1．Television has turned 88 years old on September 7，2015，and it has never looked better．In its youth，television was a piece of furniture with a tiny，round screen showing unclear pictures of low budget programs．In spite of its shortcomings，it became well-received．Between 1950 and 1963，the number of American families with a television jumped from 9% to 92% of the population．
As the audience got larger，the technology got better．Television sets became more reliable through the 1960s．Both of the reception and the picture improved．The major networks started broadcasting programs in color．
Even greater improvements were coming according to Sanford Brown，who wrote an article for the Post in 1967．Surprisingly，just about every prediction he made in the article became a reality．For example：All sets in the not distant future will be color instruments．He also predicted that TV sets would become smaller，simpler，more reliable and less expensive and may forever put the TV repairman out of work．Smaller sets do not，of course，mean smaller screens．TV engineers expect screens to get much bigger．However，today's 3D TV is even farther away，if it's coming at all．There is some doubt whether the public would be eager to pay for it，in view of people's cold reception given to 3D movies．
But the technology with the greatest potential，according to Brown，was cable television （有线电视），which was still in its early stages then．As he predicted，the future of cable television was highly interactive．It wasn't cable television that gave Americans their electronic connection to the world，however．It was the Internet．He even foresaw the future office：using picture phones，big screen televisions for conferences，and computers providing information，at the touch of a button．
Brown ever said，"The future of television is no longer a question of what we can invent．It's a question of what we want．"
29．What can we infer about television sets in the 1960s？A
A．They were very popular with Americans．
B．The reception showed no improvement
C．They showed black-and-white pictures
D．They were out of order now and then
30．Which of the followings did Sanford Brown fail to predict？B
A．Television's good quality．
B．The invention of 3-D TV．
C．The future office's model
D．The potential of cable TV．
31．What is the text mainly about？C
A．The shortcomings of television．
B．The bright future of television．
C．The development of television．
D．The invention of television．
分析 本文主要讲述的是电视的发展历史．
解答 29--31 ABC
29．推理判断题．根据第一段In its youth，television was a piece of furniture with a tiny，round screen showing unclear pictures of low budget programs．In spite of its shortcomings，it became well-received．可知，在它的早期，电视是一种微小的家具，显示不清的圆形屏幕．尽管这些缺点，它还是很受欢迎．故选A．
30．B 推理判断题．根据倒数第二段However，today's 3D TV is even farther away，if it's coming at all．说明他没有预测到3D技术在电视上的运用．故选B．
31．C 主旨大意题．根据文章第一段内容就可以知道文章主要讲述的就是电视的发展历史．故选C．
点评 高考中选用的科技文往往反映的是当今人类最先进的科技水平和最新的科研成果．我们阅读它的过程其实就是学习科学知识，掌握科技信息的过程．然后，理解文章，分析文章，以阅读材料所提供的科学事实为依据，同时得出的结论还应符合基本的科普常识，对照时要特别注意范围大小、程度高低、数量多少、条件与结果、方法与目的、成就与问题、可能性与现实性．在细心对照基础上，经过一番分析、综合，然后就要根据题目要求对选项作出正确判断了，这些判断包括选项的表达是否符合原文的意思，对概念，文句的理解是否正确，对要点归纳是否全面等，从而排除错误选项，选择最合适的答案．
