当你长大以后……

高齐云

When you grow up， what will the world be like？ Scientists and thinkers have puzzled over that question. Hundreds of years ago， writers imagined a future where people lived easy lives， doing what they wanted to， buying what they wanted without money.

当你长大后，世界会是什么样呢？科学家和思想家们对这个问题感到困惑。数百年前，作家们想象着一个人们过着轻松生活，做他们想做的事情，买他们想要的东西而不用付钱的未来。

Before you were born， scientists predicted1 that the earth would soon be covered in ice. Others predicted that the ice will all melt.

在你出生之前，科学家预测地球将很快被冰覆盖，其他人则预测冰将融化。

Those predictions did not come to pass. The truth is that the future is a mystery2. And heres the exciting part： You will live there one day！

那些预测没有成真。事实是，未来是一个谜。令人兴奋的是：有一天你会生活在那里！

When you are a grown-up， what will life be like？ No one can be sure， but many very smart people have some interesting ideas.

当你长大时，生活将是什么样的？没有人可以肯定回答，但许多非常聪明的人产生了一些有趣的想法。

3D Printed Food

3D打印的食物

Feel like a pizza？ Print one！Yes， in the future， when you need to feed your kids， you might cook up a pizza on a 3D printer. NASA is currently experimenting with 3D food print-ers to use in space.

想吃披萨？打印一个！是的，将来，当你需要喂孩子时，可能会在3D打印机上做披萨。美国宇航局目前正在试验3D食品打印机，以便在太空中使用。

Here on earth， 3D printers are already being used， but they are very expensive and dont prepare a lot of different foods. By the time you are a grown-up， 3D food printers will be as com-mon as microwave ovens. And youll be able to add extra cheese.

在地球上，3D打印机已经被使用，但是它们非常昂贵，而且准备不了太多不同的食物。当你长大时，3D食品打印机会像微波炉一样普遍。而且你还能够添加更多的奶酪。

Your Home Will Be Your Doctor

你的家将成为你的医生

Paying for health care is expensive. When you grow up， you will pay taxes to pay for that care. To help keep costs low， your home will be filled with tools that keep an eye of your health. Your toothbrush will test your saliva3. Your toilet will test your deposits4.

支付医疗费用很昂贵。长大后，你需要纳税才能支付这笔费用。为了帮助降低花费，你的家将充满了关注你健康的工具，你的牙刷会测试唾液，厕所会测试沉积物。

Of course， your watch will also tell you how your heart is doing. All of this testing will help find health problems before they become too serious. They will tell you when you need to see a human doctor and when you just need to take a breath and relax.

当然，你的手表也会告诉你你的心脏怎么样。所有这些测试都有助于在问题变得严重之前找出健康问题。他们会告诉你什么时候需要看医生，什么时候只需要吸一口气，然后放松。

When You Do Need a Doctor

当你需要医生时

In the future， you might get treated by tiny robots of a robot suit.

在未來，你可能会接受机器人配套的小型机器人的治疗。

Nanotechnology is， simply put， using very tiny particles to do a job. For example， some sunscreens use nanoparticles5 to protect your skin. In the future， doctors will be able to use these wee little particles6 to make machines that treat disease or fix wounds. Other types of treatment are big.

简单地说，纳米技术使用非常微小的颗粒来完成工作。例如，有些防晒霜使用纳米粒子来保护你的皮肤。将来，医生能使用这些小颗粒来制造治疗疾病或修复伤口的机器，其他类型的治疗创口很大。

Right now， doctors are creating mechanical suits that can act like legs or arms. People who have spine7 injuries will be able to move the suit just by thinking. Soldiers injured in war or kids damaged in accidents will finally be able to stand， walk or even play soccer.

现在，医生正在制造可以像腿或手臂一样活动的机械套装。脊柱受伤的人能只需通过思维就可以移动衣服。在战争中受伤的士兵或在事故中受伤的孩子最终将能够站立、行走甚至踢足球。

Heading to the Farm—In an Elevator

前往农场——在电梯里

As an adult， you might decide to be a farmer. You dont go to the field in a truck—you take an elevator. Thats because farms are being created in high-rise buildings.

作为一个成年人，你可能会决心成为一名农民。你不用坐卡车去田地——而是乘电梯。那是因为农场是在高层建筑中建造的。

Some crops are grown on the side of the building. This is called “vertical8 farming” and people are doing it now. From vegetables to meat， almost any food can be grown inside these buildings.

有些庄稼生长在建筑物的一侧，被称为“垂直农业”，现在人们正在这样做。从蔬菜到肉类，几乎任何食物都可以在这些建筑物内生长。

If you want to be a farmer， you better get used to heights.

如果你想成为一名农民，你最好习惯在高处。

The Hardest Part of the Future？

未来最艰难的是什么？

Being Human.

作为人类。

Technology is great. Everyone has a phone that connects them to friends and facts and fun games. All that technology is causing problems. Kids and adults alike find it hard to visit face-to-face.

技術很棒。每个人都有一个电话，将他们与朋友、现实和有趣的游戏联系起来。所有这些技术都会引发问题。孩子和成年人都发现彼此很难见面。

People who get along using text messages can feel awkward when they try to meet in person. In the “old days”， men and women fell in love by meeting and getting to know one another.

使用短信交流相处的人在尝试亲自见面时会感到尴尬。在“过去的日子里”，男人和女人见面后，相互认识，由此坠入爱河。

Now， adults go through lists of information to learn about a person they like. Also， too much technology can make thinking harder. In the future， you could find life a struggle when technology breaks down. You could feel anxious without a phone in your hand.

现在，成年人会查看信息列表，了解他们喜欢的人。此外，太多的技术会使思考更难。在未来，当技术崩溃时，你会发现生活很艰难。手里没有电话，你可能会感到焦虑。

The best way to make sure that you enter the future strong， smart and able to enjoy the world is to live in reality. Exercise， visit people， get your parents to show you how to do things rather than look it up on your computer. When the future arrives， youll be ready to make it whatever you want it to be.

确保你进入未来后变得强壮、聪明，并能够享受世界的最佳方式就是生活在现实中。锻炼、拜访他人，让你的父母告诉你怎么做，而不是在电脑上查找。当未来到来时，你将为成为任何你想要的样子做好准备。