Once in a blue moon there is one on New Year's Eve. Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. But don't 1 it to be blue - the name has nothing to 2 the color of our closest celestial（天体） neighbor.
A full moon 3 on December 2. It will appear again on Thursday in time for the New Year's countdown.
"If you're in Times Square, you'll see the 4 moon right above you. It's going to be that brilliant," said Jack Horkheimer, director emeritus of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium and host of a weekly astronomy TV show.
The New Year's Eve blue moon will be 5 in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. For partygoers in Australia and Asia, the full moon does not show up 6 New Year's Day, making January a blue moon month for them.
However, the Eastern Hemisphere can celebrate with a partial lunar eclipse（月蚀） on New Year's Eve when 7 of the moon enters the Earth's shadow. The 8 will not be visible in the Americas.
A full moon occurs 9 29.5 days, and most years have 12. 10 , an extra full moon in a month - a blue moon - occurs every 2.5 years. The 11 time there was a lunar double take was in May 2007. New Year's Eve blue moons are rarer, occurring every 19 years. The last time was in 1990; the next one won't 12 again until 2028.
Blue moons have no astronomical 13 , said Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
"`Blue moon' is just a 14 in the same sense as a `hunter's moon' or a `harvest moon,'" Laughlin said in an e-mail.
The popular definition of blue moon 15 after a writer for Sky & Telescope magazine in 1946 misunderstood the Maine Farmer's Calendar and marked a blue moon as the second full moon in a month. In fact, the calendar 16 a blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons, not the usual three.
Though Sky & Telescope corrected the 17 decades later, the definition caught on. For purists（语言纯正癖者）, however, this New Year's Eve full moon doesn't even qualify as a 18 moon. It's just the first full moon of the winter season.
In a tongue-in-cheek essay 19 on the magazine's Web site this week, senior contributing editor Kelly Beatty wrote: "If skies are clear when I'm 20 celebrating, I'll take a peek（眯着眼睛看） at that brilliant orb（天体） as it rises over the Boston skyline to see if it's an icy shade of blue. Or maybe I'll just howl."
( ) 1. A. wish B. wait C. hope D. expect
( ) 2. A. deal with B. do with C. develop with D. form into
( ) 3. A. occurred B. came C. ran D. went
( ) 4. A. full B. half C. bright D. part
( ) 5. A. out of sight B. visible C. big D. clear
( ) 6. A. until B. when C. before D. since
( ) 7. A. part B. all C. any D. none
( ) 8. A. moon B. eclipse C. sun D. shadow
( ) 9. A. each B. every C. either D. all
( ) 10. A. On the whole B. Generally speaking C. On average D. In addition
( ) 11. A. last B. next C. other D. another
( ) 12. A. go B. see C. come D. look
( ) 13. A. point B. evident C. theory D. significance
( ) 14. A. name B. object C. phenomenon D. tradition
( ) 15. A. created B. came about C. made D. copied
( ) 16. A. named B. called C. introduced D. defined
( ) 17. A. error B. name C. reality D. number
( ) 18. A. blue B. red C. yellow D. grey
( ) 19. A. published B. posted C. printed D. written
( ) 20. A. in B. out C. away D. on
It is possible to achieve all-round success if you follow the right principles. The small effort it takes to get can lead to success and a huge pay-off. To be organized and is a primary factor (要素) of true success. Establishing a schedule and setting a deadline can help you more organized, which will you the stress of forgetting things and running late.
Having a system is another important principle that is essential in achieving true success. Family, friends and teachers are an essential factor that the level of your success. When in doubt, refer to experienced people. Ask them how well they dealt with the challenge when they were in your . Their advice can be a great treasure.
The truth is that achieving true success in most cases is a effort, not an individual performance. You need someone and something to make you a better person. A true wise person is well organized, asks questions when in doubt and others’ advice.
A．busy B．prepared C．active D．organized
A．confident B．orderly C．flexible D．competitive
A．save B．throw C．offer D．award
A．direction B．work C．support D．knowledge
A．forms B．changes C．determines D．adapts
A．field B．situation C．process D．schedule
A．team B．family C．brain D．labor
A．judges B．supports C．improves D．values
It is easier to go to university than before, but it is more difficult to findajob. Being a student in a agriculture(农业) university, I want to try my luck to hunt for a job. As you know, few people think of an agriculture university, especially one which is not famous. Most graduates from our university can---38---to be treated coldly.
Last year, a from our university attended a talent fair (人才市场) held in Guangzhou. He joined a queue to in his resume (简历) for an interview. When his came and his university was introduced, the interviewer said with a sneer, “What? I’ve never of that university. Go! Next one!” He waved his hand even taking a look at the resume and took no notice of the graduate’s request for a chance to show his skills and knowledge.
How the graduate was! I wonder what these employers(雇主) really want: the name of a famous university knowledge and technology?
It is true that some students from common universities don’t have the same abilities as those from key ones, but that doesn’t that all of us are less able students. We are sure to the employers with our skills if they give us a chance.
A．key B．Usual C．special D．common
A．highly B．lowly C．little D．greatly
A．need B．expect C．hope D．wish
A．graduate B．teacher C．parent D．professor
A．give B．share C．let D．hand
A．time B．chance C．turn D．interview
A．seen B．heard C．listened D．noticed
A．with B．up C．without D．away
A．disappointed B．amazed C．pleased D．stupid
A．so B．and C．but D．or
A．advise B．say C．mean D．translate
A．warn B．impress C．show D．encourage
When I was a child, I loved to play a Chinese traditional game which was called Caught You! I remember playing it every spring and fall if we had good weather. We usually looked forward to this activity led by our teachers. At that time, we always asking our teachers when and where to play, and our teachers used to with a smile. They knew all of us were to play the game.
