单选题 Researchers at the University of Arizona, led by Teresa Cummins, conducted an exploratory study on the online learning modules, designed to supplement hands-on classes taught by local experts and supported by an overview text, to help users increase their understanding of key concepts in the Arizona Master Watershed Steward program. They also sought to determine whether program participants would use the non-compulsory modules.
Their evaluation revealed that module users increased their understanding of key watershed concepts; participants in the evaluation demonstrated a 30 percent increase in content knowledge following module use. Additionally, 70 percent of participants retained this knowledge through a two-month follow-up test.
A follow-up survey showed that approximately half of the participants returned to the online modules on their own; several of these users returned several times and spent multiple hours per session. Comments from the follow-up survey suggested that the users accessed the site either as they had the time or as they needed the information.
Online usage statistics indicated participants continued to visit the site for many months following the modules' release and advertisement. Though many visits were very brief (a single pageview; only a couple of seconds), visitors with many returns to the site and/or long visits appeared to be working through the modules.
One participant stated, "My brain can only hold so much information; the modules keep information on-hand." Other participants commented that the modules were "more interesting and interactive" than the text material, and a "very effective tool" and "a great resource to the Master Watershed Steward community."
The Arizona Master Watershed Steward program, sponsored by University of Arizona, prepares adults to serve as volunteers in the conservation of water resources and the protection, restoration, and monitoring of their watersheds. The modules were intended to reinforce concepts covered in classes and further engage participants in the learning process.
One key finding was that the modules were not clearly preferred by users over in-person instruction. One participant stated, "For me, they are just another avenue for learning, a supplement or additional reference. I prefer in person and real hands-on learning." Other participants similarly expressed their desire for hands-on and face-to-face interaction. Several participants noted that the usefulness of in-person lectures—was a function of the presenter.
Overall, the exploratory evaluation indicated that the modules were a welcome supplement to the course and were effective in reinforcing key concepts. Participants retained knowledge for several weeks, although since subjects were self-selected, they may have been self-motivated to pay attention and master the online module materials.
"I am constantly searching for new ways to educate our program's diverse audiences and reinforce watershed science concepts, " says Candice Rupprecht, state coordinator for the Master Watershed Steward program. "I am excited to know that online learning modules can enhance our program by offering additional independent learning opportunities for our volunteers./

单选题 The first paragraph suggests that the online learning modules______.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[试题类型] 具体信息题。
[解题思路] 由题干关键词the first paragraph定位到文章第一段。第一段末句指出，研究人员的另一目的是为了确定项目参与者是否会使用这一非强制使用的学习模块(whether program participants would use the non-compulsory modules)。这说明在线学习模块并不是强迫学习者使用的，选项[B]符合文意。
[干扰排除] 选项[A]无法从文中推知，文中第一段提到了研究人员对在线学习模块进行研究的目的，但未指出该学习模块有何不良影响，故排除。文章第一句指出，该学习模块是对当地专家授课的实践课堂的补充，而没提到在线学习模块被专家排斥，故选项[C]错误。选项[D]无中生有，原文第一句确实提到过designed这个词，但并不是说按项目的要求来设计网络课程，故排除选项[D]。

单选题 From the second paragraph, we can infer that______.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[试题类型] 推理引申题。
[解题思路] 根据题干关键词the second paragraph定位到文章第二段。该段共有两句话，第一句话说明了此在线学习模块增强了使用者对关键的流域概念的理解(increased their understanding of...)，并辅以数据证明；第二句话指出，通过两个月的跟踪测验，70%的参与者能够记住这些内容(retained this knowledge)。选项[C]“通过使用在线学习模块，学习者在他们的学习中取得了进步”是对该段内容含义的概括提炼，故为答案。
[干扰排除] 选项[A]过于绝对，第二段旨在说明在线模块对学习者的帮助，并没有说没有在线模块，学习者的学习就会毫无进展。选项[B]是对该段第二句的臆断，该句指出，通过两个月的跟踪测验，70%的参与者能够记住所学内容，但无从推知他们在记这些内容时很勤奋，故排除选项[B]。选项[D]也是根据该段第二句设置的干扰项，该句是说所的参与者(100%的参与者)中，有70%的人记住了学习内容，而不是70%的参与者参加了跟踪测验，故排除选项[D]。

单选题 Which of the following is true of the online learning?

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[试题类型] 具体信息题。
[解题思路] 由文章第三、四段可知，在线使用数据可以表明学习者对网站的访问频率和访问时间：several of these users returned several times and spent multiple hours per session; Online usage statistics indicated participants continued to visit the site for many months following the modules' release，而这些数据是和学生学习的勤勉程度有关，也就是说网站的使用数据可以间接地显示学生的努力程度，故选项[A]正确。
[干扰排除] 文章没有提到在线学习的界面是否受欢迎，选项[B]属于主观臆断，故排除该项。选项[C]与原文不符，原文涉及的研究对象是学员和网络学习模块，即学员是研究对象，而非研究的实施者，故排除该项。原文第一段第二句和第六段末句都指出，该模块旨在帮助学生增强他们对“亚利桑那州干流管家项目”中的关键概念的理解，并不能帮助学员获得实际操作的经验，故选项[D]错误。

单选题 What the participants expressed in Paragraph 7 means that______.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[试题类型] 推理引申题。
[解题思路] 本题考查考生对第七段中参与者的观点的理解。该段第一句为本段主题句，该句指出，比起面授课程，用户对在线学习模块并没有表现出明显的青睐(the modules were not clearly preferred by users over in-person instruction)。第二句到本段末作者列举了几位参与者的观点，如“我更喜欢面授的、亲身参与的学习”(I prefer in person and real hands-on learning)，“更希望亲身参的、面对面的互动”(their desire for hands-on and face-to-face interaction)等，均是为了说明有的用户更青睐面授课堂，故选项[C]“有的参与者认为传统的课堂授课更好”符合原文，为正确选项。
[干扰排除] 选项[A]望文生义，将hands-on learning理解为practical skills，为错误选项。第七段最后一句指出，面授课堂的实用性在于面授教师所发挥的作用，并没有提到教师的作用是教授学生实用技巧，故排除选项[B]。文中参与者的观点是更喜欢而授课程(in person lectures)，而不是更喜欢在网上自主选课，故[D]为错误选项。

单选题 Which of the following is the text mainly about?

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[试题类型] 主旨要义题。
[解题思路] 本题要求归纳文章的主旨大意。文章首先指出了研究人员做的一项研究，即对在线学习模块对使用者的影响进行研究。接着指出在线学习模块对使用者的学习有帮助，及在线学习模块的优点及劣势等，最后作者总结道，在线学习模块对于课程是一项有益的补充(Overall...the modules were a welcome supplement to the course and were effective in...)。由此可见，选项[D]正确。
[干扰排除] 选项[A]概括得不准确，文章并没深入讨论in-person classroom learning，只是在比较学员对在线学习模块的态度时有所提及，因此不能概括文章主旨。选项[B]“在线学习的优点及劣势”是作者讨论的一个方面，但概括得并不全面，故排除。文章第五段指出，在线学习模块对于学习者来说是一个“非常有效的学习工具”(a "very effective tool")，而并非研究者的有效研究工具(research tools)，故选项[C]错误。