Try reading the story below and then answer a few questions to test your understanding of the text in this free English lesson. Don’t miss part two, where you will find out what your astrological sign means about you.
Astrology
A commonly confused word, ‘astrology’ refers to the study of stars, planets, moons and their movements and how they affect the human world. Since none of this can be proven, it is not considered a real science. Don’t get it mixed up with astronomy, the actual study of celestial* objects, using math, physics, and chemistry.
Astrology is based on the sun’s position in the universe when you were born. For example, between March 21 and April 20, the sun sits in the constellation of Aries, so if you are born in this period your star sign is Aries. If you know the time and place of your birth, you can even see your entire birth chart, which tells you where all the planets were at that moment and what they mean about you.
The sun travels a set path throughout the year, and the area it passes through is divided into twelve sections, called the zodiac. Each section is based on the constellation** within it, and astrologists believe it begins on the spring equinox*** on March 21. This makes Aries the first astrological sign in the zodiac.
Each sign is also ‘ruled’ by a specific planet, although since modern astronomy has discovered many new planets, there is a difference between ‘modern’ and ‘traditional’ planet rulings. The signs are grouped into the four elements: air, water, wind, and earth.
Astrologists put out predictions based on your sign and the current position of the stars and planets, called a horoscope. While science has proven that there is no real connection between the stars in the sky and your personality or your future, they are still fun to read and can be read for inspiration rather than as fact. There are also many different horoscopes for the same sign, even for the same day, because the predictions are made by people with different interpretations of the planets.
*celestial: relating to the sky or universe
**constellation: a group of stars that form a pattern
***equinox: two days a year that the sun is directly above the equator (there is a spring and fall equinox)
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