THE MOON
1 {{U}}The moon is the closest natural body and the single natural satellite of the earth{{/U}}. The orbit of the moon around the earth is not circular but elliptical. Thus, the distance of the moon from the earth varies from a maximum distance of 406,685 kilometers to a minimum of 356,410 kilometers. In one day, the moon moves about 12 degrees along its orbit. The moon completes one revolution of the earth in 27.3 days, a period known as a sidereal month.
2 The moon rotates slowly on its axis, making one complete rotation in a period of time exactly equal to its orbit around the earth. Thus, the moon keeps the same hemisphere or face turned toward the earth at all times. We do not, however, always see only half of the moon's surface from the earth. The {{U}}eccentricity{{/U}} of the moon's orbit allows us to see additional lunar surface through irregular movements called librations, which expose an extra 18 percent of the moon's surface at one time or another.
3 In 1969, the first humans landed on the moon's surface in the Sea of Tranquility. Subsequent lunar landings were on the Ocean of Storms and the Sea of Serenity. Despite these watery names, the astronauts had to cope with an environment {{U}}devoid of{{/U}} water. The dark areas on the moon's surface are called seas and oceans because early observers assumed the moon was much like the earth. We now know that the seas are dark because they are volcanic basalt flows, mostly of iron silicate. The brighter parts, the mountains, consist of igneous deposits of aluminum and calcium silicates.
4 Like the earth, the moon has no light of its own; its daylight side reflects the light of the sun. The moon goes through phases, apparent changes in its shape, because it orbits the earth in nearly the same plane as the earth orbits the sun. The eight phases of the moon arise from its changing position in relation to the earth. At the new moon, the start of the first phase, the dark side of the moon is turned toward the earth, so the moon cannot be seen. A few nights later, a thin crescent hangs in the evening twilight. At this time, the dark side of the moon is faintly visible because it is illuminated by earthshine, the light of the sun reflected from the earth to the moon, then back again.
5 The second phase is a waxing crescent moon, followed by the third phase, when the moon forms a right angle with the earth-sun line, and a half moon appears at sunset. During the fourth phase, the moon is more than half but less than fully illuminated, known as a waxing gibbous moon. The waxing gibbous moon is followed by a full moon (fifth phase), which occurs when the sun, earth, and moon are in opposition, or roughly aligned. At full moon, the rising disk of the moon appears to balance the setting sun in the evening sky. When the moon is just past full, a lunar twilight--seen as a glow in the eastern sky--will precede moonrise.
6 After the full moon, the moon begins to {{U}}wane{{/U}}, through a waning gibbous moon (sixth phase), a waning half moon (seventh phase), and a waning crescent moon (eighth phase). Toward the end of the eighth phase, a thin crescent appears at morning twilight, again accompanied by earthshine. Finally, the cycle ends and another begins with a dark moon: another new moon. The lunar cycle takes 29.5 days to complete--a period known as a synodic month or the moon's synodic period.
7 At its full phase, the moon's intensity is about one millionth that of the sun, and it is possible to read a newspaper by the light of the moon. The full moon nearest the autumnal equinox in September is called the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon {{U}}ushers in{{/U}} a period of several successive days when the moon rises in the northeast soon after sunset. This phenomenon gives farmers in temperate latitudes extra hours of light in which to harvest their crops before frost and winter come. The full moon following the Harvest Moon is called the Hunter's Moon and is accompanied by a similar but less marked phenomenon of early moonrise.
单选题
Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the
highlighted sentence in paragraph 1 ? Incorrect choices change the meaning in
important ways or leave out essential information.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】The moon is the closest natural body.., is paraphrased in ... the moon, our closest satellite. ... the single natural satellite of the earth is paraphrased in The only object circling the earth that is not man-made
单选题
The word {{U}}eccentricity{{/U}} in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】Eccentricity means abnormality in this context. Clues: We do not...always see only half of the moon "s surface from the earth; ...allows us to see additional lunar surface through irregular movements.., which expose an extra 18 percent of the moon "s surface at one time or another.
