In a recent announcement, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT)said that they have joined forces to offer free online courses in an effort to attract millions of online learners worldwide.
Beginning this fall, a number of courses developed by teachers at both universities will be offered online through a new $60 million program, known as edX. “Anyone with an Internet connection anywhere in the world can use our online courses,” Harvard President Drew Faust said during a meeting to announce the plan.
MIT has offered a program called OpenCourseWare for ten years that makes materials from more than 2,000 classes free online. It has been used by more than 100 million people. In December, the school announced it also would begin offering a special certificate, known as MITx, for people who complete certain online courses. Harvard has long offered courses to a wider population through a similar program.
The MITx will serve as the foundation for the new learning platform.
MIT President Susan Hockfield said more than 120,000 people signed up for the first MITx course. She said Harvard and MIT hope other universities will join them in offering courses on the open-source edX platform.
“Fasten your seatbelts,” Hockfield said.
Other universities, including Stanford, Yale and Carnegie-Mellon, have been experimenting with teaching to a global population online.
The Harvard-MIT program will be monitored by a not-for-profit(非盈利的)organization based in Cambridge, to be owned equally by the two universities. Both MIT and Harvard have provided $30 million to start the program. They also plan to use the edX platform to research how students learn and which teaching methods and tools are most successful. According to this text, edX is _______.
A.a part of the free MIT OpenCourseWare |
B.a free computer program by MIT and Harvard |
C.a Harvard-MIT platform of free online courses |
D.a free program online for universities worldwide |
What is said about online education in the text?
A.Universities have been trying online courses. |
B.About 2,000 online courses have been offered. |
C.Over 100 million people have finished courses online. |
D.Stanford and Yale together have courses similar to edX. |
The underlined part in the text probably means “ ”.
A.Get ready for the difficulties |
B.Get ready for this educational change |
C.Get prepared to complete the online courses |
D.Get prepared to make materials for the edX courses |
What can be said about MITx according to the text?
A.It is first offered as part of the edX learning program. |
B.It is another free MIT-Harvard online learning program. |
C.It is a standard to recognize online learners’ achievement. |
D.It is a new kind of free online course of Harvard and MIT. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
Chinese female scientist Tu Youyou won the 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine on October 5 for her discoveries concerning a novel treatment against Malaria(疟疾). This is the first Nobel Prize given to a Chinese scientist for work carried out within ChinA.
Tu shared the prize with Irish-born William Campbell and Satoshi Omura of Japan, who were honored for their revolutionary anti-roundworm treatment. 84-year-old Tu is awarded this prize for her contribution to cutting the death rate of malaria, reducing patients’ suffering and promoting mankind’s health. Although she received several medical awards in the past, the 2015 Nobel Prize is definitely the most privilege reward that recognizes Tu’s dedication and perseverance in discovering artemisinin(青蒿素), the key drug that battles malaria-friendly parasites(寄生虫).
However, her route to the honor has been anything but traditional. She won the Nobel Prize for medicine, but she doesn’t have a medical degree or a Phd. In China, she is even being called the “three-noes” winner: no medical degree, no doctorate, and she’s never worked overseas. No wonder her success has stirred China’s national pride and helped promote confidence of native Chinese scientists.
The fact that Tu has none of these three backgrounds reminds us that science should be more accessible to all. One shall be able to become a scientist no matter what kind of background he or she comes from, as long as one dives into scientific research. There have been discussions on people who really love science but are never able to achieve much during their whole life. Their contributions can never be ignored. They work so hard to prove the wrong way so that the future researchers will be closer to the right one.
As the first Chinese mainland Nobel Prize Winner of natural science award, Tu’s record-breaking winning also serves as a reminder to those who are too eager for instant success. Science is never about instant success. Tu spent decades on scientific research before its value is officially acknowledged. There is no way to measure how much one devotes to science and compare it with how much reward he or she may get.It can be concluded from the text that __________.
