2 Arctic or Antarctic

Arctic or Antarctic? written by John Lockyer

The Arctic and the Antarctic both have ice, mountains, blizzards, and wild oceans. They are the two coldest places on Earth, but they are different from each other. The Arctic is at the top of the world, and the Antarctic, (which is called Antarctica), is at the bottom of the world. The North Pole is at the middle of the Arctic and the South Pole is at the middle of Antarctica.

Arctic summer The Arctic is an ocean covered with ice and surrounded by land. Antarctica is land that is covered with ice and surrounded by oceans. When it is winter in the Arctic, it is summer in Antarctica. Both places have long, freezing winters when the sun doesn't shine at all. But in the summer, the sun shines all day and all night. The sunlight is so bright that people must wear sunglasses, even at midnight!

icebergs Icebergs are large blocks of ice that float in the sea. They are made from fresh water because they come from frozen rivers called glaciers. The biggest part of an iceberg is under the water. They are different sizes and different shapes. Sometimes they are called ice islands, because they can be as big as enormous buildings. From the Arctic, some icebergs float away to the south, where they can become a danger to ships. Antarctica has huge icebergs that look like big, square blocks. There are also old, rounded icebergs that have turned over in the water.

arctic fox Arctic foxes, wolves, and hares have white fur that matches the snow in winter. In summer, when the ice melts, their fur turns brown like the land. Large herds of reindeer, (which are also called caribou), live in the Arctic, too.

polar bears Polar bears live only in the Arctic along the shores and on the sea ice. They hunt for seals by waiting for them to come up at holes in the ice. They are fast runners and good swimmers. Their thick white fur has hollow hairs that trap warm air close to the polar bear's body. Their huge paws are furry and rough to stop them slipping on the ice and snow.