The Reading / Listening - Saturn - Level 6

Astronomers have promoted Saturn as the planet with the most moons. Saturn has overtaken the solar system's largest planet Jupiter as the "king of the moons". The astronomers recently discovered 20 new moons orbiting Saturn, which brings the planet's total number to 82. This edges out Jupiter, with 79 celestial bodies, into second place. Each of the newly-discovered moons is at least 5km in diameter. Seventeen of them orbit Saturn backwards and take more than three years to complete one orbit of Saturn. The astronomers found the moons using the powerful Subaru telescope, located on Hawaii. The research team will now look for moons that are around a kilometer in diameter.

Lead astronomer Dr Scott Sheppard commented on the perceived origins of the new moons. He said: "We don't think they formed with the planet. We think they were captured by the planet in the past." He posited that Saturn sucked in a swirling mixture of gas and dust to form the moons. Dr Shepperd added: "We think these moons interacted with that gas and dust. These were comets or asteroids that happened to be passing by....They were captured into orbits around the planet rather than falling into the planet. We think these are the last remnants of what formed Saturn." The moons will be named in a competition after giants from Gallic, Inuit and Norse mythology.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Saturn - Level 4  or  Saturn - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49962134
  • https://www.space.com/saturn-20-newfound-moons-naming-contest.html
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/10/07/saturn-moons-20-new-moons-planet-now-has-more-moons-than-jupiter/3902220002/


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. SATURN: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Saturn. 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?
       astronomer / planet / moon / Saturn / Jupiter / diameter / celestial body / telescope /
       origins / the past / mixture / gas / dust / asteroids / remnants / giants / mythology
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. EARTH: Students A strongly believe we should spend money of saving Earth, not researching space; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SPACE: How important is it to explore these things? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Importance

Why?

The moon

 

 

The Sun

 

 

Mars

 

 

Asteroids

 

 

The Milky Way

 

 

Other galaxies

 

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

5. KING: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "king". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CELESTIAL THINGS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most interesting celestial things at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • planet
  • comet
  • asteroid
  • star
  • moon
  • sun
  • space dust
  • black holes

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. astronomer a. Advance or raise someone to a higher position or rank.
      2. promoted b. One lap of a satellite, spacecraft, moon or other space object around a star, planet or moon.
      3. solar system c. Someone who is an expert on planets, stars, space and the universe.
      4. orbit d. A straight line passing from side to side through the center of a circle.
      5. celestial body e. Planets, asteroids, comets, etc. in space.
      6. diameter f. An instrument with lenses designed to make distant objects appear nearer.
      7. telescope g. The collection of eight planets and their moons in orbit around our sun.

    Paragraph 2

      8. perceived h. A set of traditional stories or beliefs about a particular person.
      9. origins i. Put forward as a basis of an argument.
      10. captured j. Moving in a twisting or spiraling pattern.
      11. posited k. Interpreted or looked on someone or something in a particular way.
      12. swirling l. The beginnings of something.
      13. remnants m. A small remaining quantity of something.
      14. mythology n. Recorded or expressed accurately in words or pictures.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Astronomers promoted Saturn to being the planet with the most moons.  T / F
  2. The article called Saturn "the king of moons".     T / F
  3. Saturn now has a total of 79 moons.     T / F
  4. The astronomers used a Subaru telescope on a volcano in Japan.     T / F
  5. An astronomer said the moons were created as Saturn was created.     T / F
  6. Saturn may have sucked in the moons from a mix of gas and dust.     T / F
  7. An astronomer said the moons are the first remnants of Saturn.     T / F
  8. The new planets will be named after giants from Hawaiian mythology.     T / F

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

  1. promoted
  2. overtaken
  3. discovered
  4. orbit
  5. located
  6. lead
  7. origins
  8. posited
  9. remnants
  10. competition
  1. beginnings
  2. situated
  3. leftovers
  4. eclipsed
  5. go around
  6. hypothesize
  7. elevated
  8. contest
  9. head
  10. located

