《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》51 Basics of Horoscope

　　Unit 51
Basics of Horoscope
Astrology is the study of how events on Earth are influenced by the Sun, Moon, stars and planets. Technically¹, horoscope is the term astrologers use for a chart showing the relative positions of stars and planets at a specific time. It is like a snapshot of "a particular place in Time and Space". But for most people, a horoscope is the forecast astrologers make based on that chart. The future forecasts on the Web or in newspapers are often referred to as a "horoscope".
If you are interested in (or intrigued² by) astrology, the first thing you need to know is your sun sign (also known as the zodiac sign). Sign -- as in "What's my sign?" -- is a word the average reader of horoscope columns in newspapers thinks of as a "label" for a stereotype³ applied⁴ to him simply because he was born in a certain one-month time period. This is NOT exactly true. Sign is a term used by astrologers to define a sector⁵ of the sky (like the segments of a peeled orange). Each of the twelve signs of the zodiac is a 30-degree arc in a 360-degree imaginary belt around the Earth (360/12=30). It is one of the twelve sections of Space in which we observe the Sun (by day) and Moon and the other planets which are visible to the naked eye. Most people know their zodiac sign already. It's based on your birthday. Once you know your zodiac sign, you can start reading your horoscopes: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly.
Those "daily horoscope" columns for the 12 zodiac signs are only based on an assumed month and day of birth which falls within a range of dates when the Sun is in a particular sign. They are generalized "Sun Sign" horoscopes, but they do not take into account the year (or hour and minute) you were born, or the town and country you were born in. Since your "Time and Space" are not really known, these so-called "horoscopes" are only based on an estimate of where the Sun was located on your date of birth, and thus are far less detailed⁶ and accurate than a Personal Horoscope Reading based on your full birth data -- which will include the positions of the Moon and ALL the Planets, and what that means about you as a unique individual. Not even identical twins can be born in the same Space at the same Time.
Sooner or later you start noticing that the zodiac horoscope can't be very accurate because everybody is different. Life would be boring if everybody with the same zodiac or sun sign would be equal. The sun sign just tells you something about your general personality and spirit. When you combine your sun sign horoscope with your moon sign (the inner you and emotions) and your ascendant (your outer image) you'll get a lot more information. To know your moon sign and rising sign (ascendant), you need to get your birth chart done. Many web sites on the Internet provide this service for free.
A birth chart, also called natal⁷ chart, shows the positions of the stars at your time of birth in the place you were born in. For best accuracy, you need to enter the date o birth (DOB), time of birth (TOB) and place of birth (POB), to find your moon sign and rising sign (ascendant). The birth chart provides a lot of information. Once you know your sun sign, moon sign and ascendant sign, you can also read the in-depth descriptions of all 3 signs.

1 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

2 intrigued   

adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！
• He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

3 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

4 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

7 natal   

adj.出生的，先天的

参考例句：

• Many music-lovers make pilgrimages to Mozart's natal place.很多爱好音乐的人去访问莫扎特的出生地。
• Since natal day,characters possess the visual elements such as dots and strokes.文字从诞生开始便具有了点画这样的视觉元素。