The Reading / Listening - Solar Eclipse - Level 6

Astronomers and pilots chased a solar eclipse across the heavens on Monday. This occurred while millions of people in Canada, the USA and Mexico gazed into the sky to catch a glimpse of a rare celestial event – a total eclipse of the sun. The sun, moon and Earth aligned to block the view of the sun's disc. NASA equipped its high-altitude WB-57 planes with special sensors and instrumentation to gather information from the unique solar event. Pilots navigated a path within the eclipse, 15,240 meters high, to get a view of the corona – the sun's outer surface. NASA also fired rockets into Earth's upper atmosphere, known as the ionosphere, to try to unravel some of the sun's greatest mysteries.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon obscures the face of the sun from view. This celestial phenomenon momentarily turns day to night. Totality means the sun's corona becomes a million times dimmer than the sun's disc. This makes it easier for scientists to observe and study the sun. Dr Amir Caspi, a solar astrophysicist, explained that: "Total solar eclipses let us study and see the corona in ways that just would not be possible at any other time and in any other way." Solar eclipses often have confusing effects on nature. They briefly stir nocturnal creatures and make birds and insects fall silent. Motorists can also be affected and should slow down as lighting and visibility conditions change.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Solar Eclipse - Level 4  or  Solar Eclipse - Level 5

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/06/world/total-solar-eclipse-science-newsletter-wt-scn/index.html
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/04/06/april-total-solar-eclipse-2024-monday-time-path-glasses/73192667007/
  • https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/why-these-scientists-fly-all-over-the-world-to-study-the-suns-corona-during-total-solar-eclipses


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. ECLIPSES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about eclipses. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       astronomers / solar eclipse / celestial event / high altitude / sensors / atmosphere /
       moon / phenomenon / scientists / corona / nature / nocturnal creatures / visibility
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ASTRONOMY: Students A strongly believe we should all study astronomy at school; Students B strongly believe we shouldn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. CELESTIAL BODIES: What do you know about these celestial bodies? What do you want to know? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

What I Want to Know

The sun

 

 

The moon

 

 

Earth

 

 

Meteorites

 

 

Black holes

 

 

Comets

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. ASTRONOMER: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "astronomer". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. THE HEAVENS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most interesting things to see in the heavens at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Solar eclipse
  • Lunar eclipse
  • Shooting stars
  • Milky Way
  • A comet
  • Mars
  • Aurora borealis
  • International Space Station

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. astronomer a. To figure out or solve something that is confusing or complicated.
      2. the heavens b. A quick look at something, usually for a short moment.
      3. glimpse (noun) c. Arranged or positioned in a straight line or in the correct relative positions.
      4. celestial d. A person who studies stars, planets, and outer space.
      5. aligned e. The height of an object or point in relation to sea level or ground level.
      6. altitude f. The sky, especially when it is seen as a vast and mysterious space containing stars, planets, and other space objects.
      7. unravel g. Relating to the sky or outer space.

    Paragraph 2

      8. obscure h. Rise or wake from sleep
      9. phenomenon i. Relating to or occurring during the night; opposite of daytime.
      10. corona j. The degree to which objects or landmarks can be seen, especially in conditions such as fog, darkness, or poor weather.
      11. stir k. An event, occurrence, or situation that is unusual or remarkable, especially one that is observed and studied scientifically.
      12. nocturnal l. Someone who drives vehicles, such as cars or trucks, on roads or highways.
      13. motorist m. The outer atmosphere of the sun or other celestial bodies, visible during a total eclipse as a faint halo.
      14. visibility n. Not clear or easy to understand; difficult to see or notice.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Astronomers chased pilots across the heavens on Monday.     T / F
  2. The eclipse took place across North and South America.     T / F
  3. High-altitude planes flew at a height of 30,000 metres to see the eclipse. T / F
  4. The Earth's upper atmosphere is called the ionosphere.     T / F
  5. A total solar eclipse happens when the sun totally obscures the moon.     T / F
  6. The sun's corona is a million times dimmer than its disc in an eclipse.     T / F
  7. Solar eclipses can make nocturnal creatures wake up.     T / F
  8. Birds can stop singing during an eclipse.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. gazed
  2. celestial
  3. unique
  4. view
  5. unravel
  6. obscures
  7. momentarily
  8. observe
  9. confusing
  10. stir
  1. briefly
  2. sight
  3. solve
  4. watch
  5. stared
  6. bewildering
  7. hides
  8. heavenly
  9. wake
  10. distinctive

