Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. an astronaut
    • ex. My younger sister wants to be an astronaut because she’s really interested in space.
  2. a plant
    • ex. There are many different kinds of plants in my garden.
  3. nutritious
    • ex. Junk food is not nutritious.
  4. a leafy vegetable
    • ex. Leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage are very healthy.
  5. diet
    • ex. The doctor told my dad to eat a healthier diet.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In 2014, NASA astronauts started growing plants on the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts used a special space garden that they nicknamed “Veggie.” Veggie is the same size as a carry-on suitcase, and it provides everything that plants need to grow: soil, light, and water.

The astronauts used Veggie to grow lettuce first. They froze some and sent it to Earth for testing. Test results showed that the lettuce was nutritious and safe to eat, so the astronauts began to eat it. Now, the astronauts are using Veggie to grow lettuce, cabbage, and other leafy vegetables. They said that they’re happy because they can enjoy fresh salads even in space.

After successfully growing leafy vegetables in space, NASA wants to include more fresh food into astronauts’ usual diet of prepacked meals. NASA plans to start growing other vegetables, like peppers and tomatoes, later this year. Growing food in space is important because it will help astronauts eat a healthy diet during longer missions.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Growing Plants

  • Do you agree that growing plants in space is important for astronauts? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think everyone should learn how to grow plants? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think we will still need to grow plants to make food in the future? Why or why not? Discuss.

Space Travel

  • Do you think it is important for humans to go to space? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think it will be easier for humans to go to space in the future? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think all countries should send astronauts to space? Why or why not? Discuss.