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. |
Hidden in a small street in the south end of Springfield, not far from buildings torn apart by the tornado（龙卷风） earlier this year, Frigo’s is an Italian restaurant right in our own backyard.
Frigo’s is not a tiny place. It provides different kinds of Italian food. There are refrigerator cases full of prepared foods and desserts, and shelves filled with olives and various pasta.
There’s some traditional Italian music and the smell is of olive oil and garlic（大蒜）. Above the largest refrigerator case, there’s a chalk board covered with desriptions of more Italian sandwiches than I could remember.
I stepped into Frigo’s almost by accident when I had to stay in Springfield into the evening for an open house at the school where I work. Frigo’s is the perfect place to find something quick to go. There are no tables, so all food is taken out. I also thought it would be a great place to pick up some already-prepared food to bring home for dinner.
I ordered the easiest meal possible: a chicken sandwich and a salad. It cost＄4.75 for the sandwich. The salad was＄4.99 and didn’t have salad dressing on it. I must have missed the choice of salad dressing on the way out. The sandwich was great—great chicken, excellent tomato sauce and not too much cheese.
I wish I had tried one of the many other sandwiches which include Joe’s Favorite (＄5.25-＄6.75) and the Dante (King) which is made of turkey breast, roasted red peppers, asiago cheese and choice of dressing.
I have a feeling that I’ll be picking up dinner for me and the kids at Frigo’s soon. Who would be most likely to go to eat at Frigo’s?
| A．People who want to eat quietly in a nice restaurant. |
| B．People who want to enjoy home-made food |
| C．People who like traditional American food |
| D．People who are fond of Italian food |
Which of the following cannot be seen at Frigo’s?
| A．A chalk board covered with descriptions of sandwiches |
| B．Refrigerator cases full of prepared foods and desserts |
| C．Shelves filled with olives and different kinds of pasta |
| D．Customers eating happily around tables |
How much did the writer pay for his first meal at Frigo’s?
| A．＄4.75 | B．＄5.25 | C．＄9.74 | D．＄4.99 |
We can infer that “Joe’s Favorite” and “Dante” are the names of .
| A．sandwiches | B．salads | C．cheese | D．peppers |
We can infer from the passage that the writer .
| A．seldom eats out in a restaurant with his family |
| B．feels very happy that be has found Frigo’s |
| C．dislikes eating sandwiches |
| D．lives a very relaxing life |
The Board Meeting had come to an end. Bob started to stand up and knocked into the table, spilling his coffee over his notes. “How embarrassing! I am getting so clumsy(笨拙的) in my old age.”
Everyone had a good laugh, and soon we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing moments. It came around to Frank, who sat quietly listening to the others. Someone said, “Come on, Frank. Tell us your most embarrassing moment.”
Frank laughed and began to tell us of his childhood. “I grew up in San Pedro. My Dad was a fisherman, and he loved the sea. He had his own boat, but it was hard making a living on the sea. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. Not just enough for our family, but also for his Mom and Dad and the other kids that were still at home.”
He looked at us and said, “I wish you could have met my Dad. He was a big man, and he was strong from pulling the nets and fighting the seas for his catch. When you got close to him, he smelled like the ocean. He would wear his old canvas, foul-weather coat and his bibbed overalls. His rain hat would be pulled down over his brow. No matter how much my mother washed them, they would still smell of the sea and of fish.”
Frank’s voice dropped a bit. “When the weather was bad he would drive me to school. He had this old truck that he used in his fishing business. That truck was older than he was. It would wheeze and rattle down the road. You could hear it coming for blocks. As he would drive toward the school, I would shrink (畏缩) down into the seat hoping to disappear. Half the time, he would slam to a stop and the old truck would belch (喷出) a cloud of smoke. He would pull right up in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here, I was twelve years old, and my Dad would lean over and kiss me goodbye!”
