Peering into the 21st century, authorities on the future see extraordinary changed. New sc

ientific breakthroughs will allow machines to take on more tasks that human brain has traditionally done.

Computers, which once only remembered data, will make more decisions. Machines that today tell doctors what symptoms the patients have may soon be recommending whether or not to perform. surgery as well. Others will design new buildings after questioning buyers about their preferences. Increasingly, human thought processes and even values are being programmed into computers, according to Earl Joseph, president of a consulting firm. "Imagine machines which are smarter and more intelligent than humans and, with their embedded(植入的) initiative, can't wait to tell you about it," he says.

In everyday life, the future will mean talking directly to computers without pushing buttons. Just tell a toaster, stove or other kitchen device what to do, and it will hear the message. The oven may even decide itself how long to cook the roast. Tell the television, "I want to watch Channel 12 at 8 p.m., but store the show for next week," and the job will be done.

The computer will talk back, too. Already some soft-drink machines complain loudly if you don't deposit enough cash. At home, a bedside machine may someday tell you, "You forgot to turn off the basement light."

Away from home, the automobile of the future will think for itself. Scientists predict that drivers will feed destinations into a computer that will then explain what route to take and even tell where parking spaces are available. A city's traffic-control system might instruct the car's computer how fast to go in heavy traffic and whether to change lanes.

This passage mainly discusses ______.

A．the history of computers

B．the different functions of computers

C．the computer in the 21st century

D．scientific breakthroughs in the 21st century