Once in a Biue Moon 1千载难逢

Anna Matteo

张倩云选译

Today we are talking about a lunar phenomenon 2. It 's called a blue moon.

Experts at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration （NASA） explain thislunar event. They say a blue moon is the "extra" full moon in a season with four full moons.

Since the 1940s. the term "blue moon" has also been used for the second full moon m acalendar month. This usually happens only every two-and-a-half years.

The NASA experts explain that a blue moon is not actually blue in color. In fact. it looksthe same as a regular monthly full moon.

What makes a blue moon different is that it does not appear in the sky that often. Andthis is how we use it as an English expression.

A "blue moon" is a long or seemingly long period of time.

If I say something happens once in a blue moon". it is uncommon， infrequent 3， rare 4. Ithappens very seldom. These words all describe something that happens once in a blue moon.

For example， I usually keep busy. So when I'm not working， I like to sing songs， writestories or read books. But sometimes， I just like to do nothing. So， once in a blue moon， you'llfind me on the couch， watching movies and eating popcorn.

Here's another example.

Let's say you have a friend who you do not see very much anymore. You can say you seehim once in a blue moon. It feels like an eternity 5 since you have talked. It's like he hasdropped off the face of the Eart 6！ You can also say it has been forever since you haveseen him.

Forever is a long time. So， forever and a day 7 is even longer！ And it has been foreverand a day since you have seen your friend. You miss himl You should call.

And finally， here is our last example. If you have been busy， you may not have had timeto practice your English. But just remember， if you only practice once in a blue moon， yourEnglish may not improve very quickly.

今天，我們谈论的是一个月亮的现象。它被称为蓝月亮。

美国国家航空航天局（NASA）的专家解释了这个月亮现象。他们说，蓝月亮指的是当一个季度出现四次满月时“额外的”那次满月。

自20世纪40年代以来，“蓝月亮”一词也被用来指一个月中出现的第二个满月。这种现象通常两年半才发生一次。

美国国家航空航天局的专家解释说，蓝月亮实际上不是蓝色的。事实上，它看起来和每月正常的满月一样。

蓝月亮的与众不同之处在于它不常见。这也是人们把它作为一个英语表达来使用的方法。

“蓝月亮”是一段很长或看起来很长的时间。

如果我说某件事“千载难逢”，那么那件事就是不寻常的、不常见的，甚至是罕见的。这件事情很少发生。这些词语都可以被用来描述很长时间才发生一次的事情。

例如，我通常总是很忙。所以在不工作的时候，我喜欢唱歌，写故事或看书。但有时，我什么都不想做。所以，难得一见地，你会发现我躺在沙发上看着电影，吃着爆米花。

下面是另一个例子。

假设你有一个不常见到的朋友，你可以说你很难见到他一次。距你们上次说话感觉已经过了很久了，就好像他消失得无影无踪！你也可以说，你再也没见过他了。

“永远”已经是指很长的一段时间了。所以，比永远多一天的时间就更长了！你已经很久没有见到你的朋友了。你想念他！你应该打个电话。

下面这是最后一个例子。如果你一直很忙，你可能没有时间练习你的英语。但请记住，如果你只是很久才练习一次，你就很难快速提高你的英语水平。

（英语原文选自：VOA Special English）

[Notes]

1.once in a blue moon千载难逢;极为罕见

2.phenomenon[f??n?m?n?n] n.现象

3.infrequent[?n?fri?kw?nt] adj.罕见的;不频发的

4.rare [re?]adj.稀有的

5.eternity [??t??n?t?]n.永世;极长的时间

6.drop off the face of the Earth消失得无影无踪

7.forever and a day极长久地，永久地