单选题
The phrase {{U}}devoid of{{/U}} in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】Devoid of means without any in this context. Clues: Despite these watery names, the astronauts had to cope with an environment devoid of water. Despite shows contrast between the watery names and the fact that the astronauts had to cope with an environment without any water.
单选题
Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the
naming of the dark areas on the moon's surface?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】You can infer that people once thought the moon contained large bodies of water. Clues: Despite these watery names, the astronauts had to cope with an environment devoid of water. The dark areas on the moon's surface are called seas and oceans because early observers assumed the moon was much like the earth.
单选题
All of the following occur during a lunar cycle EXCEPT:
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】The passage does not state that all sides of the moon are seen from the earth during a lunar cycle; in fact, the passage states that the moon keeps the same hemisphere or face turned toward the earth at all times. All the other answers are given:.., the dark side of the moon is turned toward the earth...;...a thin crescent hangs in the evening twilight; ... the moon forms a right angle with the earth-sun line
单选题
Which statement is true of a gibbous moon?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】Clues: ...the moon is more than half but less than fully illuminated, known as a waxing gibbous moon; After the full moon, the moon begins to wane, through a waning gibbous moon
单选题
The word wane in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】Wane means appear smaller in this context. Clues: After the full moon, the moon begins to ______, through a waning gibbous moon...a waning half moon...and a waning crescent moon...; Finally, the cycle ends and another begins with a dark moon The moon appears smaller as it goes from full to dark.
单选题
The period of time between successive new moons is known as
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】Clues: ...the cycle ends and another begins with a dark moon: another new moon. The lunar cycle takes 29. 5 days to complete---a period known as a synodic month
单选题
At what point in the lunar cycle is the dark side of the moon faintly
illuminated?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】Clues: At the new moon A few nights later At this time, the dark side of the moon is faintly visible because it is illuminated by earthshine...; Toward the end of the eighth phase, a thin crescent appears at morning twilight, again accompanied by earthshine.
单选题
The phrase ushers in in paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】Ushers in means introduces in this context. Clues: ... a period of several successive days when the moon rises in the northeast soon after sunset. This phenomenon gives farmers in temperate latitudes extra hours of light An usher is a person who leads or escorts another; to usher in is to lead into or to introduce; in this context, it means to introduce a period of several successive days of extra moonlight.
单选题
According to the passage, which of the following is a benefit of the
Harvest Moon?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】Clues: This phenomenon gives farmers in temperate latitudes extra hours of light in which to harvest their crops
填空题
Look at the four squares, 
,
, 
, and 
, which indicate where the following sentence
could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?
This is because tidal distortion by the earth over time has slowed the moon's rotation period to match its orbital period.
The
moon rotates slowly on its axis, making one complete rotation in a period of
time exactly equal to its orbit around the earth. 
Thus, the moon keeps the same hemisphere or
face turned toward the earth at all times. We do not, however, always see only
half of the moon's surface from the earth. 
The eccentricity of the lunar orbit allows
us to see additional lunar surface through irregular movements called
librations, which expose an extra 1 8 percent of the moon's surface at one time
or another. 
,
, , and , which indicate where the following sentence
could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?This is because tidal distortion by the earth over time has slowed the moon's rotation period to match its orbital period.
The
moon rotates slowly on its axis, making one complete rotation in a period of
time exactly equal to its orbit around the earth. Thus, the moon keeps the same hemisphere or
face turned toward the earth at all times. We do not, however, always see only
half of the moon's surface from the earth. The eccentricity of the lunar orbit allows
us to see additional lunar surface through irregular movements called
librations, which expose an extra 1 8 percent of the moon's surface at one time
or another.
多选题
An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is
provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that
express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in
the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or
are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
【正确答案】
A、D、E
【答案解析】Key information: The moon rotates slowly on its axis, making one complete turn in a period of time exactly equal to its revolution around the earth; ... the moon keeps the same hemisphere or face turned toward the earth at all times; The eight phases of the moon, the apparent changes in the moon's shape, arise from its changing position in relation to the earth; ... thin crescent...; ... half moon...; ...gibbous moon...; ...full moon...; ... dark moon Answer (B) is not mentioned; answers (C) and (F) are minor ideas.