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. pilots chased a solar eclipse
  2. catch a glimpse of a rare
  3. planes with special sensors
  4. NASA also fired rockets into Earth's
  5. unravel some of the sun's
  6. the moon obscures
  7. a solar
  8. They briefly stir nocturnal
  9. birds and insects fall
  10. lighting and visibility
  1. and instrumentation
  2. silent
  3. greatest mysteries
  4. the face of the sun
  5. astrophysicist
  6. upper atmosphere
  7. conditions change
  8. celestial event
  9. creatures
  10. across the heavens

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
celestial
outer
ionosphere
gazed
path
chased
mysteries
block

Astronomers and pilots (1) _____________________ a solar eclipse across the heavens on Monday. This occurred while millions of people in Canada, the USA and Mexico (2) _____________________ into the sky to catch a glimpse of a rare (3) _____________________ event - a total eclipse of the sun. The sun, moon and Earth aligned to (4) _____________________ the view of the sun's disc. NASA equipped its high-altitude WB-57 planes with special sensors and instrumentation to gather information from the unique solar event. Pilots navigated a (5) _____________________ within the eclipse, 15,240 meters high, to get a view of the corona – the sun's (6) _____________________ surface. NASA also fired rockets into Earth's upper atmosphere, known as the (7) _____________________, to try to unravel some of the sun's greatest (8) _____________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
dimmer
fall
ways
visibility
obscures
confusing
momentarily
observe

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon (9) _____________________ the face of the sun from view. This celestial phenomenon (10) _____________________ turns day to night. Totality means the sun's corona becomes a million times (11) _____________________ than the sun's disc. This makes it easier for scientists to (12) _____________________ and study the sun. Dr Amir Caspi, a solar astrophysicist, explained that: "Total solar eclipses let us study and see the corona in (13) _____________________ that just would not be possible at any other time and in any other way." Solar eclipses often have (14) _____________________ effects on nature. They briefly stir nocturnal creatures and make birds and insects (15) _____________________ silent. Motorists can also be affected and should slow down as lighting and (16) _____________________ conditions change.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Astronomers and pilots chased a solar eclipse across the ______
     a.  heavens on Monday
     b.  heathens on Monday
     c.  happens on Monday
     d.  headings on Monday
2)  gazed into the sky to catch a glimpse of a ______
     a.  rear celestial event
     b.  bare celestial event
     c.  lair celestial event
     d.  rare celestial event
3)  special sensors and instrumentation to gather information from the ______
     a.  unique solar event
     b.  unique polar event
     c.  unique molar event
     d.  unique solarium event
4)  navigated a path within the eclipse, 15,240 meters high, to get a view ______
     a.  of the coroner
     b.  of the coronary
     c.  of the corona
     d.  of the coronet
5)  to try to unravel some of the ______
     a.  sun's greatest miss terriers
     b.  sun's greatest my stories
     c.  sun's greatest mysterious
     d.  sun's greatest mysteries

6)  A total solar eclipse happens when the moon obscures the face of the ______
     a.  sun from a view
     b.  sun from views
     c.  sun from view
     d.  sun from blue
7)  Totality means the sun's corona becomes a ______
     a.  million times Zimmer
     b.  million times trimmer
     c.  million times simmer
     d.  million times dimmer
8)  Solar eclipses often have confusing ______
     a.  effects on natures
     b.  effects on nature
     c.  effects on natural
     d.  effects on mature
9)  They briefly stir nocturnal creatures and make birds and ______
     a.  insects fall silent
     b.  insects fail silent
     c.  insects fool silent
     d.  insects frail silent
10)  Motorists can also be affected and should slow down as lighting and ______
     a.  visibility conditions chance
     b.  visibility conditions derange
     c.  visibility conditions charge
     d.  visibility conditions change

