The Reading / Listening - Alien Attack - Level 1

There is a great new job at NASA. It is for a Planetary Protection Officer (PPO). The new PPO will have to make sure no alien life comes to Earth. The PPO will check astronauts and space equipment for alien bacteria. The job is on the usajobs.gov website. The new PPO will get paid up to $187,000 a year. The job is for three to five years. It is a unique job. NASA only has two PPOs. The job is only for U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals.

People must be well qualified for the job. They must have a degree in physical science, engineering or maths. People must have experience in planning and managing important American space programs. Finally, people must have discussion skills that lead to "win-win solutions". The new PPO will help to plan some future NASA missions. One of these is a trip to one of Jupiter's icy moons. This is to search for alien life.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Alien Attack - Level 0,  Alien Attack - Level 2   or  Alien Attack - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/474414000
  • http://nypost.com/2017/08/01/nasa-job-opening-to-protect-earth-from-aliens-has-6-figure-salary/
  • http://www.newsweek.com/nasa-hiring-planetary-protection-officer-save-earth-aliens-645254


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. There is a great new job
  2. make sure no alien
  3. The PPO will check
  4. The job is on the
  5. The new PPO will get paid up
  6. The job is for three
  7. It is a unique
  8. The job is only for
  1. to five years
  2. astronauts
  3. U.S. citizens
  4. job
  5. usajobs.gov website
  6. at NASA
  7. life comes to Earth
  8. to $187,000 a year

Paragraph 2

  1. People must be well
  2. They must have a degree
  3. engineering or
  4. People must have
  5. managing important American space
  6. discussion skills that lead to
  7. plan some future
  8. This is to search for alien
  1. maths
  2. NASA missions
  3. in physical science
  4. programs
  5. qualified for the job
  6. life
  7. experience in planning
  8. "win-win solutions"

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There (1) ___________________ new job at NASA. It is for a Planetary Protection Officer (PPO). The new PPO will have to make (2) ___________________ life comes to Earth. The PPO will (3) ___________________ space equipment for alien bacteria. The job is on the usajobs.gov website. The new PPO will get (4) ___________________ $187,000 a year. The job is for three to five years. It (5) ___________________ job. NASA only has two PPOs. The (6) ___________________ for U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals.

People must be well qualified (7) ___________________. They must have (8) ___________________ physical science, engineering or maths. People must have experience (9) ___________________ managing important American space programs. Finally, people must have discussion skills that lead to "(10) ___________________". The new PPO will help to plan some future NASA missions. (11) ___________________ is a trip to one to Jupiter’s icy moons. This is to search (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThereisagreatnewjobatNASA.ItisforaPlanetaryProtectionOfficer(PP
O).ThenewPPOwillhavetomakesurenoalienlifecomestoEarth.ThePP
Owillcheckastronautsandspaceequipmentforalienbacteria.Thejobis
ontheusajobs.govwebsite.ThenewPPOwillgetpaidupto$187,000aye
ar.Thejobisforthreetofiveyears.Itisauniquejob.NASAonlyhastwoPP
Os.ThejobisonlyforU.S.citizensandU.S.nationals.Peoplemustbewell
qualifiedforthejob.Theymusthaveadegreeinphysicalscience,engine
eringormaths.Peoplemusthaveexperienceinplanningandmanagingi
mportantAmericanspaceprograms.Finally,peoplemusthavediscussi
onskillsthatleadto"win-winsolutions".ThenewPPOwillhelptoplansom
efutureNASAmissions.OneoftheseisatriptoonetoJupiter’sicymoons.
Thisistosearchforalienlife.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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