WORKSHEET A1-A2
MIDWINTER AND THE SUN

Part 1. Warm-up

• What season is it now where you live?
• Do you like short winter days or long summer days? Why?

Part 2. Vocabulary focus

Part 3. Reading – Midwinter and the Sun

For many people, midwinter is an important time of the year. In the northern hemisphere, midwinter usually happens around December 21. On this day, there is very little daylight and a lot of darkness. The night is long, and the day is short. After this day, people know that the light will slowly return.

The Earth moves in space in a regular way. It travels around the Sun in an orbit, and this journey takes one year. At the same time, the Earth has a tilt. Because of this tilt, different parts of the Earth get different amounts of sunlight. This is why seasons exist, and they will always change during the year.

When the northern hemisphere tilts away from the Sun, it is winter there. The days are colder, and there is less daylight. Sunrise happens later in the morning, and sunset comes earlier in the afternoon. As midwinter gets closer, the days are going to become shorter and darker.

After midwinter, something important happens. The Earth is going to slowly change its position, and the northern hemisphere is going to receive more sunlight. People know that each day will be a little longer than the one before. Sunrise will come earlier, and sunset will happen later.

These changes also affect daily life. Many people are going to spend more time indoors during midwinter because it is cold and dark. They are going to plan quiet evenings at home, read books, or watch movies. Some people think winter will feel long, but they also know it will not last forever.

Midwinter also has seasonal meaning. Families are going to prepare for holidays, and cities are going to decorate streets and homes. People expect that after midwinter, the weather will slowly improve.

In ancient times, people watched the sky very carefully. They did not have modern tools, but they knew the Sun was going to change its path after midwinter. They believed the longer days would bring better times. Because of this, many ancient cultures built special places. They knew that the sunrise on midwinter’s day was going to be important.

Some of these places still exist today. Visitors can see how the light will enter the buildings at a special moment. This shows that even long ago, people understood that darkness would end and daylight would return.

Today, people understand midwinter in a scientific way. They know the days are going to get longer, and they feel hopeful. Even though midwinter is dark and cold, it reminds people that change will always come.

Part 4. Reading Comprehension

Part 5. Grammar (will / going to)