新西兰英语 694 Solar Eclipse

 　　Yesterday morning, New Zealanders were lucky to see a partial¹ solar eclipse². This occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. In Queensland, Australia, there was a total eclipse – total darkness for about two minutes. A partial eclipse means the moon blocks off part of the sun.

　　The eclipse started around 9.30am and lasted about one and a half hours. At its peak, the sun looked like a thin smile because the moon covered most of the sun. In the Far North of New Zealand, 91% of the sun was covered.

　　People were told not to look at the sun directly because it could damage their eyes. They could use special solar glasses.

　　The next solar eclipse like this for New Zealand will be July 22nd 2028 so a solar eclipse is rare.

　　A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth passes between the sun and the moon.

　　Vocabulary

　　?partial – adjective³ from part

　　?eclipse – shut out the light, become dark

　　?solar – adjective from sun

　　?total – all, 100%

　　?peak – maximum

　　?rare – not often

　　?lunar – moon

1 partial   

adj.部分的；偏爱的；偏心的

参考例句：

• I could give it only partial support.我只能给它部分的支持。
• I'm partial to a drink at bedtime.我临睡前喜欢喝杯酒。

2 eclipse   

v.使黯然失色，使相形见绌，日食，月食

参考例句：

• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
• There will be an eclipse of the moon next month.下个月有月食。

3 adjective   

n.形容词；adj.形容词的，用作形容词的

参考例句：

• Don't apply that adjective to me.不要用那个字眼来形容我。
• The adjective loose has several senses. 形容词loose有几个义项。