Academic Reading
Finding the way: the compass
AThe magnetic compass was one of the most important inventions in the history of travel. A compass needle is a small magnet that swings freely and always comes to rest pointing roughly north-south, because it lines up with the Earth's own magnetic field.
BThe compass was first developed in China, where it was used for navigation and even for arranging buildings. Its arrival in Europe transformed sea travel, allowing sailors to hold a steady course far from land and out of sight of the stars, and so helped to open the great age of ocean exploration.