Online learning is now becoming very popular around the world. As we know, it allows people to learn at home and people can learn the courses from anywhere in the world. Anyone who wants to learn something can enroll (注册) into a good school offering online courses and complete their education. Besides being convenient, there is no age limit; one can take a course anytime and at any point in their career.
Online learning also means that people have more time for their own life while continuing their education. They are able to learn when it’s convenient for them, and in many cases the courses can be completed in less time than at a traditional school. People can go to work during the day and finish their homework at night. Parents can spend time with their children and then complete online classes when their children are at school or asleep. Since people don’t have to take part in any classroom activities, it does not do any harm to their lives. They can work and learn at any time of the day and at their own speed.
Many people find that online courses are less expensive than traditional ones. Classroom teaching is usually expensive and not suitable for a lot of people. Through online learning, one can save a lot. People don’t have to spend more money on traveling, staying in hotels or eating in restaurants. Online courses are a good choice for those who are short of money but want to learn something and improve themselves. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students learning online have not only saved a lot of money but also performed better than those learning in traditional schools.
Of course, online learning requires a regimented lifestyle and the ability to learn on one’s own. For people who are not strict with themselves, online learning can be a real challenge. For busy people who take online classes, time management can be a challenge. They have to decide for themselves when to work on class tasks and how long they will need in order to finish the work. So, people must think about all of these things before making a choice.
1. In the author’s opinion, online learning ________.| A．is easy to get for anyone | B．should be made fun |
| C．is a good choice for anyone | D．may disappear in the near future |
| A．how to find time to learn | B．the future of online learning |
| C．how to make use of online learning | D．the problems of online learning |
| A．Online learning is going to replace traditional schools. |
| B．People can learn more quickly through online learning. |
| C．Online learning has both advantages and disadvantages. |
| D．More and more people are now choosing to learn online. |
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【推荐1】When someone asks me what my goals are for the coming year, I don’t usually know how to reply. Of course I, as most people do, want to see an improvement in my grades. This year, however, I’m hoping for something different.
Through the course of my school life, I’ve gradually developed a new understanding of the word “prioritization (优先次序)”. The first thing I wish to get in Senior 1 is the ability to manage my time better. I’ll surely become busier with the coming semester (学期), and proper organization is important. From school clubs to academic competitions, everything should be set up in a way that doesn’t influence my health, which leads me to my second goal.
My mother has always told me put my health first, so in the future, I hope to both physically and mentally healthy. A person can’t study without having the energy to do so. In order to stay energetic, they must put their health first, no matter how busy they are, or how much work they have to complete.
And finally, I hope that I won’t be discouraged (泄气的) by my failure and never give up on my dreams. I hope that I’ll have the courage to try new activities and clubs. I believe my final goal can apply to every student around the world. We should all respect one another’s likes and dislikes, and concentrate on each other’s advantages, not our disadvantages. Everyone should try to take part in all of life’s opportunities(机会).
Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance (平衡), you must keep moving.” In my case, it’s the other way around. In order to keep moving, I must keep my balance—the balance between studies and activities, efficiency (效率) and procrastination (拖延症), academics and health, passions and dislikes. The new journey is going to be a hard one, but if I set these goals, I believe I will make it through to the end.
1. During this school year, what does the author hopes to do?| A．Concentrate on improving her overall grades. | B．Join as many school clubs as possible. |
| C．Learn how to manage her time well. | D．Spend more time on outdoor activities. |
| A．Not be afraid of failing. | B．Always put their studies first. |
| C．Only do what they’re good at. | D．Make different kinds of friends. |
| A．A strong feeling of dislike | B．A strong feeling of love |
| C．A strong feeling of anger | D．A strong feeling of joy |
| A．Show what she likes about high school life. |
| B．Stress (强调) the importance of health to students. |
| C．Show how to balance our studies and activities. |
| D．Share her goals for the coming high school year. |
【推荐2】On Monday, I stopped my car in front of my daughter Juliet’s middle school. She jumped in the front seat, feeling down. She asked me to help her study for her science test.
