The Reading / Listening - Marriage Proposal - Level 4

A man proposed to his fiancée during an event that occurs just once every 6,800 years. John Nicotera, 33, popped the question to Erica Pendrak, 26, while the Neowise comet passed over their heads. It will be 7,000 years before anyone else can get down on one knee and do the same. Mr Nicotera loves space. He knew the rare comet would fly by for a short time. He planned his proposal to coincide with the comet being in the night sky.

Ms Pendrak immediately accepted the proposal. She told reporters she was going to see the once-in-a-lifetime event. She got the surprise of her life when John proposed. She said: "I was just completely shocked - tears and everything. I felt instant chills and pure happiness." A friend photographed the proposal as the comet whizzed by across the heavens. John and Erica like seeing historical events together. John said: "I'm massively in love with this girl."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Marriage Proposal - Level 5 or  Marriage Proposal - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8557803/Man-propose-Neowise-comet-appears-6-800-years.html
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/21/us/neowise-comet-engagements-trnd/index.html
  • https://fox6now.com/2020/07/23/couple-captures-stellar-engagement-photos-under-comet-neowise/


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. A man proposed
  2. an event that occurs just once
  3. popped the
  4. the Neowise comet passed
  5. get down on
  6. do the
  7. fly by for
  8. coincide with the comet being
  1. every 6,800 years
  2. one knee
  3. a short time
  4. to his fiancée
  5. same
  6. in the night sky
  7. over their heads
  8. question

Paragraph 2

  1. Ms Pendrak immediately accepted
  2. see the once-in-a-
  3. She got the surprise
  4. I was just completely shocked -
  5. I felt instant chills and pure
  6. whizzed by across
  7. seeing historical
  8. I'm massively in
  1. the heavens
  2. tears and everything
  3. love with this girl
  4. happiness
  5. events together
  6. lifetime event
  7. of her life
  8. the proposal

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A man proposed to his fiancée (1) ___________________ that occurs just once every 6,800 years. John Nicotera, 33, (2) ___________________ to Erica Pendrak, 26, while the Neowise comet (3) ___________________ heads. It will be 7,000 years (4) __________________ can get down on (5) __________________ do the same. Mr Nicotera loves space. He knew the rare comet would fly by for a short time. He planned his proposal (6) ___________________ the comet being in the night sky.

Ms Pendrak immediately (1) ___________________. She told reporters she was going to see the (2) ___________________ event. She got the (3) ___________________ life when John proposed. She said: "I was just completely shocked - (4) ___________________. I felt instant chills and pure happiness." A friend photographed (5) ___________________ the comet whizzed by (6) ___________________. John and Erica like seeing historical events together. John said: "I'm massively in love with this girl."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Amanproposedtohisfiancéeduringaneventthatoccursjustonceevery
6,800years.JohnNicotera,33,poppedthequestiontoEricaPendrak,26
,whiletheNeowisecometpassedovertheirheads.Itwillbe7,000yearsb
eforeanyoneelsecangetdownononekneeanddothesame.MrNicoteral
ovesspace.Heknewtherarecometwouldflybyforashorttime.Heplann
edhisproposaltocoincidewiththecometbeinginthenightsky.MsPendr
akimmediatelyacceptedtheproposal.Shetoldreportersshewasgoingt
oseetheonce-in-a-lifetimeevent.ShegotthesurpriseofherlifewhenJo
hnproposed.Shesaid:"Iwasjustcompletelyshocked-tearsandeveryt
hing.Ifeltinstantchillsandpurehappiness."Afriendphotographedthep
roposalasthecometwhizzedbyacrosstheheavens.JohnandEricalikes
eeinghistoricaleventstogether.Johnsaid:"I'mmassivelyinlovewithth
isgirl."

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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