Currently offered by some famous universities, MOOCs are attractive to people who do not have the financial resources to meet the growing costs of university education, or who do not have formal qualifications. They also allow participants to study at their own pace.

    The potential for MOOCs to deliver education is obviously vast—they could be considered as a huge step forwards in widening participation. They also have the potential to provide a unique window on universities that offer popular and valuable courses, they may attract some participants to register for formal fee-paying programmes at the same or other universities and are likely to promote new ways of on-line education.

    However, it is still very early days for MOOCs. The quality of the education provision is highly variable, with many courses offering only recordings of lectures, and delivery is particularly difficult in some special fields that require practical classes, research projects or extensive library access. Besides, wider engagement with participants requires very considerable resource. Even limited feedback or examination becomes a major task if there are several thousand students in the class.

Considering the challenges, some people argue MOOCs will soon evaporate (蒸发). But they certainly provide good opportunity for widening higher education, are a means of raising awareness of universities to audiences of tens or hundreds of thousands, and are well worthy of serious consideration.

    It's 9 a.m.,the morning rush hour in Toronto.A man has fallen down on a downtown street suddenly.Several passers-by stop to help the man.One woman reaches into her purse for her cellphone and hits 911,the emergency number.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Within ten minutes,the stricken man is in the back of an ambulance and is sent to the hospital for life-saving treatment.

This scene is fairly common in Toronto and other major cities.Over the years,cities have developed systems to respond quickly to emergencies{#blank#}2{#/blank#}But none of this would be possible without the cooperation of car drivers who yield（让路）to emergency vehicles on busy downtown streets.In fact,it's against the law for drivers not to yield.

    To yield means to give away or,more specifically,to get out of the way{#blank#}3{#/blank#}As yet,China doesn't have any specific laws that require drivers to yield,whether it is for slower cars to move over to the inside lane of a highway or for all cars to give way to emergency vehicles{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Drivers did not yield when they heard the ambulance's siren.

    In Canada,failing to yield to an ambulance vehicle can result in a fine of $400~$2,000 and reduction of three points off your license.That's for a first offense.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}This punishment is severe because lives are in danger.

    A.It has resulted in many lives being saved.

    B.A second offense results in a bigger fine,the loss of your driver's license for two years and a possible jail sentence.

    C.It saves lives and,who knows,someday it may save your own.

    D.Three minutes later,sirens（警报）are heard in the distance as a police car,an ambulance and a fire truck race to the area.

    E.It means pulling to the side of the road to let others pass.

    F.Recently,an injured Beijing cyclist died on the way to hospital because the ambulance carrying him got stuck in city traffic.

    G.Safe driving depends on driver's being aware of the traffic around them and yielding when necessary.

    Old-fashioned carpooling (拼车) where a group of people take turns driving each other to work has always faced a resistance. In a study by ABC News, 84％of those who drive to work say that they still do it alone.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} For example, sometimes they simply cannot find anyone to share a ride with.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} NuRide, a company providing online carpooling service, offers daily travelers not just a web-based list of would-be carpoolers but also a way to arrange a trip online. Here's how it works: rider seekers enter the positions where their trip will begin and end, the time they want to leave and if they're willing to drive or just ride in someone else's car. The website's search engine then looks for matches and makes lists of the names of traveling companions, along with the car model and the exact time and place to meet for each trip.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Then they meet their car mates when it's time to go.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They are required to provide the name of their employer and a work e-mail address. Both need to be checked before being listed on the website.

       So far, NuRide has arranged more man 50,000 rides on the website.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. NuRide users aren't riding with total strangers.

B. It has resulted in 1.4 million fewer miles driven.

C. They insisted that carpooling is just too inconvenient.

D. Now technology makes carpooling easier and more fun.

E. It is an environmentally friendly and economical way to travel.

F. Carpooling reduces travel cost, such as fuel cost and stress of driving.

G. People who want to share the ride can show their interest in joining in online.

    Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight:

    Schedule yearly exams. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eyeglasses.

    Protect against UV rays(紫外线). Long­term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it's extremely important to wear sunglasses. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Give your eyes a break. Two­thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital products. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Experts recommend that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20­second break and look at something 20 feet away.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins(维生素) C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

    Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses(隐形眼镜). Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.

A. Eat your greens.

B. Eye care should begin early in life.

C. They can properly protect your eyes.

D. Stay in good shape by taking more Vitamins.

E. Parents usually don't care about their own eyesight.

F. Always follow the doctor's advice for appropriate wear.

G. This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness.

Five ways to improve creativity

    Creativity is the ability to go beyond traditionally rules, ideas or relationships and create something new through imagination or progressiveness. There are many ways to improve your creative mind.

    Exercise the mind. Exercising your mind is an ideal way to boost creativity. Like the body, the mind needs exercise to work the creative muscles and make them stronger. Exercise your brain by learning new subjects, getting into a debate about politics and talking to other creative and intelligent people. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Be Passionate. One aspect of creativity is passion. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Find you internal motivation and follow your passion to improve your creativity.

    Change your routine. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} To boost your creativity, consider changing one to two elements of your daily routine. If you are working on a certain project, consider stopping one project to work on another project at regular interval throughout the day or week.

    Read. While reading provides many intellectual benefits, reading is also beneficial for boosting creativity, exercising your brain and provide creative inspiration. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Consider reading about subjects that were previously uninteresting to you. This change in the norm might spark your creative interest.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Our packed schedules have no room for creative thinking. Take a certain amount of time every day to quiet, refresh and clear the mind while relaxing the body. This quiet .time can consist of a yoga workout, meditation or simply sitting still in a dark and quiet room, in a peaceful garden or on a beautiful beach.

A. Schedule quiet time.

B. It can become weak due to stresses.

C. Creativity is a natural quality.

D. Often, creativity is blocked due to a too-familiar routine.

E. These activities will encourage a flow of creativity.

F. Read as much as possible about several different subjects

G. Typically, students will do well in subjects they are interested in.

    Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box.

    Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

    Are Your Clothes Causing Pollution?

    Very small pieces of plastic, called microfibers, are polluting rivers and oceans. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Clothes worn for outdoor activities and exercise are often made of artificial material, which is useful in keeping warm. But they contain very small plastic fibers, which may also be harming the environment when you wash them. When people wash these clothes, very small pieces go down the drain with the wash water.

    Studies on microfibers in the environment

    Pollution caused by plastic is not new, but recent studies have shown the effect of microfibers in the environment. Studies show very small microfibers are ending up in our waters, which may come from waste water treatment factories. A 2015 study found them in fish from California.

    Microfibers, effect on food supplies

    Beyond the waterways, the researchers say microfibers may end up in soil and agricultural lands. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This means there is much to be learned about microfibers and the environment. Some studies have shown that microfibers end up inside sea animals, like oysters. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Researchers say that the fibers tend not to move into the tissue of the fish, but it needs more study.

    Steps to save or keep microfibers from the environment

    Until more information becomes known, there are steps to take to reduce the amount of microfibers in the environment. People should use less of the artificial materials. If we already have those in our lives and we're using them, an important step would be washing them less. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A bag is being designed in which to wash these clothes. It traps the microfibers in the bag and it may be available for purchase soon.

A. New technology may also help.

B. So if these microfiber s have been found in fish and seafood, are they safe to eat?

C. They can also move around the atmosphere.

D. Studies are conducted on how much of the microfibers is released

E. The source of these microfibers may surprise you: your clothes.

F. Washing machines keep microfibers from escaping with w ash water.