How has technology made your life easier? When you go to a shopping mall, you can enjoy free WiFi there. When you want to take a taxi, you can order one with your phone. In fact, all of these things can be seen as the first step of a smart city.

The idea of a smart city was first suggested by a tech company, IBM in 2010. A smart city is a city that uses digital (电子的) technology, like 5G networks, to save money, resources (资源) and make our lives more convenient.

Cities like Boston and Amsterdam are already using smart technology to improve public services. In Boston, smart trash bins (垃圾箱) can be seen everywhere. When the trash bins are almost full, they can ring loudly to remind cleaners to clean them.

Smart cities will allow us to save resources. Computers and 5G networks help check water, gas pipes. In this way, they could easily remind workers to repair them when there is a leak (泄露) in.

Of course, it will take time to build the smart cities of the future. But since we’ve already seen successful examples, it won’t be long until more cities join in. By 2050, about 60% of people will live in smart cities.

【小题1】What can you do if you want to order taxis according to the passage?
We can order taxis __________________.
【小题2】What are the advantages of the digital technology according to the second paragraph?
It can help us __________________ and make our lives more convenient.
【小题3】How can smart trash bins remind cleaners when they are almost full?
They can remind cleaners by __________________.
【小题4】What does the underlined word “them” refer to in the fourth paragraph?
It refers to __________________.
【小题5】What can we learn from this passage?
Technology can make our life __________________.