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35. The Poles.

Find the dotted line in the top. It runs -

from the head to the peg. When the top

spins, every part

turns round this
line.

We will call this

line the axis of the

top. |

 

 

 

head nor peg, but
it spins like a top.

 

a night to turn once round.

We may think of a line im the earth like
that in the top. It is called the amis of the
earth. Once in twenty-four hours every part
of the earth turns round the axis.

The ends of the axis are called poles. The

 

word pole means pivot, or point upon which
anything turns.
The earth seems to float in the sky. It

 

Polar Scene.

The earth has nO:

it takes a day and -

THE POLES.

turns on its axis, just as if the poles (or ends
of the axis) were pivots; but, of course, the
earth does not rest upon anything.

When you go out to play, toss up a ball
and make it spin in the air. As the ball
spins, try to tell in what direction its axis
points.

Can you find the north star?
place in the sky where it shines.

The axis of the earth points to the north

Point to the

*, :
SS are Ol
wy ae star
s ee
‘ Bed
My a“
if EO
S SA xo
ca
star. The end of the axis under this star is

called the north pole. The other end is the

south pole.

If you were at the north pole you could see
the north star over your head. The north
star is often called the pole star. Can you
tell why ?

The land and water about the poles are

buried under ice and snow. Many polar bears
and seals are found in the frozen regions of
the north. Upon what do the bears feed ?
. From every place
on earth, north is
towards the north
pole. South is to-
wards the south
pole. .

Lines are often
drawn from. pole

Al) such lines run
north and south.

to pole on maps.

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