UNIVERSIDAD DEL VALLE

LECTURA DE TEXTOS ACADMICOS EN INGLS 1

CLASE MARZO 29 DE 2016
FIRST READING
OUT OF THIS WORLD: SPACE FLIGHT PAST AND FUTURE
1. In 1961, a Russian rocket blasted off and began one of the greatest adventures in historythe conquest
of space. Yuri Gagarin, the cosmonaut inside the rocket, became the first person to orbit the earth. In the
years since that historic first flight, many other men and women from many countries have circled the earth.
The most dramatic event in the short history of space flight occurred in 1969 when an American astronaut
named Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. These history-making events were
important steps on our journey toward the stars.
2. The first step in this fantastic journey took place in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first
satellite. Sputnik was not a large spacecraft. It was an aluminum ball with a diameter of only 23 inches, but it
had a great effect on the entire world. In the same year, the first "astronaut" was sent into space, a Russian
dog named Laika. The first American-built rocket was launched the following year. Explorer I, a cylindrical
spacecraft 6 inches in diameter and 80 inches long, stayed in space for 112 days and transmitted important
information about radiation in space. During the following years, both the United States and the Soviet
Union sent many other satellites into space on information-gathering missions.
3. In 1964, another important goal was reached when both countries launched satellites headed for the far
side of the moon. These satellites gave us our first look at the moon's hidden face. These spacecraft were
followed by others that orbited the moon and transmitted thousands of photographs to earth. From these
photographs, scientists selected the landing sites for the Apollo moon landing program.
4. In 1971, Skylab, the first experimental manned space station, was launched. Ten years later such
progress had been made that a crew was able to stay in orbit in a space station for nearly eight months. The
work done on these manned space stations helped scientists study the effects of living and working in space
for long periods. Before these flights, no one was sure whether people would be able to work in space for
more than a few days. But the astronauts in the manned space stations were able to carry out their projects
with little or no trouble. For example, one project of the astronauts was to survey some of the earth's surface
in order to discover deposits of natural resources such as coal and oil. Another was to study sun spots,
disturbances on the sun that affect the earth's weather.
5. The next step in our exploration of space is the development of a permanently manned space station
around the earth. Experts felt that by 1990 there were as many as 100 scientists, private researchers, and
space workers living and working in such a space station. These orbiting laboratories could be built in space
in just a few months. Then space shuttles made regular flights carrying people and equipment between
earth and the space station.
6. Working in the weightlessness of space, scientists will be able to conduct experiments that are impossible
to do on earth. They expect to be able to develop new kinds of medicines and to grow larger plants and
more nutritious foods. They may also be able to construct lighter and stronger metals and building materials.
In addition, these stations will serve as space observatories as well as launching and landing stations for
other flights.

7. In addition to the many manned space (lights, since 1966 both the United States and the Soviet Union
have sent many unmanned space ships to explore distant planets. Some of them landed on Venus and
Mars, while others passed very close to Jupiter and Saturn. These space probes, as they are called, have
made many fascinating discoveries. For example, Venus has an average temperature of 800" Fahrenheit,
lo, which is one of Jupiter's moons, has active volcanoes. Saturn's rings, which are mostly made of ice. are
only a few miles thick. Scientists are hoping to learn even more from Pioneer 10. a space probe which left
our solar system in 1983. It carries a plaque that shows a man, a woman, and a map of our solar system
and some nearby stars. In addition, it carries a coded message in the hope that it may find intelligent life.
Perhaps someday someone from another planet will find this reminder of our early space age.
8. Our exploration of space has just started and many exciting projects are planned for the future. Some
scientists believe that by 2020 we will have permanent space stations on the moon and perhaps even on
Mars. Most experts agree that space travel will become a reality for many of us in the near future. Private
businesses may soon begin mining operations in space that will bring valuable minerals and metals back to
earth. Such operations will create a need for space miners Gerard O'Neill, a Princeton University physicist,
predicts: "Tens of thousands of people will go to and from space early in the next century . .." Although we
have learned much about our solar system and our universe in the past fifty-five years, there is a lot left to
learn. In many ways our adventures in space have just begun.

UNDERSTANDING THE ARTICLE

GETTING THE MAIN IDEA
1.
a.
b.
c.

Another title for this article would be

American Adventures in Space
A Short History of Space Flight
Benefits of Space Travel

2.
a.
b.
c.

This article was written for

scientists in the field of space travel
astronauts who will travel in space
people interested in space travel

CHECKING THE FACTS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

What happened in 1969?

