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 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 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 of a fingernail when we cannot see the moon at all; it is called a new moon.
When we can see the whole moon 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 fact has led people to use the expression” once in a blue moon” to describe other very rare events in their lives.
【小题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 rarely 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 stay up, but she stays up every day. Cindy stays up once in a blue moon.
【小题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.
【小题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.
【小题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 bluee.
D.A blue moon has to do with the shape of the moon.

The Red Cross is an international organization. It cares for people who are in need of help. A man in Paris hospital needs blood, a woman in Mexico hurt in an earthquake and a family in India lost their home in a storm. All of them may be helped by the Red Cross. The Red Cross is in almost every country around the world. The world Red Cross organizations are sometimes called the Red Crescent(新月). All of these agencies(机构)share a common goal of trying to help people in need. The idea of forming such an organization started with Jean Henri Dunant. In 1859, he saw how people were suffering during the war in Italy. He wanted to help all the wounded (受伤害的) people regardless of(无论)which side they were fighting for. The American Red Cross was set up by Clara Barton in 1881. Today the Red Cross in the United States provides a number of services for the people, such as helping people in need, teaching first aid and providing blood.

1.A good title for this passage is _______________.

A.People in Need of Help                   B.Forming an Organization to Help the Soldier

C.The International Red Cross                D.Join the Red Cross

2.The underlined word “ suffering” means “___________”.

A.受苦的           B.生活的           C.欢庆的           D.喜悦的

3.Who can be helped by the Red Cross?

A.The soldiers.       B.The American.      C.All the wounded people.   D.Anyone.

4.Where can you find the Red Cross?

A. We can only find it in the USA.             B. We can find it all over the world.

C. We can find it only in India, Mexico and Paris.  D. In the places with natural disasters.

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网