Question

1. Read the following passage and make notes in an appropriate format: (15)
The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's
atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. Auroral displays appear
in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow,
green, blue, and violet have been reported. The lights appear in many forms from patches or
scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the
sky with an eerie glow. The most common auroral color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by
oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above the earth. Rare, all-red auroras are produced
by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to 200 miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red
aurora.
The connection between the Northern Lights and sunspot activity has been suspected since
about 1880. Thanks to research conducted since the 1950's, we now know that electrons and
protons from the sun are blown towards the earth on the 'solar wind'. The temperature above
the surface of the sun is millions of degrees Celsius. At this temperature, collisions between gas
molecules are frequent and explosive. Free electrons and protons are thrown from the sun's
atmosphere by the rotation of the sun and escape through holes in the magnetic field. Blown
towards the earth by the solar wind, the charged particles are largely deflected by the earth's
magnetic field. However, the earth's magnetic field is weaker at either pole and therefore some
particles enter the earth's atmosphere and collide with gas particles. These collisions emit light
that we perceive as the dancing lights of the north (and the south).
Northern Lights can be seen in the northern or southern hemisphere, in an irregularly shaped
oval centred over each magnetic pole. The lights are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and
'Aurora australis' in the south. Scientists have learned that in most instances northern and
southern auroras are mirror-like images that occur at the same time, with similar shapes and
colors.
Winter in the north is generally a good season to view lights. The long periods of darkness and
the frequency of clear nights provide many good opportunities to watch the auroral displays.
Usually the best time of night (on clear nights) to watch for auroral displays is local midnight.
Many cultural groups have legends about the lights. In medieval times, the occurrences of
auroral displays were seen as harbingers of war or famine. The Maori of New Zealand shared a
belief with many northern people of Europe and North America that the lights were reflections
from torches or campfires.The Menominee Indians of Wisconsin believed that the lights
indicated the location of manabai'wok (giants) who were the spirits of great hunters and
fishermen. The Inuit of Alaska believed that the lights were the spirits of the animals they
hunted: the seals, salmon, deer and beluga whales. Other aboriginal peoples believed that the
lights were the spirits of their people

Answer 1

It disappeared in many colours