Last week.we talked about Massive Open Online Courses.also called MOOCs.Tens of thousands,or even more,people Can take these classes all at once.You can be anywhere in the worht to take a MOOC.All you need is a computer and a network connection. MOOCs add to a tradition of what is known as distance learning.For years,many colleges have offered classes that are taught partly or mostly online.MOOCs are available in subjects like comlmter science,engineering or mechanics.Can MOOCs in subjects like arts or the humanities be as effective? Scott Anderson teaches philosophy at the University of British Columbia in Canada.He sees both good and bad sides to MOOCs.Scott Anderson says,"There are pails that will be tine,insofar as mostly when students listen to a lecture. there is no special reason why they need to be physically present to hear and get it."Mr.Anderson says increased numbers of students in MOOCs can mean less communication between them and teachers.He says two ways to deal with this are.by adding more teachers and setting up online discussion groups. Lisa Jadwin teaches English and American literature and writing at St.John Fisher College in New York.She says online education has some weaknesses for her subjects. She says,"What's lost in online education is face-to-face interaction.And that old-fashioned approuch is not going to be replaced very quickly by computer--aided instrnction."Professor Jadwin says some students could learn very well from talks and reading assignments,blogs and discussion groups.But she believes that hybrid courses work best.She describes hybrids as mixing face-to-face course elements with computer-aided teaching and writing proiects. Bill Pogue teaches communications at the University of Houston-Downtown.He sees good value in online education.He noted a strong sense of communitv in an online ciyrse he once took.He said the students worked together on a project while living on four continents. MOOCs are more popular in the world because _ . A) few people can take these courses B) distance learning is the only way to study now C) MOOCs are effective in all the subjects D) the students can be anywhere to take them
D
(Question)
Americans, generally speaking, make an effort to be friendly with their colleagues, neighbours and other people they often run into. This often takes the form of a simple greeting like "How's it going?" or "What's up ?" This is simply a way of saying I see you and I recognize you. Americans also show this friendliness in "small talk". Small talk is a casual conversation that Americans engage in when they meet on the street, in the shop or in the office before a meeting. Usually the topics of such small talk will be something that everyone is familiar with, the weather, sports, traffic, hobbies or what's on television. The topic of the conversation is not as important as the effort make to spend a few minutes with the other person. Small talk shows that you are a considerate person who is interested in others and who is willing to take the time to get to know people. Small talk is used in the business world to create a friendly atmosphere and to put everyone at ease before the serious matters of business are discussed. Often businessmen will spend a few minutes talking about the weather or sports before a meeting. This form of small talk only lasts a few minutes before the American businessman wants to "get down to business." Asians are very skilled at making casual conversation. However, they often find it difficult to make small talk with Americans because they don't know what to say, how to say it and who to say it to. Americans may see Asians who are reluctant to make small talk as unfriendly and cold. Which of the following is not true according to the passage? A) You should keep the conversation short. B) Asians are not friendly and don't like to talk with others C) "To get down to business" means to start the work. D) The topics of the small talk are not very important.
(Answer)
B
Ques: Grasslands need time to rest when cattle and other animals feed on them. Moving animals from one area of pasture to another can provide the time needed for new growth. This is called rotational grazing . Rotational grazing is good for the land and the animals, and it can save money. This form of grazing can reduce the need for pesticide treatments by reducing the growth of weeds. And it can limit the need for chemical fertilizers by letting animal wastes do the job of natural fertilizer. Rotational grazing can even help prevent wildfires by keeping grasslands in good condition. Letting animals feed continually and intensively in the same grazing areas can require costly replanting. Animals eat the most desirable growth first. When that keeps happening, the roots do not have enough time to recover. As a result, less desirable plants may replace them. Intensively used grasslands are also harmed as the soil is continually crushed under the weight of heavy animals. While rotational grazing can save money over time, it also requires planning. And that starts with a good map to mark fences, water supplies and grazing areas. Changing methods of grazing also requires time. Farmers may want to put up electric fences to enclose grazing areas, called paddocks. The paddocks will need water. Some farmers design a path for animals from different paddocks to drink from a common watering place. Farmers can start rotational grazing by removing animals from a pasture when the grass is eaten to less that five centimeters. The pasture is then kept empty until the grass grows to more than fifteen centimeters high. Sheep and goats may require special preparations. They may need stronger fences than other animals. And while they eat the grass, they may need guard animals to protect them from animals that would like to eat them. The function of putting up electric fences is to _ . A) divide the pasture into paddocks B) encourage animals to get around C) stop animals staying at one place D) provide water supplies for animals
Ans: A
Genetically modified ( ) foods have become a focus point of agriculture throughout the news today. This has an effect on many different aspects of the agriculture world. From the seed dealer, to the farmer that buys the seed, to the workers that the farmer sells to; all are affected by the new technologies that are involved in this part of production agriculture. Genetically modified foods have come under heavy fire lately. There are some countries that are against buying these types of foods. They are being tested for safety by the best scientific experts in Europe, the US and the rest of the world. They are not for sale until they have gone through this complete safety process. Since they are a new product, and any slight problem with them could affect a whole country, these tests are very necessary. These safety tests are carried out because of the new rules that were made with the Novel Foods Regulation. Begun in May of 1997, the Novel Foods Regulation set up an EU-wide pre-market system for all novel foods. A novel food is described as one that has not been eaten by EU consumers widely in the past. By setting up this program the EU hopes to keep its consumers safe from any possible side effects of any new food products. There are a variety of ways in which genetic modification has helped food producers. They can improve the nutritional value or the storage conditions of the food. Today there are only two genetically modified foods that have been allowed for use, these are GM soybean and GM maize. Despite any safety checks, many people are still cautious about eating genetically modified foods. By providing these people with the necessary information, we can allow them to make decisions about these foods. What do we know about the novel food? A) It's very popular in EU. B) It's bad for people's health. C) It's a new kind of food. D) Its story has been published.
C