【问】 ____my car is being made ready for a long journey.
 A. In the moment B. At the moment
 C. For the moment D. By the moment(攻读硕士学位研究生入学考试英语试题，
 84A)
 为什么在上列句子里只能选B(At the moment)，而不能选C(For the moment)?
 【答】 at the moment是指“此刻”(与现在时连用时)(at the present time)或“那时”、“当时”
 (与过去时连用时)(at that time)：
 1. I’m afraid I’m too busy at the moment to see anyone.
 很遗憾，我此刻太忙，不能去见任何人。
 2. He wondered idly where his brother-in-law was going at the moment.
 他想随便了解一下他姐夫当时要去哪里。
 3. I know his address，but I cannot think of it at the moment.(Wood)
 我知道他的地址，但是此刻我记不起来了。
 4. It was a statement of seemingly needless obsequiousness for the man who is，at the mo-ment，the second most powerful leader in Russia and the main link between an increas-ingly lethargic and isolated president and an even more fractured and cantankerous parliament. (Time)
 对于一个目前在俄罗斯最有权势的第二号领导人，对于一个在越来越缺乏活力和日益孤立的总统与更加分裂和更加爱吵闹的议会之间起着主要桥梁作用的伟人来说，这似乎是不必要的奉承之词。(时代周刊)(译文引自《现代英语报刊阅读词典》)
 5. I was busy at the moment，so I could not attend the meeting.
 当时我很忙，所以未能参加会议。
 for the moment最常见的意义是：“暂时”，“暂且”：
 1. The Allied leaders surrendered for the moment in the face of this threat.在这种威胁面前，协约国诸领导人暂时屈服了。
 2. We can leave it open for the moment.(Wood)
 我们可以让它暂时开一会儿。
 3. You may use her typewriter for the moment.
 你可以暂时使用她的打字机。
 for the moment也可以作“现在”、“此刻”、“眼下”解，这一点被上面研考英语试题的出题者们所忽略了：
 1. For the moment let us describe the minor members that we are sure belong to the LocalGroup.
 现在，我们来介绍一下明确属于本星系群的几个较小的成员星系。
 2. I have nothing to do for [at] the moment.(The Universal Dictionary of the EnglishLanguage)
 我现在无事可做。
 3. I don't want to discuss this for the moment. (Essential English Dictionary)
 此刻我不愿意讨论这个问题。
 4. What can we do for the moment?
 目前我们能做些什么呢? (《英汉大辞典》)
 5. The truck was running so fast that for the moment it looked as if it was going to over-take the motorcycle way ahead.
 卡车开得飞快，此刻看来它好象要超过前头那辆摩托车似的。
 上面的例句足可证明，在上面的试题中，选C(For the moment)也同样是正确的。
 (本条主要内容曾发表于《大学英语》1997年第10期)