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.

【小题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.

【小题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

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

A．become cleaner

B．become brighter

C．become smaller

D．become more comfortable

【小题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