The Reading / Listening - Space Objects - Level 4

Astronomers think that aliens could be listening to us on Earth. The astronomers look for signs of alien life beyond Earth. They are excited about a giant space object that just passed Earth. It is 800 meters long and 80 meters wide. The rock has many straight lines so it might not have come from nature. It could have been made by alien life. The scientists called the rock Oumuamua. This means 'messenger' in Hawaiian.

The astronomers first spotted Oumuamua travelling at great speed past Earth. It was about 85 times the distance to the Moon, which is very near if you think about the size of the universe. Oumuamua is the first object in our solar system that appears to come from another galaxy. Its high speed suggests it is outside the pull of the Sun. It is unlikely that Oumuamua proves that aliens exist. The rock is a unique event that could offer new secrets.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Space Objects - Level 5 or  Space Objects - Level 6

Sources
  • http://breakthroughinitiatives.org/news/14
  • http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2017/12/scientists_are_watching_oumuamua_an_asteroid_they_think_could_be_an_alien.html
  • https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/alien-probe-or-galactic-driftwood-seti-tunes-in-to-oumuamua/


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. aliens could be listening to
  2. look for signs of alien life
  3. a giant space object that just
  4. The rock has many
  5. it might not have come
  6. It could have been made
  7. The scientists called the
  8. This means 'messenger'
  1. rock Oumuamua
  2. us on Earth
  3. from nature
  4. in Hawaiian
  5. passed Earth
  6. beyond Earth
  7. by alien life
  8. straight lines

Paragraph 2

  1. travelling at great
  2. about 85 times the distance
  3. think about the size of the
  4. the first object in our solar
  5. come from
  6. it is outside the pull
  7. Oumuamua proves that
  8. a unique event that could
  1. another galaxy
  2. system
  3. offer new secrets
  4. of the Sun
  5. to the Moon
  6. aliens exist
  7. speed past Earth
  8. universe

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Astronomers think that (1) ___________________ listening to us on Earth. The astronomers look for (2) ___________________ life beyond Earth. They are excited about (3) ___________________ object that just passed Earth. It is 800 meters long and 80 meters wide. The (4) ___________________ straight lines so it might not (5) ___________________ nature. It could have been made by alien life. The scientists (6) ___________________ Oumuamua. This means 'messenger' in Hawaiian.

The astronomers first spotted Oumuamua travelling (7) ________________ past Earth. It was about 85 times (8) ___________________ the Moon, which is very near if you think about the (9) ___________________ universe. Oumuamua is the first object in our solar system that appears (10) ___________________ another galaxy. Its high speed suggests it is outside the (11) ___________________ Sun. It is unlikely that Oumuamua proves that aliens exist. The rock is a unique event that (12) ___________________ secrets.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AstronomersthinkthatalienscouldbelisteningtousonEarth.Theastron
omerslookforsignsofalienlifebeyondEarth.Theyareexcitedaboutagia
ntspaceobjectthatjustpassedEarth.Itis800meterslongand80meters
wide.Therockhasmanystraightlinessoitmightnothavecomefromnat
ure.Itcouldhavebeenmadebyalienlife.ThescientistscalledtherockOu
muamua.Thismeans'messenger'inHawaiian.Theastronomersfirstsp
ottedOumuamuatravellingatgreatspeedpastEarth.Itwasabout85ti
mesthedistancetotheMoon,whichisveryneariyyouthinkaboutthesize
oftheuniverse.Oumuamuaisthefirstobjectinoursolarsystemthatapp
earstocomefromanothergalaxy.Itshighspeedsuggestsitisoutsidethe
pulloftheSun.ItisunlikelythatOumuamuaprovesthataliensexist.Ther
ockisauniqueeventthatcouldoffernewsecrets.

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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