Reading_for_the_Real_World_1_2nd_Ed

S ummary

Fill in the blanks in the table with the sentences below according to the
category they belong to. Use each sentence only once.

Low Enrollment of Male Students in University

Causes Effects

1. There is a higher number of males who leave or are kicked out of high school
compared to females.

2. Some researchers attribute the decline to discrimination against boys in high school.

3. The growing number of women has led to more diverse courses at university.

4. Other researchers believe that the drop in enrollment is because more men are
pursuing jobs with a high salary that don’t require a university degree.

5. University administrators have instituted policies that encourage more men to enroll.

6. Universities now face the dilemma of how to recruit more boys while at the same
time ensuring equal opportunity to girls at universities.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

dorm elective major semester transcript tuition

1. He took four required courses and one __________ last semester.

2. Her parents pushed her to __________ in medicine and become a doctor.

3. Many students work while in university to help cover the cost of their
__________.

4. She wanted to take a(n) __________ off from school to travel in Europe.

5. The company requested a copy of his final __________ proving he finished his
degree.

6. When I lived in the __________ on campus, I shared a room with another student.

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52

Supplemental Reading

TOEIC or Not TOEIC? Track 16

S tudents all over the world want to attend university in America. When
students apply, universities need a reliable way to assess their English
skills. Most universities use a test called
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language.
5 Businesses use a test called TOEIC: Test of English for
International Communication. Today, however, many
universities are also using TOEIC. This test measures
English listening, reading, writing, and speaking. But
is it a true indicator of English ability? Many people
10 do not think it is.

Students know they must get a high score on the
TOEIC to attend university or get a good job. They
often spend several years and lots of money studying
for it. Several students achieve very high TOEIC scores. When universities and
15 employers see those scores, they think the applicants must have very good English
skills. As soon as the high scorers begin studying or working, however, it quickly
becomes apparent that they do not. They have learned how to pass English tests
but do not know how to use English in everyday life. This causes frustration for
both the English learners and the teachers or bosses who must work with them.
20 In Korea, major companies have started to use a new test to measure
employees’ English, called the Oral Proficiency Interview Computer system, or OPlC.
They have not completely abandoned the TOEIC, however. Even though it may be
imperfect, the TOEIC remains the best path to success for English learners.

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.
1. Should all students be required to take English test preparation classes or

should it be the student and the parents’ choice? Why?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of English being the dominant

global language?

U N I T 5 Environmental Issues 1

Sixth Extinction

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. In what ways do humans cause damage to the planet?
2. Do you think that humans are in danger of becoming extinct?

Why or why not?
3. What are some things we can do to help prevent the extinction

of a species?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. alien a. specific kinds of plants or animals

2. extinct b. no longer existing

3. grim c. from another place

4. habitat d. belonging to a particular place

5. native e. gloomy; somber

6. species f. an environment where something lives and grows

54

Sixth Extinction Track 17

M ost species of plants and animals that have ever lived on Earth are
now extinct. Though most have become extinct slowly, some have
been almost completely wiped out in a sudden, massive,
catastrophic event. These mass extinctions have happened at least five times
5 in the history of the Earth. The first mass extinction occurred about 450 million
years ago, when sudden changes in sea level, caused by melting glaciers, killed
most marine species. The most recent mass extinction was 65 million years
ago, when most scientists believe an asteroid struck the Earth in Mexico and
extinguished the dinosaurs.
10 Now scientists claim a “Sixth Extinction” is underway. This extinction is not
caused by one big event but by a series of human actions that disrupt the
environment. Edward O. Wilson, a Harvard University scientist, estimates that
human harm will cause half of all species of life to be extinct by 2100. Scientists
say that human activities are causing biological extinction at a rate hundreds of
15 times faster than ever before.

Humans cause damage to the Earth in three primary
ways. The first is exploitation. Humans hunt animals
for food, clothing, and sometimes just for fun. They also
collect plants and insects---such as butterflies---for
20 recreation. The second way humans impact the Earth is
by putting alien plant or animal species in new
environments. In Africa, for example, some fisherman
put perch from Egypt’s Nile River into Lake Victoria. Nile
perch like to eat other fish. Since they came, more than
25 200 native species of fish have disappeared from the lake.
The third way humans cause damage is by destroying

4 catastrophic --- violent and destructive
6 glacier --- a large body of ice
7 marine --- relating to the sea
8 asteroid --- a large rock floating in space
17 exploitation --- using something for your own purposes

30 tropical --- relating to warm climates
36 status --- state or condition
38 verge --- brink or threshold
39 amphibian --- an animal with characteristics of fish and reptiles
40 coniferous --- cone-bearing

natural habitats. They clear trees from forests to build
houses, farms, cities, and roads. One of the most
terrible instances of habitat destructions is the cutting
30 down of the tropical rainforests. It is estimated that
these rainforests, which cover less than 10 percent of
the Earth, contain almost half of all the world’s plant
and animal species.

