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2017 ‫מועד דצמבר‬ - 39 - ‫ פרק ראשו ן‬- ‫ אנגלית‬

Reading Comprehension

This part consists of two passages, each followed by several related questions. For each
question, choose the most appropriate answer based on the text.

Text I (Questions 13-17)

(1) The four seasons – winter, spring, summer, and fall – are the subject of countless
songs, poems, and works of art. But many places in the world do not have four seasons.
At the North and South Poles, for example, there are only two seasons. During the
winter, it is extremely cold and most of the days are completely dark. Summer is

(5) somewhat warmer, with continuous daylight. At the equator, on the other hand, the
weather is always hot, and there are an equal number of hours of daylight and darkness
all year round.

In many parts of the world, however, a season is not defined in terms of temperature
or the number of daylight hours. In some countries – such as Costa Rica and the

(10) Philippines – the year is divided into a rainy season and a dry one. In India, there are
three seasons: winter, summer, and the monsoon season, when there are especially
heavy rains and strong winds. In neighboring Bangladesh, there are six seasons,
including the flood season and the drying-out season that follows.

Even people living in the same place sometimes define the seasons in different
(15) ways. For example, in the northern tip of Australia, most people speak of the wet

season, the dry season, and the buildup to the wet season. But the Yolngu, a native
people of the area, divide the year into eight seasons, each with its own pattern of
weather conditions, plant life, and animal behavior. No matter where they live,
however, most people use seasons to mark the passage of time.

Questions

13. According to the first paragraph, the equator.

(1) the days are as long as the nights at
(2) temperatures change from season to season at
(3) spring and fall are very short at
(4) there is nowhere hotter than

)‫© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר‬

.‫ בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה‬- ‫ כולה או חלקים ממנה‬- ‫ או ללמדה‬,‫אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי‬