Question

which position of the earth represents a solstice in the figure shown here?
a) middle of summer
b) beginning of autumn
c) beginning of spring
d) beginning of winter

Explanation:

Solstices occur on 21 June (summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere) and 22 December (winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere). These are the start - points of summer and winter respectively. The beginning of autumn (23 September) and beginning of spring (21 March) are equinoxes.

Answer:

A) Middle of summer (Note: There is a mis - understanding. Actually, the start of summer (21 June) is a solstice. But if we assume the options are about the start - of - season labels in the figure, and if the figure labels 22 June as summer (start) and 22 December as winter (start), then the start of summer (which is a solstice) is wrongly labeled as "middle of summer" in option A. Similarly, the start of winter (a solstice) is a valid solstice. If we consider the options as they are, and based on the fact that solstices mark the start of summer and winter seasons in terms of astronomical definitions, and among the given options, "beginning of winter" (if it was correctly labeled as start) is a solstice. But if we go by the date - marking in the figure (22 June - summer, 22 December - winter), and assume the options:
A. If "middle of summer" is a wrong label for 22 June (which is the start of summer - a solstice)
D. Beginning of winter (22 December - a solstice). So the answer is D.