Human activity has had a devastating effect on the natural environment.
35 Each year, an international organization of scientists releases a special “red list”

that updates the status of more than 44,000 animal and plant species. In 2008,
the organization reported that 25 percent of our planet’s 5,487 mammals are on
the verge of extinction. It also claimed that almost 40 percent of all species are
“threatened” with extinction, including 33 percent of all amphibians, a quarter of
40 the Earth’s coniferous trees, and about 12 percent of all birds. Of all threatened
species on the red list, about 3,000 are “critically endangered,” which means
they could disappear soon.

What would happen to people if the “Sixth Extinction” takes place? Scientists
say life on Earth would be grim. There would not be enough food to eat, and water
45 would be too polluted to drink. New species of pests and plants would invade the
natural areas that remain. These invaders could carry new kinds of germs, causing
diseases that human bodies cannot resist. Without plants to help cool the sun, the
ice at the North and South Poles could melt, causing sea levels to rise and wash
away coastal cities. By wiping out other species, human beings might be paving
50 the way for the greatest extinction of all: their own.

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 547 words

55

56

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ Some scientists estimate that half of all species will be extinct in the

next century.
2. ____ The Earth is facing its third mass extinction in history.
3. ____ A higher percentage of bird species face extinction than coniferous trees.
4. ____ Forty percent of all mammals are threatened with extinction.

B Choose the best answer.

1. How many ways does the reading passage indicate that humans harm the
environment?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Four

2. Which is NOT an outcome of mass extinction of life on earth?
a. Rising of sea levels
b. Food shortages
c. Lack of fresh water
d. Natural disasters

3. Which kind of animal is the Nile perch?
a. amphibian
b. fish
c. bird
d. mammal

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. Why are rainforests important to the planet?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. How can mass extinction of living species lead to the extinction of humans?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Fill in the blanks with the phrases from the list. Use each phrase only once.

being destroyed introduce alien plants kills native species
continues unchecked numerous species cutting down forests

Human activity is a primary reason why 1 _________________ are now
extinct and many more are endangered. The problem is that habitats are
2 _________________ not by one single event, but by a series of actions.
One example is when people 3 _________________ or animals to a new
environment where they have no natural predators. This risks disrupting the
ecological balance in the area and 4 _________________. Humans also damage
the Earth by 5 _________________ for development and agricultural purposes.
If this trend 6 _________________, the future of the planet will be a grim one
indeed.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

brink ecosystem magnitude deforestation conserve wildlife

1. Earthquakes are measured on a scale ranging from minor to great depending on
their __________.

2. With a population of less than 350, the California Condors are on the
__________ of extinction.

3. One of the main reasons for the destruction of the rainforest is __________.
4. An __________ is a community of living and non-living things that work

together.
5. It is important to __________ water when living in the desert.
6. It is far easier to see __________ in rural areas than in the city.

57

58

Supplemental Reading

Extinction of Dinosaurs Track 18

S ixty-five million years later, the extinction of the dinosaurs remains a
great mystery. Scientists think that dinosaurs existed on Earth for
almost 200 million years. How could these great beasts, some of which
weighed thousands of pounds and stood 100 feet tall, suddenly disappear?
5 The most popular theory is that dinosaurs were killed off when an asteroid
crashed into southern Mexico. The asteroid’s collision caused earthquakes, fires,
and tidal waves. Volcanoes erupted, spewing poisonous gases into the sky and
lowering the oxygen level in the oceans. Plants died, removing the food source
for plant-eating dinosaurs. As these dinosaurs died, there was no food for
10 meat-eating dinosaurs. In a short period of time, the dinosaurs were gone, and
the first mammals began to appear.

Many scientists note that, while the asteroid had a major impact, the Earth’s
climate had already begun to change. The planet was cooling, and the colder
temperatures were likely killing plants. Some scientists claim that mammals already
15 on Earth before the asteroid might have facilitated the
extinction by eating dinosaur eggs.