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Astronomers and (1) ____________________ solar eclipse across the heavens on Monday. This occurred while millions of people in Canada, the USA and Mexico gazed into the sky to (2) ____________________ of a rare celestial event - a total eclipse of the sun. The sun, moon and Earth aligned to block the view of the sun's disc. NASA equipped (3) ____________________ WB-57 planes with special sensors and instrumentation to gather information from the unique solar event. Pilots (4) ____________________ within the eclipse, 15,240 meters high, to get a view of the corona – the (5) ____________________. NASA also fired rockets into Earth's upper atmosphere, known as the ionosphere, to try to (6) ____________________ the sun's greatest mysteries.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon (7) ____________________ of the sun from view. This celestial phenomenon momentarily turns day to night. Totality means the sun's corona becomes a (8) ____________________ than the sun's disc. This makes it easier for scientists to observe and study the sun. Dr Amir Caspi, a solar astrophysicist, explained that: "Total solar eclipses (9) __________________ and see the corona in ways that just would not be possible at any other time and in any other way." Solar eclipses (10) ____________________ effects on nature. They (11) ____________________ creatures and make birds and insects fall silent. Motorists can also be affected and should slow down as (12) ____________________ conditions change.

Comprehension questions

  1. Who is chasing a solar eclipse besides pilots?
  2. What did the article describe as being rare?
  3. What aligned to block the view of the sun?
  4. How far did the high-altitude planes fly?
  5. What is the ionosphere?
  6. How many times dimmer is the corona than the sun's disc in an eclipse?
  7. What is the job of Dr Amir Caspi?
  8. What can an eclipse briefly stir?
  9. What can fall silent during an eclipse?
  10. In an eclipse, what can change for motorists, besides lighting?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who is chasing a solar eclipse besides pilots?
a) astrologers
b) tornado chasers
c) astronomers
d) NATO
2) What did the article describe as being rare?
a) a celestial event
b) a gamma ray
c) a delta ray
d) a perforated corona
3) What aligned to block the view of the sun?
a) the sun and moon
b) the sun, moon and Earth
c) the moon and Earth
d) Earth and the sun
4) How far did the high-altitude planes fly?
a) 12,540 meters high
b) 15,420 meters high
c) 14,250 meters high
d) 15,240 meters high
5) What is the ionosphere?
a) Earth's lower atmosphere
b) Earth's mid atmosphere
c) Earth's upper atmosphere
d) Earth's whole atmosphere

6) How many times dimmer is the corona than the sun's disc in an eclipse?
a) a billion times
b) a million times
c) a trillion times
d) a quadrillion times
7) What is the job of Dr Amir Caspi?
a) He's a solar astroanalyst.
b) He's a solar astrophysicist.
c) He's a solar astrobiologist.
d) He's a solar astro-agriculturalist.
8) What can an eclipse briefly stir?
a) emotions
b) nocturnal creatures
c) the heart
d) new beginnings
9) What can fall silent during an eclipse?
a) people
b) birds and insects
c) astronomers
d) the whole world
10) In an eclipse, what can change for motorists, besides lighting?
a) visibility
b) speed
c) the risk of getting a traffic fine
d) the sound of the road

Role play

Role  A – Solar Eclipse
You think a solar eclipse is the most interesting thing in the sky. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as interesting. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): a shooting star, the Milky Way or Aurora Borealis.

Role  B – A Shooting Star
You think a shooting star is the most interesting thing in the sky. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as interesting. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): a solar eclipse, the Milky Way or Aurora Borealis.

Role  C – The Milky Way
You think the Milky Way is the most interesting thing in the sky. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as interesting. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): a shooting star, a solar eclipse or Aurora Borealis.

