四、閱讀測驗
     An annular solar eclipse happens when the moon covers the sun’s center, leaving the sun’s visible outer edgesto form a “ring of fire” around the moon. This can happen only twice this century, in 2020 and on June 21st, 2039.While people in Taiwan are lucky enough to witness the recent one, it is out of the question to see the latter asTaiwan will not be on the path shaded by the moon.
     Thanks to mostly sunny skies on June 21st this summer, people across Taiwan flocked to museums, parks andschools for guided solar eclipse watching or simply observed the event from street corners, using protective eyegear. The momentum was especially high in Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Nantou, Hualien and Taitung citiesand counties, as well as the outlying islands of Penghu and Kinmen, as people there could witness the entire processof the eclipse.
     In Chiayi, the eclipse started at 2:49 p.m. and ended at 5:25 p.m., with the complete “ring of fire” taking placefor less than a minute at 4:14 p.m., when 99 percent of the sun’s surface was blocked. The spectacle of the distinctstages of the eclipse drew crowds from across the country. According to intercity bus operator Kuo-Kuang MotorTransportation Company, passengers to Chiayi on Sunday were about 15 percent higher compared with theprevious weekend.
     In Taipei, where only a partial solar eclipse was visible, around 10,000 people were estimated to have visitedthe Taipei Astronomical Museum. The last time the museum saw such heavy traffic was in July 2009, when a totalsolar eclipse took place. According to a museum official, the next time an annular solar eclipse covering such alarge percentage of the sun will not be visible in Taiwan until June 28th, 2215. If you happen to miss this eclipse,don't despair. Visit our school website and you can watch the eclipse we have uploaded along with lots ofinformation, images, and facts about this and other eclipses.
31. What does “the latter” refer to in the first paragraph?
(A) The annular solar eclipse in 2020.
(B) The annular solar eclipse in 2039.
(C) The ring of fire around the moon.
(D) The path that is shaded by the moon.