We may never know for certain what caused the
extinction of dinosaurs. But it was most likely the result
of a combination of the asteroid, colder climates, disease,
20 and egg-stealing mammals rather than the single event of
the asteroid hitting the Earth.

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.
1. Scientists generally agree that the Earth is currently in a warming phase.

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of global warming?
2. What are some other ways that humans could face extinction?

How can these possible extinction scenarios be prevented?

U N I T 5 Environmental Issues 2

A Plan to Curb
Greenhouse Gases

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. What produces greenhouse gases?
2. Why is the greenhouse effect bad?
3. Is the yearly rate of air pollution in your country now better or

worse than the rate in 1990?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. consequence a. a meeting between heads of governments or officials

2. delegate b. unlikely; not very possible

3. improbable c. something given off or released into the air

4. emission d. a person acting as a representative

5. protocol e. a result

6. summit f. a first draft from which a treaty is prepared

60

Track 19

A Plan to Curb Greenhouse Gases

A s sunlight shines on the Earth, solar radiation is absorbed and then
radiated back into space as thermal radiation (heat). However, some
of this heat is trapped by gases in the atmosphere. The trapped heat
increases the temperature of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. The process is
5 similar to the way a greenhouse is kept warm. The Earth’s natural levels of water
vapor and other gases produce this greenhouse effect, making life on Earth
possible. However, some scientists are now predicting that higher levels of
certain greenhouse gases are causing temperatures to rise beyond natural limits.

Since the beginning of the industrial age, carbon dioxide (CO2) has been
10 building up in the Earth’s atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil fuels

(coal, oil, natural gas). CO2 is considered the major cause of global warming on
Earth. Other natural greenhouse gases include water vapor, methane (CH4),
nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3). Additionally, several man-made gases are
also thought to contribute to the greenhouse effect, namely chlorofluorocarbons
15 (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
Researchers have estimated that the atmospheric concentration of CO2 has
increased by at least 30 percent since the 1800s. Industrial processes have also led
to a 145 percent increase in CH4, and 15 percent increase in N2O in the atmosphere.

The buildup of these gases is believed to be the major cause of higher than
20 normal average global temperatures in recent

years. Consequences of such global warming
could include higher sea levels, the spread of
deserts in areas around the Earth’s equator, and
the drying up of fresh water sources.
25 In December 1997, at a United Nations
summit on global warming in Kyoto, Japan,

2 radiate --- to send out like light
10 fossil fuel --- fuel made from fossil remains of plants and animals
16 concentration --- the amount of a specific thing found in an area
23 equator --- the imaginary line around the Earth at O(zero)º latitude

27 adopt --- to take as one’s own; to follow
33 adhere to --- to follow; to obey
39 oppose --- to speak against; to take action against
42 prediction --- a statement about the future
50 indicate --- to show
53 ratify --- to formally accept

representatives from over 150 nations adopted a treaty to
limit emissions of CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, and SF6.
The so-called Kyoto Protocol called for reducing emissions
30 to at least 5 percent below 1990 levels of these gases by
2012. The Protocol was signed by 38 industrialized countries
attending the summit. Developing nations attending the
summit were not required to adhere to the guidelines of
the Protocol. The 15 EU nations at the summit agreed to further reduce emissions
35 to 8 percent, the US to 7 percent, and Japan to 6 percent below the 1990 levels.

The US officially signed the Protocol on November 12, 1998, but the US
president then did not send it to the Senate to officially approve the treaty
because he knew there was little hope for its approval at that time. When the
next president took office in 2000, the new administration openly opposed the
40 Protocol. The Bush administration claimed the standards set in the Protocol
were unfair to developed countries. Australia also rejected the Kyoto Protocol on
the basis that the UN predictions of industrial growth (and thus future
greenhouse emissions) were improbable.

Even with the predictions of the Protocol called into question, many
45 countries continued to push for its approval. In July 2001, delegates met again

in Bonn, Germany, to discuss the Protocol. At the Bonn meeting, the delegates
agreed, despite opposition from US representatives, on setting guidelines and
timetables for achieving the reductions set in the Kyoto Protocol. The following
year, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South
50 Africa, Russia indicated it would soon officially approve the Kyoto Protocol.
However, in late 2003, Russia said it needed to further study the Protocol’s
requirements and predictions before signing. Without Russia’s approval, there
seems little chance the Kyoto Protocol will ever be completely ratified.