Role  D – Aurora Borealis
You think the Aurora Borealis is the most interesting thing in the sky. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as interesting. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): a shooting star, the Milky Way or a solar eclipse.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'solar'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'eclipse'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • chased
    • gazed
    • block
    • gather
    • outer
    • unravel
    • face
    • million
    • easier
    • ways
    • stir
    • slow

    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 - Solar Eclipse

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'solar'?
    3. What do you know about solar eclipses
    4. How interested are you in astronomy?
    5. What do you think when you look up at the sky?
    6. Have you ever seen an eclipse?
    7. What might scientists learn from this eclipse?
    8. What do you know about the ionosphere?
    9. How important is it to study the sun?
    10. What are the sun's mysteries?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'eclipse'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of solar eclipses?
    5. What would it be like to be a fighter pilot?
    6. What do you want to know about space?
    7. What three adjectives best describe this story?
    8. What effects do eclipses have on nature?
    9. How dangerous might driving be during an eclipse?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the astronomers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Astronomers and pilots (1) ____ a solar eclipse across the heavens on Monday. This occurred while millions of people in Canada, the USA and Mexico (2) ____ into the sky to catch a glimpse of a rare celestial event - a (3) ____ eclipse of the sun. The sun, moon and Earth aligned to block the view of the sun's disc. NASA equipped its high-altitude WB-57 planes with special sensors and instrumentation to (4) ____ information from the unique solar event. Pilots navigated a path within the eclipse, 15,240 meters high, to get a (5) ____ of the corona – the sun's outer surface. NASA also fired rockets into Earth's upper atmosphere, known as the ionosphere, to try to (6) ____ some of the sun's greatest mysteries.

    A total solar eclipse happens when the moon obscures the face of the sun from view. This celestial phenomenon (7) ____ turns day to night. Totality means the sun's corona becomes a million times (8) ____ than the sun's disc. This makes it easier for scientists to observe and study the sun. Dr Amir Caspi, a solar astrophysicist, explained that: "Total solar eclipses (9) ____ us study and see the corona in ways that just would not be possible at any other time and in any other way." Solar eclipses often have confusing (10) ____ on nature. They briefly stir nocturnal creatures and make birds and insects (11) ____ silent. Motorists can also be affected and should slow down (12) ____ lighting and visibility conditions change.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     chastened     (b)     chased     (c)     chastised     (d)     chose    
    2. (a)     glazed     (b)     gazed     (c)     gauzed     (d)     grazed    
    3. (a)     totalled     (b)     totals     (c)     totally     (d)     total    
    4. (a)     graft     (b)     gather     (c)     gotten     (d)     grater    
    5. (a)     watch     (b)     view     (c)     see     (d)     vision    
    6. (a)     travel     (b)     rival     (c)     unravel     (d)     libel    
    7. (a)     monument     (b)     momentous     (c)     momentarily     (d)     momentum    
    8. (a)     slimmer     (b)     simmer     (c)     dimmer     (d)     trimmer    
    9. (a)     grant     (b)     permit     (c)     allow     (d)     let    
    10. (a)     effects     (b)     infects     (c)     affects     (d)     reflects    
    11. (a)     fall     (b)     drop     (c)     dive     (d)     tumble    
    12. (a)     has     (b)     was     (c)     as     (d)     be

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. raemtossnro and pilots
    2. catch a glimpse of a rare ialetlcse event
    3. The sun, moon and Earth alindeg to block the view
    4. NASA equipped its high-tldtieau WB-57 planes
    5. Pilots nvtedgiaa a path within the eclipse
    6. known as the neprhoioes

    Paragraph 2

    1. the moon bsesocur the face of the sun
    2. lmytiranmoe turns day to night
    3. a solar issaitcytphrso
    4. They briefly stir nnuctolra creatures
    5. oitmtssro can also be affected
    6. lighting and iiivsblity conditions

    Put the text back together

    (...)   dimmer than the sun's disc. This makes it easier for scientists to observe and study the sun. Dr Amir Caspi, a solar
    (...)   A total solar eclipse happens when the moon obscures the face of the sun from view. This celestial
    (...)   information from the unique solar event. Pilots navigated a path within the eclipse, 15,240 meters high, to get a
    (...)   disc. NASA equipped its high-altitude WB-57 planes with special sensors and instrumentation to gather
    (  1  ) Astronomers and pilots chased a solar eclipse across the heavens on Monday. This occurred
    (...)   on nature. They briefly stir nocturnal creatures and make birds and insects fall
    (...)   silent. Motorists can also be affected and should slow down as lighting and visibility conditions change.
    (...)   event - a total eclipse of the sun. The sun, moon and Earth aligned to block the view of the sun's
    (...)   while millions of people in Canada, the USA and Mexico gazed into the sky to catch a glimpse of a rare celestial
    (...)   atmosphere, known as the ionosphere, to try to unravel some of the sun's greatest mysteries.
    (...)   view of the corona – the sun's outer surface. NASA also fired rockets into Earth's upper
    (...)   phenomenon momentarily turns day to night. Totality means the sun's corona becomes a million times
    (...)   astrophysicist, explained that: "Total solar eclipses let us study and see the corona in ways that just
    (...)   would not be possible at any other time and in any other way." Solar eclipses often have confusing effects

