Abdelkader Ouadha Secondary School.

Abadia Level: 3rd year SC

Unit Three: It is a Giant Leap for Mankind

Topic : Astronomy and the Solar System

 “one small step for man , one giant leap for mankind”
- This phrase was said by the Astronaut Neil Armstrong in 1969 when he became the first person
who set foot on the moon.
- The huge ( very big) jump that Man made is exploring ( discovering) the outer space.
- The Space Age started in 1957 with the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik, it provided scientists
with valuable information.
- In 1958 , the U.S.A created an agency to oversee U.S. space exploration and aeronautics research.
It is called « NASA » which stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration
 The scientific study of celestial objects ( such as sun stars , planets , comets and galaxies ) and
phenomena that originate outside the earth’s atmosphere is called Astronomy.
 Astronomy is also concerned with the formation and development of the universe ( it is a real
science) whereas Astrology is a number of belief systems that hold that there is a relationship
between astronomical phenomena and events or descriptions of personality in the human world. ( it is
a pseudoscience / fake science).

Task 1 : Match each word with its definition .

Words Definitions
1. Solar system a. Any object existing in space , like a planet , star , the moon….
2. Artificial satellite b. A building from which astronomers can watch celestial bodies
3. Heavently body c. The sun and the group of planets which turn around it.
4. Observatory d. A device sent up into space to orbit the earth , used for collecting
information and make weather forecasts.
5. Space exploration e. The very large group of stars that contains the solar system
6. Galaxy f. The whole of space ,all the stars , planets and all forms of matter
and energy
7. Universe (cosmos) g. The physical exploration of outer space both by manned and
unmanned spacecrafts
Task 2: Read the sentences below and put their number in the corresponding part of the table.
Advantages of space exploration ( for ) Disadvantages of space exploration ( against )

1. We may encounter unknown risks that may harm our planet.

2. We may find new sources of energy.
3. It is senseless to spend billions exploring space when we know so little about this world.
4. It answers scientific questions.
5. The space program creates jobs.
6. Manned flights are too dangerous.
7. The money should be spent on more urgent things, like providing clean water and medicines for the poor
8. It’s important to discover more about our solar system.
9. We can discover water and life in outer space in order to help us to survive
10. We may destroy our planet with all these experiments.
11. Humanity makes progress by exploring the unknown.
12. It is a human characteristic: to seek and discover.

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 Task3 :

A) Ask questions about the underlined words. Use How+ adjective from the box below.

High – fast – wide – long – much – far - deep

1) Sputnik I weighes 84 kg ( has a weight of 84 kg)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2) The distance of the Earth from the Moon is 384,402 km

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3) Mount Everet is 8,872 m in height. (is 8,872 m high)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4) The valleys of Mars have a length of 4,000 km
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5) They have a width of 2,000 km. / they are 2,000 km wide .
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6) They have a depth of 6 km / they are 6 km deep.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7) Light travels at a speed of 300,000 km per second.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B) Ask questions about the underlined words. Use Wh + auxiliary / modal + S + V

1. Astronomers use the telescope to magnify distant stars.
……………………………………………………………………………………….

2. The telescope was invented in the 16th century.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

3. NASA has discovered a new planet .

…………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Astronauts travel to the space .
……………………………………………………………………………………
5. Mars has two satellites.
……………………………………………………………………………..

Taak 4: Complete the following table as shown in the example.

Verb Noun Adjective

EX: to explore Exploration Exploratory
……………………. investigation ……………………….
To revolve ………………………. ……………………..
………………….. ……………………… rotated
To observe ……………………. ………………………..
……………………… Radiation ……………………….
………………………. ……………………….. Deep
To discover …………………………. ……………………..