He paused and then went on, “I remember the day I decided I was too old for a goodbye kiss. When we got to the school and came to a stop, he had his usual big smile. He started to lean toward me, but I put my hand up and said, “No, Dad.” It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way, and he had this surprised look on his face. I said, “Dad, I’m too old for a goodbye kiss. I’m too old for any kind of kiss.” My Dad looked at me for the longest time, and his eyes started to tear up. Then he turned and looked out of the windshield(挡风玻璃). “You’re right,” he said. “ You are a big boy....a man. I won’t kiss you anymore.”
Frank got a funny look on his face, and the tears began to well up in his eyes, as he spoke. “It wasn’t long after that when my Dad went to sea and never came back. It was a day when most of the fleet (船队) stayed in, but not Dad. He had a big family to feed. They found his boat adrift with its nets half in and half out. He must have gotten into a strong wind and was trying to save the nets and the floats.”
I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running down his cheeks. Frank spoke again. “Guys, you don’t know what I would give to have my Dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek…to feel his rough old face… to smell the ocean on him… to feel his arm around my neck. I wish I had been a man then. If I had been a man, I would never have told my Dad I was too old for a goodbye kiss.”When his father drove him to the school, Frank would shrink down into the seat hoping to disappear because ________.
| A．he was ashamed of his father’s old truck |
| B．he didn’t want his schoolmates to see his father |
| C．he thought he was old enough to go to school alone |
| D．he hated the way his schoolmates stared at his father |
According to the story we can conclude that Frank’s father ________.
| A．was quite confident in his skills in fishing |
| B．loved his children but hardly expressed it |
| C．seldom gave up faced with challenges |
| D．was full of devotion to his family |
By saying the sentence “I wish I had been a man then…”, Frank meant ________.
| A．he was tired of his father kissing him goodbye |
| B．he deeply regretted what he had done to his father |
| C．he was then too young to refuse a goodbye kiss |
| D．he hoped that his father would forgive him |
Which of the following may be the best title for this passage?
| A．The Smell of the Ocean | B．We All Need Love |
| C．A Goodbye Kiss | D．Father’s Embarrassment |
A gentle breeze blew through Jennifer’s hair. The golden red sun was setting. She was on the beach, looking up at the fiery (火红的) ball. She was amazed by its color, deep red in the middle, softly fading into yellow. She could hear nothing but the waves and the seagulls flying up above in the sky.
The atmosphere relaxed her. After all she had been through, this was what she needed. “It’s getting late,” she thought, “I must go home. My parents will be wondering where I am.”
She wondered how her parents would react, when she got home after the three days she was missing. She kept on walking, directing herself where she spent every summer holiday. The road was deserted. She walked slowly and silently. Just in a few hundred meters she would have been safe in her house.
It was really getting dark now. The sun had set a few minutes before and it was getting cold too. She wished she had her favorite sweater on: it kept her really warm. She imagined having it with her. This thought disappeared when she finally saw her front door. It seemed different. Nobody had taken care of the outside garden for a few days. She was shocked: her father was usually so strict about keeping everything clean and tidy, and now... It all seemed deserted. She couldn’t understand what was going on.
She entered the house. First, she went into the kitchen where she saw a note written by her father. It said: “Dear Ellen, there is some coffee ready. I went looking.” Ellen was her mother but — where was she? On the right side of the hallway was her parents’ room. She went in. Then she saw her. Her mother, lying on the bed, was sleeping. Her face looked so tired, as if she hadn’t slept for days. She was really pale. Jennifer would have wanted to wake her up but she looked too tired. So Jennifer just fell asleep beside her. When Jennifer woke up, something was different... she wasn’t in her mother’s room and she wasn’t wearing the old clothes she ran away in. She was in her cozy bed in her pajamas (睡衣).