A.Tu worked home and abroad to conduct her research |
B.Tu got the Nobel Prize for her anti-roundworm treatment |
C.The Nobel Prize is the first award to recognize her work |
D.Her discovery of artemisinin has helped to cut Malaria death rate |
The author seems to agree that a person who is more likely to become a scientist is the one with__________.
A.a sense of national pride |
B.relevant academic knowledge |
C.a desire to achieve success |
D.enthusiasm for scientific research |
In writing the passage, the author intends to ___________.
A.inform readers of the news and make comments |
B.discourage the pursuit of instant success in science |
C.remind readers of the principles of scientific research |
D.praise the award winner and encourage scientific research |
Beaches are not only great for lying on and doing water sports, and in fact one of the best ways of enjoying them is a classic beach walk.Here at iWantSun.Co.Uk, we’ve been searching the globe to find you the world’s best and most glorious beach walks, and here’s our pick of the top.
The Footpath of the Gods, Amalfi Coast, Italy
The name says it all really and you truly do feel up there to walking along this wonderful mountain coastal path, which offers some of the most striking views on the planet.The path begins at town of Bomerano to charming Positano along the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Amalfi Coast.The whole walk will take you approximately four and a half hours to complete and pass over narrow rocky paths, past sheer cliffs and shining blue bays.
Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk, Australia
Sydney’s coastline is one of the most beautiful and diverse in the worlD. Here you have national parks, historic sites, steep cliffs, sparkling beaches and quiet bays all in one place.Sydney’s Great Walk runs all the way from Barrenjoey in the north to Royal National Park in the south and takes an incredible seven days to complete.However, if you’re not up to doing the full walk, then there are many different parts of the walk that you can do right in the city.Walking from the city’s famous Bondi Beach to the sweeping curve of Bronte Beach takes just an hour, which takes in some top scenery.
Great Ocean Walk, Australia
The Great Ocean Walk stretches 104 km along Victoria’s famous Great Ocean Road, located on the southern coast of Australia, from the resort town Apollo Bay to the magnificent Twelve Apostles.The Twelve Apostles are the area’s famous stone landmarks which stand out like giants from the seA. The walk passes through a range of landscapes and sights, from national parks, famous surfing spots and deserted beaches, to wild coastlines, cascading waterfalls, lush forests, historic lighthouses and ghostly shipwrecks.Day walks and shorter three-hour walks such as the Wreck Beach Walk or the Lighthouse Cemetery and Lookout Walk can also be enjoyeD.
So next time when you’re looking for a beach holiday don’t just think about the resorts and the sand, but consider a more active sun holiday, discovering some of the best beaches in the worlD.The author intends to tell us ____________.
A.the wonderful beaches in the world |
B.the world’s best places for beach walks |
C.the beautiful beaches in Australia |
D.the ideal tourism resort for health |
When you arrive at the Amalfi Coast _______________.
A.you will be fascinated by the scenery |
B.you must be fed up with the footpath |
C.you can start walking from Positano |
D.you may be trapped in narrow rocky paths |
What is special about Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk?
A. It starts from Royal National Park in the south.
B. It takes about more than five hours to complete.
C. It really has the longest coastline in the worlD.
D. It provides visitors a variety of great landscapes.According to the fourth paragraph we can know that __________________.
A.the Twelve Apostles exists below the surface of the sea |
B.most visitors can finish the 104 km walk in three hours |
C.Apollo Bay is at the end of the Great Ocean Walk |
D.the Wreck Beach Walk can also give visitors pleasure |
As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us.Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks.The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem.
Sharks, in particular, are “in” these days.Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool.
The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction -- up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins.But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu.
In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations.
Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years.These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins.
Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products.These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life.
Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business.The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury(奢侈的)goods has become a full-scale war.The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming.Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high-end products that rely on killing animals.The underlined word “reverse” in Paragraph 3 probably means _______.
A.follow |
B.keep |
C.change |
D.show |
From the passage, we know _______.
