WhenIwas17，Ireadaquotethatwent-优题课

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. The11 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 astronomical13 , said Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
"`Blue moon' is just a14 in the same sense as a `hunter's moon' or a `harvest moon,'" Laughlin said in an e-mail.
The popular definition of blue moon15 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 calendar16 a blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons, not the usual three.
Though Sky & Telescope corrected the17 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 a18 moon. It's just the first full moon of the winter season.
In a tongue-in-cheek essay19 on the magazine's Web site this week, senior contributing editor Kelly Beatty wrote: "If skies are clear when I'm20 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 said that Abraham Lincoln searched for exactly the right words to say to his audience in that history-making speech that 1 less than three minutes.
Your speech probably won't be as long-remembered,2 you can still strive to give your audience the best speech possible by3 these simple tips:
Write and rewrite the material in your speech until it sounds exactly right to your own ears. Don't use words that are hard to4 . Avoid technical5 or keep them to a minimum whenever possible.
Remember to use descriptive phrases so your listeners can get a mental picture in their6 of what you are talking about. People don't want to be told, they want to be given a7 picture so they can better understand your words.
Avoid using a lot of statistics that will put your audience asleep in their seats. Keep necessary8 in your speech to a minimum amount.
Humor can be an effective way to9 your audience, Humor can also effectively lessen10 , especially yours. You can use short jokes or personal anecdotes for this purpose. Just make sure your humorous material is appropriate for the audience you are11 to.
Your speech will probably either inform or12 your listeners to take action in order to help a charitable organization, etc. Be sure to include localized information in your speech that meet your audience's specific needs.
Read your speech out loud several times to hear how it will sound to your audience. Practice giving your speech in front of a mirror. That way you can see13 you are going to look to the audience. This technique can help you14 and feel more comfortable.
Make sure to speak a little louder than15 conversation when you are giving your speech so that you can be easily heard by the entire16 , not just the first few rows.
When you are giving your speech to your listeners, remember to17 your speech down a little bit and don't rush through the words.
You can arrange to have helpful visual aids18 before, during, or right after the end of your speech. This way the audience will have written information they can take home with them and19 later.
Remember to be an appreciative speaker and to20 the person or persons who asked you to give the speech. Also remember to thank the audience for listening.
( ) 1. A. continued B. lasted C. broadcast D. went
( ) 2. A. but B. though C. and D. therefore
( ) 3. A. accepting B. following C. copying D. remembering
( ) 4. A. pronounce B. understand C. learn D. listen
( ) 5. A. sentences B. terms C. pronunciations D. meanings
( ) 6. A. minds B. notes C. words D. tapes
( ) 7. A. intellectual B. physical C. mental D. visual
( ) 8. A. information B. terms C. statistics D. words
( ) 9. A. amuse B. control C. persuade D. drive
( ) 10.A. attention B. terror C. sorrow D. tension
( ) 11. A. speaking B. referring C. leading D. owing
( ) 12. A. help B. persuade C. force D. trap
( ) 13. A. what B. how C. why D. where
( ) 14.A. sleep B. rest C. comfort D. relax
( ) 15. A. normal B. later C. previous D. intentional
( ) 16. A. speeches B. actors C. friends D. audience
( ) 17. A. slow B. speed C. stop D. burn
( ) 18. A. checked out B. passed out C. brought out D. left out
( ) 19. A. sell B. review C. throw D. mail
( ) 20. A. thank B. find C. teach D. assist

Here's a new warning from health experts: Sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods — even if you also exercise regularly — could be1 for your health. And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place — at the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV — just the overall number of hours it 2 .
Research is preliminary, but several studies3 people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die.
In an editorial4 this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that authorities rethink how they define 5 activity to highlight the dangers of sitting.
While health officials have issued guidelines6 minimum amounts of physical activity, they haven't suggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated 7 .
"After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send8 signals," Ekblom-Bak said. She explained that genes regulating the amount of glucoseand fat in the 9 start to shut down.
Even for people who10 , spending long stretches of time sitting at a desk is still harmful. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, said people who exercise every day —11 still spend a lot of time sitting — might get more benefit if that exercise were spread across the day,12 in a single bout.
That wasn't13 news for Aytekin Can, 31, who works at a London financial company, and spends most of his days sitting 14 a computer. Several evenings a week, Can also teaches jiu jitsu, a Japanese martial art15 wrestling, and also does Thai boxing.
"I'm sure there are some detrimental 16 of staying still for too long, but I hope that being 17 when I can helps," he said. "I wouldn't want to think the sitting could be18 dangerous."
Still, in a study published last year that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians for about a dozen years, researchers found people who sat19 had a higher death risk, independently of whether or not they exercised.
Figures from a US survey in 2003-2004 found Americans spend more than half their time sitting, from working at their desks to sitting in cars.
Experts said more research is needed to20 just how much sitting is dangerous, and what might be possible to offset those effects.
( ) 1. A. bad B. good C. mean D. dead
( ) 2. A. does B. occurs C. matches D. dies
( ) 3. A. advise B. talk C. suggest D. say
( ) 4. A. thrown B. caught C. seen D. published
( ) 5. A. biological B. physical C. psychological D. logical
( ) 6. A. commending B. mending C. recommending D. communicating
( ) 7. A. stand B. state C. post D. position
( ) 8. A. harmful B. careful C. wonderful D. skillful
( ) 9. A. head B. arm C. body D. foot
( ) 10. A. sleep B. rest C. walk D. exercise
( ) 11. A. and B. so C. but D. then
( ) 12. A. rather than B. other than C. more than D. less than
( ) 13. A. bad B. harmful C. disadvantage D. welcome
( ) 14. A. behind B. back C. in front of D. forward
( ) 15. A. referring B. involving C. taking D. bringing
( ) 16. A. effects B. prefects C. affects D. offers
( ) 17. A. inactive B. active C. interactive D. positive
( ) 18. A. such B. little C. lot D. that
( ) 19. A. less B. fewer C. more D. further
( ) 20. A. leave out B. bring out C. hold out D. figure out

