Will online courses transform world of education?
Some may wonder what it feels like to attend a class at Stanford University. The recently popular MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) can satisfy this desire. But they are also most likely to change the situation of higher education. Only last month，both Peking University and Tsinghua University announced plans to start open online course on the edX platform，one of the world’s major providers of MOOCs，to explore this new form of online education.
Gaining momentum(勢頭)
“It’s not only a change of platforms from offline to online. It’s more about a reform of
teaching methods，even the whole education system，”said Chen Jining，president of Tsinghua University.
The potential of MOOCs to reform education has been obvious in the US ever since the immediate popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence，taught by Stanford University professor Sebastian Thrun, who later co-founded Udacity, a platform with 1.6 million enrolled(注冊) students in 200 countries. According to Nature magazine，by June 2013，74 percent of universities in the US offered some type of online course. Lu Fang, vice-president of Fudan University，explains the appeal of MOOCs as a simple case of supply and demand：“The demand for high quality educational resources from both enrolled students and professionals is feeding the rise of MOOCs，in which classes usually taught by top teachers are available to everyone，”said Lu.
Too early to replace
With easy access and free of charge, MOOCs are said to have the potential to change the present education system. But there are barriers，because hardly any universities offer degree certificates, as college administrators point out, it’s difficult to confirm if students are foaming anything in MOOCs，reposed USA Today．
The Wall Street Journal also reposed that，presently，a typical MOOC student is likely to have
already graduated from college and is using the course to explore an interest or acquire professional
skills. Even so, an increasing number of undergraduates are signing up.
“What we are really establishing(創(chuàng)建)are educational pathways for people who want skills that are related to contemporary jobs，”Thrun told The Wall Street Journal．
【小題1】MOOCs have been considered likely to reform education since___________．

A．the founding of Udacity

B．the wide application of online education

C．the popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence

D．the opening of MOOCs on the edX platform in China

【小題2】According to Lu Fang, MOOCs have become popular because___________．

A．high quality educational resources are in demand

B．students can attend courses in famous universities

C．college students have access to famous teachers

D．MOOCs have brought about revolution in education

【小題3】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Most of the MOOCs focus on professional training for college graduates．

B．There are barriers for MOOCs to replace the present education system．

C．International companies prefer applicants who graduate from MOOCs．

D．More and more undergraduates have realized the limits of MOOCs．

【小題4】The author’s attitude towards MOOCs is___________．

A．doubtful

B．negative

C．critical

D．optimistic

Pilling a cat can be a 'terrible” experience. Cats don’t want something pushed down their throats, and they’ll fight with all their strength to prevent it. In fact, it’s amazing how powerful their small bodies can be.
The easiest way of pilling a cat is to press the pill into powder. Then mix the powder with a small amount of wet food. If your cat usually eats dry food, she will probably view the wet food as a treat and eat it up.
If your cat won’t eat the wet food that contains the pill or if she is too ill to eat, you can get a “pill gun”. There are some basic instructions. Getting your cat’s mouth to open is going to be the most difficult part. First, be sure the pill is in a handy place. Then you can put your cat on a bookshelf with her bottom in a corner or you can put her on your lap firmly tied. Have your cat facing to the right if you’re right-handed. With your left hand, hold your cat at the cheekbones, putting your palm (手掌) at the top of her head. Keeping your finger off the trigger (扳機(jī)), with your right hand, Insert the pill gun until the pill is positioned over the tongue and open throat Be sure to give your cat a treat directly after giving the pill.
If you don’t feel comfortable using a pill gun, you can try giving the pill by hand. Push your cat’s head backwards just far enough so that her nose is pointing towards the ceiling. At this point, most cats will slightly open their mouths. With the little finger or ring finger of the hand holding the pill, open the bottom jaw a little more. You may need to hold her top jaw with your other hand while doing this. Aim straight and lightly throw the pill or drop it. Most cats will then swallow the pill.
【小題1】Pilling a cat can be a terrible experience because cats ______.

A．a(chǎn)re amazingly powerful and dangerous

B．may fight with all their strength against pills

C．refuse something pressed down their throats

D．a(chǎn)re difficult to treat once they’ve got ill

【小題2】Which of the following statements is true according to the second paragraph?

A．Wet food with medicine is usually a treat to cats.

