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 keep away from sweets because they are unhealthy, but will eat chocolate once in a blue moon. Or someone who does not like to. Go to the beach might say, "I visit the shore(岸边) 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 actually blue.  This is just an expression. The phrase "blue moon" actually 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 have certain names for 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(指甲). When we can see the moon appear in the sky as a thin crescent, it is called a new moon. When we can see the whole moon, it 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".

    It's predicted(预言) that there will only be 15 blue moons over the next 20 years. As you can see, a blue moon is a very unusual event. This fact has led people to use the expression "once in blue moon" to describe other" very unusual events in their lives.

    I like Saturday and Sunday because I don't have to go to school. 1do my mum and dad. On Saturday and Sunday I do not need to get up 2. Then I eat a light breakfast at about 8: 30. I always finish my homework on Saturday morning. In the afternoon, I do some housework. I also clean my own room and wash my own clothes. I think doing some houseworkis 3. In the evening, my family usually watch TV together and we talk a lot about the TV programmes. On Sunday, my parents and I go to see my grandparents. We go there by bike. It's a kind of good 4. Sometimes we go to the cinema or parties, 5we have a wonderful time at weekends.

On the day of the interview, I got up at 6:00 in the morning. I got to the interview place without having1. l was the 24th interviewee(应聘者) and the 22nd was a short ordinary- looking girl. I greeted her by2my head. I asked her where she graduated. She told me in a low3, "I graduated from a junior college， the only one without getting a bachelor' s degree(学士学位) among the 50 interviewees.

I didn't4he interview would last so long. As I didn't have breakfast, my stomach started to ache. I had to sit by the table for a5. Just at that time, the girl asked me6happened, I told her, "I didn't have breakfast this morning, so my7comes to me.

    After a while, a worker came in and8me a bottle of milk and a piece of bread. It was certain that they were bought by the girl. I felt9all over my heart because I hadn't imagined she would be so nice to help me- her rival(竞争对手).

Luckily, I got the job. The first day I went to work, I was10to see the girl there. She also got the job. Later I asked her why she got the job. She said11a smile, "That day when I bought you the12, an interviewer went to the toilet with papers in hands. He asked me13I could help him to copy those papers while he was in the toilet. I helped him. After I came back to him, he asked me why I took the food in hands. I told him the14. Then I got the job." At that moment, I came to know that when the girl helped me and the interviewer, she also helped15.

    Helping others will benefit yourself as well.

In my classroom last Thursday, I sat next to a girl who was coughing. I covered my mouth to protect myself from the cold. However, the moment (时刻) I got home, I knew those germs (细菌) had got to me. I had a headache. My mum took my temperature. Sure enough, I had a fever. I was asked to drink as much water as I could. My dad asked me to stay at home until I got better. I was feeling down because I had a science test the next day, and I didn't want to miss it.

The next day, my dad took me to the doctor's. The doctor said I had the flu. He advised me to get a lot of rest and take some medicine. While at home last Friday, I slept most of the day. When I woke up, I tried to study for my science test. However, I couldn't stay awake long enough to study. At that moment, resting was more important than studying.

After being home from school for four days, I finally felt better and returned to school. My teacher, Mrs. Jenkins, gave me the science test I had missed earlier. She sent me into another classroom to finish it. The science test was much too difficult for me, but at least I was feeling healthy enough to take it. Great!

Sometimes it is difficult to learn a foreign language well. How can we learn a language better? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Look for a real language environment.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Perhaps in daily life, we do not have so many chances to get in touch with foreign speakers, but we can create some of these conditions. For example, we can find some foreign students on the Internet and talk with them. We can learn and practise each other's native language(母语).

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Notes can not only help us remember some new knowledge(知识) but also help us go over old knowledge. When you do your homework or before a test, look through your notes.

Don't worry about mistakes.

Making mistakes is a common thing. It may happen to everyone, so we don't need to be afraid of making mistakes.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Finally, we can learn from our mistakes.

Make use of everything around us.

We can practise spoken English in our daily life. For example, when we see the things around us, try to say their names in English. Also, we can set up study groups through social networks(社交网络).{#blank#}5{#/blank#} We can also listen to songs or read books.

任务⒉再次阅读以上短文，回答问题。

①What can taking notes bring to us? (不超过15个词) {#blank#}6{#/blank#}

(中考新设问·开放性试题) What do you do to learn English well? Give an example. {#blank#}7{#/blank#}