Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories

Level 1

Elementary

1 Key words
Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. regret reluctant leap astronaut tribute

1. If you pay __________________________ to someone, you say good things about them in public. (para 1) 2. An __________________________ is someone who travels and works in space. (para 1) 3. __________________________ is a feeling of sadness about something that has happened. (para 1) 4. A __________________________ is a jump, especially a long or high one. (para 1) 5. If you are __________________________ about something, you do not really want to do it. (para 3) mourning achievement missions wink frustration

6. A __________________________ is when you quickly close and open one eye as a sign to someone. (para 3) 7. An __________________________ is a success, when you do something you planned or wanted to do, usually with a lot of effort. (para 4) 8. __________________________ is when you express great sadness because someone has died. (para 6) 9. __________________________ are flights into space. (para 7) 10. __________________________ is an annoyed or impatient feeling that you get when you cannot do what you want, or when other people dont do what you want. (para 10)

2 Find the information

Look in the text and find the answers to these questions as quickly as possible. 1. How old was Neil Armstrong when he died? 2. When did the last human go to the moon? 3. When was the moon landings programme? 4. Who was the second man to walk on the moon? 5. What was the name of Armstrongs spacecraft? 6. Where have NASA engineers landed a nuclear-powered robot?

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Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories

Level 1

Elementary
us. I know many millions of people around the world will join me in mourning the death of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew. My friend Neil took the small step but giant leap that changed the world and will always be remembered as a historic moment in human history. 7 In the US, people felt that he represented the achievement of a past age of American greatness. Today, things are very different: NASA has cancelled a number of missions because they dont have enough money. 8 Former astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man on the moon, said: Neil did something that people thought was impossible. Others complained about the state of the US. Journalist Andrew Pasternak wrote: It will take longer to rebuild lower Manhattan after 9/11 than it took to build an entire space program and send a man to the moon. 9 Of course, NASA has its modern successes. Its engineers have landed a nuclear-powered robot on Mars. There will also be another Mars mission. It will drill below the planets surface. But these achievements are not as exciting as Armstrongs. NASA administrator Charles Bolden expressed that in his tribute. As we enter this next era of space exploration, we are standing on the shoulders of Neil Armstrong, he said. 10 Armstrong was disappointed by what NASA has become. Blogger Eric Berger saw an email from Armstrong and other former astronauts. It expressed frustration at the current problems at NASA and quoted Yogi Berra, an American baseball legend: If you dont know where you are going, you might not get there.
Guardian News and Media 2012 First published in The Guardian, 27/08/12

Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories

Paul Harris in Tampa 27 August, 2012 1 Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has died at the age of 82. Many people paid tribute to the former astronaut. But other people feel regret that no human has been back to the moon since 1972, just three years after Armstrong landed on it and gave his famous giant leap for mankind speech. 2 Elliot Pulham, Chief Executive of the Space Foundation, thinks that Americas space agency NASA should get more money, like in the 1960s, during the moon landings programme, when astronauts went to the moon. In this age of limited goals and tiny NASA budgets, Armstrong is a reminder of what our nation was once capable of, he said. 3 Armstrong died because of heart problems after surgery. His recovery seemed to be going well, and his death was a surprise to many people. His family described him as a reluctant American hero and said: Honour his example of service, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink. 4 Speaking from the White House, Barack Obama said Armstrong was among the greatest of American heroes not just of his time, but of all time. He added: And when Neil stepped on the moon for the first time, it was a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten. 5 Buzz Aldrin flew with Armstrong on Apollo 11. He was the second man to walk on the moon. He said he was very sad at the death of his good friend and companion. 6 When I look at the moon I remember that special moment, over forty years ago, when Neil and I stood on the moon, he said. Looking back at our brilliant blue planet Earth hanging in the darkness of space, I realized that even though we were farther away from Earth than two humans had ever been, we were not alone. Almost the entire world took that memorable journey with
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NEWS LESSONS / Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories / Elementary

N T O FR BE C O DO O M W P W N IA EB LO B SI A L TE DE E D

Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories

Level 1

Elementary

3 Comprehension check
Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text. 1. 1972 was 2. The American space agency, NASA, 3. Barack Obama said that Armstrong was 4. Buzz Aldrin said that Armstrong was 5. Armstrongs achievement will 6. NASA has cancelled a number of missions a. among the greatest of American heroes. b. because of a lack of money. c. the last time a human was on the moon. d. always be remembered as a historic moment in human history. e. the best pilot he ever knew. f. does not have the money it had in the 1960s.

4 Chunks
Rearrange the words to make phrases from the text. 1. outside the time walk you next 2. clear a night on 3. years over ago forty 4. alone we not were 5. man moon the last on the 6. there you not might get

5 Two-word phrases
Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text. 1. chief 2. space 3. pay 4. true 5. nuclear 6. entire a. hero b. tribute c. powered d. executive e. world f. agency

6 Expressions with prepositions

Fill the gaps using these prepositions. Check your answers in the text. to (x2) at (x2) of (x2)

1. at the age _________ 82 2. pay tribute _________ someone 3. look _________

4. capable _________ 5. go back _________ 6. frustration _________

7 Discussion
N T O FR BE C O DO O M W P W N IA EB LO B SI A L TE DE E D

Was the moon landing the greatest achievement in human history? Why? Why not?
Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2012 NEWS LESSONS / Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories / Elementary

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Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories

Level 1 KEY

Elementary

1 Key words
1. tribute 2. astronaut 3. regret 4. leap 5. reluctant 6. wink 7. achievement 8. mourning 9. missions 10. frustration

5 Two-word phrases
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. d f b a c e

6 Expressions with prepositions

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. of to at of to at

2 Find the information

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 82 in 1972 in the 1960s Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11 Mars

3 Comprehension check
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. c f a e d b

4 Chunks
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. the next time you walk outside on a clear night over forty years ago we were not alone the last man on the moon you might not get there

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NEWS LESSONS / Neil Armstrongs death prompts yearning for Americas past glories / Elementary

O FR BE C O DO O M W P W N IA EB LO B SI A L TE DE E D