Space – Word Shapes Quiz!
Work with a partner or small group to practice your speaking and listening skills and talk about space!
New Vocabulary Mark the stressed vowel sound in each word or phrase:
- alien
- astronaut
- astronomy
- atmosphere
- Big Bang theory
- black hole
- exploration
- hope
- meteorite
- Moon
- planet
- satellite
- shooting star
- solar system
- spacecraft
- space station
- telescope
- universe
- void
- weightlessness
Discussion Questions Ask and answer them with a partner or small group:
- Would you like to navigate the universe in a state-of-the-art spacecraft at 18,000 mph? Why? / Why not?
- What are your three favourite planets? Why? Why do planets exist? How many planets do you think there are?
- Do you believe that alien lifeforms exist? If yes, why haven’t they made contact with the human race yet? If no, why not? Would it be fun to meet an alien from another planet? What would you tell them about the people of Earth? Where would you take them and what would you show them? Do you think their technology would be more advanced than ours? Would you be happy to visit their planet in return?
- Have you ever dreamed of being an astronaut? How would you look in a spacesuit? What are the difficulties involved in training to become an astronaut? Is weightlessness a state you aspire to? Would you like to spend time on the International Space Station? What would you do if one of your colleagues fell out with you and created a bad atmosphere, despite there being no atmosphere?
- Have you heard of the Big Bang theory? What existed prior to that? How do you think the world began?
- Have you thought about astronomy as a hobby? What is fascinating about the solar system? Would you like to own a powerful telescope and gaze up into the void at night? Why? / Why not? Do you know any constellations of stars, like the Big Dipper and the Great Bear? Could you identify a black hole?
- Why do people pin their hopes on space travel to solve problems on Earth, like overpopulation? Would you like to live in a module on the Moon? How would it be different to your present home?
- Are you optimistic that man – or woman – will walk on Mars in the near future? Why are humans restless for endless exploration and colonisation? Why don’t we use the money from space programs to address pressing issues here on Earth, before creating further havoc in far-flung places?
- How do you feel about the Moon landings? Are you dismayed we haven’t been to the Moon since 1972?
- Is the space program worth the money when the main benefit so far seems to be satellite television?
- Do you fear that Earth could be hit and potentially destroyed by an asteroid? How would you feel?
- Have you ever seen a shooting star? Describe it. Did it seem romantic in any way?
English Idioms about Space Say a new sentence with each idiom:
- aim for the stars
- be a waste of space
- be down to earth
- be in a world of your own
- be on top of the world
- be out of this world
- be over the moon
- be worlds apart
- fly too close to the sun
- Houston, we have a problem
- it is not rocket science
- many moons ago
- men are from Mars, women are from Venus
- once in a blue moon
- space out
- star-crossed lovers
- thank your lucky stars
- the sky’s the limit
- we have lift off!
Discussion Situations about Space What would you do if…?
- You finally pass all the tests to become an astronaut, but on the day of the launch you have a verruca and can’t make it.
- You reach an alien planet which is the opposite to our own in every way. You are disappointed to find that the ‘opposite’ you is rich, cool, and has a Masters in Particle Physics.
- A meteorite hits Earth, destroying property in your neighbourhood. Unfortunately it is your property.
- You wake up to find you’re on a rocket to Mars – one way.
- After a great night out with friends, you are astonished to witness what looks like a UFO descending behind LIDL car park.
- Everybody saw the incredible lunar eclipse – except you.
- Your ‘friend’ has ‘irrefutable’ proof that the Earth is flat.
- You are caught using your telescope to spy on the people across the road.
- You fall in love with an astronomer. Things are out of this world, until you realise you are worlds apart.
- During a tour of the National Space Museum, you discover a wormhole that leads to the dwarf planet Pluto.
- You become the first person to moonwalk on the Moon.
Talking about Pictures
- Describe the pictures below.
- Discuss them.
- Compare them.
- Create a quiz about them using different question types: comprehension, wh-, yes/no, true/false/unknown, etc.
- Improvise a dialogue or story.
Picture A:
Picture B:
Answers:
Note: vowel sounds are indicated with Clear Alphabet. For more about Clear Alphabet, please click here.
Space – Word Shapes Quiz!
Images: David Mark from Pixabay; NASA: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Planets2008.jpg; https://www.canva.com/
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