The Reading / Listening - The Sun - Level 3

Things are heating up for the USA's National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA). One of the agency's missions is to study the Sun. In 2018, NASA sent a small research probe to photograph our nearest star. The spacecraft is called the Parker Solar Probe. It made history on Christmas Eve by going closer to the Sun than any spacecraft has ever gone before. Parker flew to within 6.1 million kilometers of the Sun. This is very close. Parker also holds another record. It is the fastest object ever built by humans. In September 2023, it flew at a speed of 635,266 kph. At this speed, the probe could travel the 10,846 km from New York to Tokyo in just 1.025 minutes.

The Parker Solar Probe is named after the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker. He spent most of his life studying the Sun and its solar flares. He wanted to know why the flares, which shoot off from the Sun's surface, are hotter than the surface. This is known as the "coronal heating problem". It is a long-standing mystery for scientists. The temperature at the Sun's surface is around 4,100ºC; while the temperature of the corona's flares can reach 1.1 million degrees Celsius. Scientists also hope to find out how solar winds originate. NASA said Parker (the probe) has faced extreme heat on its record-breaking fly-by. Temperatures reached a scorching 980 degrees Celsius.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    The Sun - Level 0,  The Sun - Level 1   or  The Sun - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.space.com/nasa-parker-solar-probe-christmas-flyby
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/23/science/parker-solar-probe-sun-close-approach/index.html
  • https://phys.org/news/2024-12-nasa-probe-closest-sun.html
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/23/science/parker-solar-probe-sun-close-approach/index.html
  • https://phys.org/news/2024-12-nasa-probe-closest-sun.html


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. THE SUN: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about the Sun. 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?
       heating / NASA / space / the Sun / probe / photograph / Christmas Eve / travel /
       astrophysicist / solar flares / scientists / mystery / solar winds / record breaking
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. RESEARCH: Students A strongly believe we should spend more money on researching the Sun; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. THE UNIVERSE: What do you know about these things? What do you want to know? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

What I Want to Know

The Sun

 

 

The Moon

 

 

The Milky Way

 

 

The Aurora Borealis

 

 

Comets

 

 

Asteroids

 

 
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. MISSION: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "mission". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. STUDYING: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things to study at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • The Sun
  • Space
  • The oceans
  • The climate
  • The Moon
  • Asteroids
  • Mars
  • The poles

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. heating up a. Inside something or a part of something.
      2. mission b. Getting warmer or hotter.
      3. probe c. A small machine sent to study something, like space or planets.
      4. within d. The best performance or most amazing event of its kind.
      5. record e. The past of "fly," meaning to move through the air.
      6. object f. A special job or task to do.
      7. flew g. A thing that you can see and touch.

    Paragraph 2

      8. solar h. Something we don’t know or understand yet.
      9. flares i. Very, very hot.
      10. surface j. To start or come from a place.
      11. mystery k. The outside part of something.
      12. temperature l. How hot or cold something is.
      13. originate m. About the sun.
      14. scorching n. Bright flashes of light or heat.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. NASA means North Atlantic Space Agency.     T / F
  2. The NASA Parker Solar Probe spacecraft started its journey in 2018.     T / F
  3. The Parker Solar Probe is the fastest thing ever made by humans.     T / F
  4. The probe could get from New York to Tokyo in less than a minute.     T / F
  5. The probe is named after a quantum physicist.     T / F
  6. Solar flares are hotter than the surface of the Sun.     T / F
  7. A solar flare can be over a million degrees Celsius.     T / F
  8. The Parker Solar Probe faced temperatures of over 1,000ºC.     T / F

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

  1. heating
  2. nearest
  3. object
  4. built
  5. travel
  6. studying
  7. surface
  8. reach
  9. hope
  10. scorching
  1. thing
  2. top side
  3. move
  4. researching
  5. want
  6. closest
  7. red-hot
  8. warming
  9. get to
  10. created

