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
For some people, the sight of a mouse can be reason to scream. For other mice, the same sight can be reason to sing.
Mice will probably 21 sing their way to any concert, but researchers in the United States have found 22 that mice do, 23 , sing.
Scientists already knew that mice make ultrasonic(超声波) sounds—noises that are too high-pitched(高音的) for people to hear 24 special equipment.
To find out whether mice put such sounds together in song-like 25 , the researchers recorded the sounds of 1 mice. Using computer 26 , they were able to separate the sounds into specific types of syllables(音节), and found the mice produced about 10 syllables per second.
The results showed that nearly all of the mice repeated sequences(顺序) of syllables in different patterns. That’s enough to meet the definition of what scientists 27 song. But not all scientists are 28 _ that what the mice are doing is 29 singing. To prove it, the researchers must show that there’s learning involved. And, they need to __ 30 why the mice sing.
21. A. almost B. even C. never D. usually
22. A. coincidence B. evidence C. guidance D. instance
23. A. at once B. by means C. for example D. in fact
24. A. during B. inside C. through D. without
25. A. fashions B. instructions C. patterns D. styles
26. A. access B. printer C. screen D. software
27. A. call B. hear C. sing D. write
28. A. accustomed B. convinced C. involved D. qualified
29. A. actually B. obviously C. simply D. unlikely
30. A. figure out B. get about C. run across D. talk over
Of all living creatures on earth, insects are the most plentiful. Some 36 are very useful to man, for example, bees, 37 we get honey and wax, and silkworms, which 38 us with silk. Other varieties, 39 , are extremely harmful, and do a great 40 of damage, especially to crops. Locusts （蝗虫） are perhaps the most dangerous of all, 41 they will eat almost any green 42 , and when millions of them 43 on cultivated land（耕地）they soon leave it 44 . In some countries they are the farmer’s 45 enemy. Another nuisance is the common 46 , not only because it 47 us indoors and out - of- doors, but because it spreads diseases.
Scientists have given much time and 48 to the study of insects. It needs the most careful and 49 observation. Thanks 50 their discoveries we now know almost all 51 is to be known about the habits of these hardworking insects, bees and ants, which live in 52 better planned in some ways than our 53 . But the most valuable work has been done in trying to give 54 to men, animals and crops from the 55 which insects cause.
36．A. members B. forms C. qualities D. varieties
37．A. by which B. from which C. of which D. in which
38．A. give B. produce C. offer D. supply
39．A. however B. meanwhile C. therefore D. what's more
40．A. majority B. number C. amount D. quantity
41．A. and B. for C. if D. when
42．A. grass B. field C. fruit D. plant
43．A. settle B. attack C. pass D. cross
44．A. bare B. nothing C. empty D. untouched
45．A. hardest B. greatest C. serious D. wildest
46．A. insect B. creature C. fly D. enemy
47．A. dislikes B. bites C. worries D. hates
48．A. understanding B. ideas C. comprehension D. thought
49．A. serious B. patient C. curious D. long
50．A. for B. of C. to D. with
51．A. that B. which C. there D. what
52．A. societies B. crowds C. teams D. organizations
53．A. world B. nation C. selves D. own
54．A. help B. protection C. living D. defense
55．A. injury B. wound C. sickness D. ruin
Why don’t birds get lost on their long migratory (迁移的) flights? Scientists tried their best to find the 1 to this question for many years. The reasons have been discovered only lately.
2 ago experiments showed that birds depend on the sun to guide them 3 . But what about birds that fly mainly by night? 4 with man-made stars have 5 that certain night-flying birds are able to follow the 6 in their long distance flights.
One such 7 , a warbler (鸣禽), had spent its lifetime in a 8 and had never flown under a natural sky. Yet is showed its 9 by birth to use the stars for guidance. The bird's cage was put under a man-made star-filled sky at migration 10 . The bird tried to fly 11 the same direction as 12 taken by other birds in the building. Any 13 in the position of the make-believe (虚构的) stars 14 a change in the direction of its flight.
Scientists think that warblers, 15 flying in daylight, use the sun for guidance. But stars are clearly their important 16 of navigation(导航). What do they do when the stars are 17 behind the clouds? Clearly, they find their way by such land 18 as mountains, coastlines and river courses. But when it's too 19 to see these, the warblers circle 201 , unable to find out where they were.