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

  1. the solar system's
  2. 20 new moons
  3. This edges
  4. Each of the newly-
  5. three years to complete one
  6. the perceived origins of
  7. Saturn sucked in a swirling mixture
  8. comets or asteroids that happened
  9. the last remnants of what
  10. giants from Gallic, Inuit and Norse
  1. of gas and dust
  2. discovered moons
  3. mythology
  4. out Jupiter
  5. largest planet
  6. formed Saturn
  7. orbiting Saturn
  8. orbit of Saturn
  9. the new moons
  10. to be passing by

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
overtaken
bodies
complete
orbiting
telescope
promoted
edges
diameter

Astronomers have (1) ____________ Saturn as the planet with the most moons. Saturn has (2) ____________ the solar system's largest planet Jupiter as the "king of the moons". The astronomers recently discovered 20 new moons (3) ____________ Saturn, which brings the planet's total number to 82. This (4) ____________ out Jupiter, with 79 celestial (5) ____________, into second place. Each of the newly-discovered moons is at least 5km in (6) ____________. Seventeen of them orbit Saturn backwards and take more than three years to (7) ____________ one orbit of Saturn. The astronomers found the moons using the powerful Subaru (8) ____________, located on Hawaii. The research team will now look for moons that are around a kilometer in diameter.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
mixture
interacted
asteroids
remnants
perceived
mythology
captured
planet

Lead astronomer Dr Scott Sheppard commented on the (9) ____________ origins of the new moons. He said: "We don't think they formed with the planet. We think they were (10) ____________ by the planet in the past." He posited that Saturn sucked in a swirling (11) ____________ of gas and dust to form the moons. Dr Shepperd added: "We think these moons (12) ____________ with that gas and dust. These were comets or (13) ____________ that happened to be passing by....They were captured into orbits around the (14) ____________ rather than falling into the planet. We think these are the last (15) ____________ of what formed Saturn." The moons will be named in a competition after giants from Gallic, Inuit and Norse (16) ____________.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Astronomers have promoted Saturn as the planet with ______
     a.  the must moons
     b.  the mast moons
     c.  the mist moons
     d.  the most moons
2)  Saturn has overtaken the solar system's largest planet Jupiter as the "______"
     a.  kings of the moons
     b.  king of the moons
     c.  kingly of the moons
     d.  kin of the moons
3)  The astronomers recently discovered 20 new moons ______
     a.  orbit in Saturn
     b.  orbiting Saturn
     c.  orbited Saturn
     d.  orb it in Saturn
4)  Each of the newly-discovered moons is at least ______
     a.  5km in diameter
     b.  5km on diameter
     c.  5km an diameter
     d.  5km by diameter
5)  The astronomers found the moons using the powerful Subaru telescope, ______
     a.  locates on Hawaii
     b.  located on Hawaii
     c.  locating on Hawaii
     d.  location on Hawaii

6)  Lead astronomer Dr Scott Sheppard commented on the ______
     a.  perceived origins
     b.  perceive origins
     c.  received origins
     d.  receives origins
7)  We don't think they formed with the planet. We think they were ______ planet
     a.  raptured by the
     b.  punctured by the
     c.  lectured by the
     d.  captured by the
8)  He posited that Saturn sucked in a ______
     a.  swilling mixture
     b.  twirling mixture
     c.  swinging mixture
     d.  swirling mixture
9)  These were comets or asteroids that happened to ______
     a.  be passing on
     b.  be passing by
     c.  be passing up
     d.  be passing down
10)  The moons will be named in a competition after giants from Gallic, Inuit and ______
     a.  Swede mythology
     b.  south mythology
     c.  north mythology
     d.  Norse mythology

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Astronomers (1) ___________________ as the planet with the most moons. Saturn has overtaken the solar system's largest planet Jupiter as the "king of the moons". The astronomers (2) ___________________ new moons orbiting Saturn, which brings the planet's (3) ___________________ 82. This edges out Jupiter, with (4) ___________________, into second place. Each of the newly-discovered moons is at least 5km in diameter. Seventeen of them orbit Saturn backwards and take more than three years to complete (5) ___________________ Saturn. The astronomers found the moons using the powerful Subaru telescope, located on Hawaii. The research team will now look for moons that are around a (6) ___________________.