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

  1. One of the agency's missions
  2. photograph our
  3. It made
  4. Parker also holds
  5. it flew at a speed
  6. He spent most of his
  7. It is a long-standing mystery
  8. the temperature
  9. find out how solar
  10. Temperatures reached a scorching
  1. life studying the Sun
  2. is to study the Sun
  3. 980 degrees Celsius
  4. of 635,266 kph
  5. history
  6. of the corona's flares
  7. winds originate
  8. nearest star
  9. another record
  10. for scientists

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
nearest
record
heating
flew
missions
just
flew
object

Things are (1) ______________________________________________ up for the USA's National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA). One of the agency's (2) ______________________________________________ is to study the Sun. In 2018, NASA sent a small research probe to photograph our (3) ______________________________________________ star. The spacecraft is called the Parker Solar Probe. It made history on Christmas Eve by going closer to the Sun than any spacecraft has ever gone before. Parker (4) ______________________________________________ to within 6.1 million kilometers of the Sun. This is very close. Parker also holds another (5) ______________________________________________. It is the fastest (6) ______________________________________________ ever built by humans. In September 2023, it (7) ______________________________________________ at a speed of 635,266 kph. At this speed, the probe could travel the 10,846 km from New York to Tokyo in (8) ______________________________________________ 1.025 minutes.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
hope
spent
scorching
surface
originate
temperature
flares
mystery

The Parker Solar Probe is named after the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker. He (9) ______________________________________________ most of his life studying the Sun and its solar flares. He wanted to know why the (10) ______________________________________________, which shoot off from the Sun's surface, are hotter than the (11) ______________________________________________. This is known as the "coronal heating problem". It is a long-standing (12) ______________________________________________ for scientists. The temperature at the Sun's surface is around 4,100ºC; while the (13) ____________________________________________ of the corona's flares can reach 1.1 million degrees Celsius. Scientists also (14) _____________________________________________ to find out how solar winds (15) ______________________________________________. NASA said Parker (the probe) has faced extreme heat on its record-breaking fly-by. Temperatures reached a (16) ______________________________________________ 980 degrees Celsius.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Things are heating up for the USA's National Aeronautical ______
     a.  Spade Administration
     b.  Space Administrator
     c.  Space Administration
     d.  Space Admonition
2)  going closer to the Sun than any spacecraft has ______
     a.  ever gone after
     b.  ever gone before
     c.  ever going before
     d.  never gone before
3)  This is very close. Parker also ______
     a.  holds another records
     b.  folds another record
     c.  holds other record
     d.  holds another record
4)  It is the fastest object ever ______
     a.  build by humans
     b.  built by humans
     c.  built bye humans
     d.  built buy humans
5)  travel the 10,846 km from New York to Tokyo in ______
     a.  adjust 1.025 minutes
     b.  just 1.025 minutes
     c.  justice 1.025 minutes
     d.  justly 1.025 minutes

6)  He spent most of his life studying the Sun and ______
     a.  its solar flares
     b.  its solar flared
     c.  it's solar flares
     d.  its lunar flares
7)  He wanted to know why the flares, which shoot off from ______
     a.  the Sun's surfeits
     b.  the Sun's surface
     c.  the Sun's surf ace
     d.  the Sun's surfaced
8)  It is a long-standing ______
     a.  mysterious for scientists
     b.  mystery for scientist
     c.  mystery from scientists
     d.  mystery for scientists
9)  Scientists also hope to find out how ______
     a.  solar winds original
     b.  solar winds originate
     c.  solar winds originates
     d.  solar winds origin ate
10)  NASA said Parker (the probe) has faced extreme heat on its record-______
     a.  break in fly-bye
     b.  break king fly-by
     c.  breaking fly-by
     d.  breaking fly-bye

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Things are (1) __________________________________________________ the USA's National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA). One of the agency's missions is to study the Sun. In 2018, NASA sent a small (2) __________________________________________________ photograph our nearest star. The spacecraft is called the Parker Solar Probe. It made history on Christmas Eve by (3) __________________________________________________ the Sun than any spacecraft has ever gone before. Parker (4) __________________________________________________ 6.1 million kilometers of the Sun. This is very close. Parker also (5) __________________________________________________. It is the fastest object ever built by humans. In September 2023, it flew at (6) __________________________________________________ 635,266 kph. At this speed, the probe could travel the 10,846 km from New York to Tokyo in just 1.025 minutes.

