The Reading / Listening - Level 3

A solar-powered plane has made history by flying from Japan to Hawaii, a journey of almost 6,500 kilometres. The plane is called Solar Impulse 2. Solar panels that cover the plane convert the sun's rays into power. Scientists hope that all airplanes in the future will fly using solar power. Solar Impulse 2 landed in Hawaii after a 118-hour flight across the Pacific Ocean. Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg tweeted about his feelings after arriving in Hawaii. He wrote: "Just landed in Hawaii with Solar Impulseā€¦.It's a dream coming true." The flight broke the record for the longest journey made by a solo pilot in an unfuelled plane. The previous record was 76 hours, set by American pilot Steve Fossett in 2006.

Solar Impulse 2 is attempting to fly around the world using only solar power. It set off from Abu Dhabi in March and stopped in Oman, India, Myanmar and China. Its next stop will be Arizona in the USA. From there it will fly to New York, before heading to Europe and then back to Abu Dhabi. One of the aims of the journey is to raise awareness about climate change and renewable energy. Solar Impulse 2 co-pilot Bertrand Piccard told the USA Today newspaper that: "The most important thing isn't to make world records. It's to show what we can do with clean technologies." This is important for our planet because airplanes produce around 12 per cent of the CO2 from all sources of transportation.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.newsweek.com/solar-impulse-2-lands-hawaii-eighth-stop-epic-solar-powered-journey-349974
  • http://news.google.com/news/story?cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&topic=w&ncl=dg2XoDApUzlWv6MKAPOClx38SpL1M
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/03/travel/solar-plane-flight/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. SOLAR POWER: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about solar power. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

 

solar / power / make history / flying / journey / pilot / feelings / dream coming true / fly around the world / New York / Europe / Abu Dhabi / climate change / energy / CO2

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. RENEWABLE ENERGY: What do you think of these? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good points

Bad points

Solar

 

 

Wind

 

 

Waves

 

 

Thermal

 

 

Hydrogen cars

 

 

Biomass

 

 

4. SOLAR PLANES: Students A strongly believe solar planes are very safe; Students B strongly believe they are not.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. SOLAR THINGS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • solar airplane
  • solar watch
  • solar car
  • solar ambulance

  • solar street lights
  • solar traffic signals
  • solar train
  • solar mobile phone

6. POWER: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "power". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.

A plane using solar power flew 6,500 km from Hawaii to Japan.

T / F

b.

Scientists say that all planes will be solar-powered by 2020.

T / F

c.

The flight took 118 hours.

T / F

d.

The previous record for an unfuelled flight was 206 hours in 1976.

T / F

e.

Solar Impulse 2 began its journey in Abu Dhabi in March.

T / F

f.

Solar Impulse 2 will end its journey in Abu Dhabi.

T / F

g.

The co-pilot said the most important thing was to break the record.

T / F

h.

Airplanes account for 12% of all CO2 produced by transportation.

T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.

journey

a.

trying

2.

convert

b.

touched down

3.

landed

c.

create

4.

solo

d.

transform

5.

previous

e.

demonstrate

6.

attempting

f.

left

7.

set off

g.

unaccompanied

8.

heading

h.

trip

9.

show

i.

going

10.

produce

j.

earlier

3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.

A solar-powered plane has

a.

about climate change

2.

convert the sun's rays

b.

in Hawaii

3.

Just landed

c.

was 76 hours

4.

The flight broke

d.

to fly around the world

5.

The previous record

e.

of transportation

6.

attempting

f.

made history

7.

raise awareness

g.

technologies

8.

renewable

h.

into power

9.

show what we can do with clean

i.

energy

10.

the CO2 from all sources

j.

the record

GAP FILL

A solar-powered plane has made (1) ____________ by flying from Japan to Hawaii, a journey of almost 6,500 kilometres. The plane is called Solar Impulse 2. Solar (2) ____________ that cover the plane (3) ____________ the sun's rays into power. Scientists hope that all airplanes in the future will fly using solar power. Solar Impulse 2 (4) ____________ in Hawaii after a 118-hour flight across the Pacific Ocean. Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg tweeted about his (5) ____________ after arriving in Hawaii. He wrote: "Just landed in Hawaii with Solar Impulse….It's a dream coming (6) ____________." The flight broke the record for the longest journey made by a (7) ____________ pilot in an unfuelled plane. The (8) ____________ record was 76 hours, set by American pilot Steve Fossett in 2006.

