Daring midwinter rescue in Antarctica
Listen to the story
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. In winter, it is dark all day and all night. Planes almost never fly there in winter.
This week, a team from Australia flew to Antarctica. They went to McMurdo Station, a research base. A person there was very sick. The person needed a hospital.
The flight was very dangerous. The pilots landed the plane in total darkness. It was also very cold. The temperature was −43°C.
The team took the sick person on the plane. They flew away safely. Now the person can get help from doctors.
People say the crew was very brave. A winter rescue in Antarctica is very rare. Many people are happy about this good news.
Vocabulary16 words
- Winter
- the coldest time of the year ❄️
- Dark
- with no light; not bright
- Plane
- a machine that flies in the sky; an airplane ✈️
- Team
- a group of people who work together
- Research base
- a place where scientists live and work
- Sick
- not healthy; ill
- Hospital
- a place where doctors help sick people 🏥
- Dangerous
- not safe; something bad can happen
- Pilot
- a person who flies a plane
- Land
- to bring a plane down to the ground
- Darkness
- when there is no light at all
- Temperature
- how hot or cold something is 🌡️
- Safely
- without problems; without danger
- Brave
- not afraid; ready to do difficult things
- Rescue
- when you save someone from danger
- Rare
- not common; it does not happen often
Quiz
Answer key
1. To save a sick person. 2. −43°C 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. In _____, it is dark all day and all night. _____ almost never fly there in winter.
This week, a team from Australia flew to Antarctica. They went to McMurdo Station, a research _____. A person there was very _____. The person needed a _____.
The flight was very _____. The pilots landed the plane in total _____. It was also very cold. The _____ was −43°C.
The team took the sick person on the plane. They flew away _____. Now the person can get help from doctors.
People say the crew was very _____. A winter rescue in Antarctica is very _____.
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