1 . Tips for online learning

Online learning has the same basic elements as face-to-face learning. The major difference is that instruction is delivered online. Many of the strategies for effective face-to-face learning also apply to online learning.     1     Here are some strategies we recommend:

Create space to learn. Invest some time to understand your needs and preferences as a learner, and what an effective study environment looks like for you. For example, you might need a quiet place to study, or you might need to listen to classical music. Consider what equipment you might need. Wherever you study, try to minimize distractions.     2    

Manage your time effectively. Spend some time getting familiar with your online courses, understanding what is expected of you, mapping out key deadlines, and planning study time.     3     Research shows that learners gain more information if they spread their study over multiple days or sessions. Make sure your routine works with your other commitments so you’re more likely to stick to it.

    4     Just as with face-to-face learning, mental energy matters: take time to reflect on whether you have understood the materials, try to remember and sort the information you have learned to aid memory, test your understanding, mix different concepts and skills into the same study session to build connections and fluency, ask questions, participate in class discussions, and try teaching concepts to others.

Ask for assistance! In an online learning environment, you may need to ask lots of questions and take ownership over shaping the learning experience so that it meets your needs.     5    

Finally, if you’re facing specific challenges such as illness, mental health, accessibility, balancing childcare responsibilities, etc., it’s important for you to reach out to your instructors or the relevant student support services for discussion and creative problem-solving.

A．Regularly reflect on the course materials.

B．A long-term routine will help you stay on track.

C．Actively review and apply what you have learned.

D．However, online learning may require some additional skills to be successful.

E．At the end of the week, reflect on how you did, and adjust your routine as required.

F．This might mean asking your instructors or peers for help, or attending study groups.

G．Work with your roommates or family to create personal space so you can stay focused.

2 . Online learning is a term used to describe distance or correspondence courses that are offered over the Internet.     1    

There are two types of online course access: open and restricted. Open access allows virtually anyone with an Internet browser to view the course material.     2     This initiative removes the barriers to advanced knowledge and allows anyone with the interest to learn. The other type of online courses are restricted access courses, which limit the class to registered students. These courses offer instructor interaction and require grades upon completion.

It is more efficient for both sides to access course materials online.     3     The recurring cost is for marking and moderating the class communications. This greatly reduced the staff time and costs. Online courses also allow students to complete coursework from a wide range of locations and remove the time restriction to access course lectures.

The material for online courses provided by educational institutions has been carefully reviewed and approved before the course is offered. Many introduction and intermediate courses do not change.     4     Due to the reduced expenses for online courses, the fees are sometimes lower than a standard instructor-led course. Additional savings like transportation make online learning the most cost-effective learning method available.

    5     These tools include mobile audio and video viewers, improved online interactive tests, and tool and course management software. The continued development in this area will further enhance the quality of online courses and encourage more people to further their education.

A．As a result, the courses are stable.

B．Students are required to use effective study skills.

C．The fees are much lower so that most students can afford it.

D．Technology continues to expand to meet the needs of online students.

E．This type of online learning does not require interaction with an instructor.

F．From the educator perspective, the course lectures can be recorded once and reused.

G．It is prized as a cost-effective method of providing access to education for a large population.

3 . Online courses offer people abundant opportunities to learn. Try some of the Harvard online courses about humanities.

The Path to Happiness

From Confucianism to Daoism, the philosophies developed over two thousand years ago are among the most powerful in human history. This course brings voices from the past into modern contexts to explore the path to a good life today.

Duration: June 16, 2021—June 14, 2022

Fees: Free of charge

Pace: Self-paced

Difficulty: Introductory

Introduction to the Ancient Greek World

This course is about ancient Greece with its unique places, ways of life and historical changes. We survey the most important social institutions and cultural traditions. We also study everyday features such as food and dress.

Duration: June 21—August 6, 2021

Fees: $3400

Pace: Instructor-led

Difficulty: Introductory

Biotechnology and the Human Good

Biotechnology offers exciting and promising prospects for healing the sick and relieving the suffering. In this course we consider possible functions beyond common treatments like making people look younger, perform better and become perfect.

Duration: June 21—August 6, 2021

Fees: $ 3400

Pace: Instructor-led

Difficulty: Intermediate

Superheroes and Power

What makes superheroes popular? How can they help us think about super powers? In this course, we explore those questions in Marvel and DC favorites (especially the X-Men) as well as independent comics novels.

Duration: June 22 —August 6, 2021

Fees: $ 3400

Pace: Instructor-led

Difficulty: Intermediate

1. Which course can you take if you are free in Oct. 2021?

A．The Path to Happiness	B．Introduction to the Ancient Greek World
C．Biotechnology and the Human Good	D．Superheroes and Power

2. What does Biotechnology and the Human Good deal with?

A．Powers of superheroes.	B．More uses of biotech.
C．Ways to increase happiness.	D．Clinical practices of biotech.