“Dad, I need to memorize a unit about the Reproductive Cycle of Plants. And I can hardly make it.”
“You know memorizing seems like the best way to study, but in fact you can do better in tests if you work on trying to understand the material.”
Juliet was open to my advice. It was Monday afternoon and we had two nights to study before the test on Wednesday. I suggested a plan. “Tomorrow night, you are going to teach the material to me. Tonight, read the unit. Prepare to teach.”
Asking her to teach me was an unusual idea but I was determined to do it. Studies show teaching somebody else is a very useful way to learn. Even if you don’t do the teaching, the act of preparing to teach leads to more learning than just trying your best to memorize the material.
On Tuesday afternoon, Juliet sat down with her science book facing me and said, “Okay Dad, let’s study.” I wanted her to teach me. But false starts happened. I couldn’t be too hard on her. So instead we started with me asking her some simple questions. She knew some but not others. When she didn’t know the answers, I encouraged her to check the book.
She started checking things that didn’t make sense. And she was actively seeking to test her understanding. I was happy to see it. She wasn’t memorizing; she was trying to make sense of things, which was exactly what I had hoped she would do.
1. Why did Juliet feel down?| A．Because she failed her science test. |
| B．Because she couldn’t follow her teacher. |
| C．Because she knew nothing about planting. |
| D．Because she had trouble memorizing a unit. |
| A．Memorizing. | B．Understanding. | C．Questioning. | D．Testing. |
| A．Useless. | B．Unique. | C．Helpful. | D．Unpractical. |
| A．Learning from Teaching | B．An Unexpected Test |
| C．A Creative Father | D．Preparing for Teaching |
【推荐3】How do you feel about exams? Is it the one thing you dread or an experience you relish because it’s your time to shine? Every year, many young people sit exams and whether they love or loathe them, most of them will face some anxiety in the lead up to the big day.
If you’re anxious about your exams, don’t worry, you’re not alone. It might seem like a stressful time when the pressure is onto pass that all-important test but take a deep breath and absorb some good advice from people who’ve been through the same experience as you.
Eating the right food can feed your brain and keep you alert. Nutritional therapist Kerry Torrens recommends making breakfast the most important meal of the day. She recommends eating energy-giving oats and eggs, which contain a nutrient called choline - thought to help cognitive performance and improve memory as we age. And don’t forget to drink lots of water to keep you hydrated - some research even suggests students who take water into the exam hall may even improve their grades.
One thing I know I always need is a good night’s sleep to help me work and think better the next day and that’s what’s recommended for anyone preparing for their exams. If you get good sleep your memory is better and that means you can retain the information you have revised. And it’s good to wind down before bedtime too - no watching TV or chatting on social media!
A good way to reduce your stress is to write down your anxieties. This is something that Lisa Artis from the Sleep Council recommends because it can ‘free your mind’. She also says sitting on your bed when you’re cramming is not a good idea because then you associate that place with stress. Revising for exams can also sometimes seem relentless, so it’s good to take breaks and reward yourself will a small treat, like a cake or a quick run around the block. There comes a point when your brain can’t absorb any more information so you’ll also need to know when to stop.
But if all this talk about revising and exams is still stressing you out, be assured that there are some people who will always be more on edge than you: your parents! They’re there to support you but they’ll be biting their fingernails, worrying about you and the final results. So maybe you need to give them some advice - chill out, everything will be ok!