The Parker Solar Probe (7) __________________________________________________ the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker. He spent most of his life studying the Sun and its solar flares. He wanted to know why the flares, which (8) __________________________________________________ the Sun's surface, are hotter than the surface. This is known as the "coronal heating problem". It is a (9) __________________________________________________ for scientists. The temperature at the Sun's surface is around 4,100ºC; while the temperature of the corona's flares can reach 1.1 million degrees Celsius. Scientists also hope to find out how (10) __________________________________________________. NASA said Parker (the probe) has (11) __________________________________________________ on its record-breaking fly-by. Temperatures (12) __________________________________________________ 980 degrees Celsius.

Comprehension questions

  1. What does "NASA" mean?
  2. When did the Parker Solar Probe start its journey?
  3. When did the Parker Solar Probe get its closest to the Sun?
  4. What other record does the Parker Solar Probe hold?
  5. How long would it take the probe to get from New York to Tokyo?
  6. What did the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker spend his life studying?
  7. What is hotter than the Sun's surface?
  8. How hot is the Sun's surface?
  9. What do scientists want to find the origins of?
  10. What is the hottest temperature the Parker Solar Probe faced?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does "NASA" mean?
a) North Atlantic Space Administration
b) North Atlantic Space Agency
c) National Aero Space Administration
d) National Aeronautical Space Administration
2) When did the Parker Solar Probe start its journey?
a) 2017
b) 2018
c) 2019
d) 2020
3) When did the Parker Solar Probe get its closest to the Sun?
a) December 23
b) Boxing Day
c) Christmas Day
d) Christmas Eve
4) What other record does the Parker Solar Probe hold?
a) the Most expensive spacecraft
b) The fastest spacecraft to reach space
c) The fastest object ever made.
d) The most technologically advanced spacecraft
5) How long would it take the probe to get from New York to Tokyo?
a) around one minute
b) exactly one minute
c) just under one minute
d) just over one minute

6) What did the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker spend his life studying?
a) spacecraft
b) the Moon
c) the Sun
d) heat
7) What is hotter than the Sun's surface?
a) corona flares
b) the centre of the Sun
c) nothing
d) nuclear fusion
8) How hot is the Sun's surface?
a) just under 4,100ºC
b) just over 4,100ºC
c) around 4,100ºC
d) exactly 4,100ºC
9) What do scientists want to find the origins of?
a) time
b) solar winds
c) the meaning of life
d) the Sun
10) What is the hottest temperature the Parker Solar Probe faced?
a) 980 degrees Celsius
b) 890 degrees Celsius
c) 980 degrees Fahrenheit
d) 890 degrees Fahrenheit

Role play

Role  A – The Sun
You think the Sun is the best thing to study. 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): the oceans, Mars or the climate.

Role  B – The Oceans
You think the oceans are the best thing to study. 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): the Sun, Mars or the climate.

Role  C – Mars
You think Mars is the best thing to study. 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): the oceans, the Sun or the climate.

Role  D – The Climate
You think the climate is the best thing to study. 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): the oceans, Mars or the Sun.

After reading / listening

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

'sun'

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

    • and 'spacecraft'.

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

    • • 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:

    • heating
    • nearest
    • closer
    • holds
    • built
    • travel
    • named
    • shoot
    • long
    • reach
    • faced
    • scorching

    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 - The Sun

    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 'spacecraft'?
    3. What do you know about NASA?
    4. What do you know about the Sun?
    5. What do you want to know about the Sun?
    6. What do you think of the NASA mission to study the Sun?
    7. Are you more interested in the Sun or the Moon?
    8. Do you think Santa saw the probe on Christmas Eve?
    9. Would you like to travel from New York to Tokyo in one minute?
    10. Would you like to travel in space?

