The Reading / Listening - Spacesuits - Level 4

A new spacesuit might change fashion. The out-of-this-world suit has its own built-in toilet. It was designed by NASA engineers to help astronauts go to the toilet in emergency situations. It is called the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suit (OCSSS). It is for NASA's new spacecraft, Orion, which will travel farther away than previous space missions have. The spacecraft is not advanced enough to reach Mars. It will travel around the moon and back.

The spacesuits will let astronauts survive for six days in emergencies. The suit has a new waste disposal system so astronauts can do their business without taking it off. Astronauts can also eat in the suit. An astronaut explained how important the suit will be. He said: "People need to go the bathroom, even in a spacecraft. How is this waste treated such that it does not harm the astronaut?" The technology could be used in hospitals in the future.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Spacesuits - Level 5 or  Spacesuits - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.space.com/39710-orion-spacesuit-waste-disposal-system.html
  • http://www.gulftoday.ae/portal/6c0c05d3-a6b5-4f7e-8cbe-98481effbf51.aspx
  • https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/feb/15/nasa-space-poop-challenge-suit-designs


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. A new spacesuit might
  2. The out-of-this-
  3. go to the toilet in emergency
  4. Orion which will travel farther
  5. previous space
  6. The spacecraft is not advanced
  7. reach
  8. It will travel around the moon
  1. Mars
  2. situations
  3. and back
  4. change fashion
  5. away
  6. missions
  7. enough
  8. world suit

Paragraph 2

  1. astronauts survive for six
  2. The suit has a new waste
  3. astronauts can do
  4. Astronauts can also eat
  5. how important the
  6. People need to go the bathroom,
  7. it does not harm
  8. The technology could be
  1. suit will be
  2. the astronaut
  3. disposal system
  4. used in hospitals
  5. their business
  6. in the suit
  7. days in emergencies
  8. even in a spacecraft

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new spacesuit (1) ___________________. The out-of-this-world suit has its own built-in toilet. It was designed by NASA engineers (2) ___________________ go to the toilet (3) ___________________. It is called the Orion Crew Survival Systems Suit (OCSSS). It is for NASA's new spacecraft, Orion, which will (4) ___________________ than previous space missions have. The spacecraft (5) ___________________ enough to reach Mars. It will travel around the (6) ___________________.

The spacesuits will (7) ___________________ for six days in emergencies. The suit has a (8) ___________________ system so astronauts can do their business (9) ___________________ off. Astronauts can also eat in the suit. An astronaut explained (10) ___________________ suit will be. He said: "People need to go the bathroom, even in a spacecraft. How is this waste (11) ___________________ it does not harm the astronaut?" The technology could be used in hospitals (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anewspacesuitmightchangefashion.Theout-of-this-worldsuithasi
tsownbuilt-intoilet.ItwasdesignedbyNASAengineerstohelpastronau
tsgotothetoiletinemergencysituations.ItiscalledtheOrionCrewSurvi
valSystemsSuit(OCSSS).ItisforNASA'snewspacecraft,Orion,which
willtravelfartherawaythanpreviousspacemissionshave.Thespacecra
ftisnotadvancedenoughtoreachMars.Itwilltravelaroundthemoonand
back.Thespacesuitswillletastronautssurviveforsixdaysinemergenci
es.Thesuithasanewwastedisposalsystemsoastronautscandotheirbu
sinesswithouttakingitoff.Astronautscanalsoeatinthesuit.Anastrona
utexplainedhowimportantthesuitwillbe.Hesaid:"Peopleneedtogothe
bathroom,eveninaspacecraft.Howisthiswastetreatedsuchthatitdoes
notharmtheastronaut?"Thetechnologycouldbeusedinhospitalsinthe
future.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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