Our nearest neighbor is the moon．In the sky，the moon and the sun seem to be of the same size because the moon is much nearer．

The moon makes the tides--the changes in the level of the sea．The moon and the sun together pull the sea．In some parts of the world，the difference between ‘high tide’（when the sea is very near to the land）and ‘low tide’ （when the sea is far away from the land）is very big．This is very important for ships．

The moon is very different from the Earth．Gravity on the moon is six times weaker than that on the Earth．There isn't any air．During the day，it is very，very hot but at night it is very，very cold．Nothing can live on the moon,

If the moon goes between the Earth and the sun，we have an eclipse of the sun（日食）．The moon stops the light from the sun and we have night in the day．

If the Earth goes between the moon and the sun，we have an eclipse of the moon．The moon goes into the shadow（影子）of the Earth and it disappears for a few minutes．

1．The sun to the Earth is               times farther than the moon to the Earth．

A．nearly 200            B．less than 300        C．nearly 400              D．more than 400

2．When the moon goes between the Earth and the sun，we have night in the day，we call it the eclipse of                 ．

A．the moon             B．the sun                C．the stars                 D．the Earth

3．Which of the following happens when we have an eclipse of the moon?

A．The Earth goes between the moon and the sun．

B．The moon goes into the shadow of the sun．

C．The moon goes into the shadow of its own．

D．The sun disappears for a few minutes．

4．Which of the following statements are TRUE?

a．The moon and the sun are of tile same size．

b．Gravity on tile Earth is 6 times stronger than that on the moon．

e．The changes in the level of the sea are called tides．

d．Tile moon itself pulls the sea and makes the tides．

e．When the sea is near to the land，a high tide may happen．

f．It is much hotter in the day but much colder at night on the moon．

A．a．b．c．f．      B．b．c．d．e         C．a．d．e．f            D．b．c．e．f

When you look at the sky at night, the moon looks bigger than the stars. Actually, the moon is much smaller than the stars and the sun. It’s much smaller than the earth. But the moon is much closer to us than any star. That is why it looks so big. If you hold a coin close to your eye, it looks big. If you look at it across the moon, it looks small.
The moon moves around the earth. It makes one trip in about four weeks. The moon looks flat to us. But it is a round ball, like the earth.
People once thought the moon had fire on it. They thought the fire made it bright. Now we know the moon is like a mirror. It gets its light from the sun.
Our sunlight comes from the sun, too. What is the sun? The sun is a star. The stars we can see have their own light. There are many big stars we cannot see. Their light had burned out. Others are still bright, but they are so far away that we cannot see them. The sun looks bigger and much brighter than other stars because it is the nearest of all stars. The sun and the other stars we see are very hot, but the air around us saves us from the heat of the sun.
The sun gives us light and warmth. It makes plants grow and turns leaves green. It makes life possible on our earth. It is a life giving star.
【小题1】 It takes _______ for the moon to go around the earth.

When you look at the sky at night, the moon looks bigger than the stars. Actually, the moon is much smaller than the stars and the sun. It's much smaller than the earth. But the moon is much closer to us than any star. That is why it looks so big. If you hold a coin close to your eye, it looks big. If you look at it across the moon, it looks small.
The moon moves around the earth. It makes one trip in about four weeks. The moon looks flat to us. But it is a round ball, like the earth.
People once thought the moon had fire on it. They thought the fire made it bright. Now we know the moon is like a mirror. It gets its light from the sun.
Our sunlight comes from the sun, too. What is the sun? The sun is a star. The stars we can see have their own light. There are many big stars we cannot see. Their light had burned out. Others are still bright, but they are so far away that we cannot see them. The sun looks bigger and much brighter than other stars because it is the nearest of all stars. The sun and the other stars we see are very hot, but the air around us saves us from the heat of the sun.
The sun gives us light and warmth. It makes plants grow and turns leaves green. It makes life possible on our earth. It is a life giving star.

1. 1.

   It takes _______ for the moon to go around the earth.

   1. A.
      more than a week
   2. B.
      nearly a month
   3. C.
      half a year
   4. D.
      more than a year
2. 2.

   The moon is bright because _______.

   1. A.
      there is some fire on it
   2. B.
      it is near the sun, too
   3. C.
      there is a big mirror on it
   4. D.
      it can get light from the sun
3. 3.

   The passage tells us _______.

   1. A.
      the sun is not the biggest star
   2. B.
      the sun is bigger than any other star
   3. C.
      only the sun can shine
   4. D.
      the sun is one of the farthest stars to us
4. 4.

   Why do we call the sun "a life giving star"?

   1. A.
      Because it gives us warmth.
   2. B.
      Because there are some living things on it.
   3. C.
      Because plants and animals can't live without it.
   4. D.
      Because people have to live in the dark without it.