B．Cats used to dry food must reject wet food.

C．The easiest pilling is to press the pill into powder.

D．Cats arc most likely interested in something new.

【小題3】Using a “pill gun”, you had better hold your cat ______ if you’re left-handed.

A．facing to the right	B．with your right hand
C．a(chǎn)t the head	D．on your lap firmly

【小題4】A cat probably opens its mouth naturally when ______.

A．its nose is straight upwards	B．it is touched by fingers
C．its head is turning around	D．it is served with its favorite pills

Dogs wag(搖擺) their tails in different directions depending on whether they are excited and wanting to move forward or threatened and thinking of moving back, a study has found.
Researchers in Italy examined the tail wagging behaviour of 30 dogs, catching their responses to a range of stimuli(刺激物) with video camems. To conduct the study, they chose 15 male dogs and 15 female ones aged between one and six years. The dogs were all family pets whose owners had allowed them to take part in the experiment at Bari University. The dogs were placed in a large wooden box with an opening at the front to allow for them to view various stimuli. They were tested one at a time.
The researchers led by Professor Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trieste found that when the dogs were shown their owners —a positive experience— their tails wagged energetically to the right side. When they were shown an unfamiliar human they wagged to the right, but with somewhat less enthusiasm. The appearance of a cat again caused a right-hand side wag, although with less intensity again. The appearance of a large unfamiliar dog, similar to a German shepherd, changed the direction of tail wagging to the left. Researchers supposed the dog was thinking of moving back. When the dogs were not shown any stimuli, they tended to wag their tails to the left, suggesting they preferred company. While the changes in the tail wagging were not easily noticed without the aid of video, it was thought that the findings could help people judge the mood (心情) of dogs. Computer and video systems, for example, could be used by professional dog trainers to determine the mood of dogs that they were required to approach.
【小題1】The video cameras were used to catch the dogs’ response because______.

A．The dogs wagged their tails in different directions when they were in different moods

B．they enabled the dogs’ owners to know about their dogs’ habit

C．It was easier to catch the dogs’ response change in tail wagging

D．The dog were put in the wooden boxes and tested one at a time

【小題2】The underlined word “intensity”in the passage means_______. 

A．surprise

B．worry

C．excitment

D．interest

【小題3】The underlined word “they” refers to _______.

A．the dogs

B．the trainers

C．the systems

D．the researchers

【小題4】The purpose of doing the experiment is ________. 

A．to train dogs for their owners

B．to help dogs find company

C．to help people judge the mood of dogs

D．to help people choose their pet dogs

It is difficult for doctors to help a person with a damaged brain. Without enough blood, the brain lives for only three to five minutes. More often the doctors can't fix the damage. Sometimes they are afraid to try something to help because it is dangerous to work on the brain. The doctors might make the person worse if he operates on the brain.
Dr. Robert White, a famous professor and doctor, thinks he knows a way to help. He thinks doctors should make the brain very cold. If it is very cold, the brain can live without blood for 30 minutes. This gives the doctor a longer time to do something for the brain.
Dr. White tried his idea on 13 monkeys. First he taught them to do different jobs, then he operated on them. He made the monkeys' blood go through a machine. The machine cooled the blood. Then the machine sent the blood back to the monkeys' brains. When the brain's temperature was 10°C, Dr. White stopped the blood to the brain. After 30 minutes he turned the blood back on. He warmed the blood again. After their operations the monkeys were like they had been before. They were healthy and busy. Each one could still do the jobs the doctor had taught them.
【小題1】The biggest difficulty in operating on the damaged brain is that _______.

A．the time is too short for doctors

B．the patients are often too nervous

C．the damage is extremely hard to fix

D．the blood-cooling machine might break down

【小題2】The brain operation was made possible mainly by _______.

A．taking the blood out of the brain

B．trying the operation on monkeys first

C．having the blood go through a machine

D．lowering the brain' s temperature

【小題3】With Dr. White's new idea, the operation on the damaged brain _______.