It felt so good being back home. Suddenly she heard a voice, “Are you feeling better now, dear? You know you got us very, very scared.”The writer describes the beautiful sunset to show Jennifer’s ______.
| A．love of the natural beauty |
| B．desire of getting back home |
| C．intention of becoming independent |
| D．depression of being alone |
What does the underlined phrase “This thought” most probably mean?
| A．The idea of going back home. |
| B．Her anxiety about her parents. |
| C．The feeling of getting back home safely. |
| D．The feeling of being warm in her favorite sweater. |
Her father didn’t take care of the garden because ______.
| A．he was busy looking for her |
| B．he had to look after his wife |
| C．he was not strict with his job |
| D．he no longer enjoyed working in the garden |
What can we infer from this passage?
| A．In fact Jennifer’s mother had been sick for several days. |
| B．When she found the garden deserted, she realized she was wrong. |
| C．As Jennifer walked towards home, she became increasingly scared. |
| D．Having experienced a lot outside, Jennifer felt home was the safest for her. |
Visit one of the most outstanding prehistoric sites in the United Kingdom, and enjoy amazing historic English attractions. Please notice that every tour starts and ends in London. Have a tour with Visiting Britain.
Stonehenge Direct Tour
Visit one of the most outstanding prehistoric sites in England and in the world: Stonehenge.
Duration: 1 day
Price: Adults ￡29.99, Children ￡28.99
Stonehenge and Bath Tour
Enjoy a late breakfast before heading to the Stonehenge site and end your day with an original visit of the Roman Baths.
Duration: 10 hours (departure 10:30 am return 8:30 pm).
Price: Adults ￡64, Children ￡60
Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle Tour
Explore three of England’s most popular sites to visit: Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and the Roman Baths.
Duration: 1 day (return 8:30 pm)
Price: Adults ￡64.80, Children ￡61.20
Stonehenge, Lacock and Bath Tour
Come and feel the warmth of Bath, see the pleasant village of Lacock, and solve the mystery of Stonehenge.
Duration: 1 day (return 6 pm)
Price: Adults ￡85, Children ￡78
Stonehenge, Windsor and Oxford Tour
Choose Stonehenge, Windsor and Oxford Tour and enjoy ancient mysticism, royal history and illustrious knowledge.
Duration: 1 day
Price: Adults ￡72, Children ￡68
Stonehenge, Bath and Stratford Tour
Take a tour to make the most of the English historic attractions: the Stonehenge site, Bath and Stratford, the birthplace of playwright William Shakespeare.
Duration: 1 day (return 8 pm)
Price: Adults ￡79, Children ￡68The purpose of the passage is to _____________.
| A．advertise some popular English attractions |
| B．recommend some different tours in England |
| C．tell readers how to save money while traveling |
| D．describe different routes to travel in England |
Two 15-year-old foreign students who want to visit Stonehenge and Oxford University will have to pay at least _____________.
| A．￡136 | B．￡170 | C．￡110 | D．￡126 |
When can you come back to London after visiting Stonehenge and the Roman Baths?
| A．At 6 pm. | B．At 7 pm. | C．At 8 pm. | D．At 8:30 pm. |
If you plan to travel with your kid who is a fan of Shakespeare, you would choose _______.
| A．Stonehenge Direct Tour |
| B．Stonehenge, Bath and Stratford Tour |
| C．Stonehenge, Windsor and Oxford Tour |
| D．Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle Tour |
Two traveling angels(天使) stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied: “Things aren’t always what they seem.”
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor but very hospitable(好客的) farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, “How could this happen?” Why did you not watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house,” she accused. “The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help.”
“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied. “When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal(封口) the wall so he couldn’t find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. Things aren’t always what they seem.” Why did the older angel repair the hole for the rich family?
| A．Because she didn’t like the greedy owner. |
| B．Because she wanted to save the gold for the poor. |
| C．Because the basement was too cold to stay in. |
| D．Because she believed that one should always be ready to offer help. |
In paragraph two, “the pair” refers to_____________.
| A．The poor couple | B．the rich couple |
| C．the guests | D．the angels |
The story tries to tell the reader that_________________.
| A．angels are always ready to help the poor |
| B．sometimes things are not what they seem |
| C．angels are always ready to help the rich |
| D．the young should always learn from the old. |
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