2020-2021学年度第26期总第820期
Reaching for the stars (P6)
山东省烟台第二中学 孔洁
Activity 1  Lead-in 
What do you know about space exploration?
•When did it start?
•What achievements have been made till now?
•Who was the first human in space?
•When did Neil Armstrong land on the moon?

 
Man has always dreamed about space and what’s out there. The launch of the V2 rocket in 1942 marked the first time a missile reached outer space. 

Why do we explore?  
Curiosity; 
Scientific development; 
Searching for new habitats;
Breaking boundaries. 

What achievements did we accomplish in 2020? Read and find more!
Activity 2  Skimming 
1. Can you predict the main idea of the passage based on the title?
Reaching for the stars 

2. Read and check your prediction.  
It refers to humans' efforts in space exploration. This passage introduces the achievements we made in 2020 and the upcoming missions. 
Activity 3  Scanning 
Read and complete the flow chart. 

Key: 

Activity 4 Think and Share  
Complete the timeline of the James Webb Space Telescope and China's first space station.   
 

What are the benefits of space exploration?
•Space exploration allows us to prepare for potential hazards;
•It gives us more information about our solar system, galaxy and universe;
•Exploring space is one of the few human endeavors that crosses borders;
•Space exploration encourages us to share instead of being selfish;
•We know more about our planet thanks to our efforts to explore space.

Are there any potential problems?
•Space exploration creates a lot of trash around our planet;
•There are cost considerations to look at with space exploration;
•It may lead us into future conflict with beings who have superior technology;
•Astronauts are exposed to danger while in space.
Activity 5  Language focus 
Analyze the underlined part of the following sentences.
•1. China’s Tianwen-1 mission is also expected to arrive in mid-February, making China the second country to soft-land a spacecraft on the Martian surface. 
•下划线部分为现在分词做结果状语；
•Eg. Emperor Qin Shihuang simplified Chinese characters and regular rules were set, ________ (make) the language easier for people to learn and master. 
Key: making
释义：中国的天问一号预计将在二月中旬抵达，中国将成为第二个在火星表面软着陆的国家。

•2. Finally, NASA’s Mars Perseverance, launched in 2020, will likely be the third craft to reach Mars – also in February, according to Ars Technica.
•下划线部分为过去分词做后置定语，修饰NASA’s Mars Perseverance，可以改写为定语从句。
•Finally, NASA’s Mars Perseverance, which was launched in 2020, will likely be the third craft to reach Mars – also in February, according to Ars Technica.
•Eg. (2016浙江) To return to the problem of water pollution, I’d like you to look at a study _________ (conduct) in Australia in 2021. 
Key: conducted