Lead astronomer Dr Scott Sheppard commented (7) ___________________ origins of the new moons. He said: "We don't think they formed with the planet. We think they (8) ___________________ the planet in the past." He posited that Saturn sucked in a (9) ___________________ gas and dust to form the moons. Dr Shepperd added: "We think these moons interacted with that gas and dust. These were (10) ___________________ that happened to be passing by....They were captured into orbits around the planet rather than falling into the planet. We think these are (11) ___________________ of what formed Saturn." The moons will be named in a competition (12) ___________________ Gallic, Inuit and Norse mythology.

Comprehension questions

  1. Which planet previously had the most moons?
  2. How many moons does Saturn now have?
  3. What is the diameter of each of the newly-found moons?
  4. How long do 17 of the moons take to do one orbit of Saturn?
  5. What will the research team now look for?
  6. What did an astronomer comment on?
  7. What did Saturn suck in a swirling mixture of?
  8. What did an astronomer say was sucked in as they were passing by?
  9. What did the astronomer say asteroids were the last remnants of?
  10. How will the names of the new moons be decided?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  Which planet previously had the most moons?
a) Mars
b) Jupiter
c) Mercury
d) Neptune
2)  How many moons does Saturn now have?
a) 56
b) 20
c) 79
d) 82
3) What is the diameter of each of the newly-found moons?
a) at least 5km
b) around 50km
c) just less than 5km
d) just under 3km
4) How long do 17 of the moons take to do one orbit of Saturn?
a) three or four years
b) just less than three years
c) more than three years
d) exactly three years

5) What will the research team now look for?
a) asteroids and comets
b) moons of 1km in diameter
c) new planets
d) more moons on Jupiter

6) What did an astronomer comment on?
a) the origins on the moon
b) the size of the moon
c) the future of space
d) black holes
7) What did Saturn suck in a swirling mixture of?
a) light waves and dust
b) hydrogen and helium
c) gas and dust
d) gas and light waves
8) What did an astronomer say was sucked in as they were passing by?
a) asteroids and comets
b) satellites and space dust
c) space dust and helium
d) smaller planets
9) What did the astronomer say asteroids were the last remnants of?
a) what formed Saturn
b) a black hole
c) a space collision
d) an asteroid shower
10) How will the names of the new moons be decided?
a) by an ordered list
b) randomly by a computer
c) by the head of NASA
d) by a competition

Role play

Role  A – Planets
You think planets are the most interesting things in space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): asteroids, black holes or stars.

Role  B – Asteroids
You think asteroids are the most interesting things in space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): planets, black holes or stars.

Role  C – Black Holes
You think black holes are the most interesting things in space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): asteroids, planets or stars.

Role  D – Stars
You think stars are the most interesting things in space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): asteroids, black holes or planets.

After reading / listening

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

'planet'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'moon'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • promoted
    • king
    • brings
    • second
    • complete
    • look
    • lead
    • formed
    • mixture
    • think
    • last
    • giants

    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 - Saturn now the planet with the most moons

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'planet'?
    3. What do you know about Saturn?
    4. How interested are you in space?
    5. Why does one planet have so many moons?
    6. What do you think of Earth's moon?
    7. What experiences do you have with telescopes?
    8. Is something that is 5km in diameter really a moon?
    9. Why do scientists want to know about space?
    10. Would you like to work as an astronomer?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'moon'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of astronomy?
    5. What do you know about Jupiter?
    6. What do you know about comets and asteroids?
    7. What would you really like to know about space?
    8. Do you have a favorite planet?
    9. What kinds of names would you give the moons?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the astronomers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Astronomers have (1) ____ Saturn as the planet with the most moons. Saturn has overtaken the (2) ____ system's largest planet Jupiter as the "king of the moons". The astronomers recently discovered 20 new moons orbiting Saturn, which brings the planet's total number to 82. This (3) ____ out Jupiter, with 79 celestial bodies, into second place. Each of the newly-discovered moons is at least 5km (4) ____ diameter. Seventeen of them orbit Saturn backwards and take more than three years to (5) ____ one orbit of Saturn. The astronomers found the moons using the powerful Subaru telescope, (6) ____ on Hawaii. The research team will now look for moons that are around a kilometer in diameter.

