Earth Seasons Deced0

1. The problem is to fill in the blanks in the passage about Earth's seasons using the given word bank. 2. The key concept is that Earth's axis is tilted and this tilt causes variations in sunlight, leading to seasons. 3. Step 1: Identify the word for blank (1). The Earth spins on its $\text{axis}$. 4. Step 2: For blank (2), the Earth's axis $\text{tilts}$ the amount of sunlight each part receives. 5. Step 3: For blank (3), there are four $\text{seasons}$ during the year. 6. Step 4: For blank (4), when it is summer north of the equator, it is $\text{winter}$ south of the equator. 7. Step 5: For blank (5), the North Pole is pointed $\text{toward}$ the sun. 8. Step 6: For blank (6), the South Pole is pointed $\text{away}$ from the sun. 9. Step 7: For blank (7), during summer the days are $\text{longer}$. 10. Step 8: For blank (8), during winter the days are $\text{shorter}$. 11. Step 9: For blank (9), the longest day is called the $\text{summer\ solstice}$. 12. Step 10: For blank (10), it is the first day of $\text{summer}$. 13. Step 11: For blank (11), the shortest day is called the $\text{winter\ solstice}$. 14. Step 12: For blank (12), it is the first day of $\text{winter}$. 15. Step 13: For blank (13), between solstices is an $\text{equinox}$. 16. Step 14: For blank (14), at the vernal equinox, the sun $\text{rises}$ at the North Pole. 17. Step 15: For blank (15), the sun $\text{sets}$ at the South Pole. 18. Final filled passage: It’s all due to the way Earth spins on its (1) $\text{axis}$ while it travels around the sun each year. We wouldn’t have any seasons at all if Earth’s axis was straight up and down. But because the Earth’s axis (2) $\text{tilts}$ the amount of sunlight each part of the Earth gets throughout the year. There are four (3) $\text{seasons}$ during the year: summer, fall, winter, and spring. When it is summer north of the equator, it is (4) $\text{winter}$ south of the equator. That’s because the North Pole is pointed (5) $\text{toward}$ the sun and the South Pole is pointed (6) $\text{away}$ from the sun. During the summer the rays of the sun are more direct, and the days are (7) $\text{longer}$. During the winter the days are (8) $\text{shorter}$. The longest day of the year north of the equator is called the (9) $\text{summer\ solstice}$. It’s also called the first day of (10) $\text{summer}$. The days ahead are hot and great for sports like swimming. The shortest day north of the equator is called the (11) $\text{winter\ solstice}$. It is the first day of (12) $\text{winter}$. Each day from the summer solstice to the winter solstice gets a little shorter. People long ago feared each year that the sun would go away forever. That’s where the term comes of burning a Yule log in the fireplace that would last all night long. That way, the sun would be encouraged to come back. Probably between each solstice is an (13) $\text{equinox}$. On those days, the daylight and night are both 12 hours long. In spring in the North, at the vernal equinox, the sun (14) $\text{rises}$ at the North pole for the first time in six months. At the same time, the sun (15) $\text{sets}$ at the South Pole for almost six months. The polar bears at the North Pole must be happy to see the long nights end!