The Reading / Listening - Sun's Sounds - Level 2

Have you ever thought about what the Sun sounds like? Scientists from the European Space Agency and NASA studied 20 years of data to try to listen to the Sun. They say the Sun produces a sound like a low, deep "heartbeat". The scientists used a special observatory to measure vibrations from the Sun. They then changed these vibrations into different sounds. The scientists will use these to find out what is happening inside the Sun. They will understand more about solar flares, chemical reactions and other things that happen inside the Sun.

The scientists explained how they created the sounds. Researchers turned data from space agencies into a "song". Dr Alex Young said: "We don't have straightforward ways to look inside the Sun...so using a star or the Sun's vibrations allows us to see inside of it." Dr Young continued: "Waves are travelling and bouncing around inside the Sun, and if your eyes were sensitive enough, they could actually see this." He added: "We are finally starting to understand the layers of the Sun and the complexity. That simple sound is giving us a probe inside a star. I think that's a pretty cool thing."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Sun's Sounds - Level 0 Sun's Sounds - Level 1   or  Sun's Sounds - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.space.com/41285-listen-to-the-sun.html
  • http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/sounds-sun-soho-06242.html
  • https://phys.org/news/2018-07-sun.html


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. thought about what
  2. try to listen
  3. a sound like a low, deep
  4. measure vibrations
  5. changed these vibrations
  6. find out what is happening
  7. understand more about solar
  8. things that happen
  1. from the Sun
  2. flares
  3. to the Sun
  4. inside the Sun
  5. "heartbeat"
  6. the Sun sounds like
  7. inside the Sun
  8. into different sounds

Paragraph 2

  1. scientists explained how they
  2. turned data from space agencies
  3. We don't have straightforward
  4. look inside
  5. the Sun's
  6. bouncing
  7. understand the layers
  8. I think that's a pretty
  1. ways
  2. the Sun
  3. of the Sun
  4. cool thing
  5. around
  6. created the sounds
  7. vibrations
  8. into a "song"

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Have you ever thought (1) ___________________ Sun sounds like? Scientists from the European Space Agency and NASA studied 20 (2) ___________________ to try to listen to the Sun. They say the Sun produces a sound (3) ___________________, deep "heartbeat". The scientists used a special observatory (4) ___________________ from the Sun. They then changed these vibrations into different sounds. The scientists will use these (5) ___________________ what is happening inside the Sun. They will understand more about solar flares, (6) ___________________ other things that happen inside the Sun.

The scientists explained (7) ___________________ the sounds. Researchers (8) ___________________ space agencies into a "song". Dr Alex Young said: "We don't have straightforward (9) ___________________ inside the Sun...so using a star or the Sun's vibrations allows us to (10) ___________________ it." Dr Young continued: "Waves are travelling and bouncing around inside the Sun, and if your eyes were sensitive enough, they could actually see this." He added: "We are (11) ___________________ understand the layers of the Sun and the complexity. That simple sound is giving us a probe inside a star. I think that's a (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

HaveyoueverthoughtaboutwhattheSunsoundslike?Scientistsfromth
eEuropeanSpaceAgencyandNASAstudied20yearsofdatatotrytoliste
ntotheSun.TheysaytheSunproducesasoundlikealow,deep"heartbea
t".Thescientistsusedaspecialobservatorytomeasurevibrationsfromt
heSun.Theythenchangedthesevibrationsintodifferentsounds.Thesci
entistswillusethesetofindoutwhatishappeninginsidetheSun.Theywill
understandmoreaboutsolarflares,chemicalreactionsandotherthings
thathappeninsidetheSun.Thescientistsexplainedhowtheycreatedth
esounds.Researchersturneddatafromspaceagenciesintoa"song".Dr
AlexYoungsaid:"Wedon'thavestraightforwardwaystolookinsidetheS
un...sousingastarortheSun'svibrationsallowsustoseeinsideofit."DrY
oungcontinued:"WavesaretravellingandbouncingaroundinsidetheS
un,andifyoureyesweresensitiveenough,theycouldactuallyseethis."
Headded:"WearefinallystartingtounderstandthelayersoftheSunand
thecomplexity.Thatsimplesoundisgivingusaprobeinsideastar.Ithink
that'saprettycoolthing."

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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