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.

There are many kinds of friends. Some are always   26  you, but don't understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but understand you. Many people will step in your life, but only   27  friends leave footprints (脚印).
I shall always think of the autumn and the girl with the   28 . It was the golden season. I could see the yellow leaves   29  in the cool wind. Autumn is a harvest（丰收）season and life is uninteresting. The free days always let   30  down. But one day, the sound of a violin came into my ears. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was   31   in playing her violin. I had   32  seen her before. The music was so nice that I didn't know I had been   33  there for so long.
Every day I went to watch her performance. I was the only listener. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became   34 . I thought we were already good friends,   35  we didn't know each other.
Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening carefully, the sound suddenly
  36  . To my surprise, the girl came over to me.
“You must like violin.” she said.
“Yes. And you play very well. Why did you stop?” I asked.
  37 , a sad expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual.
“I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that   38  me.” she said.
“  39  , it was your playing that gave me a meaningful autumn,” I answered, “Let's be friends.” The girl smiled, and so did I.
I never heard her play again in my life. But I will always remember the girl. She is like a dream—so short, so bright, like a star giving off so much light that it makes the  40  beautiful.

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”.

My class will put on a short play in English at the end of the year. Yesterday our English teacher gave us copies of the play.
“Choose a character in the play whom you’d like to be, ”she told us. “This afternoon learn a few lines of this part for homework. Then tomorrow you can say those lines in front of the class. Ill decide who play each part.”
I wanted to have one of the bigger parts in the play, so I choose the part of the king. He has a lot of lines to say. I learned them by heart.
This morning in our English lesson we had to say our lines. I acted the part of the king. When I said my lines, I put a lot of expression into my acting. I thought I acted really well.
Everyone in the class read a part and then the teacher who would play each part.
Many of the students in my class couldn’t act at all. They couldn’t even read without making lots of mistakes. I was sure that I would get a big part in the play.
However, the teacher gave me the part of a soldier. He has only one line. It is, “Yes, sir!”
I was very disappointed. At the end of the lesson I went up to her and asked her why I had such a small part.
“You put too much expression in your acting,” she said. “Good acting is not big acting. It is acting the audience can believe in.”
I think I know what she means.
【小题1】 What did the boy want to do in the play?

My class will put on a short play in English at the end of the year. Yesterday our English teacher gave us copies of the play.

“Choose a character in the play whom you’d like to be, ”she told us. “This afternoon learn a few lines of this part for homework. Then tomorrow you can say those lines in front of the class. Ill decide who play each part.”

I wanted to have one of the bigger parts in the play, so I choose the part of the king. He has a lot of lines to say. I learned them by heart.

This morning in our English lesson we had to say our lines. I acted the part of the king. When I said my lines, I put a lot of expression into my acting. I thought I acted really well.

Everyone in the class read a part and then the teacher who would play each part.

Many of the students in my class couldn’t act at all. They couldn’t even read without making lots of mistakes. I was sure that I would get a big part in the play.

However, the teacher gave me the part of a soldier. He has only one line. It is, “Yes, sir!”

I was very disappointed. At the end of the lesson I went up to her and asked her why I had such a small part.

“You put too much expression in your acting,” she said. “Good acting is not big acting. It is acting the audience can believe in.”

I think I know what she means.

1. What did the boy want to do in the play?

A. To get a  morning eating part 

B. To organize the play

C. To get a large acting part. D. To work the lights.

2.How did the boy feel when the teacher told the class they would put on a play?

A. Bored.           B. Sad.             C. Excited.         D. Unhappy.

3.Why didn’t the teacher give him the part of the kings?

A. He did not act correctly.        B. He did not know the lines.

C. He was not handsome.         D. He was too short.

4. What does the underlined word “expression” in the passage mean?

A. 表情       B.建议        C. 模仿         D. 服饰