Listen&Learn: Midnight sun

Learn about the long days on the Earth’s poles

Pre-listening vocabulary

• phenomenon: a natural process
• region: an area
• axis: the imaginary line that the Earth rotates around
• observe: to watch, see, or notice
• horizon: the line where the sky meets water or land
• distinguish: to show the difference between two things
• mimic: to copy the effects of something

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08 — 1.0MB)

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Gapfill exercise

The midnight sun is a phenomenon that occurs at the and south poles. During their months, each region experiences 24-hour days, where the sun does not set at all. This is because of the angle of the Earth’s axis. From June until August, people can observe the midnight sun in many northern regions, such as Norway, Alaska, and northern parts of Canada. While the sun still appears to through the sky, it never falls the horizon. Because there are no signals that distinguish day from night, it can be difficult to keep sleep habits during the northern summer. Many people use blackout curtains to mimic nighttime.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. The midnight sun occurs at
   a. the equator
   b. the north pole
   c. both the north and south poles
   
2. In the summer, the midnight sun can be seen in
   a. Australia
   b. southern Canada
   c. Norway
   
3. People in the north often use special curtains to
   a. conserve warmth
   b. stay dry
   c. mimic nighttime

Discussion/essay questions

1. What is the most interesting natural sight you’ve ever seen?

Transcript

The midnight sun is a phenomenon that occurs at the north and south poles. During their summer months, each region experiences 24-hour days, where the sun does not set at all. This is because of the angle of the Earth’s axis. From June until August, people can observe the midnight sun in many northern regions, such as Norway, Alaska, and northern parts of Canada. While the sun still appears to travel through the sky, it never falls below the horizon. Because there are no signals that distinguish day from night, it can be difficult to keep healthy sleep habits during the northern summer. Many people use blackout curtains to mimic nighttime.

Answers to comprehension questions

1c 2c 3c