoughts and emotions similar to our own.
36. The passage mainly tells us that____.
A. man’s life will be different in the future
B. future man will look quite different from us
C. man is growing taller and uglier as time passes
D. man’s organs’ functions will be one the wane
37. What serves as the evidence that man is changing?
A. Man has got stronger eyes now than he ever had.
B. Man’s hair is getting thinner and thinner.
C. Man’s arms and legs have become lighter and weaker.
D. Man has been growing taller over the past 500 years.
38. The change in man’s size of forehead is probably because____
A. he makes use only 20 % of the brain’s capacity.
B. his brain has grown larger over the past centuries.
C. the other 80% of his brain will grow in due time.
D. he will use his brain more and more as time goes on.
39. What is true about a human being in the future?
A. He is hairless because hair is no longer useful.
B. He has smaller eyes and wears better glasses.
C. His fingers grow weaker because he doesn’t have to make use of them.
D. He thinks and feels in different way.
40. It is implied that ____.
A. human beings will become less attractive in the future.
B. less use of a bodily organ may lead to its degeneration
C. human beings hope for a change in the future life
D. future life is always predictable.
36.B. 全文理解题。本文主要介绍未来人类的外貌。A未来的生活，与中心思想不符。C不具备概括性。D器官功能衰退不能概括未来人类身体的变化。
37. D. 细节理解。人类外貌逐渐变化的依据。见第二段第二句“Man，even five hundred years ago was shorter than he is today.” A,B,C 均为人类未来的变化趋势而不是人类变化的证据。
38. D. 细节理解题。 第二段最后两句说人类将更多地使用大脑，最终大脑变大，前额增大。
39. A.第二段指出人类的头发可能会消失，因为“it does not serve a useful purpose any longer”， 即头发失去作用。第三段讲人类将大量用手指，手指变得灵活敏感，所以C错误。D与后一段不符。
40. B. 推论题。从人类身体变化可以看出，经常使用的器官部位，如大脑手指将变得发达。而不常用的器官会退化。A原文已经直接提到，不能算作推论。