    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 'sun'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Would you like to be an astrophysicist?
    5. What do you know about the Sun's heat?
    6. What do you know about solar winds?
    7. How important is the Sun?
    8. What do you think of a temperature of 1.1 million degrees?
    9. Are solar or lunar eclipses better?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the scientists?

    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)

    Things are heating (1) ____ for the USA's National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA). One of the agency's (2) ____ is to study the Sun. In 2018, NASA sent a small research probe to photograph our nearest (3) ____. The spacecraft is called the Parker Solar Probe. It (4) ____ history on Christmas Eve by going closer to the Sun than any spacecraft has ever gone before. Parker flew to within 6.1 million kilometers of the Sun. This is very close. Parker also (5) ____ another record. It is the fastest object ever built by humans. In September 2023, it flew at a speed of 635,266 kph. At this speed, the probe could travel the 10,846 km from New York to Tokyo in (6) ____ 1.025 minutes.

    The Parker Solar Probe is named (7) ____ the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker. He spent most of his life studying the Sun and its solar flares. He wanted to know why the flares, which shoot (8) ____ from the Sun's surface, are hotter than the surface. This is known as the "coronal heating problem". It is a long-(9) ____ mystery for scientists. The temperature at the Sun's surface is around 4,100ºC; while the temperature of the corona's flares can reach 1.1 million degrees Celsius. Scientists also hope to find out how (10) ____ winds originate. NASA said Parker (the probe) has faced (11) ____ heat on its record-breaking fly-by. Temperatures reached a (12) ____ 980 degrees Celsius.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    (a)     in     (b)     on     (c)     up     (d)     down    
    (a)     missions     (b)     misses     (c)     missiles     (d)     missing    
    (a)     galaxy     (b)     star     (c)     orb     (d)     asteroid    
    (a)     flew     (b)     gave     (c)     took     (d)     made    
    (a)     hands     (b)     grasps     (c)     holds     (d)     touches    
    (a)     adjust     (b)     just     (c)     justly     (d)     justice    
    (a)     after     (b)     along     (c)     post     (d)     before    
    (a)     by     (b)     from     (c)     on     (d)     off    
    (a)     crouching     (b)     kneeling     (c)     standing     (d)     leaning    
    (a)     floral     (b)     tidal     (c)     lunar     (d)     solar    
    (a)     extremely     (b)     extreme     (c)     extremity     (d)     extremes    
    (a)     scorching     (b)     freezing     (c)     chilly     (d)     roasted

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. Things are engathi up
    2. One of the agency's nmosiiss
    3. NASA sent a small research borpe
    4. It made osiyhrt on Christmas Eve
    5. the fastest jbcteo ever built
    6. it flew at a esepd of 635,266 kph

    Paragraph 2

    1. the Sun and its oslra flares
    2. It is a long-standing meyrtys for scientists
    3. the tptemaeerru of the corona's flares
    4. how solar winds irigaonet
    5. the probe has faced emxeetr heat
    6. a sgoriccnh 980 degrees Celsius