1. A. reply B. answer C. discovery D. replies
2. A. Not long B. Long C. Centuries D. Years
3. A. during the night B. during daylight hours
C. in winter D. in the dark
4. A. Examinations B. Labs C. Tests D. In the dark
5. A. been proved B. found C. been found D. proved
6. A. stars B. moon C. route D. sun
7. A. star B. scientist C. bird D. flight
8. A. forest B. cage C. nest D. cave
9. A. strength B. ability C. experience D. practice
10. A. time B. place C. way D. season
11. A. to B. towards C. in D. under
12. A. that B. which C. one D. it
13. A. one B. change C. way D. bird
14. A. caused B. gave C. resulted D. meant
15. A. for B. when C. after D. they are
16. A. ways B. means C. objects D. homes
17. A. shown B. covered C. moved D. hidden
18. A. areas B. surface C. marks D. signs
19. A. far B. high C. dark D. bright
20. A. helplessly B. quickly C. easily D. freely
Is the world really going mad? 1._____day I was sittng in a restaurant 2._____ a quick drink and a talk with a few friends when it suddenly 3._____ me that almost everyone in the restaurant was smoking. It wasn’t long 4._____ the whole room was 5._____ with smoke. I asked with an apology for 6._____ to open a window to stop myself 7._____!
Nowadays air pollution is something that hardly question any more. However, I still can’t walk down the street in any of the big cities without 8._____ that people are 9._____ the air pollution. It is time for the government departments of the world to introduce emission(废气排放) controls on all cars and 10._____ the public transport system(公共交通体系) to encourage people to 11._____ their cars at home. A friend of mine takes flying lesson each morning and it really makes him 12._____ when he climbs above the smog layer(烟雾) and looks down 13._____ it and thinks: “I’m breathing that!” This kind of 14._____ results from the bad management of resources. Waste things can 15._____ should, be treated properly. House building, road 16._____, and industrial development are all earthmoving(or earth-reducing) operations and can change the balances of 17._____ created over millions of years. I would like to 18._____serious studies done on all these main works before they are built. Also, there should be 19._____ national parks set up to keep the most beautiful parts of our countries in their natural 20._____.
.
A．The other B．Another C．Every D．Each
A．asking for B．drinking C．having D．buying
A．seemed B．struck C．sank D．showed
A．ago B．after C．before D．now
A．full B．filled C．crowed D．parked
A．promise B．help C．suggestion D．permission
A．standing B．sitting C．talking D．dying
A．thinking B．persuading C．deciding D．learning
A．suffering B．dying C．walking D．standing
A．increase B．reduce C．improve D．raise
A．wash B．repai C．drive D．leave
A．sick B．tired C．foolish D．excited
A．on B．at C．from D．for
A．discussion B．question C．pollution D．operation
A．but B．yet C．still D．and
A．work B．construction C．building D．setting
A．life B．mind C．human being D．plants
A．see B．start C．enjoy D．pay
A．few B．any C．more D．no
A．situation B．states C．soils D．place
From the earlier time it was well ___1___ to the Peruvians that when a cut ___2___ made in the thick skin of a ___3___ tree, a white liquid like milk came ___4___. From this fluid (流动的) a sticky ___5___ of rubber might be made. This rubber is ___6___ and wax-like when warm so that it is ___7___ to give any form.
The Peruvians ___8___ the discovery that it is very good for ___9___ out water. Then in the early ___10___ of the century they made overshoes to ___11___ their feet dry. Then a certain Mr Mackintosh ___12___ coats of cloth which were ___13___ with rubber. Today Mackintosh raincoats are still ___14___ after him.
But these first rubber shoes ___15___ raincoats were unpleasantly soft and sticky in ___16___. They were also stiff and very ___17___ in winter. They were like wax(蜡) although they ___18___ a bit stronger.
But the rubber ___19___ use today has been improved. It is ___20___ sticky but soft and elastic(弹性的) and strong enough for any season.
1. A. talked B. heard C. seen D. known
2. A. has B. was C. may D. will
3. A. rubber B. apple C. orange D. oak
4. A. from B. through C. out D. up
5. A. raincoat B. shoes C. border D. mass
6. A. hard B. fast C. stubborn D. soft
7. A. important B. impossible C. possible D. uncertain
8. A. made B. found C. wrote D. neglected
9. A. finding B. keeping C. making D. pouring
10. A. kind B. part C. sort D. halves
11. A. clean B. clear C. keep D. prevent
12. A. made B. found C. appeared D. gave
13. A. full B. like C. lined D. applied
14. A. looked B. named C. made D. searched
15. A. or B. and C. with D. but
16. A. today B. summer C. winter D. rain
17. A. soft B. sticky C. elastic D. cold
18. A. felt B. made C. needed D. produced
19. A. Mr Mackintosh B. the Peruvians C. we D. is
20. A. also B. always C. neither D. not
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