In this game, you a large group of people (about 20-30 people), a piece of , and a small ball. Our teachers us to a park with a large green lawn (草地), and then we sat down side by side in a large circle except for one person who was by our teachers and sat outside the circle of students.
To keep the game well, one of the teachers was a leader and judge, who always gave to make the game fair, reasonable and fun. At the beginning, we sat in the circle and one of us just sat a few feet away from the circle with his blindfolded (蒙住). That meant that he couldn’t see who was the small ball. This was a key point.
As soon as everybody was , the teacher declared a start. At that moment, we began to the small ball one by one around the circle, and the one who sat could shout “Stop!” at any time he wished.
When we heard “Stop!”, the student who had the ball in his hand had to and sing a song or tell a story. From time to time, we laughed loudly because the players made some funny and noise. The person outside the circle was every five minutes.
Now that I’m grown up, I this game because it was a lot of fun.
A．nearly B．clearly C．probably D．immediately
A．exciting B．puzzling C．direct D．quick
A．suggested B．considered C．enjoyed D．kept
A．stop B．help C．answer D．teach
A．careful B．possible C．lucky D．anxious
A．need B．instruct C．visit D．serve
A．paper B．cloth C．chalk D．information
A．introduced B．left C．took D．attached
A．paid B．selected C．trained D．welcomed
A．improving B．ending C．increasing D．going
A．medals B．materials C．orders D．presents
A．feet B．ears C．hands D．eyes
A．dropping B．watching C．holding D．playing
A．ready B．confident C．free D．well
A．pass B．kick C．catch D．play
A．still B．alone C．calmly D．politely
A．stand up B．turn up C．come back D．insist on
A．mistakes B．faces C．games D．reports
A．warned B．called C．praised D．replaced
A．attend B．continue C．miss D．finish
Aileen was watching TV when the program suddenly stopped. An announcer said, “Sorry to stop the program. We are requested to an important notice. At about nine this evening, a lady named Mrs. Humney was and killed. Anyone who can supply any clue is requested to report to the .” The news made the lonely girl with fear. She couldn’t help looking , but she didn’t notice that a man was already behind thedoor to the balcony (阳台).
All of a sudden the man appeared before Aileen. “Don’t ask for . Put your jewellery on the table, and then think over I shall be safe to stay up here for the night,” said he. That made Aileen even more , but she tried to herself.
Just then came the whistle of a police car. Then someone rang the doorbell. The robber (抢劫犯) said with a gun the girl’s back, “Go to the door and say that you’ve gone to bed.”
Suddenly, the girl had a(n) .
“Oh, who are you?” she said.
“Bull. Is there anything ?” asked the policeman Bull.
“No.” Immediately she added loudly, “ , my elder brother extends his greeting to you.”
“Thank you. Good night!” Bull replied in the same .
A few minutes later the sound of the police car going could be heard. “It’s well ,” the robber said. Then he rushed to the girl. Almost at the same time the glass on the window was broken. The policemen hurried into the room and caught the robber.
“Aileen, the greeting was so good that it made us take right away,” said Bull, “because we’ve already known that your was killed in a robbery half a year ago.”
A．obey B．make C．introduce D．broadcast
A．robbed B．hurt C．wounded D．stolen
A．public B．police C．hospital D．family
A．cry B．shout C．fall D．shake
A．ahead B．back C．around D．away
A．hiding B．sitting C．playing D．staying
A．information B．advice C．leave D．trouble
A．that B．whether C．where D．what
A．careful B．anxious C．strange D．terrified
A．protect B．help C．calm D．express
A．for B．against C．behind D．beyond
A．method B．answer C．sentence D．idea
A．new B．important C．unusual D．upset
A．Instead B．However C．Otherwise D．Besides
A．warm B．deep C．kind D．real
A．sound B．manner C．speech D．voice
A．out B．on C．along D．away
A．acted B．refused C．done D．said
A．care B．action C．risk D．step
A．sister B．brother C．mother D．father
A group of class friends, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon ____ into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the ____ and returned with a large pot of coffee and a couple of ____ porcelain(瓷), plastic, glass, crystal(水晶), some ____ looking, some expensive, and some delicate(精美的) — telling them to themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in , the professor said, “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, ____ behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to ____ only the best for yourselves, that is the ____ of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself ____ no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases it even hides what we drink. ____ all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you ____ went for the best cups... And then you began ____ each other’s cups. Now consider this: Life is the ____; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and ____ life, and the type of cup we have does not define(规定), nor change the quality of life we ____. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we ____ to enjoy the coffee God has ____ for us. God brews（酿造）the coffee, not the cup… Enjoy your coffee!
The happiestpeople don't have the best of everything. They just ____ the best of everything.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the ____ to God.
A．stopped B．looked C．grew D．turned
A．living-room B．waiting-room C．bedroom D．kitchen
A．cups B．pans C．bowls D．bottles
A．plain B．clean C．ugly D．fine
A．devote B．help C．dedicate D．enjoy
A．stomach B．hand C．mind D．mouth
A．falling B．leaving C．hiding D．keeping
A．hope B．wish C．need D．want
A．source B．resource C．result D．reason
A．adapts B．puts C．adds D．applies
A．As B．What C．That D．Which
A．consciously B．cheerfully C．excitedly D．subjectively
A．looking B．glaring C．eyeing D．glancing
A．tea B．water C．wine D．coffee
A．include B．change C．contain D．conclude
A．spend B．lead C．hate D．love
A．fail B．want C．tend D．manage
A．shown B．taken C．sent D．provided
A．keep B．take C．make D．hold
A．concerns B．principles C．achievements D．Complaints