3. What do the four courses have in common?

A．They are of the same level.	B．They are free of charge.
C．They belong to the same subject.	D．They are instructor-led.

4 . Online education has grown fast over the past ten years. The explosion of technology has made teaching outside the traditional classroom possible for teachers and has provided learners with easy access to course materials. Its attractiveness, benefits, and challenges are addressed.

In April,2005,I was approached by a student who was interested in our doctoral program. However, the first question out of her mouth was, “Do you offer any online courses?”Later that day, as I was reading the conference program guide trying for interesting presentations, I noticed many workshops on web-based learning and online education. I later attended two of those workshops and met several professors from different universities who had either taught online courses for quite some time or who were discovering the best practice for teaching online. The experiences helped me realize at least to some extent the degree of growth in online education.

My responsibilities for the term included gaining more understanding of online education. Consequently, I made several attempts to enrich my knowledge of distance learning and online teaching. I consulted with my colleagues who were teaching online courses. This helped me recognize the importance of getting materials prepared even before the start of a term. I also learned that online courses may consume more time than regular classroom teaching. And I attended several workshops regarding online education and established a network with those who were involved in online programs at other universities. I will consider these people as my consultants as I begin to design my own online course. Also, I conducted a brief survey with 15 students and two faculty members who had taken or taught an online course before to understand their experience. Eventually I completed a literature review which gave me the foundation and the background of understanding the need for online education.

1. What benefits the development of online education?

A．Teachers’ good teaching ability.	B．Lack of traditional classrooms.
C．Learners’ access to course materials.	D．The rapid advance of economy.

2. Why did the author take a student for example?

A．To explain the growing trend of offline education.

B．To predict the future of the teaching career.

C．To show students’ love for the doctoral program.

D．To persuade learners of traditional education.

3. What caused the author to know more about online education?

A．The requirement of research.	B．The professional responsibilities.
C．The appetite for knowledge.	D．The colleagues’ encouragement.

4. What is the author’s attitude to online education?

A．Carefree.

B．Doubtful.

C．Supportive.

D．Unwilling.

5 . Online Free Courses

English Grammar and Style

We’ll present materials that cover grammatical principles, word usage, writing style, sentence and paragraph structure, and punctuation. We’ll challenge you with quizzes and writing activities that will give you strategies to enhance the quality of your writing, and invite you to participate in discussions and assess the work of your peers (同龄人).

Length: 8 weeks.

Instructor: Roslyn Petelin from the University of Queensland.

Academic Writing Made Easy

From structuring and organizing an academic text to avoiding common mistakes that can negatively affect your credibility, this course offers a guide for those who want to improve their writing. Each week is comprised of video lessons, followed by exercises and tasks of assessing your peers’ work. The course requires upper-intermediate to advanced English.

Length: 6 weeks.

Instructor: Heidi Minning from the Technical University of Munich.

Preparing to Network in English

Networking in the business world is key to career success. But what is networking? And how do you do it in English? This course helps you understand the basics of networking and why it’s important. You’ll identify the key qualities you should focus on developing. Most importantly, you’ll grow and expand your business network and professional connections.

Length: 6 weeks.

Instructor: Joel Ozretich from the University of Washington.

Using Emails for Networking in English

In this course, you’ll learn important strategies for writing effective emails. You’ learn how to write messages for different audiences and understand when to be formal or direct. You’ll also learn how choice of words can change the way people view your message.

Length: 4 weeks.

Instructor: Daphne Mackey from the University of Washington.

1. English Grammar and Style offers materials on the following EXCEPT ________.

A．grammatical principles	B．word usage
C．punctuation	D．pronunciation

2. Which course has video lessons every week?

A．English Grammar and Style.

B．Academic Writing Made Easy.

C．Preparing to Network in English.

D．Using Emails for Networking in English.

3. What do the first two courses have in common?

A．Both last for one and half months.

B．Both involve some peer review tasks.

C．Both require upper-intermediate English.

D．Both are offered by the same university.

4. Who will offer the course on the importance of the business network?

A．Roslyn Petelin.	B．Heidi Minning.
C．Joel Ozretich.	D．Daphne Mackey

5. What does the shortest course focus on?

A．Improving email-writing skills.

B．Giving tips on academic writing.

C．Exploring grammatical principles.

D．Introducing the basics of net working.

7 . Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are making waves nowadays, and although it’s too soon to determine their final influence on the universities across the country and the world, they are sparking off a lively debate among educators and students.

The first MOOC arrived on the scene back in 2011 when two Stanford teachers offered their artificial intelligence class online for free. Enrollment topped 160,000, and the unexpected success of the experiment encouraged other schools.

