The Reading / Listening - Astronauts' DNA - Level 2

Scientists found a new risk to space travel. They found that our DNA can change when going into space. This change could increase the risk of astronauts getting cancer. The scientists did research on the blood of 14 NASA astronauts who flew on the Space Shuttle between 1998 and 2001. They gave blood ten days before going into space and three days after returning to Earth. Professor David Goukassian said: "Astronauts work in an extreme environment where many factors can result in…mutations." He added: "Space radiation…means there is a risk that…mutations could develop."

Professor Goukassian's study could be important for the future of space travel. Several nations are working on going to Mars. Other countries want to build bases on the moon. Companies are also racing to start the business of space tourism. There are possible health risks to space travel and to exploring deep space. More research is needed to study how space travel might harm the body. This could help NASA's Artemis project, which aims to send people to the moon for the first time in 50 years. The last time humans went to the moon was in December 1972.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Astronauts' DNA - Level 0 Astronauts' DNA - Level 1   or  Astronauts' DNA - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11182509/NASA-astronauts-blood-shows-signs-DNA-mutations-spaceflight-monitored.html
  • https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/3622854-spaceflight-may-increase-the-risk-of-heart-disease-cancer-study/
  • https://www.universetoday.com/157440/even-short-flights-to-space-cause-cell-mutations-that-could-lead-to-cancer-and-heart-disease/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Scientists found a new
  2. getting
  3. the blood of 14
  4. They gave
  5. Astronauts work in an
  6. many factors can result
  7. space
  8. there is a risk that
  1. extreme environment
  2. radiation
  3. blood
  4. mutations could develop
  5. risk to space travel
  6. cancer
  7. in mutations
  8. NASA astronauts

Paragraph 2

  1. important for the future
  2. build bases
  3. exploring deep
  4. More research is
  5. space travel might
  6. send people
  7. for the first time
  8. The last time humans went
  1. harm the body
  2. in 50 years
  3. on the moon
  4. to the moon
  5. of space travel
  6. needed
  7. to the moon
  8. space

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists found a (1) ___________________ space travel. They found that our DNA can change when going into space. This change could (2) ___________________ of astronauts getting cancer. The scientists did research on the blood of 14 NASA (3) ___________________ on the Space Shuttle between 1998 and 2001. They (4) ___________________ days before going into space and three days after returning to Earth. Professor David Goukassian said: "Astronauts work (5) ___________________ environment where many factors can result in...mutations." He added: "Space radiation...means there is a risk that... (6) ___________________."

Professor Goukassian's study could be important (7) ___________________ of space travel. Several nations are (8) ___________________ to Mars. Other countries want to build bases on the moon. Companies are also (9) ___________________ the business of space tourism. There are possible (10) ___________________ space travel and to exploring deep space. More research is needed to study how space travel might (11) ___________________. This could help NASA's Artemis project, which aims to send people to the moon for the first time in 50 years. The (12) ___________________ went to the moon was in December 1972.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Scientistsfoundanewrisktospacetravel.TheyfoundthatourDNAcanch
angewhengoingintospace.Thischangecouldincreasetheriskofastron
autsgettingcancer.Thescientistsdidresearchonthebloodof14NASAa
stronautswhoflewontheSpaceShuttlebetween1998and2001.Theyg
avebloodtendaysbeforegoingintospaceandthreedaysafterreturning
toEarth.ProfessorDavidGoukassiansaid:"Astronautsworkinanextre
meenvironmentwheremanyfactorscanresultin...mutations."Headd
ed:"Spaceradiation...meansthereisariskthat...mutationscoulddevel
op."ProfessorGoukassian'sstudycouldbeimportantforthefutureofsp
acetravel.SeveralnationsareworkingongoingtoMars.Othercountries
wanttobuildbasesonthemoon.Companiesarealsoracingtostartthebu
sinessofspacetourism.Therearepossiblehealthriskstospacetravelan
dtoexploringdeepspace.Moreresearchisneededtostudyhowspacetra
velmightharmthebody.ThiscouldhelpNASA'sArtemisproject,whichai
mstosendpeopletothemoonforthefirsttimein50years.Thelasttimehu
manswenttothemoonwasinDecember1972.

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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