 

convert
solo
feelings
history
previous
panels
landed
true

Solar Impulse 2 is (9) ____________ to fly around the world using only solar power. It set off from Abu Dhabi in March and stopped in Oman, India, Myanmar and China. Its next (10) ____________ will be Arizona in the USA. From there it will fly to New York, before (11) ____________ to Europe and then back to Abu Dhabi. One of the aims of the journey is to raise    (12) ____________ about climate change and renewable energy. Solar Impulse 2 co-pilot Bertrand Piccard told the USA Today newspaper that: "The most (13) ____________ thing isn't to make world records. It's to show what we can do with (14) ____________ technologies." This is important for our planet because airplanes (15) ____________ around 12 per cent of the CO2 from all (16) ____________ of transportation.

 

awareness
sources
stop
produce
important
attempting
heading
clean

 

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)

made history by flying from Japan to Hawaii, ______ almost 6,500 kilometres

 

a.  a journeys of
b.  a journal of
c.  a adjourn knee of
d.  a journey of

2)

Solar panels that cover the plane convert the sun's ______

 

a.  rise into power
b.  rays into power
c.  raves into power
d.  rates into power

3)

Solar Impulse 2 landed in Hawaii after a ______

 

a.  118-hours flight
b.  118-hourly flight
c.  118-hour flight
d.  118-our flight

4)

The flight broke the record for the longest journey ______

 

a.  made of a solo pilot
b.  made from a solo pilot
c.  made and a solo pilot
d.  made by a solo pilot

5)

The previous record was 76 hours, set by American ______

 

a.  pilots Steve Fossett
b.  pie lot Steve Fossett
c.  pile at Steve Fossett
d.  pilot Steve Fossett

6)

Solar Impulse 2 is attempting to fly around the world ______ power

 

a.  use in only solar
b.  using only solar
c.  using lonely solar
d.  use in lonely solar

7)

From there it will fly to New York, before ______

 

a.  head in to Europe
b.  heading too Europe
c.  head in too to Europe
d.  heading to Europe

8)

raise awareness about climate change ______

 

a.  and renewables energy
b.  and renewable energies
c.  and renew able energy
d.  and renewable energy

9)

Piccard told the USA Today newspaper that: "The most important thing isn't ______ records"

 

a.  to make world
b.  to do world
c.  to take world
d.  to brake world

10)

airplanes produce around 12 per cent of the CO2 from ______ transportation

 

a.  all sources of
b.  all sauces of
c.  all source is of
d.  all sauce is of

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

A solar-powered plane has made history (1) ___________________ Japan to Hawaii, a journey of almost 6,500 kilometres. The plane is called Solar Impulse 2. Solar panels (2) ___________________ plane convert the sun's rays into power. Scientists hope that all airplanes in the future will fly using solar power. Solar Impulse 2 landed in Hawaii after (3) ___________________ across the Pacific Ocean. Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg tweeted about his (4) ___________________ arriving in Hawaii. He wrote: "Just landed in Hawaii with Solar Impulse….It's a dream coming true." The flight broke the record for the (5) ___________________ made by a solo pilot in an unfuelled plane. The (6) ___________________ 76 hours, set by American pilot Steve Fossett in 2006.

Solar Impulse 2 (7) ___________________ fly around the world using only solar power. It set off from Abu Dhabi in March and stopped in Oman, India, Myanmar and China. Its (8) ___________________ Arizona in the USA. From there it will fly to New York, before heading to Europe and then back to Abu Dhabi. One (9) ___________________ journey is to raise awareness about climate change and (10) ___________________. Solar Impulse 2 co-pilot Bertrand Piccard told the USA Today newspaper that: "The most important thing isn't to (11) ___________________. It's to show what we can do with clean technologies." This is important for our planet because airplanes produce around 12 per cent of the CO2 (12) ___________________ of transportation.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

How far was the flight from Japan to Hawaii?

2.

What is the plane covered in that makes power from the sun's rays?

3.

How long did it take to fly from Japan to Hawaii?

4.

Where does the pilot come from?

5.

How many hours was the previous record?

6.

