D. What seems to be the problem
Part II Reading Comprehension (40 Points)
Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each o f the passages is followed by 5questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best one and mark your answer on the ANSWER SHEET.
Passage One
A few centuries ago, people looked at the birds and wondered what it would be like to fly like them. There were stories of heroes who glued bird feathers on their arms and flew up into the sky. About 500 years ago, some people dreamed a different dream. Instead of flying up to the sky, they dreamed of falling from the sky!
In the 15th century, Italian inventors designed a cone-shaped(锥形) device that was supposed to bring a man down safely from a great height. The operator held on to a handle with a straps strapped to his waist. This was the first known design for a parachute (降落伞).
Even the great inventor Leonardo da Vinci sketched a type of parachute. His parachute design was in the shape of
pyramid(金字塔). Other inventors also sketched their own designs for a parachute. Unfortunately, these were only designs on paper and no one tested them.
A Croatian inventor named Fausto Veranzio looked at Leonardo da Vinci’s parachute design and replaced the pyramid shape with one that looked like a sail from a ship. When Veranzio was 65years old, he fell ill. Thinking he would not live longer, he decided to try out his parachute invention. He built his parachute using wood and cloth. Straping his invention to his waist, he jumped off the tall bell tower in his city. He landed safely! He was supposedly the first man to successfully use a parachute. However, some other people thought this story was not true. If that was the case, then the first person to successfully use a parachute would go to a Frenchman named Louis-Sebastien Lenormand in 1783. 16. The first known parachute was designed by ______. A. Frenchman C. Croatians
B. Italian D. Englishmen
17. Leonardo da Vinci’s parachute was shaped like a ______.
A. cone
B. feather C. pyramid
D. sail
18. Which of the following is about Fausto Veranzio is true A. He copied da Vinci’s parachute design. B. He made his parachute with feather and wood. C. He experimented with his parachute many times.
D. He decided to try his parachute after he was seriously ill. 19. As for the first man who successfully used a parachute, ______.
A. it was said to be Leonardo da Vinci B. we know for sure he was Veranzio C. there were some historical records D. we don’t know for sure yet 20. The passage is mainly about ______. A. the origin of the parachute B.The dreams of flying and falling C. the courage of dropping from the sky D. the application of parachute invention Passage Two
Out of all the students who enroll in a massive open online
course(MOOC), only about 5 percent complete the course and receive a certificate accomplishment. This statistic is often cited as evidence that MOOCs are fatally flawed(有缺陷的)and offer little educational value to most students. Yet more than 80 percent of students who fill out a post-course survey say they met their primary objective. How do we look at these two facts
We’re used to focusing on completion rates in higher education, but they’re not the only-or even the most meaningful – indicator of engagement in open online courses. With no cost to enroll, no punishment for dropping out, and little reward for actually earning a certificate, MOOCs are fundamentally different from traditional calssess – and students use them in fundamentally different ways.
Data from more than 1.8 million students erolled in 36 MOOCs offered by the University of Pennsylvania show that students treat MOOCs like a buffet (自助餐), sampling the material according to their interests and career goals. Some are curious about the subject matter and just watch one or two video lectures; others use the discussion forums to connect
with their intellectual peers around the world. Of all enrolled students, nearly 60 percent watch at least one vedio, complete at least one assignment, or post at least once in a forum.
So focusing on the tiny fraction of students who complete a MOCC is misguided.
The more important number is the 60 percent engagement rate. Students may not finish a MOOC with a certificate of accomplishment, but the courses nonetheless meet the educational goals of millions.
21. What do we learn about MOOCs from Para.1
A. There seems to be conflicting statistics about MOOCs. B. It turns out that MOOCs have failed people’s expectations. C. Most students find it hard to judge the value of MOOcs. D. The educational value of MOOCs is well acknowledged. 22. In Para.2, the author stresses ______. A. the primary objective of MOOC students
B. the significance of competion rates in education C. the strengths and weakness of open online courses D. the differences between MOOCc and trditional classes
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