1. which can be the best title for the text?| A．eating a balanced diet before exams |
| B．having a good sleep before exams |
| C．dealing with exam stress properly |
| D．never worry about my study, parents |
| A．we should make breakfast by ourselves instead of eating out |
| B．eating the night food can contribute to a longer life |
| C．we’d better drink some water while taking exams |
| D．Most of us usually think little of breakfast |
| A．feeling at ease with your exam |
| B．revising on your bed before an exam |
| C．going out for a run in the neighborhood |
| D．turning to some students with the same experience |
| A．calm down |
| B．leave me alone |
| C．have a good sleep |
| D．take a deep breath |
【推荐1】We all love to take photographs. It's a simple way to snap a special moment, an amazing view, or just to show off your artistic skills. And it's great to look back through your photo albums and share memories with your friends. In fact, they show a snapshot（快照）in time. This hasn't really changed since the invention of photography in the 1830s. But one thing that has changed is the equipment we use.
For many years, we have used traditional cameras to take our pictures with. Our images were taken onto camera film which was then processed into negatives from which photos were printed— a lengthy process. And we've had a range of cameras to choose from— from the simple compact camera to more advanced single lens reflex, or SLR cameras.
But the biggest change has come with the development of digital devices. This has made taking photo quicker and easier. It's enabled us to take a snap and review our pictures instantly. We've been able to deal with them in post-production, using software on our computer. And of course, we've been able to share them like never before— particularly on social media.
Of course, now we have the smartphone— a phone that is, well, smart because it can take photos and sometimes very good quality ones, and we can share them easily. So does that mean the traditional camera will eventually become outdated? Figures from Japan show how the market is shrinking: shipments of compact digital cameras from companies like Olympus, Canon and Nikon were down 39 percent year on year.
But Phil Hall, editor of Tech Radar magazine, told the BBC that while people are swapping their compact cameras for smartphones, "manufacturers are looking at the more higher-end cameras, high-end compacts, DSLRs, which are the ones you can attach lenses to, mirrorless cameras. In this sense, there's nothing to worry about."
1. What does the underlined word "they" in Paragraph I refer to?| A．Private memories. | B．Photo albums |
| C．Artistic skills. | D．Photographs |
| A．Instant access to taking photographs. | B．Sharing moments on social media. |
| C．The development of digital technology. | D．Post-production of software on computer. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Negative. | C．Worried. | D．Uncertain. |
| A．What a dilemma for cameras! | B．What can smartphones do for us? |
| C．Are smartphones killing cameras? | D．Camera producers survive the hard times |
【推荐2】People often ask which is the most difficult language to learn, and it is not easy to answer because there are too many factors to take into consideration. Firstly, in a first language the difficulties are unimportant as people learn their mother tongue naturally, so the question of how hard a language is to learn only makes more sense when learning a second language.
A native speaker of Spanish, for example, will find Portuguese much easier to learn than a native speaker of Chinese because Portuguese is very similar to Spanish, while Chinese is very different, so first language can affect learning a second language. The greater the differences between the second language and our first language, the harder it will be for most people to learn. Many people answer that Chinese is the hardest language to learn, possibly influenced by the thought of learning the Chinese writing system, and the pronunciation of Chinese does appear to be very difficult for many foreign learners. However, for Japanese speakers, who already use Chinese characters in their own language, learning writing will be less difficult than for speakers of languages using the Roman alphabet.
Some people seem to learn languages easily, while others find it very difficult. Teachers and the circumstances in which the language is learned also play an important role, as well as each learner’s motivation for learning. If people learn a language because they need to use it professionally, they often learn it faster than people studying a language that has no direct use in their day to day life.
Obviously, British diplomats and other embassy staff have found that the second hardest language is Japanese, which will probably come as no surprise to many, but the language that they have found to be the most problematic is Hungarian, which uses a similar alphabet to English but has 35 cases (forms of a nouns according to whether it is subject, object, genitive, etc). This does not mean that Hungarian is the hardest language to learn for everyone, but it causes British diplomatic personnel, who are generally used to learning languages, the most difficulty. However, Tabassaran, a Caucasian language has 48 cases, so it might cause more difficulty if British diplomats had to learn it.