    Put the text back together

    (...)  surface, are hotter than the surface. This is known as the "coronal heating problem". It is a long-standing
    (...)  by humans. In September 2023, it flew at a speed of 635,266 kph. At this speed, the probe could travel
    (...)  is to study the Sun. In 2018, NASA sent a small research probe to photograph our nearest
    (...)  winds originate. NASA said Parker (the probe) has faced extreme heat on its record-
    (...)  of the Sun. This is very close. Parker also holds another record. It is the fastest object ever built
    (...)  closer to the Sun than any spacecraft has ever gone before. Parker flew to within 6.1 million kilometers
    (  1  ) Things are heating up for the USA's National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA). One of the agency's missions
    (...)  life studying the Sun and its solar flares. He wanted to know why the flares, which shoot off from the Sun's
    (...)  mystery for scientists. The temperature at the Sun's surface is around 4,100ºC; while the temperature of the corona's
    (...)  flares can reach 1.1 million degrees Celsius. Scientists also hope to find out how solar
    (...)  The Parker Solar Probe is named after the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker. He spent most of his
    (...)  star. The spacecraft is called the Parker Solar Probe. It made history on Christmas Eve by going
    (...)  breaking fly-by. Temperatures reached a scorching 980 degrees Celsius.
    (...)  the 10,846 km from New York to Tokyo in just 1.025 minutes.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. study   .   to   is   missions   the   One   agency's   of
    2. probe   photograph   to   A   our   research   star   .   nearest
    3. space   Eve   .   probe   on   Christmas   made   The   history
    4. fastest   humans   .   ever   by   object   It's   built   the
    5. .   this   probe   speed,   the   10,846 km   travel   At   could
    6. spent   studying   .   most   He   life   of   his
    7. problem   .   This   known   coronal   heating   is   the   as
    8. It   long-standing   is   for   a   mystery   scientists   .
    9. winds   .   hope   They   solar   to   out   find   about
    10. scorching   reached   980   a   Temperatures   degrees   Celsius   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Things are heating down / up for the USA's National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA). One of / at the agency's missions is to study the Sun. In 2018, NASA sent a small research probe to photography / photograph our nearest star. The spacecraft is calling / called the Parker Solar Probe. It made history on / in Christmas Eve by going closer to the Sun than any spacecraft has ever gone before. Parker flew to wither / within 6.1 million kilometers of the Sun. This is very close / closed. Parker also holds another record. It is the fastest object ever built / builds by humans. In September 2023, it flew in / at a speed of 635,266 kph. At this speed, the probe could travel the 10,846 km from New York to Tokyo in adjust / just 1.025 minutes.

    The Parker Solar Probe is naming / named after the astrophysicist Dr Eugene Parker. He spent most of his live / life studying the Sun and its solar flares. He wanted to know why / what the flares, which shoot off from the Sun's surface, are heated / hotter than the surface. This is known has / as the "coronal heating problem". It is a long-standing mystery for / at scientists. The temperature at the Sun's surface is around 4,100ºC; while the temperature of the corona's flares can reach / beach 1.1 million degrees Celsius. Scientists also hope to find out how solar / lunar winds originate. NASA said Parker (the probe) has faced / headed extreme heat on its record-breaking fly-by. Temperatures reached a scorching / scratching 980 degrees Celsius.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Th_ngs  _r_  h__t_ng  _p  f_r  th_  _S_'s  N_t__n_l  __r_n__t_c_l  Sp_c_  _dm_n_str_t__n  (N_S_).  _n_  _f  th_  _g_ncy's  m_ss__ns  _s  t_  st_dy  th_  S_n.  _n  2018,  N_S_  s_nt  _  sm_ll  r_s__rch  pr_b_  t_  ph_t_gr_ph  __r  n__r_st  st_r.  Th_  sp_c_cr_ft  _s  c_ll_d  th_  P_rk_r  S_l_r  Pr_b_.  _t  m_d_  h_st_ry  _n  Chr_stm_s  _v_  by  g__ng  cl_s_r  t_  th_  S_n  th_n  _ny  sp_c_cr_ft  h_s  _v_r  g_n_  b_f_r_.  P_rk_r  fl_w  t_  w_th_n  6.1  m_ll__n  k_l_m_t_rs  _f  th_  S_n.  Th_s  _s  v_ry  cl_s_.  P_rk_r  _ls_  h_lds  _n_th_r  r_c_rd.  _t  _s  th_  f_st_st  _bj_ct  _v_r  b__lt  by  h_m_ns.  _n  S_pt_mb_r  2023,  _t  fl_w  _t  _  sp__d  _f  635,266  kph.  _t  th_s  sp__d,  th_  pr_b_  c__ld  tr_v_l  th_  10,846  km  fr_m  N_w  Y_rk  t_  T_ky_  _n  j_st  1.025  m_n_t_s.