The Chinese New Year is a great holiday to choose to celebrate Chinese culture with your child. Here are few fun ways to bring a bit of fun and 1into your home through the festivities of the Chinese New Year.
1.Add a lucky red door. Red is a traditional color of2 . It's an important part of the Chinese New Year to3 on doing what one can to bring about good luck for the New Year. If you don't want to4 the door red, how about wrapping it up like a present with red wrapping paper. If changing your front door's color is not workable, how about the door to your child's bedroom?
2.Eat. A huge part of most cultures is that of food and the Chinese New Year is not5 , it's eating jiaozi at midnight on New Year's Eve, or longevity noodles on day seven of the festivities to6 long life. The Chinese New Year celebrations mean many fancy meals that your child will7 .
3.Create a lantern. Sara Naumann, the Guide to China Travel, shares a bit about the legend of the Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao, which occurs on the8 day of the Chinese New Year festivities. It's a9 that includes an emperor, a young woman who misses her family, and tricking the God of Fire. Your kids should love this story. After10 it with them, or while reading the story, enjoy making your own paper lantern to display.
4.Give lucky money. The Guide to Mandarin Language shares that another very popular11 during the Chinese New Year is that of the gift of red envelopes with12 in them. These gifts are given to children and usually follow a bit of superstition（迷信） in that the money needs to be given in even amounts and never contain13 numbers, such as four. Therefore, four dollars is not a good gift. The envelopes are also decorated with lucky symbols and New Year14 .
5.Give a small gift. The giving of simple gifts is also an appropriate way to15 the Chinese New Year. What better gift than that of a children's book about the Chinese New Year or the Chinese Culture.
6.Make some noise. Just like in America, the Chinese use16 in ringing in their New Year. In the Chinese culture it began as a way to17 away any demons（鬼） that threaten to bring a profitable and lucky New Year, but today it's also about excitement and18 . Consider setting off a few firecrackers of your own, if allowed in your area. If not, make a cute firework picture with a bit of glitter and glue. A pretend firecracker is another great craft that could also be considered a festive way to decorate your New Year table.
7.Sing Happy Birthday to your dog. The second day of the Chinese New Year is19 the birthday of all dogs. Why not20 your child to throw Fido a birthday celebration? Perhaps an extra ride in the car or new chew toy is in order? I know my dog would appreciate a few extra belly rubs too.
( ) 1. A. tradition B. culture C. civilization D. habit
( ) 2. A. wealth B. disaster C. belief D. luck
( ) 3. A. focus B. accuse C. adapt D. mind
( ) 4. A. boil B. paint C. wash D. purchase
( ) 5. A. same B. similar C. common D. different
( ) 6. A. come about B. take about C. bring about D. get out
( ) 7. A. bore B. destroy C. enjoy D. absorb
( ) 8. A. last B. first C. second D. next
( ) 9. A. play B. story C. novel D. history
( ) 10. A. sharing B. listening C. reading D. making
( ) 11. A. invention B. story C. race D. tradition
( ) 12. A. food B. clothes C. money D. jewels
( ) 13. A. unclear B. unlucky C. unfair D. uncertain
( ) 14. A. wishes B. signs C. presents D. happiness
( ) 15. A. spend B. envy C. buy D. celebrate
( ) 16. A. firecrackers B. songs C. dances D. goods
( ) 17. A. take B. scare C. get D. burn
( ) 18. A. fun B. relax C. sleep D. travel
( ) 19. A. fixed B. named C. considered D. marked
( ) 20. A. order B. accompany C. tease D. Allow

On August 26, 1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets __36___ and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were __37__ to go home. Some battled to __38__a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the ___39___ bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I ___40__ to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most _41__ had stopped. After making my way __42__ crowds of people. I finally found a subway line that was __43___. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to __44__ the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the ___45__. So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train __46__ my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I got to my office, I was _47___ through, exhausted and __48__.
My co-workers and I spend most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer __49__I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and __50__ reported to work. It is always reassuring (令人欣慰), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their _51__ _to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that ___52__ message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of __53__ can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic __54___ had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately __55____ me and put a smile back on my face.
36. A. break B. flood C. sink D, crash
37. A. forced B. refused C. adjusted D. gathered
38. A. order B. pay C. call D. search
39. A. climate B. scenery C. storm D. burden
40. A. used B. promised C. deserved D. happened
41. practice B. routine C. process D. service
42. A. to B. through C. over D. for
43. A. operating B. cycling C. turning D. rushing
44. A. check B. carryC. find D. board
45. A. street B. ground C. floor D. platform
46. A. paused B. crossed C. reached D. parked
47. A. wet B. weak C. sick D. hurt
48. A. ashamed B. discouraged C. surprised D. puzzled
49. A, while B. when C. where D. after
50. A. hardly B. casually C. absolutely D. eventually
51. A. devotion B. donation C. connection D. reaction
52. A, accurateB. urgent C. brief D. humorous
53. A. promise B. appreciate C. advice D. guidance
54. A. troubles B. signals C. rules D. signs
55. A. corrected B. supported C. amazed D. refreshed