Read the article and select the best answer. Article: MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are free, but without tutoring, and are open to anyone, anywhere in the world. The courses are flexible -- normally three to five hours of study a week -- done at any time, short (5 to 10 weeks) and video-rich. They are also heavily dependent on crowd sourcing: you can discuss a course with fellow students through online forums, discussion boards and peer review. Students don't have to finish the courses, pass assessments or do assignments, but, if they do, they get a certification of participation. The Open University launched FutureLearn, the UK's answer to US platforms such as Coursera, EdX and Udacity, which have been offering MOOCs from top US universities for the past two years. The response has been incredible, with more than three million people registering worldwide. Meanwhile, in 2012, Edinburgh University became the first non-US institution to join Coursera's partnership, comprising 13 universities. "We already run 50 online master's degrees, so this was a logical expansion," says Professor Jeff Haywood, Edinburgh's vice-principal. "It's an investment in teaching methods research. How am I going to teach introductory philosophy to 100,000 people? That's what I call educational R&D." He adds "If you look ahead 10 years, you'd expect all students graduating to have taken some online courses, so you've got to research that. Our MOOCs are no more in competition with our degrees than a lifelong learning course because they don't carry credits." Cooperation is key, Haywood stresses. It is far better to offer 20-30 courses in your own areas of expertise and let other institutions do likewise. Professor Mike Sharples, FutureLearn's academic lead, goes further: "We've tied the elements available before into a package of courses offered by leading universities worldwide on a new software platform, with a new way of promoting it and also a new social-learning teaching method. You won't just receive an exam, but be able to discuss and mark each other's assignments." Bath... Question: The passage mainly deals with _ . Options: A: the appearance of a new learning platform B: the various opinions on FutureLearn C: the popularity of no-credit courses D: the advantages of online teaching methods
A

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: President Obama ranks 15th out of 44 in a poll of the best and worst Presidents while former President George W. Bush earns a place in the bottom five, according to the Siena College Research Institute's recent survey released Thursday Obama won a top ten place in two skill set categories, communication ability (7th) and ability to compromise (10th), and in two personality trait categories, imagination (6th) and intelligence (8th). Background, described as family, education, and experience, proved his lowest score at 32nd. This is the 5th time the institute has conducted the survey of U.S. presidents, which is done a year after a new president takes office. The first survey was done in 1982. "Obviously, there's not great _ to the poll since the Presidents have only been in office for one year," says the survey's co-director and statistician Douglas Lonnstrom. "But it's a benchmark for us to see how they move." Presidents tend to rank around 20th while they are in office, and Obama is no exception. His actions over the next few years will decide if he stays roughly the same like Reagan--who moved from 16th to 20th, 22nd, 16th again, and finally to 18th this year--or like Bush, who fell from 23rd to 39th. Franklin D. Roosevelt has held his title as top president since 1982 with the same four following as top five: Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. The survey, which ranks Presidents using 20 different factors, shows Jefferson was the most intelligent president, Richard Nixon was the worst at honesty and avoiding serious mistakes, Lincoln had the best overall ability, and Washington was the best leader. Question: What can we learn about the Siena College Research Institute's survey? Options: A: It has been carried out five times. B: It has a history of more than 30 years. C: It is made after a President leaves office. D: It is done according to 10 different factors.
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A

Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Even though multiple generations have now grown up glued to the flickering light of the TV,we still can't let go of the belief that the next generation of technology is going to doom our kids. I've spent over a decade observing young people's practices with technology.When I began my research,I expected to find lots of teenagers who were escaping"real life"through the Internet.That was certainly my experience.As a geeky,queer youth growing up in the early 1990s,the Internet was the only place where I didn't feel judged.I wanted to live in a digital-only world. To my surprise-and,as I grew older,relief-that differed from what most youth want.Early on in my research,I met a girl who told me that she'd much rather get together with her friends in person,but she had so many homework demands and her parents were often concerned about her physical safety.This is why she loved the Internet:She could hang out with her friends there.For many teenagers,technology is a relief valve.I've heard this reasoning echoed by youth around the country. This is the Catch-22that we've trapped today's youth in.We've locked them indoors because we see the physical world as more dangerous than ever before,even though by almost every measure,we live in the safest society to date.We put heavy expectations for our kids,maxing them out with structured activities and homework.And then we're surprised when they're worn out and addictive. If we truly want to reduce the amount young people use technology,we should free up more of their time.For one thing,we could radically reduce the amount of homework and tests American youth take.Finland consistently outperforms the U.S.in school,and it emphasizes student happiness,assigning almost no homework.When I lecture in Finland,parents don't seem nearly as anxious about technology addiction as Americans.We should also let children roam.It seems like every few weeks I read a new story about a parent who was visited by child services for letting their school-aged children out of their... Question: The main purpose of this passage is to . Options: A: share experiences in using technology B: discuss the real causes of Internet addiction C: provide some suggestions on technology use D: persuade young people to wisely use technology.
B