A.a lot of wild animals have been killed for products |
B.Jackie Chan and Ang Lee make fin soup popular |
C.Steven Spielberg's Jaws inspires us to protect sharks |
D.the number of African elephants has been increased |
What can we infer from the passage?
A. People have kicked the habit of having shark fin soup.
B. Shark fins will not be available any more in restaurants.
C. Global efforts have succeeded in stopping killing wild animals.
D. More animals for high-end products will be saveD.
Many people rush into the commitment of bringing home a four-legged family member, only to find out that they are not ready for a pet.This often results in the dog being turned over to a shelter where it may not find another home.This can be avoided if potential pet owners take the time to figure out if they are truly ready for the responsibilities of pet ownership.
Being a responsible pet owner involves a financial commitment that goes beyond buying dog fooD. There are also parasite (寄生虫) prevention, boarding costs while traveling and the cost to care for the pet should it become ill or injureD. That is not to say that one must be rich in order to have a dog, but it is important to be prepared for the expenses that come with being a pet owner.
Another consideration is the time commitment.An owner away from home for 14 hours every day is not an ideal situation for a dog.A potential dog owner must also consider the time it takes to care for his or her pet, the time it takes to feed, walk, play with, bathe and clean up.Also, dogs require attention.Be prepared to spend time each day petting and playing with it.
Dogs are dogs, and will act like dogs.This includes barking, digging, having accidents in the house and, possibly, destroying some of the owner’s prized possessions, such as furniture, shoes and cell phones.If the above would cause an owner to want to get rid of the dog, then he or she is not yet ready to be a pet owner.Many wonderful pets end up in shelters simply because they acted like dogs!Who might be qualified to be a dog owner, according to the text?
A.Jim, who has a daughter sensitive to dog’s smell. |
B.Dick, a jobless teenager who can hardly pay his rent. |
C.Kari, a teacher who works eight hours a day. |
D.Steven, a business man who travels a lot on business. |
To be a responsible dog owner you need to do all the following EXCEPT _________.
A.finding a shelter for it when you are bored with it |
B.buying dog food and feeding it |
C.taking it to hospital when necessary |
D.spending time each day playing with it |
What does the underlined part in the first paragraph probably mean?
A.Rush to adopt a dog formally. |
B.Decide to be a pet owner without thinking about it carefully. |
C.Run into a pet shelter and take one home so quickly. |
D.Commit to buy a dog and take it home. |
What might be the best title for the text?
A.Dogs Are Dogs |
B.Pets Are Family Members |
C.Have Time for a Dog? |
D.Ready for a Pet? |
I will never forget the day--- September 10th2009, when my class went on a field trip to the beach and I had so much fun.When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster’s office.When I got into the office, I saw a police officer.Suddenly, I realized something was wrong.The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up.After that, we went to the hospital and waiteD. Time went slowly.Finally, we got to see our mother.It was terrible.
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happeneD. I was taking a test that day.I knew it had something to do with my mother.I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better.How I wished that she had gotten better.When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me.She started crying, “She’s gone, Terresa, mommy’s gone.She’s deaD. ” I couldn’t believe it.We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital.Most of my family were there.The silence was terrible.I knew I had to say goodbye.
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live.My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart.She was an angel walking on the earth.I will always remember her as a living.When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears.When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother.My mother lives everyday.That is what makes her a true hero.Where was the writer when she learned her mother was sick?
A.On the beach. |
B.At the hospital. |
C.At school. |
D.At home. |
Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?
A.Her sister. |
B.The headmaster. |
C.The police officer |
D.Her teacher. |
What did the headmaster tell the two teachers on the next day?
A. Her father had been very ill.
B. Her mother had gotten better.
C. Her mother came to see her.
D. Her mother had been deaD.From the last paragraph of the passage we know that _____________.
A.the writer is afraid of her mother. |
B.the writer feels sad about her mother. |
C.the writer feels sorry for her mother. |
D.the writer is proud of her mother. |