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 583 words

61

62

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ The greenhouse effect began in the 1800s.
2. ____ A consequence of global warming could be floods along coastlines.
3. ____ Some people believe the standards in the Kyoto Protocol are wrong.
4. ____ The Kyoto Protocol officially went into effect in 2001.

B Choose the best answer.

1. How is the Earth’s atmosphere like a greenhouse?
a. It has lots of plants growing in it.
b. It is full of gases that are not good to breathe.
c. It lets in light and traps heat.
d. It stays one temperature all year round.

2. Which of these greenhouse gases is NOT produced naturally?
a. CH4
b. CO2
c. O3
d. SF6

3. Which is true about the US and the Kyoto Protocol?
a. The US congress has asked the president to approve the Protocol.
b. The US does not plan to follow the Protocol.
c. The US has already met the standards set by the Protocol.
d. The US is a strong supporter of the Kyoto Protocol.

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. What did the Kyoto Protocol call for?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. What was decided at the summit in Bonn, Germany?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Fill in the blanks with phrases from the list. Use each phrase only once.

an international summit serious consequences approve the Protocol
to reduce emissions signed the Protocol level of man-made

Since the 1800s, the 1 _________________ CO2 in the atmosphere has risen,
which some scientists predict will lead to warmer global temperatures. This global
warming could have 2 _________________. In order to reduce the emission
levels of greenhouse gases, countries met at 3 _________________ to sign the
Kyoto Protocol. According to the Protocol, industrialized countries would agree
4 _________________ of greenhouse gases below emission levels in 1990.
Delegates from many countries around the world 5 _________________.
The US and Australia did not officially 6 _________________ because they
thought it was unfair and its predictions were improbable.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

glaciers erosion negotiating forecast debating precipitation

1. The weather __________ stated that it will be sunny on the weekend.
2. Many politicians are __________ how to best manage the environment.
3. Cutting down trees causes __________ of the soil on the mountains.
4. The __________ at the South Pole are starting to melt because of global warming!
5. Industrialists are __________ acceptable emission levels with politicians.
6. The Sahara gets about 13mm of __________ a year.

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64

Supplemental Reading

Emission Credits Track 20

A ccording to the Kyoto Protocol, various nations agreed to cut their
emissions of greenhouse gases below emission levels in 1990.
Developing nations such as China and India are exempt from meeting
the standards set by the Protocol. In order for the treaty to go into effect, 55

5 countries representing 55 percent of the emissions by industrialized countries

must ratify it. More than 100 countries have already ratified the Protocol, but all

of these countries only represent 43 percent of the emission levels from 1990.

The way the plan works is that industries first set a limit, or cap, on

emission levels for the industry. Industries such as oil and gas producers,

10 generating plants, and industrial plants would all take part in establishing the

limits. Once the treaty is in effect, companies that produce emissions below the

cap level can “sell” their unused level to other companies. New industries that

would produce emissions must then buy or trade with existing industries to keep

the national emissions within limits.

15 Supporters of the Kyoto Protocol were hopeful that Russia would ratify the

agreement in 2003. However, Russia decided to postpone its ratification. One of

the reasons Russia was originally interested in signing the Protocol was that they

were already well below 1990 emission levels. This meant if

they took part in the agreement, they would have plenty

20 of credits to sell. However, since the US is not

participating, Russia is hesitant to sign the agreement.

With the absence of the US, there appears to be less of a

market for the Russian emissions credits.

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.

1. If you were a government head, would you approve the Kyoto Protocol?
Why or why not?

2. Are you personally doing anything to decrease the amount of pollution?
If yes, what are you doing?

U N I T 6 Law & Crime 1

The History of the
Death Penalty

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. Is the death penalty still used in your country?

If not, when was it stopped?
2. In the past, which crimes could bring the death penalty in the

United States?
3. How were people usually put to death in the past?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. firing squad a. regularly; usually

2. humane b. a person in jail

3. inmate c. with kindness and sympathy; not cruel

4. routinely d. to check to prove true; to show to be correct

5. verify e. a line of people with guns given the job of executing criminals

6. execute f. to kill by court order

66

Track 21

The History of the Death Penalty

I n the United States, the death penalty is sometimes given to people who
are guilty of committing very serious crimes. These crimes could include
first-degree murder and treason, or betraying one’s country. Capital
punishment was brought to America by early settlers from Europe. In early
5 America, people who were found guilty of murder and rape were routinely
executed, either by hanging or by a firing squad. Convicted burglars, thieves,
and even counterfeiters often received the death penalty. This was thought to
be a deterrent to other criminals.

