Question

【題目】Have you ever heard someone use the phrase “once in a blue moon”? People use this expression to describe something that they do not do very often. For example, someone might say that he tries to avoid（避免） eating sweets because they are unhealthy, but will eat chocolate” once in a blue moon”. Or someone who does not usually like to go to the beach might say “I visit the shore once in a blue moon.”While many people use this phrase, not everyone knows the meaning behind it.

The first thing to know is that the moon itself is never really blue. This is just an expression. In fact, the phrase” blue moon” has to do with the shape of the moon, not the color.

As the moon travels around the earth, it appears to change shape. We associate(聯(lián)系) certain names with certain shapes of the moon. For example, when we can see a small part of the moon it is called a crescent moon. A crescent is a shape that looks like the tip（尖端） of a fingernail （手指甲）when we cannot see the moon at all, it is called a new moon. When we can see the whole moon, it is called a full moon. Usually, there is only one full moon every month. Sometimes, however there will be two full moons in one month. When this happens, the second full moon is called a blue moon”.

Over the next 20 years, there will only be 15 blue moons. As you can see, a blue moon is a very rare (稀有的)event. This factspan> has led people to use the expression” once in a blue moon” to describe other very rare events in their lives.

【1】Which of the following would be a good example of using the phrase” once in a blue moon”?

A．Simon often tells jokes. Simon tells jokes once in a blue moon.

B．Tom hardly remembers to do exercise. Tom does exercise once in a blue moon.

C．Mary likes to go shopping every weekend. Mary goes shopping once in a blue moon.

D．Cindy hates to do housework, but she does housework every day. Cindy does housework once in a blue moon.

【2】When does a blue moon happen in nature? ________________

A．When the moon has a blue moon.

B．When we cannot see the moon at all.

C．When there are two full moons in one month.

D．When we can only see a small part of the color.

【3】 How often will a blue moon happen over the next twenty years?__________

A．Once a year.

B．Less than once a year.

C．More than once a year.

D．At least twice a year.

【4】What does the underlined part “This fact” in the last paragraph refer to?___________

A．A blue moon is a very rare event.

B．The moon appears to change shape.

C．The moon itself is never really blue.

D．A blue moon has to do with the shape of the moon.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】C

【3】B

【4】A

【解析】

試題分析：這篇短文主要介紹的是“once in a blue moon”的意義，并介紹了有關(guān)月亮的自然現(xiàn)象，從而解釋“once in a blue moon”的引申含義即“千載難逢”。

【1】B細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)短文“People use this expression to describe something that they do not do very often.”的描述可知，人們做了不常做的事情可以描述為“千載難逢”。結(jié)合選項(xiàng)可知應(yīng)選B。

【2】C細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)短文“Usually, there is only one full moon every month. Sometimes, however there will be two full moons in one month. When this happens, the second full moon is called a blue moon”的描述可知，在一個(gè)月里出現(xiàn)兩個(gè)滿月時(shí)，則稱為一個(gè)“blue moon”。結(jié)合選項(xiàng)可知應(yīng)選C。

【3】B細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)短文“Over the next 20 years, there will only be 15 blue moons.”的描述可知，未來20年，每年不足一次“blue moon”。結(jié)合選項(xiàng)可知應(yīng)選B。

【3】A詞義猜測(cè)題。根據(jù)上文的描述可知，“blue moon”是非常稀有的事件，發(fā)生這樣的事件，即可稱為“千載難逢”。結(jié)合選項(xiàng)可知應(yīng)選A。