A．can last as long as 30 minutes

B．can keep the brain' s blood warm

C．can keep the patient' s brain healthy

D．can help monkeys do different jobs

【小題4】What is the right order of the steps in the operation?
a. send the cooled blood back to the brain  b. stop the blood to the brain
c. have the blood cooled down           d. operate on the brain

A．a(chǎn),b,c,d

B．c,a,b,d

C．c, b, d, a

D．b, c, d, a

Hello! My name is Lisa, and I am a lioness. I live on the open grasslands of Africa with my family. Lions living in a group are called a pride.
My father is strong and powerful. He and his cousin are the leaders of our pride. The other members are my mother, her sisters, and their children.
The area where a pride lives is big! We roar (咆哮) to tell each other where we are and to warn strangers to stay away.
Meet my new baby brother. His name is Leon. See the spots on his fur? We lions are born spotted or striped (有條紋的). As we grow older, the spots gradually disappear.
Lionesses usually spend their entire lives with their birth pride, but Leon will leave when he is about three years old. He’ll run around with a male (雄性的) friend or relative for a few years until they take over a pride of their own.
But for now, we have lots of fun together. We often play and fight for hours, which can help us practice skills that we will need for hunting.
We lions keep ourselves very clean. Just like a house cat, I clean my fur (毛) with my tongue. We clean for each other, too, to show we’re friends.
Lions like to sleep for most of the day. We hunt in the cool evening. Female (雌性的) lions hunt more often than male lions. We work together as a team. At the right moment, we attack and kill our prey. Then we share it. Male lions usually eat first. Females eat next. Baby lions are the last to eat. The smallest one gets the least food.
Since we are full, it’s time to go to find a nice place for a sleep. Bye!
【小題1】According to the passage, Leon _____.

A．hunts more often than his sisters

B．will have spots on his fur for the whole of his life

C．will leave his birth pride when he is about three

D．will take over his birth pride when his father dies

【小題2】The underlined word “prey” in the passage probably means _____.

A．the animal that is hunted

B．the animal that is dangerous

C．the animal that is powerful

D．the animal that is ill

【小題3】Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Lions sometimes clean their fur for each other.

B．Lions also develop their skills of hunting by having fun.

C．Lions in Africa usually hunt for food in the evening.

D．Baby lions are often the first to get food in their group.

【小題4】The passage is written for _____.

A．doctors

B．tourists

C．children

D．hunters

Until recently, the "science of the future" was supposed to be electronics and artificial intelligence. Today it seems more and more likely that the next great breakthroughs in technology will be brought through a combination of those two sciences with organic chemistry and genetic engineering. This combination is the science of biotechnology.
Organic chemistry enables us to produce marvelous synthetic materials. However, it is still difficult to manufacture anything that has the capacity of wool to conserve (保存) heat and also to absorb moisture. Nothing that we have been able to produce so far comes anywhere near the combination of strength, lightness and flexibility that we find in the bodies of ordinary insects.
Nevertheless, scientists in the laboratory have already succeeded in "growing" a material that has many of the characteristics of human skin. The next step may well be "biotech hearts and eyes" which can replace diseased organs in human beings. These will not be rejected by the body, as is the case with organs from humans.
The application of biotechnology to energy production seems even more promising. In 1996 the famous science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke, many of whose previous predictions have come true, said that we may soon be able to develop remarkably cheap and renewable sources of energy. Some of these power sources will be biological. Clarke and others have warned us repeatedly that sooner or later we will have to give up our dependence on non-renewable power sources. Coal, oil and gas are indeed convenient. However, using them also means creating dangerously high levels of pollution. It will be impossible to meet the growing demand for energy without increasing that pollution to catastrophic (災(zāi)難性的) levels unless we develop power sources that are both cheaper and cleaner.
It is attempting to think that biotechnology or some other "science of the future" can solve our problems. Before we surrender to that temptation we should remember nuclear power. Only a few generations ago it seemed to promise limitless, cheap and safe energy. Today those promises lie buried in a concrete grave in a place called Chernobyl, in the Ukraine. Biotechnology is unlikely, however, to break its promises in quite the same or such a dangerous way.
【小題1】According to the passage, the science of the future is likely to be ________.

A．electronics	B．biotechnology
C．genetic engineering	D．nuclear technology

【小題2】The materials produced with organic chemistry are ________.at present.

A．a(chǎn)s good as wool

B．a(chǎn)s good as an insect's body

C．better than natural materials

D．not as good as natural materials

【小題3】According to the passage, it may soon be possible ________.

