About five states in Nigeria will experience a total eclipse of the sun on March

About five states in Nigeria will experience a total eclipse (日蚀) of the sun on March 29, 2006, according to a forecast by the Ministry of Science and Technology this week.

An eclipse occurs in one of two ways: when the moon passes between the earth and the sun so that all or part of the sun cannot be seen for a time, or when the earth passes between the moon and the sun so that you cannot see all or part of the moon for a time. The first case is a solar eclipse or eclipse of the sun, which occurs as the earth enters the shadow of the moon. The second describes a lunar eclipse or eclipse of the moon, which happens when the moon enters the shadow of the earth.

More than 60 percent of Nigerians are uneducated, and eclipses in some parts of the country in the past have caused commotions in which people have been killed and property destroyed. Some Nigerians believe an eclipse is punishment from the gods for evil doing.

The March 29th eclipse would be the fifth in Nigeria’s history, and it is expected to last for 30 minutes -- 9:15AM to 9:45AM, according to the official prediction. Nigeria witnessed eclipses in 1898, 1947, 1959, and 2001.

The shadows in an eclipse have a central dark part called umbra, and a less dark external section called penumbra. In the umbra, all the sun’s light is cut off, and this is called total eclipse; while in the penumbra, only a part of the light from the sun is cut off from the moon, and it is called partial eclipse.

Five Nigerian states -- Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Zamfara, and Katsina -- are expected to have total eclipse, while other parts of the country will experience partial eclipse.

43. This passage is mainly written to ________.

A. predict a eclipse of the sun in Nigeria

B. compare a eclipse of the sun with a eclipse of the moon

C. provide information on a coming eclipse of the sun in Nigeria

D. show that people in Nigeria receive little education

44. If this passage is taken from a newspaper, which section is the passage probably from?

A. Entertainment.          B. Economy.          C. Education.         D. Science.

45. The best title for this passage is ________.

A. What Is an Eclipse

B. How Foolish People in Nigeria Are

C. Nigeria Expects Solar Eclipse

D. Solar Eclipse Happens on March 29, 2006

试题答案

43. C

解析：该文主要介绍的是即将在尼日利亚发生的日食。故选C

44. D

解析：文中很明确地介绍了日蚀是怎样发生的，以及日全食与日偏食的原因等，所以本文涉及的是日食方面的科普知识，故选D

45. C

解析：标题概括题。C项标题准确反映了本文的主题内容。