    Lead astronomer Dr Scott Sheppard commented on the (7) ____ origins of the new moons. He said: "We don't think they formed with the planet. We think they were captured (8) ____ the planet in the past." He posited that Saturn sucked in a (9) ____ mixture of gas and dust to form the moons. Dr Shepperd added: "We think these moons interacted with that gas and dust. These were comets or asteroids that (10) ____ to be passing by....They were captured into orbits around the planet rather than falling into the planet. We think these are the last (11) ____ of what formed Saturn." The moons will be named in a competition after giants from Gallic, Inuit and Norse (12) ____.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     prompted     (b)     promoted     (c)     premiered     (d)     primed    
    2. (a)     stellar     (b)     solar     (c)     sailor     (d)     seller    
    3. (a)     lines     (b)     borders     (c)     rims     (d)     edges    
    4. (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     at     (d)     by    
    5. (a)     tilt     (b)     rotate     (c)     circle     (d)     complete    
    6. (a)     discovered     (b)     mapped     (c)     located     (d)     figured    
    7. (a)     perceived     (b)     recovered     (c)     conceived     (d)     discovered    
    8. (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     by     (d)     at    
    9. (a)     swallowing     (b)     swooning     (c)     swishing     (d)     swirling    
    10. (a)     happened     (b)     occurred     (c)     taken     (d)     located    
    11. (a)     remnants     (b)     dormant     (c)     servants     (d)     gradients    
    12. (a)     mythology     (b)     anthology     (c)     pathology     (d)     lithology

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. tsreanmsroo have promoted Saturn
    2. 20 new moons rbiingto Saturn
    3. 79 aeistlelc bodies
    4. each of the newly-osddevicer moons
    5. using the powerful Subaru tpceesole
    6. around a kilometer in dmiearet

    Paragraph 2

    1. the rveceidpe origins of the new moons
    2. they were tdpcurae by the planet
    3. a iirsgwnl mixture of gas and dust
    4. comets or drtsasoie
    5. the last msatnern of what formed Saturn
    6. Gallic, Inuit and Norse ythgymolo

    Put the text back together

    (...)  be named in a competition after giants from Gallic, Inuit and Norse mythology.
    (...)  think they formed with the planet. We think they were captured by the planet in the
    (...)  diameter. Seventeen of them orbit Saturn backwards and take more than three years to complete one
    (...)  celestial bodies, into second place. Each of the newly-discovered moons is at least 5km in
    (...)  past." He posited that Saturn sucked in a swirling mixture of gas and dust to form the moons. Dr Shepperd added: "We think
    (  1  ) Astronomers have promoted Saturn as the planet with the most moons. Saturn has overtaken the solar
    (...)  on Hawaii. The research team will now look for moons that are around a kilometer in diameter.
    (...)  Lead astronomer Dr Scott Sheppard commented on the perceived origins of the new moons. He said: "We don't
    (...)  happened to be passing by....They were captured into orbits around the planet rather than falling
    (...)  orbit of Saturn. The astronomers found the moons using the powerful Subaru telescope, located
    (...)  moons orbiting Saturn, which brings the planet's total number to 82. This edges out Jupiter, with 79
    (...)  system's largest planet Jupiter as the "king of the moons". The astronomers recently discovered 20 new
    (...)  these moons interacted with that gas and dust. These were comets or asteroids that
    (...)  into the planet. We think these are the last remnants of what formed Saturn." The moons will