A．to transplant human organs

B．to make artificial hearts and eyes

C．to produce drugs without side effects

D．to make something as good as human skin

【小題4】In 1996, Arthur C. Clarke predicted that_______.
A. the Chernobyl disaster would happen in two years
B. we will never stop using non-renewable power sources biological  
C. oil, gas and coal could be repeatedly used in the future
D. power sources would be put into use soon
【小題5】What do we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Biological power will keep all its promises.

B．Biological power is cheaper than nuclear power.

C．Biotechnology can solve all our future energy problems

D．Biological power may not be as dangerous as nuclear power

The color red often means danger --- and by paying attention, accidents can be prevented. At railroad crossings, flashing red fights warn cars to stay back. A red light at a traffic crossing tells cars to stop, so they don't run into other cars.
In the future, the color red also may help prevent danger at construction sites. Thanks to new work by engineers, bridge supports --- or other kinds of materials --- could one day contain a color-changing material. It will turn red before a structure collapses(倒塌) or falls apart.
The secret behind the color-changing material is a particular type of molecule(分子). Molecules come in all shapes and sizes, and make up everything you can see, touch or feel. How a molecule behaves depends on what kinds of atoms(原子) it contains, and how they're held together.
To get a rough picture of one way atoms are held together in a molecule, imagine you and your friends standing in a large circle, holding hands. Each person represents one atom, your clasped hands represent the bond, and the entire circle represents a molecule.
The molecule being used to turn the material red is called mechanophore(機(jī)械響應(yīng)性聚合物). When one chemical bond in the mechanophore molecule breaks, the rest of the molecule turns red.
There is a way to get rid of~ the red color: light. When a bright light is shone on the mechanophore, the broken bond is fixed and the red color disappears. This "self-healing" may be a problem for engineers who want to use the color-changer in big construction projects that will be outside, in the sunlight. And if bright light keeps the red color from appearing, then the mechanophore's warning system will be useless.
Scientists still have a lot of work to do before the color-changing molecules can be used outside the lab. If mechanophore can be used in the real world, they are suggested to be employed in a new kind of paint.
【小題1】The first paragraph mainly tells us __________.

A．the color red is widely used in our life

B．how to prevent car accidents

C．the color is an important signal of warning

D．how to use color red

【小題2】The color red will be used at construction sites to _________.

A．tell different materials used in the building

B．warn people that the building is dangerous

C．make the building more beautiful

D．tell people the building is under construction

【小題3】The example given in the fourth paragraph is to show _________.

A．the way atoms are held together in a molecule

B．how a molecule behaves in an object

C．how to play an old game

D．how people get along with each other

【小題4】What can make the mechanophore’s warning system ineffective?

A．Paints

B．Water

C．Poor building materials

D．The bright light

Throughout the world, boys and girls prefer to play with different types of toys. Boys typically like to play with cars and trucks, while girls typically choose to play with dolls. Why is this? A traditional sociological explanation is that boys and girls are socialized and encouraged to play with different types of toys by their parents, peers, and the “society”. Growing scientific evidence suggests, however, that boys’ and girls’ toy preferences may have a biological origin.
In 2002, Gerianne M. Alexander of Texas A&M University and Melissa Hines of City University in London surprised the scientific world by showing that monkeys showed the same sex-typical toy preferences as humans. In the study, Alexander and Hines gave two masculine toys (a ball and a police car), two feminine toys (a soft doll and a cooking pot), and two neutral toys (a picture book and a stuffed dog) to 44 male and 44 female monkeys. They then assessed the monkeys’ preference for each toy by measuring how much time they spent with each. Their data showed that male monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the masculine toys, and the female monkeys showed significantly greater interest in the feminine toys. The two sexes did not differ in their preference for the neutral toys.
If children’ s toy preferences were largely formed by gender socialization, as traditional sociologists’ claim, in which their parents give “gender appropriate” toys to boys and girls, how can these male and female monkeys have the same preferences as boys and girls？They were never socialized by humans, and they had never seen these toys before in their lives.
【小題1】Traditional sociologists believe boys’ and girls’ toy preferences ________.

A．a(chǎn)re passed down from their parents

B．a(chǎn)re largely formed in later life

C．have nothing to do with gender socialization

D．have a biological origin

【小題2】The study by Alexander and Hines shows that monkeys________.

A．a(chǎn)lso have a sex typical toy preference

B．a(chǎn)lso play toys as humans do

C．have no toy preferences

D．like to play different toys at different time

【小題3】Alexander and Hines carried out the study to ________.