Where did Solar Impulse 2 start its journey?

7.

Where will Solar Impulse 2 fly to next?

8.

What kind of energy does Solar Impulse 2 want to raise awareness of?

9.

What kind of technology does the project want to raise awareness of?

10.

How much of transportation CO2 is produced by airplanes?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

How far was the flight from Japan to Hawaii?

6.

Where did Solar Impulse 2 start its journey?

 

a) exactly 6,500km
b) nearly 6,500km
c) about 6,500km
d) just over 6,500km

 

a) Abu Dhabi
b) London
c) Switzerland
d) New York

2.

What is the plane covered in that makes power from the sun's rays?

7.

Where will Solar Impulse 2 fly to next?

 

a) black paint
b) batteries
c) aluminium foil
d) solar panels

 

a) Switzerland
b) New Zealand
c) Arizona
d) China

3.

How long did it take to fly from Japan to Hawaii?

8.

What kind of energy does Solar Impulse 2 want to raise awareness of?

 

a) 116 hours
b) 117 hours
c) 118 hours
d) 119 hours

 

a) renewable
b) nuclear
c) kinetic
d) magnetic

4.

Where does the pilot come from?

9.

What kind of technology does the project want to raise awareness of?

 

a) Switzerland
b) Sweden
c) Swaziland
d) Suriname

 

a) computer
b) information
c) modern
d) clean

5.

How many hours was the previous record?

10.

How much of transportation CO2 is produced by airplanes?

 

a) 2006
b) 76
c) 118
d) 106

 

a) 10%
b) 11%
c) 12%
d) 13%

ROLE PLAY

Role  A – Airplanes
You think airplanes are the best things to use solar power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): ambulances, mobile phones or traffic signals.

Role  B – Ambulances
You think ambulances are the best things to use solar power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): airplanes, mobile phones or traffic signals.

Role  C – Mobile phones
You think mobile phones are the best things to use solar power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): ambulances, airplanes or traffic signals.

Role  D – Traffic signals
You think traffic signals are the best things to use solar power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why):  ambulances, mobile phones or airplanes.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'solar' and 'power'.

solar

power
 
 
 

  • Share your findings with your partners.
  • Make questions using the words you found.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

  • Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?
4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.
5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

  • almost
  • cover
  • 118
  • feelings
  • dream
  • 76
  • set
  • fly
  • raise
  • make
  • clean
  • sources

SOLAR POWER SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about solar power in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.
When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1
_____________

STUDENT 2
_____________

STUDENT 3
_____________

Q.1.
 

 

 

 

Q.2.
 

 

 

 

Q.3.
 

 

 

 

Q.4.
 

 

 

 

Q.5.
 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

SOLAR POWER DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1)

What did you think when you read the headline?

2)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'solar'?

3)

What do you know about the plane Solar Impulse 2?

4)

What do you think about the plane Solar Impulse 2?

5)

Would you like to join the pilot and fly around the world?

6)

How dangerous do you think the flight across the Pacific was?

7)

What's the longest journey you've been on?

8)

How important is solar power?

9)

Which of your dreams would you like to come true?

10)

How safe do you think flying is?

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

11)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

12)

What big adventure would you like to go on?

13)

What do you know about climate change?

14)

What are the dangers of climate change?

15)

What do you do to help the Earth from global warming?

16)

What do you know about renewable energies?

17)

What message do you have for the Solar Impulse 2 pilots?

18)

What do you think flying will be like in 100 years from now?

19)

What more can we do to reduce CO2?

20)

What would you like to ask the pilots of Solar Impulse 2?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

A solar-powered plane has made history (1) ____ flying from Japan to Hawaii, a journey of almost 6,500 kilometres. The plane is called Solar Impulse 2. Solar panels that (2) ____ the plane convert the sun's rays (3) ____ power. Scientists hope that all airplanes (4) ____ the future will fly using solar power. Solar Impulse 2 landed in Hawaii after a 118-hour flight across the Pacific Ocean. Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg tweeted about his feelings after arriving in Hawaii. He wrote: "Just (5) ____ in Hawaii with Solar Impulse….It's a dream coming true." The flight broke the record for the longest journey made by a (6) ____ pilot in an unfuelled plane. The previous record was 76 hours, set by American pilot Steve Fossett in 2006.