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Sequence 2 : Read and Consider
The Solar System
If you were out in space, billions of miles away from our planet, you would see the Earth as a tiny ball moving
in a wide path around a star that you might recognize as our sun. You would also see, at various distances from the
Sun, seven other spherical bodies of different sizes -the other planets‐all travelling in the same direction in almost
circular paths around the Sun. Moving around some of the planets are smaller balls‐ the satellites or moons of the
planets. (§1)
Now suppose you were still in space and that you were looking at the space between the orbits of planets Mars
and Jupiter, what would you see? There would be thousands of little planets, or asteroids, also revolving around the
Sun. Cutting in this way and that, across the paths of the planets, you would see comets‐ starry‐headed objects,
sometimes with long tails streaming after them as they draw near the Sun. You might also catch a glimpse of
swarms of even smaller particles – the meteors‐ swirling through space. All these heavenly bodies make up our vast
solar system. (§2)
The Sun is the very heart of our solar system. It is a typical star‐ one of the several thousand millions of stars in
our galaxy; like the rest, it is an incandescent body made up of highly compressed gases. Compared with the other
stars, the Sun is of average size, but it is a giant in comparison with even the largest planets. Its diameter of 865,600
miles is 109 times that of the Earth; even though it is gaseous, it weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the
Earth. Its surface temperature is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat energy and light energy radiating from
the Sun make it possible for life to exist upon Earth . (§3)
The Sun is just one of the stars in our universe. When the skies are clear, we can see the twinkling of these other
stars at night. Their light is less intense than that of the Sun because they are far more remote from us than any
other heavenly bodies. (§4)
We know that the planets of the solar system are different from the distant stars in some very important ways.
Unlike stars, which shine with their own light, the planets give off no light of their own. All we can see is the light
from the Sun that they reflect back to us as if they were huge mirrors in the sky. In addition, each one of the eight
planets travels in its own special path or orbit around the Sun held in place by the powerful force of the Sun’s
gravity . More distant planets have larger orbits and travel far more slowly. Jupiter, for example, takes more than
eleven Earth years to make one complete turn around the Sun while Earth makes its path around the Sun in just 365
1/4 days‐ in other words, once a year.(§5)

Task1 : Are the following statements true or false according to the text ?
a. The orbit of the sattelites is the same as the orbit of the planets.
b. The solar system consists of the the sun and the planets only.
c. The light of the stars is more intense than that of the sun .
d. The orbit of the distant planets is larger than the orbit of near planets.

Task 2 : answer the following questions according to the text.

a. What are the different heavently bodies that constitute the solar system ?
…………………………………………………………………………………

b. What make life possible on earth ? (§3)

……………………………………………………………………………………….

c. Why are the planets likened to huge mirrors ? (§5)

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Task 3 : Find in the text the words and phrases that match the definitions below.
a. very small (§1)= ……………………
b. giving out light when heated (§3)=…………………
c. shining with a light that gleams unsteadily (§4)=……………….
d. extreme in degree (§4)=…………………….

Task 4 : cross out the silent letters in the following words.

Would - moving - might – when – hour – knife – high – island - psychology – climb – often

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 Grammar Explorer 1: « Similarities and differences »
 Join the following pairs of sentences to express similarity :
1) a. Mars is a planet b. Jupiter is a planet
 Like / as / Similar to Mars , Jupiter is a planet.
 Both Mars and Jupiter are planets
2) a. The earth is not a satellite. B. Mercury is not a satellite
 Neither the earth nor mercury is a satellite.
 Join the pairs of sentences to express difference :
a. Astronomy is a science b. Astrology is a fake science
 Astronomy is a science while / whereas / but / however Astrology is a fake science.
 Unlike / contrary to / by contrast to Astronomy , Astrology is a fake science.
 Unlike Astronomy which is a science, Astrology is a fake science

Similarity Like , as , similar to , similarly , both…and , neither…nor…

Difference Unlike , while , whereas , but , however , contrary to , by contrast to…
Task: Join the following pairs of sentences using connectors in brackets .Make changes where necessary

