舉頭望明月 位置都不變? Why Is the Moon Following Me?
關於月亮的另一個視錯覺在它更靠近地平線時會發生。
目錄 / More to Learn / 中文翻譯(& 答案)
科普園地
Many children have stared out of a car window at night to see the moon gleaming up above. Some have also noticed that the moon seems to stay in the same place, even if the car is driving forward. Trees, cars, buildings, and all the other objects pass by in the blink of an eye, but not the moon. It seems as if the moon just follows the moving car.
This is an optical illusion. The moon isn’t actually following anyone. It’s simply too far away for people to judge any change in distance as a car moves. With smaller objects that are much closer to the car’s position, the angle from which we view them changes rapidly as they are approached and passed. However, the distance between people on Earth and the moon is so vast in comparison that the shift in the angle and distance is basically imperceptible .
Another factor that makes the moon appear to stay in place is that there are usually no objects of comparable size visible in the sky. The moon usually occupies a large portion of the sky all by itself. Without a good frame of reference, it’s very difficult for the human eye to make accurate judgments about size and distance.
Another optical illusion involving the moon occurs when it is closer to the horizon. You may have noticed that the moon always looks bigger around dusk or dawn. When the moon is near the horizon, our brain can compare it to buildings or mountains. At these times, it seems much larger than when it is floating high above us in the sky. The truth is that the moon never changes its size.
1. What is the reason the moon appears to follow people in a car?
(A) The time.
(B) The angle of vision.
(C) The direction of the car.
(D) The speed at which the car is driving.
2. What can we learn about the moon from the passage?
(A) Its position never actually changes throughout the night.
(B) It blocks everything in the sky when it’s directly overhead.
(C) It cannot be seen with the naked eye when it first appears in the sky.
(D) Its actual size remains the same whether it hangs high or lies near the horizon.
3. Which of the following best concludes the passage?
(A) Seeing is not believing.
(B) Practice makes perfect.
(C) Time and tide wait for no man.
(D) A picture is worth a thousand words.
答案: 1.B 2.D 3.A
單字片語整理
Words in Use
●
compare [kəmˋpɛr]
vi. （可與……）匹敵
vt. 把……比作
vt. & vi. 比較
●
reference [ˋrɛfərəns]
vt. 參考；言及，提到
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illusion [ɪˋljuʒən]
n. 錯誤的觀念；錯覺，幻覺
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vast [væst]
a. 廣闊的；巨大的
●
occupy [ˋɑkjə͵paɪ]
vt. 擁有（某職務）；占據；使忙碌
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shift [ʃɪft]
.vt. 轉移，改變
n. 輪班
●
horizon [həˋraɪzn]
n. 地平線（單數）；範圍，範疇（常用複數）
●
overhead [ˋovɚˋhɛd]
adv. 在高空中
a. 頭頂上的
●
comparable [ˋkɑmpərəb!]
a. 可相比的
●
stare [stɛr]
vi. 凝視；瞪視（與介詞 at 並用）
n. 凝視
●
accurate [ˋækjərɪt]
a. 精準的
●
float [flot]
vi. 漂浮
n. 浮板
●
gleam [glim]
vi. & n. （某物）閃爍；（眼神）閃爍
●
optical [ˋɑptɪk!]
a. 視覺的
●
imperceptible [͵ɪmpɚˋsɛptəb!]
a. 察覺／感覺不到的
Practical Phrases
●
compare A to B 把 A 比喻為 B
Life is often compared to a long journey.
人生常被比喻為一段漫長的旅程。
●
a small portion of... 少部分的……
●
a large portion of... 大部分的……
A large portion of the money will go to charity.
這筆錢大部分要捐給慈善機構。
●
stare at... 凝視著……
= gaze at...
Why are you staring at me, John? Is there something wrong with me?
約翰，你為什麼這樣瞪著我？我有什麼不對勁嗎？
●
in the blink of an eye 突然間，一剎那間
We watched the magician closely, but the rabbit disappeared in the blink of an eye.
我們緊盯著魔術師看，但兔子卻突然之間消失了。
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in comparison 相較之下
Eddie’s room is always messy. In comparison,his brother’s room is clean and tidy.
艾迪的房間總是亂糟糟的。相比之下，他弟弟的房間乾淨又整潔。
●
compare A with B 將 A 與 B 作比較
Some parents like to compare their kids with other kids.
有些父母喜歡拿他們的孩子和別人的孩子作比較。
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the naked eye 肉眼
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in place 在原地／固定位置
These nails will keep the wooden plate in place.
這些釘子會讓木板維持在固定位置。
●
a frame of reference （作為判斷依據的）參照標準
More to Learn
dusk [ dʌsk ] n. 黃昏
• The darkening sky at dusk was a perfect backdrop for the fireworks display.
黃昏時，漸暗的天空是這場煙火秀絕佳的背景。
dawn [ dɔn ] n. 黎明，破曉
• Farmers wake up before dawn to prepare for their work in the field.
農夫會在黎明前起床以準備田裡的工作。
以下介紹一天之中其他時段的說法:
twilight
[ ˋtwaɪ͵laɪt ]
薄暮時分(指微弱的太陽照亮天空的時 刻，可以是太陽剛要升起或落下時)
sunrise 日出
morning 早上(「日出」到「正午」這段時間)
midday 中午時段(約 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.)
noon 正午(指 12:00 p.m.)
afternoon 下午(「正午」到「日落」這段時間)
sunset 日落
evening 傍晚(約 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.)
night 晚上(「日落」到「日出」天黑期間)
midnight 半夜(指 12:00 a.m.)
• At twilight, the world slows down and takes on a dreamlike quality.
薄暮時分，世界慢了下來，呈現出一種夢境般的感覺。
• The sun is directly overhead at midday, so there are no shadows.
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