Powerless Aircraft Sets Altitude Record

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

altitude

Noun

ˈæltɪˌtuːd

the height of an object or place above the surface of the sea or ground

Planes fly at an altitude of around 20,000 feet.

For example, it tells altitude, outside air temperature, ground speed and estimated arrival time aside from the present position.

Athletes often train at high altitudes before important competitions.

influence

Verb

ˈɪnfluːəns

to have an effect on the character, development, etc. of someone or something

A good teacher can greatly influence her students.

No one influenced me more than my dad.

American popular culture is highly influenced by movies.

His job is to influence the public's perception of the company.

turbulence

Noun

ˈtərbjʊləns

violent or unsteady movement in water, air, etc.

The captain warned the passengers to expect turbulence during the flight.

In the event of turbulence, please fasten your seatbelt.

The severe turbulence caused injuries to 5 flight attendants and 3 passengers.

We are expecting some turbulence.

encounter

Verb

ɛnˈkaʊntər

to be faced with or experience something unexpectedly

I hope we don't encounter any bad weather during our flight.

flutter

Verb

ˈflʌtər

to move very quickly

The bird fluttered its wings and flew away.

aerospace

Noun

ˈeroʊspeɪs

the industry that builds aircraft and other related equipment

The aerospace industry is still developing in our country.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

Powerless Aircraft Sets Altitude Record

Two pilots recently set a new altitude world record for gliders.

A glider is an aircraft that does not have an engine. They are pulled into the air by powered airplanes and then released. They are designed to ride warm, rising air to gain altitude.

The Perlan II glider reached an altitude of 15,902 meters. The two pilots flew their aircraft above mountains in southern Argentina.

The pilots hope the ability of their plane to reach the edge of outer space will influence young people to follow careers in science and engineering.

A glider flight at high altitude is very difficult. The glider has no engine to fight turbulence they may encounter.

Also, although the airspeed instrument shows the speed of only 80 to 90 kilometers per hour, the true airspeed can be much higher. At those high speeds, the wings may flutter to the point of breaking.

The company Airbus helped build the glider and transported it to Argentina.

"We want to actually grab the next group of pilots, engineers, mechanics, airport operators, flight attendants, basically kids that are in high school and university right now that may not have considered aerospace as a career and we want to inspire them," said Ken McKenzie, an Airbus employee.

Exercise 3

Questions

What is a glider?

Where was the Perlan II glider flown?

What was the purpose of this flight?

What are the dangers of the glider flying so high and so fast?

Exercise 4

Discussion

Would you feel safe flying in a glider? Why? Why not?

What do you think about the record-breaking flight of the Perlan II glider?

Do you think that young people will be inspired by Perlan II's flight? Why? Why not?

Do you imagine that flying a glider at normal altitudes would be more difficult than flying a powered airplane? Why? Why not?

How do you imagine the inventors of the airplane felt when they flew for the first time? Please explain your answer.

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

Do you think it's important to get kids interested in science and engineering? Why? Why not?

Were you interested in science and engineering when you were young? Why? Why not?

What was your dream job when you were a child? Why?

Would you ever consider a career in the aerospace industry? Why? Why not?

Do you think it's important to be passionate about your job? Why? Why not?

Exercises for Further Self-Study

These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.

Exercise 6

Sentence Building

Write at least one sentence for each of the words in Exercise 1: Vocabulary. Begin by making sure you understand the definition of each word. Use the example sentences as a guide if you are unable to think of a sentence. Practice reading your sentences out loud.

Exercise 7

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.

Parts of this lesson are based on:

An article by Voice of America.