Different cultures and individuals from those cultures will find different languages more difficult. Therefore, it is impossible to say that there is one language that is the most difficult language in the world.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．The question of how hard a language is to learn is only applicable to first language acquisition. |
| B．The question of how hard a language is to learn is only applicable to second language acquisition. |
| C．The question of how hard a language is to learn is applicable to both first and second language acquisition. |
| D．There are too many languages in the world so it’s difficult to say which one is the most difficult to learn. |
| A．Chinese, because Portuguese use Chinese characters in their own language . |
| B．Japanese, because it is similar to their own language. |
| C．Spanish, because it also uses Roman alphabet. |
| D．Anyone but Chinese, because its pronunciation is very difficult. |
| A．A particular situation or environment. | B．The degree of education that somebody has obtained. |
| C．Teachers’ encouragement. | D．Professional training. |
| A．many British diplomats learn Tabassaran. |
| B．Hungarian’s grammatical complexity causes problems for native British speakers. |
| C．Tabassaran is the hardest language to learn in the world for native European speakers. |
| D．learning a different writing system is very easy for British speakers. |
If you want a quick look into the influence of Alibaba on daily Chinese life，take my experience．I moved to Beijing almost a year ago and quickly got tired of visiting small stores across the crowded，polluted city of 20 million people in search of new electronics，bathroom furnishings，and anything else my wife wanted． “You’re looking for what exactly？ Why not try it？ ” my Chinese teacher asked me one day．With that，my wonderful new relationship with Alibaba began．
Alibaba’s original business-to-business model now is secondary to consumer buying．Chinese retail（零售）buying makes up 80% of Alibaba’s profit，and leading that group is Taobao，with 800 million items for sale and the most unbelievable selection of things you’ll ever find． TMall．com is Alibaba’s other big site，where you can find brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices．
What I have a hard time explaining to friends and family back in the U．S．is how China has gone beyond traditional shopping—big-box retailers especially —in favor of online purchases on Taobao and a few other sites．In smaller towns than Beijing，where big retailers have not yet traveled，shopping online is shopping，and shopping is Taobao．
I have a list of some of my recent purchases on Taobao for a sense of how extensive the marketplace is．Almost everything arrived a day or two after ordering with free shipping．I’m not even a big buyer，because I need friends to help me search the Chinese-language site．When I was searching my purchase history on my Chinese teacher’s iPad，which helps me buy goods，I looked through with great difficulty about 10 of her purchases for every one of mine．
1. Alibaba’s advantage mainly lies in ___________．
| A．its big size |
| B．its business-to-business service |
| C．its not charging small sellers |
| D．its low price |
| A．Alibaba is of middle size among all the online sites |
| B．Alibaba will continue to develop． |
| C．Alibaba stands out as the best online site． |
| D．Alibaba acts as a bridge between the buyers and sellers． |
| A．a new store |
| B．Alibaba |
| C．a business |
| D．a foreign website |
| A．The author’s Chinese teacher is also an online purchase lover． |
| B．Taobao has no obvious advantage over other similar online sites． |
| C．Alibaba’s business-to-business service earns more money than retail now． |
| D．TMall．com provides more profit than Taobao． |
| A．Shopping online is TaoBao． |
| B．The influence of shopping online goes beyond traditional shopping． |
| C．Alibaba greatly influences people’s daily purchase in China． |
| D．How the author purchases online in China． |
【推荐1】Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions in the online class, Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a core requirement of Georgia Tech’s online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Professor Goel already had eight teaching assistants, but that wasn’t enough to deal with the overwhelming number of daily questions from students.
Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support. When students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to do something to remedy (改进) his situation and his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.
Goel and his team developed several versions of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasn’t too great. But Goel and his team sourced the online discussion forum to find all the 40,000 questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill with the questions and answers. After some adjustments and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students’ questions correctly 97% of the time. The virtual assistant became so advanced and realistic that the students didn’t know she was a computer. The students, who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with the virtual assistant and couldn’t tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didn’t inform them about Jill’s true identity until April 26. The students were actually very positive about the experience.
