USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. THE Form. What is the Form of the Earth? It is round, like an orange or a ball. What is the Whole Globe called? A sphere. What is the Half of it called? A hemisphere, or half-sphere. How could you see the whole of an orange at once? By cutting it in two, and placing the halves side by side. How can you see a picture of the whole Globe at once? By placing pictures of the two Hemispheres side by side. (See Nelsons' "Geography and Atlas," Maps I. and II.) Surface. Of what does the Surface of the Globe consist? Of Land and Water. Of which is there most? Of the water: it covers three times as much space as the land. How is the Land-surface of the Globe divided? Into low-lands, which are nearly at the level of the sea; and high-lands, which are much above the level of the sea. How is the Water-surface of the Globe divided? Into the sea, which surrounds the land; and rivers, which drain the land, and flow into the sea. What are Lakes? When a river, on its way to the sea, flows into a deep hollow or basin, it must fill that up be EARTH. What is an Isthmus? A narrow neck of land joining two larger portions. What is a narrow neck of Water joining two larger portions? A Strait. And a passage wider than a Strait? A Channel. What is a Cape? A point of land jutting into the sea. What is a body of Water stretching into the Land? A Gulf or Bay. What is a Mountain? A portion of land rising high above the country around it. What are smaller High-lands? Hills. And Burning-mountains? Volcanoes. What is a tract of country lying between Hills? A Valley or Dale. What is a Plain? A broad portion of country nearly flat or level. If the Plain is high up amongst Hills? A Table-land. (See Geography and Atlas," p. 21.) MOTIONS OF Day and Night.-Is the Earth standing still? No; it is constantly turning round-spinning like a top-carrying everything on it round with it. How much of the Earth gets the sunlight at one time? Only one-haif, because the Earth is round. What is the time called during which any place is in the Sun-light? Day. And when it is out of the Sun-light? Night. THE EARTH. If the Earth did not spin round, what would happen? It would always be day on one side of the Earth, and always night on the other. But since the Earth does spin round? All the parts of it are passing, one after another, into and out of the sun-light; and so day travels round the Earth. What is Sun-rise at any place? The time when that place first comes in sight of the Sun. In what direction does the Earth spin | tions by means of a top? While it round? From west to east. was spinning, I could pass a string So Sun-rise travels round the Earth? round its point and draw it round the From east to west. What is the time when a place is just leaving the Sun-light? Sun-set. What is Noon? The time when the Sun is highest in the heavens; or when a place is right in front of the Sun: also called mid-day. Days and Hours.-What is the interval between Noon to-day and Noon to-morrow? A day. How is a Day divided? Into twentyfour equal parts, called hours. How do we measure Time as it passes? By the clock. What is the end of the first hour after Noon? One o'clock. table. And the coldest? Winter. What makes the difference between Into Summer and Winter? In one part of its onward journey, the Earth receives the sun-light more directly on its northern half than on its southern: then the north has Summer, and the south And each Minute? Into sixty seconds. Sun'-day, or Sab'-bath. The Year and Months.-What motion has the Earth besides its spinning motion? An onward motion round the Sun. What is the case at the opposite point in the journey? The Sun shines more directly on the southern half, and makes it Summer in the south, and Winter in the north. What Season comes between Summer and Winter? Autumn, during which it becomes colder and colder, and the days grow shorter and shorter. And between Winter and Summer? Spring, during which it becomes warmer and warmer, and the days grow longer and longer (See "Geography and At How could you show the two mo- | las," p. 8.) LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. In-stant-ly, at once. Po-lite, well-bred; of good manners. Pur-pose-ly, intentionally. acter. A GENTLEMAN once advertised for a boy to assist him in his office, and nearly fifty applied for the place. Out of the whole number he in a short time chose one, and sent all the rest away. "I should like to know," said a friend, "on what ground you chose that boy. He had not a single recommendation" with him." "You are mistaken," said the gentleman; "he had a great many :— "He wiped his feet when he came in, and closed the door after him; showing that he was orderly and tidy. "He gave up his seat instantly" to that lame old man; showing that he was kind and thoughtful. "He took off his cap when he came in, and answered my questions promptly* and respectfully; showing that he was polite.* "He lifted up the book which I had purposely* laid on the floor, and placed it on the table, while all the rest stepped over it, or shoved it aside; showing that he was careful. And he waited quietly for his turn, instead of pushing the others aside; showing that he was modest. "When I talked with him, I noticed that his clothes were carefully brushed, his hair in nice order, and his teeth as white as milk. When he wrote his name, I observed that his finger-nails were clean, instead of being tipped with jet, like the handsome little fellow's in the blue jacket. "Don't you call these things letters of recommendation? I do; and what I can tell about a boy by using my eyes for ten minutes, is worth more than all the fine letters he can bring me." QUESTIONS.-What did the gentleman advertise for? How many applied for the place? Why was his friend surprised? What was the boy's first recommendation? And his second? And his third? And his fourth? And his fifth? And his sixth? What did the gentleman say was worth more than fine letters? Glass-es, spectacles. business with. Mis-chief, harm; injury. Re-pent-ed, was sorry for what she had done. She'd, she would. Med-dling, touching what she had no Sin-cere-ly, truly; from the heart. Spied, caught sight of. Stub-born, stiff; difficult to open. Qual-i-ties, parts; points of character. Tilt, raise on one side. Re-frain', keep back; forbear. Tin-gling, throbbing with sharp pain. |