Why did scientists study the astronauts who worked on the manned space stations?
Name one experiment that was done on the manned space station.
What do some scientists think will happen by 1990?
What kind of work will scientists on the permanent space station do?
How will conditions for experiments on the space station be different from those on earth?
What else will the space stations be used for?
Are all space flights manned?
Name one thing we have learned from the space probes.
What do scientists hope will happen to Pioneer 10?
Will many people travel in space in the next century?

CHECK YOUR VOCABULARY

Read the definitions and find the words in the article.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

the opposite of temporary (paragraph ___)

to make (paragraph ___)
a place to conduct experiments (paragraph ___)
a place to look at the stars (paragraph ___)
the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto (paragraph ____)
without people (paragraph ____)
to send up a spacecraft (paragraph ____)
rocket (paragraph ____)

MAKING INFERENCES
1.

Why don't manned space probes land on Venus?

2.

How will scientific discoveries made on space stations help us?

3.
The weightlessness of space helps scientists, but it also creates problems. What kinds of problems
must astronauts overcome?
FOR DISCUSSION
1.

Do you think space exploration is important? Why or why not?

2.

Space Flights will be available to private citizens. Would you like to travel in space? Why or why not?

3.

Would you like to live and work in space?

SECOND READING

BEFORE READING
1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the articles headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false
(F):
a.

Americas journey into the unknown is back on track.

T/F

b.

The shuttle Discovery is brand new.

T/F

c.

It is the first manned U.S. space mission since 1999.

T/F

d.

NASA astronauts must jump over hurdles as part of their training. T / F

e.

A broken fuel sensor stopped the original lift-off two weeks ago. T / F

f.

NASA bent the rules a little and ignored the fuel sensor problem. T / F

g.

There was nothing to worry about with the launch.

T/F

h.

Something fell off of the shuttle soon after it took off.

T/F

SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCHES SUCCESSFULLY

The 114th Space Shuttle flight has blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Americas mission
to explore space is now back on track. The shuttle Discovery is 25 years old but carries the hopes of all
Americans and the lives of seven astronauts. It is America's first manned space mission since the 2003
Columbia disaster. NASA has spent two years making sure everything is safe for this launch. It has
overcome many hurdles but engineers are confident of a safe return to Earth.
Safety has been a major concern with this launch. A broken fuel gauge sensor stopped the original lift-off
attempt two weeks ago. NASA technicians decided it was not a danger and gave the go-ahead for todays
mission. Hundreds of hi-tech cameras are photographing the launch from every angle to spot possible
problems. There has already been one worry. Something fell off of the shuttle soon after the fuel tanks
dropped off. NASA refuses to speculate on this until it has studied the videos.

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

a.

blasted

1. thumbs-up

b.

mission

2. go into

c.

explore

3. guess

d.

disaster

4. worry

e.

hurdles

5. quest

f.

concern

6. detect

g.

go-ahead

7. lifted

h.

spot

8. catastrophe

i.

speculate

9. examined

j.

studied

10. obstacles

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one
combination is possible):
a.

blasted

mission since

b.

mission to explore space is now

from every angle

c.

carries the hopes

a major concern

d.

America's first manned space

back on track

e.

It has overcome

stopped the original lift-off

f.

Safety has been

off

g.

A broken fuel gauge sensor

to speculate on this

h.

gave the go-ahead

many hurdles

i.

photographing the launch

of all Americans

j.

NASA refuses

for todays mission

WHILE READING
4. WORD ORDER: Put the underlined words back into the correct order.
Shuttle Discovery launches successfully
The 114th Space Shuttle flight from blasted has off the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Americas mission
to explore space track back is on now. The shuttle Discovery is 25 years old but carries the hopes of all
Americans seven of the lives and astronauts. It is America's first manned space mission since the 2003
Columbia disaster. NASA has spent two years sure safe everything is making for this launch. It has
overcome many hurdles but engineers are confident of a safe return to Earth.
Safety has concern with a major been this launch. A broken fuel gauge sensor stopped the original lift-off
attempt two weeks ago. NASA technicians decided it was not a go-ahead gave the danger and for todays
mission. Hundreds of hi-tech cameras are photographing the launch to angle from every possible spot
problems. There has already been one worry. Something fell off of the shuttle soon after the fuel tanks
dropped off. NASA on to speculate this refuses until it has studied the videos.
5. LOOK AT THE WORDS BELOW. RECALL EXACTLY HOW THESE WERE USED IN THE TEXT:
blasted
track
carries
manned
sure
return concern
attempt
go-ahead
angle
worry
speculate