The goal of Professor Goel’s virtual assistant next year is to take over answering 40% of all the questions posed by students on the online forum. The name Jill Watson will, of course, change to something else next semester. Professor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of artificial intelligence than, say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates or Steve Wozniak.
1. What do we learn about Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence?| A．It is a robot that can answer students’ questions. |
| B．It is a course designed for students to learn online. |
| C．It is a high-tech device that revolutionizes teaching. |
| D．It is a computer program that aids student learning. |
| A．His students were unsatisfied with the assistants. |
| B．His course was too difficult for the students. |
| C．Students’ questions were too many to handle. |
| D．Too many students dropped out of his course. |
| A．She turned out to be a great success. |
| B．She got along pretty well with students. |
| C．She was unwelcome to students at first. |
| D．She was released online as an experiment. |
| A．They thought she was a bit too artificial. |
| B．They found her not as capable as expected. |
| C．They could not but admire her knowledge. |
| D．They could not tell her from a real person. |
| A．Launch different versions of her online. |
| B．Feed her with new questions and answers. |
| C．Assign her to answer more of students’ questions. |
| D．Encourage students to interact with her more freely. |
| A．A robot gives an online course. |
| B．Virtual assistant is getting popular in school. |
| C．Robots will replace humans in online classes. |
| D．One Georgia Tech’s teaching assistant isn’t human. |
【推荐2】According to a survey published by the American Institutes for Research last year, a total of 57 colleges were operating some form of CBE programs and about 85 percent of all the higher education officials said they were either designing a CBE program at their school or were considering doing so.
Students in a CBE program choose a central field of study, just as they would at a traditional college or university. Yet instead of attending a series of classes led by professors or teaching assistants at schools, the students study online and direct themselves.
CBE programs require students to show their understanding of a given set of sills Students must prove their mastery of skills that relate to their field of choice by taking related exams. Once they have met all the requirements of their study programs, the students will get their degrees.
CBE programs have made use of many new technologies, especially internet and online media. This helps reduce barriers for nontraditional and other students by bringing higher education to them. And programs that permit students to work at their own speed may save students' money by reducing the time it takes for them to earn a degree.
But some educators have concerns about the value of the education that CBE programs offer. Johann Neem at Western Washington University argues that the purpose of higher education is not simply to help students master certain skills. It should teach students how to think critically (批判性地) understand the subjects they are studying more deeply and see how they are connected to other subjects. Only that way can they put the knowledge to better use.
He said, “You need to explore, think .. get shaken, have a conversation and struggle. And those things take time.”
Instead of supporting CBE, he adds, policy makers and educators should look for ways to improve access and reduce costs for traditional higher education.
1. How are CBE programs different from traditional college education?| A．They require students to choose their subjects. |
| B．They offer shorter curricula and are less expensive. |
| C．They heavily rely on the information technologies. |
| D．They allow students to take easier examinations. |
| A．Free access to traditional education should be provided. |
| B．Higher education just focuses on critical thinking skills. |
| C．Students should spend longer time completing the degree courses. |
| D．College students should be challenged to explore around their subjects. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Sympathetic. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．To press policy-makers to provide more affordable education. |
| B．To show the disadvantages of the traditional college education. |
| C．To introduce a new controversial trend in the higher education. |
| D．To encourage educators to improve the quality of CBE programs. |
【推荐3】E-learning
Courses that are taught through the Internet，or online courses，have become popular in many countries.
These important examples show us that e-learning can be successful. Thanks to technology, more and more ways of teaching and learning are being developed.
However, one thing is for sure-there has never been a more interesting time to be a student.
| A．There are different kinds of online courses. |
| B．Students are more likely to take part in a real class. |
| C．Other kinds of e-learning are being tested around the world. |
| D．Nobody knows what the classroom of the future will look like. |
| E．But like online learning environments, they can be useful tools. |
| F．In South Korea, some students are taught English by teachers abroad. |
| G．E-learning will surely replace the real classroom learning in the near future. |