    Th_  P_rk_r  S_l_r  Pr_b_  _s  n_m_d  _ft_r  th_  _str_phys_c_st  Dr  __g_n_  P_rk_r.  H_  sp_nt  m_st  _f  h_s  l_f_  st_dy_ng  th_  S_n  _nd  _ts  s_l_r  fl_r_s.  H_  w_nt_d  t_  kn_w  why  th_  fl_r_s,  wh_ch  sh__t  _ff  fr_m  th_  S_n's  s_rf_c_,  _r_  h_tt_r  th_n  th_  s_rf_c_.  Th_s  _s  kn_wn  _s  th_  "c_r_n_l  h__t_ng  pr_bl_m".  _t  _s  _  l_ng-st_nd_ng  myst_ry  f_r  sc__nt_sts.  Th_  t_mp_r_t_r_  _t  th_  S_n's  s_rf_c_  _s  _r__nd  4,100ºC;  wh_l_  th_  t_mp_r_t_r_  _f  th_  c_r_n_'s  fl_r_s  c_n  r__ch  1.1  m_ll__n  d_gr__s  C_ls__s.  Sc__nt_sts  _ls_  h_p_  t_  f_nd  __t  h_w  s_l_r  w_nds  _r_g_n_t_.  N_S_  s__d  P_rk_r  (th_  pr_b_)  h_s  f_c_d  _xtr_m_  h__t  _n  _ts  r_c_rd-br__k_ng  fly-by.  T_mp_r_t_r_s  r__ch_d  _  sc_rch_ng  980  d_gr__s  C_ls__s.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    things are heating up for the usas national aeronautical space administration nasa one of the agencys missions is to study the sun in 2018 nasa sent a small research probe to photograph our nearest star the spacecraft is called the parker solar probe it made history on christmas eve by going closer to the sun than any spacecraft has ever gone before parker flew to within 61 million kilometers of the sun this is very close parker also holds another record it is the fastest object ever built by humans in september 2023 it flew at a speed of 635266 kph at this speed the probe could travel the 10846 km from new york to tokyo in just 1025 minutes

    the parker solar probe is named after the astrophysicist dr eugene parker he spent most of his life studying the sun and its solar flares he wanted to know why the flares which shoot off from the suns surface are hotter than the surface this is known as the coronal heating problem it is a longstanding mystery for scientists the temperature at the suns surface is around 4100c while the temperature of the coronas flares can reach 11 million degrees celsius scientists also hope to find out how solar winds originate nasa said parker the probe has faced extreme heat on its recordbreaking flyby temperatures reached a scorching 980 degrees celsius

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ThingsareheatingupfortheUSA'sNationalAeronauticalSpaceAdminis
    tration(NASA).Oneoftheagency'smissionsistostudytheSun.In2018,
    NASAsentasmallresearchprobetophotographourneareststar.Thesp
    acecraftiscalledtheParkerSolarProbe.ItmadehistoryonChristmasEv
    ebygoingclosertotheSunthananyspacecrafthasevergonebefore.Par
    kerflewtowithin6.1millionkilometersoftheSun.Thisisveryclose.Park
    eralsoholdsanotherrecord.Itisthefastestobjecteverbuiltbyhumans.I
    nSeptember2023,itflewataspeedof635,266kph.Atthisspeed,thepro
    becouldtravelthe10,846kmfromNewYorktoTokyoinjust1.025minut
    es.TheParkerSolarProbeisnamedaftertheastrophysicistDrEugenePa
    rker.HespentmostofhislifestudyingtheSunanditssolarflares.Hewant
    edtoknowwhytheflares,whichshootofffromtheSun'ssurface,arehott
    erthanthesurface.Thisisknownasthe"coronalheatingproblem".Itisal
    ong-standingmysteryforscientists.ThetemperatureattheSun'ssurf
    aceisaround4,100ºC;whilethetemperatureofthecorona'sflarescanr
    each1.1milliondegreesCelsius.Scientistsalsohopetofindouthowsola
    rwindsoriginate.NASAsaidParker(theprobe)hasfacedextremeheato
    nitsrecord-breakingfly-by.Temperaturesreachedascorching980de
    greesCelsius.

    Free writing

    Write about Parker Solar Probe for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    We need to know more about the Sun. 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. THE SUN: Make a poster about the Sun. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. MORE RESEARCH: Write a magazine article about spending more money on research on the Sun. 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 the Sun. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your thoughts on the Sun. 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