Reading CompRehension
Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow.
Text I
The FuTuRe CaRs
The story ‘The Fun They Had’ takes us to the world of the future where children study in a virtual classroom. The learning is through computer software or the Internet, or by a robotic teacher. Many exciting new technologies would continue to transform the world and improve human welfare. Here are two of them. When these become reality, the then generation may ask with surprise, “People were driving the cars!”
Self-driving Cars
Self-driving cars exist today that are safer than humandriven cars in most driving conditions. Over the next 3 – 5 years they will get even safer and be in the mainstream.
Just as cars reshaped the world in the 20th century, so will self-driving cars in the 21st century. In most cities, about 20 – 30% of usable space is taken up by parking spaces, and most cars are parked about 95% of the time. Self-driving cars will be in almost continuous use (most likely hailed from a smartphone app), thereby, dramatically reducing the need for parking. Cars will communicate with each other to avoid accidents and traffic jams, and riders will be able to spend commuting time on other activities like work, education and socialising.
Drones and Flying Cars
“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need… roads?”
Dr Emmet Brown
GPS (Global Positioning System) which started out as a military technology is now being used to hail taxis, get mapping directions, etc. Likewise, drones had started out as a military technology, but are increasingly being used for a wide range of consumer and commercial applications.
For example, drones are being used to inspect critical infrastructure like bridges and power lines, to survey areas struck by natural disasters, and many other creative uses like fighting animal poaching. There are startups that use drones to deliver medical supplies to remote villages that can’t be accessed by road.
Click on the below link to download NCERT Class 9 English Words and Expressions Unit 1