Solar Impulse 2 is (7) ____ to fly around the world using only solar power. It set (8) ____ from Abu Dhabi in March and stopped in Oman, India, Myanmar and China. Its next stop will be Arizona in the USA. From there it will fly to New York, before (9) ____ to Europe and then back to Abu Dhabi. One of the aims (10) ____ the journey is to raise awareness about climate change and renewable energy. Solar Impulse 2 co-pilot Bertrand Piccard told the USA Today newspaper that: "The most important thing isn't to (11) ____ world records. It's to show what we can do with clean technologies." This is important for our planet because airplanes produce around 12 per cent of the CO2 from all (12) ____ of transportation.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

from

(b)

as

(c)

at

(d)

by

2.

(a)

hovering

(b)

hover

(c)

covering

(d)

cover

3.

(a)

from

(b)

into

(c)

at

(d)

by

4.

(a)

of

(b)

as

(c)

in

(d)

by

5.

(a)

grounded

(b)

earthed

(c)

landed

(d)

paved

6.

(a)

solo

(b)

lone

(c)

lonely

(d)

soloist

7.

(a)

attempted

(b)

attempting

(c)

attempt

(d)

attempts

8.

(a)

off

(b)

on

(c)

up

(d)

to

9.

(a)

nosing

(b)

heading

(c)

facing

(d)

backing

10.

(a)

to

(b)

by

(c)

of

(d)

as

11.

(a)

fake

(b)

take

(c)

make

(d)

bake

12.

(a)

sores

(b)

sorts

(c)

sauces

(d)

sources

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

a yuoerjn of almost 6,500 kilometres

2.

ertncvo the sun's rays into power

3.

airplanes in the uterfu

4.

Andre Borschberg tweeted about his eilfesng

5.

the lgesotn journey

6.

The uvprseoi record was 76 hours

Paragraph 2

7.

emagtpntti to fly around the world

8.

raise senaewrsa about climate change

9.

awlnerebe energy

10.

The most ptanmiotr thing

11.

what we can do with clean eshgoetnocil

12.

all csseuor of transportation

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

be Arizona in the USA. From there it will fly to New York, before heading to Europe and then back

(    )

was 76 hours, set by American pilot Steve Fossett in 2006.

(    )

off from Abu Dhabi in March and stopped in Oman, India, Myanmar and China. Its next stop will

(    )

thing isn't to make world records. It's to show what we can do with clean technologies." This is important for our

(    )

called Solar Impulse 2. Solar panels that cover the plane convert the sun's rays into power. Scientists hope that

(    )

all airplanes in the future will fly using solar power. Solar Impulse 2 landed in Hawaii after a 118-

(    )

arriving in Hawaii. He wrote: "Just landed in Hawaii with Solar Impulse….It's a dream coming true." The flight broke

(    )

energy. Solar Impulse 2 co-pilot Bertrand Piccard told the USA Today newspaper that: "The most important

(    )

Solar Impulse 2 is attempting to fly around the world using only solar power. It set

(    )

the record for the longest journey made by a solo pilot in an unfuelled plane. The previous record

(    )

planet because airplanes produce around 12 per cent of the CO2 from all sources of transportation.

(    )

hour flight across the Pacific Ocean. Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg tweeted about his feelings after

(    )

to Abu Dhabi. One of the aims of the journey is to raise awareness about climate change and renewable

1  )

A solar-powered plane has made history by flying from Japan to Hawaii, a journey of almost 6,500 kilometres. The plane is

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

Japan  by  has  flying  made  powered  A  from  history   plane  solar-.  

2.

panels   that   cover   the   plane   convert   the   sun's   rays   Solar   .  

3.

using   solar   power   All   airplanes   in   the   future   will   fly   .  

4.

after   feelings   his   about   tweeted   Borschberg   arriving   .  

5.

a   journey  for  Broke  solo  made  the  the  pilot  by  longest  record  .

6.

solar   to   the   only   Attempting   around   using   power  fly   world  .

7.

aims   the   of   One   awareness   raise   to   is   journey   the   of   .  

8.

world   The   thing   make   important   to   records   most   isn't   .  

9.

do   with   clean   technologies   .   It's   to   show   what   we   can

10.

cent   CO2   produce   per   the   Airplanes   12   of   around   .  