Supporters believe making quality educational instruction available to the public will provide higher quality and lower cost for many, and might easily be the best instructional model for the future. MOOCs can be attended by thousands or even hundreds of thousands of students at a time. In fact, Sebastian Thrun, one of the Stanford teachers who started it all, sees a day in which as few as 10 universities meet the world’s higher education needs.

Where MOOCs may provide quality instruction for many, detractors often see that very fact as its biggest failing. MOOCs don’t offer any individualized training, and some educators feel using it as a for-credit standard in the future will leave some students behind. A common argument is that individualized, face-to-face teaching works best in many cases. The lively exchange of ideas can activate a classroom.

Some find other aspects of MOOCs troubling. In the first MOOCs, plagiarism ( 剽 窃 ) was a problem and completion rates on the whole were low. This may have been because some students were curious about the format rather than focused on the study.

How will MOOCs progress in the future? No one knows for sure, but the modern classroom may turn out to be a combination of the old and the new, with on-campus activities like labs, debates and online activities working with massive online offerings to provide a special learning experience that’s cost-effective and convenient.

1. Which can best replace the underlined part in Paragraph 1?

A．Witnessing falling.	B．Gaining wealth.
C．Getting recognition.	D．Causing arguments.

2. What’s the advantage of MOOCs according to supporters?

A．Students can get unique training.

B．The atmosphere can easily activate students.

C．It offers an effective way to evaluate students.

D．Students can get high-quality education at a low cost.

3. How will MOOCs advance in the author’s view?

A．By increasing its enrollment rates.

B．By encouraging students’ participation.

C．By involving more experimental activities.

D．By combining on-campus and online activities.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．When is MOOCs Get Noticed?

B．How can MOOCs Develop so Fast?

C．Is MOOCs the Best Educational Model?

D．Do the Advantages Outweigh the Disadvantages?

8 . In general, when taking an online degree program you might get resources, such as eBooks, interviews, recorded lectures.

The resources offered to you for learning online will depend on the college where you take your online program. Some online learning programs may need you to buy paper textbooks in advance, but most of them are using eBooks now.

For those colleges that have made the change to use 100%, online resources, students can expect to study, using all kinds of advanced technological resources with no need to travel to attend lectures, exams or in-person discussions!

Taking an online learning program, you'll be-an-officially registered student at your college and have the same right to the resources as an on-campus student, like the digital library, learning management system (like Blackboard), student union membership and more! An online degree is similar to taking a degree program on campus, but you have the freedom to arrange your own study schedule.

Your school and your teachers will decide on the resources for each course and will offer learning resources that are best suited to your course of program. What a Biology student needs to learn successfully online will be different from what an At History student needs!

Online learning may be a completely new experience for you. If you're coming from a more traditional learning background, read on to discover how to make the most of the resources you may meet in your online learning journey!

1. The online learning materials are mostly ________.

A．paper textbooks

B．mails

C．eBooks

D．videos

2. How are students taking an online program different from on-campus students?

A．They don’t use Blackboard	B．They have student union membership
C．They use the digital library.	D．They make the schedule of their own learning

3. What will the author probably write about in the following paragraph?

A．Suggestions on making full use of resources of online learning.

B．Suggestions on improving your online learning

C．A brief introduction to traditional learning

D．A comparison between traditional learning and online learning

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The advantages of online learning	B．The resources of online learning
C．The problems of online learning	D．The importance of online learning.

9 . About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not go to classes in school buildings. Instead, they receive their school education by working at home on computers. The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public “cyberschools,” and that is about twice as many as two years ago.

The money for students to go to a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well.

Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school.

Whatever the judgment of cyberschools, they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cybershool called Common-wealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen.

Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer, a printer, books and technical(技术的) services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computer when necessary.

Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests honor at their graduation.

1. What do we know from the text about students of a cyberschool?

A．They have to take long bus rides to school.

B．They study at home rather than in classrooms.

C．They receive money from traditional public schools.

D．They do well in traditional school program.

2. What is a problem with cyberschools?

A．Their equipment costs a lot of money.

B．They get little support from the state government.

C．It is hard to know students’ progress in learning.

D．The students find it hard to make friends.

3. Cyberschools are getting popular because ________.

A．they are less expensive for students

B．their students can work at their own speed

C．their graduates are more successful in society

D．they serve students in a wider age range(范围)

4. We can infer that the author of the text is ________.

A．unprejudiced(无偏见的) in his description(描述) of cyberschools

B．excited about the future of cyberschools

C．doubtful about the quality of cyberschools

D．disappointed at the development of cyberschools

5. According to the text, which of the following statements is true?

A．About 67% of the students in the USA go to cyberschools nowadays.

B．Cyberschools will take the place of traditional schools in the future.

C．Cyberschools are the most popular form of education now in the USA.

D．Not everybody likes cyberschools.