Table of Contents
Yuri Borisov is the head of Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos. He said Russia and China want to put a nuclear power plant on the moon.
They plan to do this between 2033 and 2035. The power plant could help people live on the moon.
Russia and China are working together on the project. Russia is sharing what it knows about “nuclear space energy”.
Borisov also said Russia wants to make a spaceship that uses nuclear power.
He said the spaceship will be like a big boat in space. It could carry large things between Earth and the moon. It could also pick up trash in space.
Russia’s space agency has had some problems. Last year, they sent the Luna-25 spacecraft to the moon, but it crashed. The last time Russia visited the moon was 47 years ago.
Russia and China might send astronauts to the moon together. They might also build a base on the moon.
China said it wants to send a Chinese astronaut to the moon before 2030.
Vocabulary
- Head – leader, top person, boss
- Space agency – A group or organization that studies and explores space;
- Nuclear power – atomic energy; electric power generated by a nuclear reactor; ⚛️☢️
- Nuclear power plant – a facility that generates/makes heat and electricity through the use of nuclear reactions; ⚛️☢️
- Power plant – A place where electricity is made; A big building that makes electricity ⚡🏭
- Plan – want; aim; to intend to do something
- Project – A planned and organized task or job; A planned piece of work that has a specific purpose;
- Share – to have or use something at the same time as someone else; to divide food, money, goods, etc. and give some of it to someone else; to have something and let someone else use it
- Space – the area outside of Earth with stars and darkness; 🌌
- Spaceship – A vehicle designed/made for space travel; 🚀
- Earth – the planet/world we live on 🌎
- Trash – garbage; waste; something you don’t want or need anymore and can’t be used
- Spacecraft – A vehicle designed/made for space travel; 🚀
- Astronaut – a person who is trained to travel in space; 🧑🚀
- Base – a place that is the center of operations; camp; headquarters; site; center
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Discussion Questions
- What do you think about putting a power plant on the moon?
- Why do you think Russia and China are working together in space?
- It’s been a long time since Russia went to the moon. Do you think they can do it again with China’s help?
- Is it a good idea for spaceships to pick up trash in space? Why?
- 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
Yuri Borisov is the _____ of Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos. He said Russia and _____ want to put a nuclear power plant on the _____.
They plan to do this between _____ and 2035. The power plant could help people _____ on the moon.
Russia and China are _____ together on the project. Russia is sharing what it knows _____ “nuclear space energy”.
Borisov also _____ Russia wants to make a spaceship that uses nuclear _____.
He said the spaceship will be _____ a big boat in space. It could carry large things between _____ and the moon. It could also pick up _____ in space.
Russia’s space _____ has had some problems. Last year, they sent the Luna-_____ spacecraft to the moon, but it crashed. The _____ time Russia visited the moon was _____ years ago.
Russia and China might send astronauts to _____ moon together. They might also build a _____ on the moon.
China said it wants to send a Chinese _____ to the moon before 2030.