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

A solar-powered plane has made / making history by flying from Japan to Hawaii, a journey / journeyed of almost 6,500 kilometres. The plane is called Solar Impulse 2. Solar panels that covering / cover the plane convert the sun's rays into power / powerful. Scientists hope that all airplanes in the future will fly usage / using solar power. Solar Impulse 2 landed in Hawaii after a 118-hour flight / flights across the Pacific Ocean. Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg tweeted about his feelings later / after arriving in Hawaii. He wrote: "Just landed in Hawaii with Solar Impulse….It's a dream coming true / truth." The flight broke the record for the longest journey made by a solo / alone pilot in an unfuelled plane. The previous record was 76 hours, get / set by American pilot Steve Fossett in 2006.

Solar Impulse 2 is attempted / attempting to fly around the world using only solar power. It set on / off from Abu Dhabi in March and stopping / stopped in Oman, India, Myanmar and China. Its next stop will go / be Arizona in the USA. From there it will flight / fly to New York, before heading to Europe and then back to Abu Dhabi. One of / for the aims of the journey is to raise awareness about climate change and renewing / renewable energy. Solar Impulse 2 co-pilot Bertrand Piccard told / tell the USA Today newspaper that: "The most important thing isn't to make world records. It's to show what we can do with dirty / clean technologies." This is important for our planet because airplanes produce around 12 per cent of the CO2 from all sources / sauces of transportation.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

_ s_l_r-p_w_r_d pl_n_ h_s m_d_ h_st_ry by fly_ng fr_m J_p_n t_ H_w___, _ j__rn_y _f _lm_st 6,500 k_l_m_tr_s. Th_ pl_n_ _s c_ll_d S_l_r _mp_ls_ 2. S_l_r p_n_ls th_t c_v_r th_ pl_n_ c_nv_rt th_ s_n's r_ys _nt_ p_w_r. Sc__nt_sts h_p_ th_t _ll __rpl_n_s _n th_ f_t_r_ w_ll fly _s_ng s_l_r p_w_r. S_l_r _mp_ls_ 2 l_nd_d _n H_w___ _ft_r _ 118-h__r fl_ght _cr_ss th_ P_c_f_c _c__n. Sw_ss p_l_t _ndr_ B_rschb_rg tw__t_d _b__t h_s f__l_ngs _ft_r _rr_v_ng _n H_w___. H_ wr_t_: "J_st l_nd_d _n H_w___ w_th S_l_r _mp_ls_…._t's _ dr__m c_m_ng tr__." Th_ fl_ght br_k_ th_ r_c_rd f_r th_ l_ng_st j__rn_y m_d_ by _ s_l_ p_l_t _n _n _nf__ll_d pl_n_. Th_ pr_v___s r_c_rd w_s 76 h__rs, s_t by _m_r_c_n p_l_t St_v_ F_ss_tt _n 2006.
S_l_r _mp_ls_ 2 _s _tt_mpt_ng t_ fly _r__nd th_ w_rld _s_ng _nly s_l_r p_w_r. _t s_t _ff fr_m _b_ Dh_b_ _n M_rch _nd st_pp_d _n _m_n, _nd__, My_nm_r _nd Ch_n_. _ts n_xt st_p w_ll b_ _r_z_n_ _n th_ _S_. Fr_m th_r_ _t w_ll fly t_ N_w Y_rk, b_f_r_ h__d_ng t_ __r_p_ _nd th_n b_ck t_ _b_ Dh_b_. _n_ _f th_ __ms _f th_ j__rn_y _s t_ r__s_ _w_r_n_ss _b__t cl_m_t_ ch_ng_ _nd r_n_w_bl_ _n_rgy. S_l_r _mp_ls_ 2 c_-p_l_t B_rtr_nd P_cc_rd t_ld th_ _S_ T_d_y n_wsp_p_r th_t: "Th_ m_st _mp_rt_nt th_ng _sn't t_ m_k_ w_rld r_c_rds. _t's t_ sh_w wh_t w_ c_n d_ w_th cl__n t_chn_l_g__s." Th_s _s _mp_rt_nt f_r __r pl_n_t b_c__s_ __rpl_n_s pr_d_c_ _r__nd 12 p_r c_nt _f th_ C_2 fr_m _ll s__rc_s _f tr_nsp_rt_t__n.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