    Put the words in the right order

    1. a   solar   eclipse   Pilots   across   heavens   .   the   chased
    2. event   .   celestial   a   of   Catch   rare   glimpse   a
    3. information   from   unique   the   Gather   event   .   solar
    4. atmosphere   .   upper   rockets   also   Earth's   fired   NASA   into
    5. of   mysteries   .   some   Unravel   sun's   greatest   the
    6. The   moon   obscures   of   face   the   sun   .   the
    7. becomes   a   The   dimmer   .   corona   million   sun's   times
    8. easier   for   This   it   to   makes   observe   .   scientists
    9. on   effects   have   Solar   eclipses   often   nature   .   confusing
    10. should   can   down   .   Motorists   affected   be   slow   and

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Astronomers and pilots chased a solar eclipse across the heaven / heavens on Monday. This occurred while millions / million of people in Canada, the USA and Mexico gazed into the sky to catch a glance / glimpse of a rare celestial event - a totally / total eclipse of the sun. The sun, moon and Earth arraigned / aligned to block the view of the sun's disc. NASA equipped its high-altitude WB-57 planes with special sensors and instrumentation for / to gather information from the unique solar event. Pilots navigated the / a path within the eclipse, 15,240 meters high, to get a view of / off the corona – the sun's outer surface. NASA also fired rockets unto / into Earth's upper atmosphere, known as the ionosphere, to try to unravel / rebel some of the sun's greatest mysteries.

    A total solar eclipse happens when the moon obscures the head / face of the sun from view. This celestial / cerebral phenomenon momentarily turns day to night. Totality / Total means the sun's corona becomes a million times dimmer / dumber than the sun's disc. This makes it easier for scientists to observing / observe and study the sun. Dr Amir Caspi, a solar astrophysicist, explained that: "Total solar eclipses let us study and see the corona in / on ways that just would not be possible at any / many other time and in any other way." Solar eclipses often have confusing affects / effects on nature. They briefly stir nocturnal creatures and make birds and insects drop / fall silent. Motorists can also be affected and should slow down as lighting and visibility / visible conditions change.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _str_n_m_rs _nd p_l_ts ch_s_d _ s_l_r _cl_ps_ _cr_ss th_ h__v_ns _n M_nd_y. Th_s _cc_rr_d wh_l_ m_ll__ns _f p__pl_ _n C_n_d_, th_ _S_ _nd M_x_c_ g_z_d _nt_ th_ sky t_ c_tch _ gl_mps_ _f _ r_r_ c_l_st__l _v_nt - _ t_t_l _cl_ps_ _f th_ s_n. Th_ s_n, m__n _nd __rth _l_gn_d t_ bl_ck th_ v__w _f th_ s_n's d_sc. N_S_ _q__pp_d _ts h_gh-_lt_t_d_ WB-57 pl_n_s w_th sp_c__l s_ns_rs _nd _nstr_m_nt_t__n t_ g_th_r _nf_rm_t__n fr_m th_ _n_q__ s_l_r _v_nt. P_l_ts n_v_g_t_d _ p_th w_th_n th_ _cl_ps_, 15,240 m_t_rs h_gh, t_ g_t _ v__w _f th_ c_r_n_ – th_ s_n's __t_r s_rf_c_. N_S_ _ls_ f_r_d r_ck_ts _nt_ __rth's _pp_r _tm_sph_r_, kn_wn _s th_ __n_sph_r_, t_ try t_ _nr_v_l s_m_ _f th_ s_n's gr__t_st myst_r__s.

