Question

    The spread of Internet learning for huge numbers of people is leading some colleges to offer MOOCs, Massive Open Online Courses. Major universities like Stanford in California and Harvard in Massachusetts have invested millions of dollars to help launch MOOCs.

Those schools and others may have heard an attention-getting prediction. The man who created the MOOC service Udacity says that in fifty years, only ten traditional universities will remain in the world. That prediction came from Sebastian Thrun, a computer scientist probably best known for his part in making Google's driverless car. He is still a research professor at Stanford University. But he left his teaching position at Stanford to help start Udacity ,a provider of MOOCs.

Universities that fail to join the movement for MOOCs may be worried about their chances of survival. Colleges also hope to gain more students and cut operational costs in return for their investments.

Moody's Investor Service predicts that MOOCs will help large, famous universities gain more students. It says schools that create content for MOOCs can earn money by providing the course material to smaller schools.

But the investment service is warning that smaller, less well-known colleges may suffer because of MOOCs. It says students may want to receive certificates from major universities instead of attending a local junior college that provides traditional credits.

Recently, the University of Washington said it was the first American university to offer credit for MOOCs, credit that could be used toward a degree from the school.

One criticism of MOOCs has been that most courses being offered are in science, mathematics and technology. But several courses in literature are now available.

Professor Nelson says, "How much MOOCs will change college life is still up in the air. I have been of the opinion which is what universities will evolve to do is to still present some traditional classes, but that universities in some sense will be integrated."

1.Why do some major colleges join in providing MOOCs?

A.To make profits through Internet learning. B.To survive in the Information Age.

C.To offer help to other smaller colleges. D.To attract more investments.

2.What did Sebastian Thrun predict about future college life?

A.Many traditional universities will disappear.

B.Lectures will be given by Al rather than professors.

C.People don't have to receive education.

D.Traditional courses will be entirely replaced by MOOCs.

3.What used to be the disadvantage of MOOCs?

A.They were demanding for students. B.They were not friendly to students of arts.

C.They were not acknowledged by most colleges. D.They were expensive for students to use.

4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph ?

A.More traditional courses will be given in colleges.

B.Students from different universities will study together.

C.The impact of MOOCs on college life is not sure.

D.Professor Nelson is not in favor of MOOCs.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.B

4.C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了大学开展慕课的情况，以及人们对于慕课带来的影响的不同看法。

1.推理判断题。根据第三段第一句Universities that fail to join the movement for MOOCs may be worried about their chances of survival. 可知，没有加入到开展慕课运动中来的大学将会担忧自己生存下去的机会。故选B。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段第二句only ten traditional universities will remain in the world可知，Sebastian Thrun预言未来只有十所传统大学会幸存，因此可以得知世界上很多传统大学将会消失。故选A。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第二段One criticism of MOOCs has been that most courses being offered are in science, mathematics and technology.可知，人们对慕课的诟病之一是理工科的课程居多，因此，可得知慕课太过于侧重于理科，因此它不支持文科生。故选B。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段第一句How much MOOCs will change college life is still up in the air可知，Professor Nelson认为慕课会多大程度上改变未来的大学生活还未可知。因此可推断出慕课对未来的大学生活的影响还不确定。故选C。