🌱A1 · Beginner 🌿A2 · Elementary 🌳B1 · Pre-Intermediate 🌲B2 · Intermediate
🌌
Day 11 · Nature & Wildlife · B2 Level

The Mystery of the Northern Lights

Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage

⏱ Time target: 6-7 minutes 📖 Reading + Vocabulary ✅ 10 True / False questions
How to use this page: Highlighted words are key vocabulary. On a computer, hover your mouse over a highlighted word — on phone or tablet, tap the word — to see its English definition, a synonym, and its Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺 meaning. Tap 🇬🇧 UK or 🇺🇸 US to hear it pronounced in either accent.
🔎 Millat Dictionary

Curious about a word?

Any word, any time — right from this page.

Reading Passage

The night sky is full of wonders, but few are as magicalmagical (adj)Wonderful and exciting, as if by magic.≈ Synonym: enchanting🇺🇿UZ: sehrli🇷🇺RU: волшебный as the Northern Lights. Also known as the aurora borealisaurora borealis (noun)The scientific name for the Northern Lights.≈ Synonym: Northern Lights🇺🇿UZ: shimoliy qutb yog'dusi🇷🇺RU: северное сияние, the Northern Lights are colourfulcolourful (adj)Having many bright colours.≈ Synonym: vivid🇺🇿UZ: rang-barang🇷🇺RU: красочный lights that appearappear (verb)To start to be seen.≈ Synonym: show up🇺🇿UZ: paydo bo'lmoq🇷🇺RU: появляться in the sky near the North Pole. People who have seen them say it is like watching nature's own fireworksfireworks (noun)Devices that explode to produce colourful light displays.≈ Synonym: pyrotechnics🇺🇿UZ: mushakbozlik, salyut🇷🇺RU: фейерверк show, with colours that dancedance (verb)To move in a lively, rhythmic way.🇺🇿UZ: raqsga tushmoq; o'ynab turmoq (yorug'lik)🇷🇺RU: танцевать; играть (о свете) across the sky in waves and shapes. But what causescause (verb)Makes something happen.≈ Synonym: produces🇺🇿UZ: sabab bo'lmoq🇷🇺RU: вызывать this beautiful light show?

For thousands of years, people did not know the answer. They made upmake up (phrasal verb)To invent a story.≈ Synonym: invent🇺🇿UZ: to'qib chiqarmoq🇷🇺RU: выдумывать stories to explainexplain (verb)To make something clear by describing it.≈ Synonym: clarify🇺🇿UZ: tushuntirmoq🇷🇺RU: объяснить the lights. In Norway, some believedbelieve (verb)To think that something is true.≈ Synonym: think🇺🇿UZ: ishonmoq🇷🇺RU: верить, считать the lights were reflectionsreflection (noun)Images produced by light bouncing off a surface.≈ Synonym: mirror images🇺🇿UZ: aks🇷🇺RU: отражение from the armourarmour (noun)Protective metal covering worn by warriors.≈ Synonym: protective covering🇺🇿UZ: sovut, zirh🇷🇺RU: доспехи, броня of magical creaturescreature (noun)Living beings, especially animals.≈ Synonym: beings🇺🇿UZ: jonzot, mavjudot🇷🇺RU: существо in the sky. In parts of Canada, Indigenousindigenous (adj)Originating naturally in a particular place.≈ Synonym: native🇺🇿UZ: tub, mahalliy (xalq)🇷🇺RU: коренной people thought the lights were the spiritsspirit (noun)Supernatural beings believed to inhabit a place.≈ Synonym: souls🇺🇿UZ: ruh🇷🇺RU: дух of their ancestorsancestor (noun)People from whom one is descended.≈ Synonym: forebears🇺🇿UZ: ajdod🇷🇺RU: предок trying to communicate with them. Even today, the Northern Lights continue to inspireinspire (verb)To fill someone with the urge to create something.≈ Synonym: motivate🇺🇿UZ: ilhomlantirmoq🇷🇺RU: вдохновлять mythsmyth (noun)Traditional stories, especially about ancient history.≈ Synonym: legends🇺🇿UZ: afsona, mif🇷🇺RU: миф and legendslegend (noun)Traditional stories, sometimes based on real events.≈ Synonym: folk tales🇺🇿UZ: rivoyat, afsona🇷🇺RU: легенда.