    _ t_t_l s_l_r _cl_ps_ h_pp_ns wh_n th_ m__n _bsc_r_s th_ f_c_ _f th_ s_n fr_m v__w. Th_s c_l_st__l ph_n_m_n_n m_m_nt_r_ly t_rns d_y t_ n_ght. T_t_l_ty m__ns th_ s_n's c_r_n_ b_c_m_s _ m_ll__n t_m_s d_mm_r th_n th_ s_n's d_sc. Th_s m_k_s _t __s__r f_r sc__nt_sts t_ _bs_rv_ _nd st_dy th_ s_n. Dr _m_r C_sp_, _ s_l_r _str_phys_c_st, _xpl__n_d th_t: "T_t_l s_l_r _cl_ps_s l_t _s st_dy _nd s__ th_ c_r_n_ _n w_ys th_t j_st w__ld n_t b_ p_ss_bl_ _t _ny _th_r t_m_ _nd _n _ny _th_r w_y." S_l_r _cl_ps_s _ft_n h_v_ c_nf_s_ng _ff_cts _n n_t_r_. Th_y br__fly st_r n_ct_rn_l cr__t_r_s _nd m_k_ b_rds _nd _ns_cts f_ll s_l_nt. M_t_r_sts c_n _ls_ b_ _ff_ct_d _nd sh__ld sl_w d_wn _s l_ght_ng _nd v_s_b_l_ty c_nd_t__ns ch_ng_.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    astronomers and pilots chased a solar eclipse across the heavens on monday this occurred while millions of people in canada the usa and mexico gazed into the sky to catch a glimpse of a rare celestial event  a total eclipse of the sun the sun moon and earth aligned to block the view of the suns disc nasa equipped its highaltitude wb57 planes with special sensors and instrumentation to gather information from the unique solar event pilots navigated a path within the eclipse 15240 meters high to get a view of the corona  the suns outer surface nasa also fired rockets into earths upper atmosphere known as the ionosphere to try to unravel some of the suns greatest mysteries

    a total solar eclipse happens when the moon obscures the face of the sun from view this celestial phenomenon momentarily turns day to night totality means the suns corona becomes a million times dimmer than the suns disc this makes it easier for scientists to observe and study the sun dr amir caspi a solar astrophysicist explained that total solar eclipses let us study and see the corona in ways that just would not be possible at any other time and in any other way solar eclipses often have confusing effects on nature they briefly stir nocturnal creatures and make birds and insects fall silent motorists can also be affected and should slow down as lighting and visibility conditions change

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AstronomersandpilotschasedasolareclipseacrosstheheavensonMon
    day.ThisoccurredwhilemillionsofpeopleinCanada,theUSAandMexico
    gazedintotheskytocatchaglimpseofararecelestialevent-atotaleclip
    seofthesun.Thesun,moonandEarthalignedtoblocktheviewofthesun'
    sdisc.NASAequippeditshigh-altitudeWB-57planeswithspecialsensor
    sandinstrumentationtogatherinformationfromtheuniquesolarevent.
    Pilotsnavigatedapathwithintheeclipse,15,240metershigh,togetavie
    wofthecorona–thesun'soutersurface.NASAalsofiredrocketsintoEa
    rth'supperatmosphere,knownastheionosphere,totrytounravelsome
    ofthesun'sgreatestmysteries.Atotalsolareclipsehappenswhenthem
    oonobscuresthefaceofthesunfromview.Thiscelestialphenomenonm
    omentarilyturnsdaytonight.Totalitymeansthesun'scoronabecomesa
    milliontimesdimmerthanthesun'sdisc.Thismakesiteasierforscientist
    stoobserveandstudythesun.DrAmirCaspi,asolarastrophysicist,expl
    ainedthat:"Totalsolareclipsesletusstudyandseethecoronainwaystha
    tjustwouldnotbepossibleatanyothertimeandinanyotherway."Solare
    clipsesoftenhaveconfusingeffectsonnature.Theybrieflystirnocturnal
    creaturesandmakebirdsandinsectsfallsilent.Motoristscanalsobeaffe
    ctedandshouldslowdownaslightingandvisibilityconditionschange.

    Free writing

    Write about solar eclipse for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    It is very important to study the sun.  Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. ECLIPSES: Make a poster about eclipses. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. STUDYING: Write a magazine article about studying about the sun and eclipses. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on eclipses. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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