    Put the words in the right order

    1. largest   has   Saturn   solar   planet   .   system's   overtaken   the
    2. Saturn  .  orbiting  recently  Astronomers  20  new   discovered   moons
    3. Three   complete   orbit   one   Saturn   .   years   to   of
    4. using   telescope   .   found   the   Astronomers   the   moons   powerful
    5. research   will   team   The   moons   .   for   now   look
    6. the   perceived   of   Commented   the   moons   .   on   origins
    7. these   We   think   interacted   gas   .   moons   that   with
    8. orbits   They   around   the   planet   .   into   captured   were
    9. Saturn   .   remnants   The   what   of   last   formed
    10. competition   .   will   a   in   named   be   moons   The

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Astronomers have prompted / promoted Saturn as the planet with the most moons. Saturn has overtaken / overtook the solar system's largest planet Jupiter as the "king of the moons". The astronomers recent / recently discovered 20 new moons orbiting Saturn, which brings the planet's total number / orbit to 82. This edges out Jupiter, with 79 celestial / celery bodies, into second place / part. Each of the newly-discovered moons is at least 5km in / on diameter. Seventeen of them orbit Saturn backwards and take more than three years to compete / complete one orbit of Saturn. The astronomers found the moons using the powerful Subaru telescope, locating / located on Hawaii. The research team will now look for moons that / what are around a kilometer in diameter.

    Lead astronomer Dr Scott Sheppard commented on the perception / perceived origins of the new moons. He said: "We don't think they formed / framed with the planet. We think they were captured / captive by the planet in the past." He posited / posit that Saturn sucked in a sterling / swirling mixture of gas and dust to form the moons. Dr Shepperd added: "We think these moons interacted with these / that gas and dust. These were comets or asteroids that happened / occurred to be passing by....They were captured into orbits around the planet rather / instead than falling into the planet. We think these are the last remnants / rumors of what formed Saturn." The moons will be named in a competition after gigantic / giants from Gallic, Inuit and Norse mythology.

    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)

    A s t r_n_m_r s h_v_ p r_m_t_d S_t_r n _s t h_ p l_n_t w_t h t h_ m_s t m__ n s . S_t_r n h_s _v_r t_k_n t h_ s_l_r s y s t_m ' s l_r g_s t p l_n_t J_p_t_r _s t h_ " k_n g _f t h_ m__ n s " . T h_ _s t r_n_m_r s r_c_n t l y d_s c_v_r_d 2 0 n_w m__ n s _r b_t_n g S_t_r n , w h_c h b r_n g s t h_ p l_n_t ' s t_t_l n_m b_r t_ 8 2 . T h_s _d g_s __ t J_p_t_r , w_t h 7 9 c_l_s t__ l b_d__ s , _n t_ s_c_n d p l_c_. E_c h _f t h_ n_w l y - d_s c_v_r_d m__ n s _ s _t l__ s t 5 k m _n d__ m_t_r . S_v_n t__ n _f t h_m _r b_t S_t_r n b_c k w_r d s _n d t_k_ m_r_ t h_n t h r__ y__ r s t_ c_m p l_t_ _n_ _r b_t _f S_t_r n . T h_ _s t r_n_m_r s f__ n d t h_ m__ n s _s_n g t h_ p_w_r f_l S_b_r_ t_l_s c_p_, l_c_t_d _n H_w___. T h_ r_s__ r c h t__ m w_l l n_w l__ k f_r m__ n s t h_t _r_ _r__ n d _ k_l_m_t_r _n d__ m_t_r .