People began to feel that criminals were not evil. Instead, they were victims of
10 poverty, poor education, and lack of opportunity. Society should help criminals,

rather than kill them, they thought. Another reason for the change in thinking was
economic. Prisons were very expensive. Early American states could not afford to
keep many people in prison. Rather than keep them in prison, convicted criminals
were executed. But as society became richer during the Industrial Revolution,
15 prisons became more affordable for society. Because of this and other reasons,
keeping criminals in prison rather than executing them became a viable option.
By the mid-1800s, many states banned the death penalty except in the case of
convicted murderers. But those states were mostly the northern states. The
southern states kept the death penalty for many crimes. That trend continues in
20 modern America. Even today, most
executions happen in the southern states.
The southern states are considered more
conservative than northern states. In the
southern states today, death by injection is
25 the standard form of execution. It is
considered the most humane form of the
death penalty.

5 rape --- to use violence to force someone to have sex
6 burglar --- a person who enters a place to steal things
7 counterfeiter --- a person who makes fake money
8 deterrent --- something frightening or unpleasant that stops some

bad action
23 conservative --- not wanting change; not liberal

32 death-row --- the part of a prison where people sentenced to death are held
36 halt --- to stop
45 exhaust --- to use completely
48 first-degree murder --- killing on purpose or with a plan
49 in favor of --- for; supporting

In the last few years in America, the debate over the death penalty
has grown more widespread. A recent argument against the death
30 penalty is that some of the people who are found guilty and
sentenced to die are not actually guilty. New methods of verifying
evidence, such as DNA testing, have helped free many death-row
inmates. Because in many cases, criminals cannot be proven 100
percent guilty, it is not right to sentence them to death,
35 opponents say. There is a chance that they may be innocent. In
fact, the governor of Illinois recently halted all executions in his
state. In Illinois, some death-row inmates were shown later to be
innocent of the crime for which they were imprisoned. After that,
the governor was afraid that some people being executed were
40 wrongly convicted.

Another argument against the death penalty is the high cost of executing a
prisoner. Someone sentenced to die has the right to appeal the sentence several
times. The state has to defend its case each time before a higher court. One study
found that it costs more than $1,000,000 in legal costs for a prisoner to
45 exhaust all appeals against the death penalty. Despite the often-heated national
debate, the majority of Americans are still in favor of the death penalty.

According to a recent study, approximately 65 percent of Americans still believe
that the death penalty is appropriate for crimes such as first-degree murder. In
cases of mass murder, the percentage in favor of capital punishment is even
50 higher. More than 80 percent of Americans wanted the death penalty given to
Timothy McVeigh, the man who killed hundreds in the Oklahoma City bombing.

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 555 words

67

68

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ The death penalty is still used in the United States today.
2. ____ In the past, people could receive the death penalty for stealing.
3. ____ As the United States became wealthier, the use of the death penalty

increased.
4. ____ Most people said Timothy McVeigh should receive the death penalty.

B Choose the best answer.

1. Which was a reason for the use of the death penalty during the early 1700s?
a. Executions were a kind of entertainment.
b. People were very religious.
c. American states were poor.
d. The states could not control the criminals.

2. Which states stopped using the death penalty?
a. Eastern states
b. Northern states
c. Southern states
d. Western states

3. Why did the governor of Illinois stop the execution of prisoners?
a. To give DNA tests to all death-row inmates
b. To keep innocent people from dying
c. To save money for the state
d. To win support for his re-election

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. Today, why do most executions happen in the southern states?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. Why is it expensive to sentence a person to death?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Fill in the blanks with the words or phrases from the list. Use each word
or phrase only once.

routinely firing squad execute
humane verified inmates

In the past, criminals in America were 1 ________________ put to death for
crimes. Executions were usually either by hanging or by a(n) 2 ________________.
It was not until after the Industrial Revolution that the prison system grew large
enough to hold many 3 ________________ at one time and became an alternative
to the death penalty. However, some southern states still 4 ________________
quite a few prisoners. Even though more 5 ________________ methods of
execution, such as lethal injection, have been found to execute prisoners, there are
other points opponents still debate about the death penalty. For example, the
innocence of some prisoners on death row has been 6 ________________
through DNA testing.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

charged defendant witness confessed chamber testimony

1. The police officer arrested the man and __________ him with murder.
2. The __________ told the police officer what she had seen.
3. The man __________ to the murder when the police arrested him.
4. The judge heard the __________ of the arresting officer.
5. The accused man is the __________ in court.
6. The murderer was sentenced to death and so went to the gas __________.

