Question

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(联系) 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 fact 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

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文主要介绍的是“once in a blue moon”的意义，并介绍了有关月亮的自然现象，从而解释“once in a blue moon”的引申含义即“千载难逢”。

1.B细节理解题。根据短文“People use this expression to describe something that they do not do very often.”的描述可知，人们做了不常做的事情可以描述为“千载难逢”。结合选项可知应选B。

2.C细节理解题。根据短文“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，在一个月里出现两个满月时，则称为一个“blue moon”。结合选项可知应选C。

3.B细节理解题。根据短文“Over the next 20 years, there will only be 15 blue moons.”的描述可知，未来20年，每年不足一次“blue moon”。结合选项可知应选B。

4.选A。

考点：文化类短文阅读。

考点分析： 考点1：健康保健类

健康保健类阅读理解：

    阅读能力是中学生学习英语应具备的一种基本能力。学习英语的一个重要目的在于获取信息。通过阅读这一重要手段，我们可以大量地获取知识，拓展知识面，还可以增强语感，培养敏捷的思维能力。

阅读理解也是各地中考试题的必考题型之一，在中考试题中占有较大比例，主要考查学生通过文字获取信息的能力。在中考中，阅读的篇数一般是三到四篇，选材范围越来越广，除故事、幽默、人物轶事外，科普性文章也多了起来。体裁也趋于多样化，有记叙文、说明文、应用文等。还要求学生能理解及解释图表多提供的简单信息等。三四篇短文中有的难度跨度较大，以便拉开档次，体现选拔功能。并且扩大了选材范围，主要考查考生阅读所给材料，理解其中词语、句子或片段含义的能力。有时涉及对全文意思和篇章结构的理解，对一些问题作出推理和判断。阅读理解的考核中包括了对词汇、语法等语言知识的考查，要求学生具备一定的背景知识、各种常识、科普知识和一定的分析及逻辑推理能力；要求学生具有归纳段落大意、中心思想的能力。测试的方向由时间、地点、身份、人物等一些细节问题，改为测试对全文整体意义的理解程度；由考查短文的表层现象改为考对文章深层含义的理解和逻辑推断能力。另外，任务型阅读形式灵活多样，内容丰富多彩，联系实际，易考查学生的灵活运用能力和对语言的综合运用能力。在中考中占30-40分。

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