    L__ d  _s t r_n_m_r   D r   S c_t t   S h_p p_r d   c_m m_n t_d  _n   t h_  p_r c__ v_d  _r_g_n s  _f   t h_  n_w   m__ n s .   H_  s__ d :   " W_  d_n ' t   t h_n k   t h_y   f_r m_d   w_t h   t h_  p l_n_t .   W_  t   h_n k   t h_y   w_r_  c_p t_r_d   b y   t h_  p l_n_t  _n   t h_  p_s t . "   H_  p_s_t_d   t h_t   S_t_r n   s_c k_d  _n  _  s w_r l_n g   m_x t_r_ _f   g_s  _n d   d_s t   t_  f_r m   t h_  m__ n s .   D r   S h_p p_r d  _d d_d :   " W_  t h_n k   t h_s_  m__ n s  _n t_r_c t_d   w_t h   t h_t   g_s  _n d   d_s t .   T h_s_  w_r_  c_m_t s  _r  _s t_r__ d s   t h_t   h_p p_n_d   t_  b_  p_s s_n g   b y . . . . T h_y   w_r_  c_p t_r_d  _n t_ _r b_t s  _r__ n d   t h_  p l_n_t   r_t h_r   t h_n   f_l l_n g  _n t_  t h_  p l_n_t .   W_  t h_n k   t h_s_ _r_  t h_  l_s t   r_m n_n t s  _f   w h_t   f_r m_d   S_t_r n . "   T h_  m__ n s   w_l l   b_  n_m_d  _n  _  c_m p_t_t__ n  _f t_r   g__ n t s   f r_m   G_l l_c ,   I n__ t  _n d   N_r s_  m y t h_l_g y .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    astronomers have promoted saturn as the planet with the most moons saturn has overtaken the solar systems largest planet jupiter as the king of the moons the astronomers recently discovered 20 new moons orbiting saturn which brings the planets total number to 82 this edges out jupiter with 79 celestial bodies into second place each of the newlydiscovered moons is at least 5km in diameter seventeen of them orbit saturn backwards and take more than three years to complete one orbit of saturn the astronomers found the moons using the powerful subaru telescope located on hawaii the research team will now look for moons that are around a kilometer in diameter

    lead astronomer dr scott sheppard commented on the perceived origins of the new moons he said we dont think they formed with the planet we think they were captured by the planet in the past he posited that saturn sucked in a swirling mixture of gas and dust to form the moons dr shepperd added we think these moons interacted with that gas and dust these were comets or asteroids that happened to be passing bythey were captured into orbits around the planet rather than falling into the planet we think these are the last remnants of what formed saturn the moons will be named in a competition after giants from gallic inuit and norse mythology

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AstronomershavepromotedSaturnastheplanetwiththemostmoons.
    Saturnhasovertakenthesolarsystem'slargestplanetJupiterasthe"kin
    gofthemoons".Theastronomersrecentlydiscovered20newmoonsorb
    itingSaturn,whichbringstheplanet'stotalnumberto82.ThisedgesoutJ
    upiter,with79celestialbodies,intosecondplace.Eachofthenewly-dis
    coveredmoonsisatleast5kmindiameter.SeventeenofthemorbitSat
    urnbackwardsandtakemorethanthreeyearstocompleteoneorbitofSa
    turn.TheastronomersfoundthemoonsusingthepowerfulSubaruteles
    cope,locatedonHawaii.Theresearchteamwillnowlookformoonsthata
    rearoundakilometerindiameter.LeadastronomerDrScottSheppardc
    ommentedontheperceivedoriginsofthenewmoons.Hesaid:"Wedon't
    thinktheyformedwiththeplanet.Wethinktheywerecapturedbythepla
    netinthepast."HepositedthatSaturnsuckedinaswirlingmixtureofgas
    anddusttoformthemoons.DrShepperdadded:"Wethinkthesemoonsi
    nteractedwiththatgasanddust.Thesewerecometsorasteroidsthatha
    ppenedtobepassingby....Theywerecapturedintoorbitsaroundthepla
    netratherthanfallingintotheplanet.Wethinkthesearethelastremnant
    sofwhatformedSaturn."Themoonswillbenamedinacompetitionafter
    giantsfromGallic,InuitandNorsemythology.

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    Spending money on space research is extremely important. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    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 this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. SATURN: Make a poster about Saturn. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. EARTH: Write a magazine article about governments spending money on helping Earth instead of looking into space. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    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 Saturn. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on space research. 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

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You