Why Does the Sun Rise and Set? | A2 ESL Science Reading Passage

Use this A2-B1 ESL science reading passage to learn why the Sun rises and sets. It includes key vocabulary, reading comprehension questions, and answers for English learners.

The Sun appears to rise and set because Earth rotates.

Reading Level

A2-B1

Word Count

192 words

Reading Passage

In the morning, the Sun seems to come up into the sky. In the evening, it seems to go down. We call these times sunrise and sunset.

The Sun does not really move around Earth each day. Instead, Earth rotates. Earth rotates once every day. As Earth turns, different places face the Sun.

When your part of Earth turns toward the Sun, sunlight reaches you. The Sun seems to rise near the horizon. This is the beginning of daytime.

During the day, Earth keeps rotating. The Sun seems to move across the sky, but this is because Earth is turning. Later, your part of Earth turns away from the Sun. The Sun seems to set near the horizon, and night begins.

When a place faces the Sun, it has daylight. When that place turns away, sunlight cannot reach it well. This is why day changes into night.

This same rotation also helps explain changing shadows and time zones. Places face the Sun at different times, so they can have morning, afternoon, or night at different times.

The Sun rises and sets because Earth rotates, not because the Sun circles Earth each day.

Earth's rotation makes the Sun appear to rise and set.

Key Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example
sunrise	the time when the Sun appears in the morning	Sunrise begins the day.
sunset	the time when the Sun seems to go down in the evening	The sky can look orange at sunset.
rotate	to turn around its own center	Earth rotates once each day.
horizon	the line where the sky seems to meet the land or sea	The Sun rises near the horizon.
daylight	light from the Sun during the day	Daylight helps us see outside.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What do we call the time when the Sun appears in the morning?
2. Does the Sun really move around Earth each day?
3. What does Earth do once every day?
4. What is the horizon?
5. Why does the Sun seem to rise and set?

Answers

1. We call it sunrise.
2. No, the Sun does not really move around Earth each day.
3. Earth rotates once every day.
4. The horizon is the line where the sky seems to meet the land or sea.
5. The Sun seems to rise and set because Earth rotates.

Short Summary

The Sun appears to rise and set because Earth rotates. Different places face the Sun at different times.

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