A．find more evidence for traditional sociology

B．test the intelligence of monkeys

C．test whether monkeys like to play toys

D．find out why boys and girls prefer different toys

【小題4】According to the study, if given a stuffed dog, ________.

A．only the male monkeys showed interest

B．the female monkeys showed more interest

C．the male and female monkeys showed the same interest

D．neither the male nor the female monkeys showed any interest

“Enough” with the multivitamins already. That’s the message from experts behind three new studies that tackled an often debated question: Do daily multivitamins多種維生素make you healthier?
“We believe that the case is closed - supplementing(補(bǔ)充) the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful,” concluded the authors of the editorial summarizing the new research papers. They urge consumers to not ‘waste’ their money on multivitamins. “The ‘stop wasting your money’ means that perhaps you’re spending money on things that won’t protect you long term,” editorial co-author, Dr. Edgar Miller said, “What will protect you is if you spend the money on fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, low fat dairy, and things like that. Exercising would probably be a better use of the money.”
The strong message was based on a review of the findings from three studies that tracked multivitamins link to cancer protection, heart health, and brain and cognitive(認(rèn)知的) measures. The first study looked at vitamin supplementation’s role in preventing chronic(慢性的) disease. The next study looked at whether long-term use of multivitamins would have any effect on slowing cognitive decline. The third study looked specifically at multivitamins and minerals role in preventing heart attack. “The three studies found no difference in rates of chronic disease, heart attack and the need for hospitalization between vitamin-takers and placebo(安慰劑)-takers.” Dr. Edgar Miller stated.
One expert agreed some nutrient-deficient people may still benefit from multivitamins. “There might be an argument to continue taking a multi(vitamin) to replace or supplement your not healthy diet,” Dr. Edgar Miller added. He also notes that vitamins can benefit people with celiac disease and those who are pregnant.
【小題1】This text is likely to be selected from a book of           .

A．medicine

B．education

C．food

D．business

【小題2】Which of the following is NOT Dr. Edgar Miller’s opinion according to the passage?

A．Vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough.

B．Having a balanced diet and exercising would probably be a better way to keep healthy.

C．The three studies do not provide support for use of multivitamin supplements.

D．Taking vitamins to replace or supplement your healthy diet is necessary.

【小題3】What can be inferred from the text?

A．Vitamin supplements have proved harmful to the health of adults.

B．Vitamin supplements are beneficial in certain conditions.

C．Nowadays taking vitamin supplements is common to most people.

D．Daily multivitamins will make you healthier.

【小題4】The author’s purpose of writing the text is most likely to___________.        .

A．persuade

B．describe

C．inform

D．instruct

Many cities have subways and underground public transportation to take locals and tourists alike rapidly around the city．However, there’s something different about riding a London subway．It may not look different, but the historical value of one of England’s most popular forms of transportation is enough to make riding the subway a must when visiting London．With a little under 100 different stations, the subway can take you almost anywhere you need to go．
Riding a London subway, a person from other countries will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other．In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times．That’s not rudeness―people are just too busy to bother looking．
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet thinking．Nor are they reading a book．New technology has replaced quiet habits．Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book．
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（使用月票上下班者）．Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000―yes, that’s 40,000 “apps” have been designed．
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers．One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks．Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination．iSteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone．You can then write in the “steam” on your phone screen．
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction（消遣）of choice．It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music－iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages．
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied, then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV shows or films on the way to work．With all these distractions, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train．
【小題1】People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because ______．

A．they are going to work and have no time to communicate with each other

B．they love reading books and do not want to be disturbed

C．they feel sleepy because of getting up early

D．they are busy playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films

【小題2】The underlined word “apps” in the fourth paragraph means ______．

A．computers	B．programs downloaded for the iPhone
C．computer companies	D．fortune from London commuters

【小題3】Those who want to save time to reach where they go can download ______ to their iPhones．

A．iShoot

B．Tube Exits

C．iSteam

D．iPod

【小題4】The main idea of the passage is that ______．

A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers

B．Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 apps

C．technology is changing how London commuters spend their traveling time

D．riding a London subway is a must when visiting London

【小題5】The aim to write the passage is to ______.

A．praise

B．doubt

C．blame

D．state