Gapped Text (Objective) 1.3

Read the passage. Choose the best answer from options A, B, C, and D.

We usually associate blowing winds with bad weather, but on a cosmic level, solar winds are the creators of some of the most spectacular sights nature has to offer.

Solar winds are streams of charged particles that (__1__) from the upper atmosphere of a star. When these particles bounce into the Earth's atmosphere, they transfer their energy to the atoms around them. (__2__), these atmospheric atoms release their energy. This spectacle can be seen near the North or South Poles in the form of (__3__) light displays that will put any man-made lights to shame.

When this phenomenon occurs in the Northern hemisphere, it is called aurora borealis or more (__4__), the Northern Lights. The name comes from Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn and Boreas, the Greek name for the north wind. In the mythologies of different cultures, auroras are (__5__) the anger of the gods or ancestors playing games. In Latvian folklore, auroras were believed to be the spirits of dead warriors who come to warn people (__6__) impending natural disasters.

Auroras are usually only seen in the polar regions, but the most significant aurora (__7__) in recorded history in 1859 could be seen as far south as Japan and the USA. The New York Times apparently reported, "Ordinary print could be read by the light (of the aurora)."

If you feel lucky, a visit to the North Pole during March, April, September, or October might just reward you with nature's magnificent light show.

1	A) recover	B) escape	C) withdraw	D) originate
2	A) Since then	B) Soon afterwards	C) Short after	D) Enough soon
3	A) breathtaking	B) breath-taken	C) breath-taker	D) breathtakingly
4	A) perfectly	B) frankly	C) commonly	D) regularly
5	A) linked to	B) familiar to	C) designed to	D) likely to
6	A) over	B) of	C) for	D) with
7	A) observing	B) was observed	C) observed	D) for observing

Type your answers in the spaces provided.

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