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”.

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.

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.

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 bluee.

D．A blue moon has to do with the shape of the moon.

When does music in public places become noise pollution?

You may like at least some kind of music. But the problem is that, in lots of places, you’re made to hear somebody else’s choice in music. Say you’ve just landed at an airport. At the airport, the “background” （背景）music may be played loudly.

When you are on the way to your hotel, there may be another kind of music played by the taxi driver. Then you finally reach your hotel. But when you are taking the elevator(电梯)，there is elevator music.

You go out to dinner and end up in a place where the owner of the restaurant thinks music will help make you eat more and spend more. Then a person playing the violin comes around. This is called the “music wallpaper”. It is to make you buy more and eat a lot.  Even the government thinks this is “noise pollution,” especially when the music is too loud.

Noise pollution may be bad for our hearing. It’s also bad for some of our daily activities, such as sleeping, conversations and so on.

The fact that you can’t see, taste or smell it may help explain why it has not received as much attention as other kinds of pollution, such as air pollution or water pollution. The air around us is always filled with sounds, but most of us would not think we are surrounded(包围) by noise. This can be bad for our health. So many people like soft and quiet music in their house.

1.In the restaurant, the music is to make you _____________.

    A. have a nice meal                    

B. eat more food and spend more money

    C. enjoy some wonderful music     

D. have a great time in the restaurant

2.This passage doesn’t talk about ___________.

A. food pollution       B. water pollution

C. air pollution    D. noise pollution

3.Music in public places becomes noise pollution because __________.

    A. it’s played at the airport           

 B. it’s played by the taxi driver

C. it’s played when you are taking the elevator

D. you are made to hear someone else’s choice in music 

4.From the passage we know that ___________.

    A. music that is too loud is bad for our health

    B. people pay as much attention to noise pollution as they do to air pollution

    C. people like loud music in their house

    D. most people think that there’s lots of noise around us

He was 11 years old and went fishing every chance he got from the dock at his family's cabin on an island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake.

On the day before the bass season opened, he and his father were fishing early in the evening, catching sunfish and perch（鲈鱼）with worms. Then he tied on a small silver lure（鱼饵）and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused colored ripples in the sunset, then silver ripples as the moon rose over the lake.

?? When his pole doubled over, he knew something huge was on the other end. Finally, he very gingerly lifted the exhausted fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a perch . The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish. Then the father lit a match(火柴) and looked at his watch. It was 10 P.M.--- two hours before the season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy.

? "You'll have to put it back, son," he said.

? "Dad!" cried the boy.

? "There will be other fish," said his father.

? "Not as big as this one," cried the boy.

? He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around in the moonlight. He looked again at his father. Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he caught the fish, the boy could know everything by his father's clear voice that the decision could not be changed. He slowly worked the hook(钩) out of the lip of the huge bass and lowered it into the black water.

?? The creature swished its powerful body and disappeared. The boy suspected that he would never again see such a great fish.

?? That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His father's cabin is still there on the island in the middle of the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock.

?? He was right. He has never again caught such a magnificent fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish---again and again---every time he comes up against a question of ethics（道德规范）.

1.When did the story happen?

A. Early morning?? B. Late afternoon??? C. Late night??? D. In the bass season

2. Why did the father ask his son to put the perch back?

A. Because the father disliked the perch.

B. Because the father was afraid of being fined.

C. Because the ethics must be observed.

D. Because the son was more experience in fishing than his father.

3.When does the architect (the father’s son) think of that perch put back?

A. When he takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock.

B. When he builds many famous buildings.

C. When he pays a visit to his old father.

D. When he faces some problems about ethics.

4.Which word can not be used to describe the boy’s father?

A. honest??? B.unselfish????? C.serious??????? D. generous

5.From the passage, we can learn _________.

A. how we can get the handsome fish

B. how we master some skills of going fishing

C. how we understand our parents’ words is very important

D. how we do things in good and right ways.

2012 is the Year of the Dragon in China. It began on January 23 but not on January 1st. The dragon is a symbol* of power and wealth in Chinese culture. And it is also the sign of the Emperor of China. People born in the Year of the Dragon are active-minded. They show a strong interest in the world around them, and will try their best to make their dreams come true all their lives.

    Dragon people are talented while these people enjoy being the center of attention. They will stop at nothing to get what they want. Dragon people are very friendly and if their friends face a problem, they will be there to offer help at once. There are some famous people who were born in the Year of the Dragon, such as the premier* of the Russian Putin and the famous Argentine soccer player Messi. In China, the CEO of Alibaba Group Mayun and movie star Zhouxun are dragon, too.

    There are some big events in the Year of the Dragon. In China, the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) * will be held in Beijing in March. The 9th National University Games in Tianjin will happen in September. And soccer fans, they can meet at the 2012 European Cup in June in Poland. And In Britain, the 30th Olympic Games is being held in London on July 27.

1.What does “Dragon” stand for in Chinese culture?

  A. power    B. wealth   C. the emperor   D. all of the above

2.When does the Year of Dragon begin?

  A. January 1^st.   B. January 23^rd    C. January 2^nd.   D. January 22^nd.

3.What will happen in July in London?

  A. National People's Congress    B. National University Games  

C. 2012 European Cup          D. the Olympic Games

4.Which of the following is NOT TRUE acorrding to the passage?

A. People born in the Year of the Dragon are active-minded.

B. People born in the Year of the Dragon enjoy being the center of attention.

C. If they face a problem, People born in the Year of the Dragon will give up.

D. If their friends face a problem, people born in the Year of the Dragon will offer help at once.