Table of Contents
NASA has a problem with a big rocket. The rocket is for the Artemis 2 mission.
NASA wants to send four people to the moon. It has been a long time since people went to the moon.
Engineers tested the rocket recently. They found a small mistake. There is a problem with the gas inside the rocket. Now, NASA must fix it.
The rocket was going to fly in March. Now, it will fly in April.
The four astronauts are waiting in Texas. They will go back to the rocket when it is ready.
The trip will last 10 days. The astronauts will fly around the moon, but they will not land on it. They will travel further than any other human has.
NASA wants to find ice on the moon. Ice can become water for people to drink. This mission is the first step. Later, NASA wants to send people to the planet Mars.
They are working hard to make the rocket safe.
Vocabulary
- NASA – A group of people in the United States who study space; people who send rockets to the moon 🇺🇸
- Rocket – A very fast vehicle that flies into space; a space ship 🚀
- Mission – An important job; a special plan; a task for a group of people
- Moon – The big, white object that shines in the sky at night 🌙
- Engineer – A person who builds or fixes machines; a person who designs engines 🔧
- Test – To check something; to see if a machine works correctly; a trial
- Recently – A short time ago; not long ago; lately
- Mistake – Something that is wrong; an error; a problem
- Gas – Something like air; a substance that is not liquid or solid (like helium) 💨
- Fix – To make something work again; to repair; to mend 🛠️
- Astronaut – A person who travels into space; a space pilot 👨🚀
- Land – To come down from the air; to arrive on the ground; to touch down 🛬
- Travel – To go to a different place; to move from one area to another; to journey 🧳
- Human – A person; a man, woman, or child; people
- Ice – Water that is very cold and hard; frozen water 🧊
- Step – One part of a plan; a stage in a process; a movement toward a goal
- Planet – A very large, round object in space like Earth or Jupiter 🪐
- Mars – A planet near Earth; it is often called the “Red Planet”
- Work hard – To try very much; to put a lot of effort into a job; to be very busy
Discussion Questions
- Do you think it is important for humans to go back to the moon? Why or why not?
- Would you like to be an astronaut and travel in a rocket? Why?
- The mission is 10 days long. What would you take with you in a small spaceship?
- NASA wants to build a home on the moon. Do you think people will live there one day?
- After the moon, NASA wants to go to Mars. Which planet do you think is more interesting?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
NASA _____ a problem with a big rocket. The _____ is for the Artemis 2 mission.
NASA wants _____ send four people to the moon. It has been a _____ time since people went to the moon.
_____ tested the rocket recently. They found a small mistake. _____ is a problem with the gas inside the rocket. Now, NASA must fix _____ .
The rocket was going to _____ in March. Now, it will fly in April.
_____ four astronauts are waiting in Texas. They will go _____ to the rocket when it is ready.
The trip will last _____ days. The astronauts will fly _____ the moon, but they will not land on it. They will _____ further than any other human has.
NASA wants to find _____ on the moon. Ice can become water for people to _____ . This mission is the first step. Later, NASA _____ to send people to the planet Mars.
_____ are working hard to make the rocket _____ .