Science has now solvedsolve (verb)Found the answer to a problem or mystery.≈ Synonym: resolved🇺🇿UZ: hal qilmoq🇷🇺RU: решать the mystery. The Northern Lights are caused by the sun. The sun sends out tinytiny (adj)Very small.≈ Synonym: very small🇺🇿UZ: juda kichik, mitti🇷🇺RU: крошечный particlesparticle (noun)Extremely small pieces of matter.≈ Synonym: tiny fragments🇺🇿UZ: zarra🇷🇺RU: частица called solar windsolar wind (noun)A stream of particles released by the sun.≈ Synonym: solar particles🇺🇿UZ: quyosh shamoli🇷🇺RU: солнечный ветер. When these particles reach Earth, they hit the gasesgas (noun)Substances like air that are not solid or liquid.≈ Synonym: vapours🇺🇿UZ: gaz🇷🇺RU: газ in our atmosphereatmosphere (noun)The layer of gases surrounding a planet.≈ Synonym: air layer🇺🇿UZ: atmosfera🇷🇺RU: атмосфера, such as oxygenoxygen (noun)A gas essential for breathing.≈ Synonym: O2🇺🇿UZ: kislorod🇷🇺RU: кислород and nitrogennitrogen (noun)A colourless gas making up most of the atmosphere.≈ Synonym: N2🇺🇿UZ: azot🇷🇺RU: азот. This creates energy, which we see as light. The colour of the light dependsdepend on (phrasal verb)Is determined or influenced by something.≈ Synonym: relies on🇺🇿UZ: ...ga bog'liq bo'lmoq🇷🇺RU: зависеть от on the type of gas. Oxygen can produceproduce (verb)To make or create something.≈ Synonym: create🇺🇿UZ: hosil qilmoq, ishlab chiqarmoq🇷🇺RU: производить, создавать green or red lights, while nitrogen creates blue or purple colours.

The best places to see the Northern Lights are in countries close to the Arctic CircleArctic Circle (noun)The line of latitude marking the northern polar region.≈ Synonym: northern polar region🇺🇿UZ: Shimoliy qutb doirasi🇷🇺RU: Северный полярный круг, such as Norway, Finland, Iceland, Canada, and parts of Russia. The lights are most often seen during the winter months, when the nights are long and dark. People from all over the world travel to these places in the hope ofin the hope of (phr)Because you want something to happen.≈ Synonym: hoping to🇺🇿UZ: ...umidida🇷🇺RU: в надежде на seeing the aurora with their own eyes.

However, the Northern Lights are not just beautiful. They also help scientistsscientist (noun)People who study and research the natural world.≈ Synonym: researchers🇺🇿UZ: olim🇷🇺RU: учёный study the sun and its effects on Earth. Solar stormssolar storm (noun)Bursts of energy released from the sun.≈ Synonym: geomagnetic storms🇺🇿UZ: quyosh bo'roni🇷🇺RU: солнечная буря, which cause strong auroras, can damage satellitessatellite (noun)Objects placed in orbit to gather or transmit information.≈ Synonym: orbiting devices🇺🇿UZ: sun'iy yo'ldosh🇷🇺RU: спутник and power linespower line (noun)A wire that carries electricity.🇺🇿UZ: elektr uzatish tarmog'i🇷🇺RU: линия электропередачи. By watching the lights, expertsexpert (noun)People with great knowledge in a particular field.≈ Synonym: specialists🇺🇿UZ: mutaxassis, ekspert🇷🇺RU: эксперт can learn more about space weatherspace weather (noun)Conditions in space that can affect technology on Earth.≈ Synonym: solar conditions🇺🇿UZ: kosmik ob-havo🇷🇺RU: космическая погода and how to protectprotect (verb)To keep safe from harm.≈ Synonym: guard🇺🇿UZ: himoya qilmoq🇷🇺RU: защищать technology on Earth.

So, the next time you look up at the night sky, think of the Northern Lights — a natural wonderwonder (noun)A thing that causes amazement.≈ Synonym: marvel🇺🇿UZ: hayrat; mo'jiza🇷🇺RU: удивление; чудо that connects science, history, and human imaginationimagination (noun)The ability to form new ideas or images in the mind.≈ Synonym: creativity🇺🇿UZ: tasavvur🇷🇺RU: воображение.

✍ Summarize the Story

In your own words, write a short summary of what you just read (90–120+ words). Don't copy sentences — explain the main ideas.