1. Pluto is the furthest planet to the sun. Mercury is the closest planet in the solar system. (Unlike)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Life is impossible in Mars . Life is possible in earth (whereas)
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Jupitar has moons. Saturn has moons. (both…and…)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Earth has atmosphere . Asteroids have no atmosphere (while)
………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Asteroids don’t have a specific origin. Comets have no specific origin as well. ( neither…nor)
............................................................................................................
6. Space research can be beneficial to medicine. Space research can be beneficial to farming
technology (both … and)
……………………………………………………………………………………..
7. Earth takes one day to rotate on its axis.b-Mars takes one day to rotate on its axis (similar to)
…………………………………………………………………………………
8. Stars shine with their own light . Planets give off no light. ( by contrast to)
……………………………………………………………………………………

Grammar Explorer 2 : « If-conditional type 2 »

a. If you were out in the space , you would see the earth as a tiny ball.

b. Supose Martians invaded our planet ,they would kill us

If conditional type 2 expresses a hypothesis , an imaginary situation in the present

If + past simple + would + stem

Task : Put the verbs between brackets in their correct tense.

1. If the sun (stop) ………………shining, we (need) heavy coats and flashlights.

2. What (happen)……………to us if a large asteroid (collide) ………………..with the Earth?

3. If I (to be)………………. you, I ( study)…………………..geology at university.
4. If a comet ( collide) with the earth , it ( destroy ) the human life.
5. I ( travel)……………… to the Moon if I ( have)…………… a spacecraft

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 Think , pair , share

Topic : the Moon is one of the heavently bodies that exist in the space . write an expository presentation
about the Moon using the notes below.

- Earth satellite / average distance from earth : 384.402 km / surface gravity:only 0.16 /
Orbit : west –to-east direction / no atmosphere and no water / temperatures : sunlit side : +110°C
and lunar nights : -170°C. / composition : rocky / Age : about 4.6 billion years

The Moon

The moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite. It can be seen from Earth. It is actually very large, about
a quarter the size of the earth, but because it is far away it looks very small . It orbits our planet from a
distance of 384,000kms on average, and its orbit is in a west-to-east direction. Its surface gravity is only 0.16
that of the Earth (one sixth), and it does not seem to have life on it, since it has neither atmosphere nor water.
Minimum and maximum temperatures on it are wide apart, with +110°C on the sunlit side and –170°C in
lunar nights. The geology of this satellite is rock only, and its age is about 4,6 billion years.
Plans to reach the Moon on space crafts have been on scientists’ minds since early 20th century. But
they became more concrete when the Russians launched space crafts Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 in 1957, the
second one carrying dog Laika. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth, followed by the American astronaut
John Glenn in 1962. Finally, America won the honour of reaching the Moon before Russia, when Neil
Armstrong set foot on it on July 21st 1969.
There are at present plans to build a space base on the Moon, to set a giant telescope and launch space
ships from there to distant planets, and perhaps to other solar systems.

 Think , pair , share

Topic : the Moon is one of the heavently bodies that exist in the space . write an expository presentation
about the Moon using the notes below.

- Earth satellite / average distance from earth : 384.402 km / surface gravity:only 0.16 /
Orbit : west –to-east direction / no atmosphere and no water / temperatures : sunlit side : +110°C
and lunar nights : -170°C. / composition : rocky / Age : about 4.6 billion years

The Moon

The moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite. It can be seen from Earth. It is actually very large, about
a quarter the size of the earth, but because it is far away it looks very small . It orbits our planet from a
distance of 384,000kms on average, and its orbit is in a west-to-east direction. Its surface gravity is only 0.16
that of the Earth (one sixth), and it does not seem to have life on it, since it has neither atmosphere nor water.
Minimum and maximum temperatures on it are wide apart, with +110°C on the sunlit side and –170°C in
lunar nights. The geology of this satellite is rock only, and its age is about 4,6 billion years.
Plans to reach the Moon on space crafts have been on scientists’ minds since early 20th century. But
they became more concrete when the Russians launched space crafts Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 in 1957, the
second one carrying dog Laika. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth, followed by the American astronaut
John Glenn in 1962. Finally, America won the honour of reaching the Moon before Russia, when Neil
Armstrong set foot on it on July 21st 1969.
There are at present plans to build a space base on the Moon, to set a giant telescope and launch space
ships from there to distant planets, and perhaps to other solar systems.