a solar-powered plane has made history by flying from japan to hawaii a journey of almost 6500 kilometres the plane is called solar impulse 2 solar panels that cover the plane convert the sun's rays into power scientists hope that all airplanes in the future will fly using solar power solar impulse 2 landed in hawaii after a 118-hour flight across the pacific ocean swiss pilot andre borschberg tweeted about his feelings after arriving in hawaii he wrote "just landed in hawaii with solar impulse…it's a dream coming true" the flight broke the record for the longest journey made by a solo pilot in an unfuelled plane the previous record was 76 hours set by american pilot steve fossett in 2006

solar impulse 2 is attempting to fly around the world using only solar power it set off from abu dhabi in march and stopped in oman india myanmar and china its next stop will be arizona in the usa from there it will fly to new york before heading to europe and then back to abu dhabi one of the aims of the journey is to raise awareness about climate change and renewable energy solar impulse 2 co-pilot bertrand piccard told the usa today newspaper that "the most important thing isn't to make world records it's to show what we can do with clean technologies" this is important for our planet because airplanes produce around 12 per cent of the co2 from all sources of transportation

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Asolar-poweredplanehasmadehistorybyflyingfromJapantoHaw
aii,ajourneyofalmost6,500kilometres.TheplaneiscalledSolarImpuls
e2.Solarpanelsthatcovertheplaneconvertthesun'sraysintopower.Sc
ientistshopethatallairplanesinthefuturewillflyusingsolarpower.Solar
Impulse2landedinHawaiiaftera118-hourflightacrossthePacificOc
ean.SwisspilotAndreBorschbergtweetedabouthisfeelingsafterarrivi
nginHawaii.Hewrote:"JustlandedinHawaiiwithSolarImpulse….It'sad
reamcomingtrue."Theflightbroketherecordforthelongestjourneyma
debyasolopilotinanunfuelledplane.Thepreviousrecordwas76hours,s
etbyAmericanpilotSteveFossettin2006.SolarImpulse2isattemptingt
oflyaroundtheworldusingonlysolarpower.ItsetofffromAbuDhabiinM
archandstoppedinOman,India,MyanmarandChina.Itsnextstopwillb
eArizonaintheUSA.FromthereitwillflytoNewYork,beforeheadingtoEu
ropeandthenbacktoAbuDhabi.Oneoftheaimsofthejourneyistoraisea
warenessaboutclimatechangeandrenewableenergy.SolarImpulse2
co-pilotBertrandPiccardtoldtheUSATodaynewspaperthat:"Themo
stimportantthingisn'ttomakeworldrecords.It'stoshowwhatwecando
withcleantechnologies."Thisisimportantforourplanetbecauseairplan
esproducearound12percentoftheCO2fromallsourcesoftransportatio
n.

FREE WRITING

Write about solar power for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.
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ACADEMIC WRITING

Compare solar power, wind power and power from oil? Which is better? Why?
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HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about the Solar Impulse 2 airplane. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. SOLAR POWER: Make a poster about solar power. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. SOLAR PLANES: Write a magazine article about solar airplanes. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against them.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on solar power. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to use solar power. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

  • News
  • Warm ups
  • Pre-reading / Post-reading
  • Using headlines
  • Working with words
  • While-reading / While-listening
  • Moving from text to speech
  • Post-reading / Post-listening
  • Discussions
  • Using opinions
  • Plans
  • Language
  • Using lists
  • Using quotes
  • Task-based activities
  • Role plays
  • Using the central characters in the article
  • Using themes from the news
  • Homework

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

F

e

T

f

T

g

F

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

journey

a.

trip

2

convert

b.

transform

3.

landed

c.

touched down

4.

solo

d.

unaccompanied

5.

previous

e.

earlier

6.

attempting

f.

trying

7.

set off

g.

left

8.

heading

h.

going

9.

show

i.

demonstrate

10.

produce

j.

create

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

Almost 6,500 kilometres

2.

Solar panels

3.

118 hours

4.

Switzerland

5.

76

6.

Abu Dhabi

7.

Arizona

8.

Renewable energy

9.

Clean technology

10.

12%

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

d

3.

c

4.

a

5.

b

6.

a

7.

c

8.

a

9.

d

10.

c

ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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