0 words
AI Ustoz is reading your summary…
What you did well
    What to improve

      Check Your Understanding — True / False

      Word List — 40 words

      📥 Download PDF

      Every highlighted word from this story with its meaning in Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺, and an example. Tap 🇬🇧 or 🇺🇸 to hear the word or the sentence in a British or American accent.

      #🇬🇧🇺🇿🇷🇺Example
      1
      magicaladjective
      sehrliволшебныйSamarkand looks magical at night.
      2
      aurora borealisnoun
      shimoliy qutb yog'dusiсеверное сияниеSeeing the aurora borealis is on my bucket list.
      3
      colourfuladjective
      rang-barangкрасочныйThe bazaar is full of colourful fabrics.
      4
      appearverb
      paydo bo'lmoqпоявлятьсяStars appear in the sky after sunset.
      5
      fireworksnoun
      mushakbozlik, salyutфейерверкWe watched the fireworks on Independence Day.
      6
      danceverb
      raqsga tushmoq; o'ynab turmoq (yorug'lik)танцевать; играть (о свете)Sunlight danced on the surface of the water.
      7
      causeverb
      sabab bo'lmoqвызыватьToo much stress can cause headaches.
      8
      make upphrasal verb
      to'qib chiqarmoqвыдумыватьShe made up an excuse for being late.
      9
      explainverb
      tushuntirmoqобъяснитьCan you explain this rule again, please?
      10
      believeverb
      ishonmoqверить, считатьPeople once believed the Earth was flat.
      11
      reflectionnoun
      aksотражениеI saw my reflection in the shop window.
      12
      armournoun
      sovut, zirhдоспехи, броняThe museum has the armour of a medieval knight.
      13
      creaturenoun
      jonzot, mavjudotсуществоDragons are imaginary creatures.
      14
      indigenousadjective
      tub, mahalliy (xalq)кореннойThe Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.
      15
      spiritnoun
      ruhдухSome people believe spirits live in old houses.
      16
      ancestornoun
      ajdodпредокMy ancestors came from Khorezm.
      17
      inspireverb
      ilhomlantirmoqвдохновлятьHer story will inspire many young women.
      18
      mythnoun
      afsona, mifмифAncient Greek myths are full of gods and heroes.
      19
      legendnoun
      rivoyat, afsonaлегендаAccording to legend, the city was built in one night.
      20
      solveverb
      hal qilmoqрешатьThe police finally solved the crime.
      21
      tinyadjective
      juda kichik, mittiкрошечныйShe lives in a tiny flat in the city centre.
      22
      particlenoun
      zarraчастицаTiny particles of dust were floating in the air.
      23
      solar windnoun
      quyosh shamoliсолнечный ветерThe solar wind travels at about 400 kilometres per second.
      24
      gasnoun
      gazгазCars produce harmful gases.
      25
      atmospherenoun
      atmosferaатмосфераThe Earth's atmosphere protects us from the sun.
      26
      oxygennoun
      kislorodкислородPlants produce oxygen.
      27
      nitrogennoun
      azotазотAir is mostly nitrogen.
      28
      depend onphrasal verb
      ...ga bog'liq bo'lmoqзависеть отThe price depends on the size.
      29
      produceverb
      hosil qilmoq, ishlab chiqarmoqпроизводить, создаватьBees produce honey.
      30
      Arctic Circlenoun
      Shimoliy qutb doirasiСеверный полярный кругIn summer, the sun never sets inside the Arctic Circle.
      31
      in the hope ofphrase
      ...umididaв надежде наHe moved to Tashkent in the hope of finding a better job.
      32
      scientistnoun
      olimучёныйScientists are worried about rising sea levels.
      33
      solar stormnoun
      quyosh bo'roniсолнечная буряA strong solar storm can stop GPS from working.
      34
      satellitenoun
      sun'iy yo'ldoshспутникWe get TV channels from a satellite.
      35
      power linenoun
      elektr uzatish tarmog'iлиния электропередачиThe storm brought down several power lines.
      36
      expertnoun
      mutaxassis, ekspertэкспертExperts say the economy will grow next year.
      37
      space weathernoun
      kosmik ob-havoкосмическая погодаSpace weather can affect mobile phone signals.
      38
      protectverb
      himoya qilmoqзащищатьWear a hat to protect yourself from the sun.
      39
      wondernoun
      hayrat; mo'jizaудивление; чудоThe children looked at the snow in wonder.
      40
      imaginationnoun
      tasavvurвоображениеUse your imagination to write the story.