69

70

Supplemental Reading

Daryl Atkins and the Death Penalty Track 22

M entally challenged people have IQs of below seventy. Many mentally
challenged people with IQs of fifty-five and above can hold jobs,
have children, and do many things that “normal” people do. They
even commit murder and other crimes. When mentally challenged people
5 commit crimes and are convicted, is it fair to put them to death, as other
criminals are sentenced to death? This is a question that American people and
their courts have struggled with for many years. However, in recent years, it
seems that the majority of Americans have come closer to agreement on the
issue. Many people now think that putting mentally challenged people to death
10 is a “cruel and unusual” punishment.

Daryl Atkins had an IQ of fifty-nine. In the late 1990s,
Atkins was found guilty of killing a person and was given
the death penalty in Virginia. His case was appealed all the
way up to the Supreme Court. In 2002, the court ruled that
15 Atkins and other mentally challenged persons may not be
executed. This decision opposed a 1989 Supreme Court
decision that said mentally challenged persons may be
executed. Since 1976, approximately thirty-five mentally
challenged people have been executed in the United States.
20 In the 2002 decision, the court said that the nation had come to a
consensus against executing the mentally challenged. They said it is unfair to
execute someone who cannot fully understand how bad their actions were. It is a
violation of the US Constitution’s ban against “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.
1. Do you agree with the death penalty? Why or why not?
2. In your opinion, what people should be exempt from the death penalty?

U N I T 6 Law & Crime 2

Bounty Hunters

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. What happens to criminals who escape to other countries or cities?
2. Besides police, what other people can catch criminals?
3. Have you ever gotten money for returning something that was lost?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. capture a. a person who commits a crime

2. criminal b. a strict keeping; imprisonment

3. custody c. the area or region where laws apply

4. flee d. to catch

5. fugitive e. to run away in order to escape

6. jurisdiction f. a person who has escaped

72

Bounty Hunters Track 23

B ounty hunters are people whose job is to go
after “skips.” Skips are people who either
escape from police custody or never show up
to their court dates. Sometimes skips are dangerous
5 criminals who commit terrible crimes like murder or
rape, but most often skips are people who have
committed more minor crimes, things like having drugs
or failing to pay child support for their children.

Sometimes, criminals who run away from the
10 police or don’t show up at court are helped to hide by

their friends and family, or they may flee to another country where the laws are
different from the laws of their native country. In these cases, the police may
offer a special reward, or bounty, for anyone who helps to capture the fugitives.
This is where the term, bounty hunter, comes from. Bounty hunters are not
15 official members of the law-enforcement community, but they have a special role
to play nonetheless. They are paid to go after and capture criminals that the
police are unable to find or are unable to capture. Sometimes the bounty, or
reward, is small, just a few thousand dollars. Other times, however, the reward
can be quite large, up to several million dollars. For example, in 2003, the
20 United States put a twenty-five-million-dollar bounty out for Osama Bin Laden.
If a bounty hunter were to find and capture Osama Bin Laden, he or she would
become a very rich person.

Bounty hunters operate outside of jurisdictions, or boundaries, which
means that they can go anywhere to catch a criminal while most police cannot.
25 For example, a police officer in New York cannot go to California to follow a
suspected criminal. He or she must wait until the police in California catch the

5 commit --- to perform
8 child support --- money paid to a spouse to care for children after divorce
23 operate --- to work
26 suspected --- assumed

28 relatively --- in comparison with others
29 chase --- to follow or run after to catch
33 skip --- a slang term for “run away”
39 appoint --- to set; to assign
43 license --- an official document of permission
44 felon --- a person guilty of committing a serious crime

criminal or the criminal returns to New York. In most cases, if the crime that a
person is suspected of is relatively minor, or small, the police may not spend
the time and money to chase the person. However, if the person is wanted for a
30 serious or dangerous crime, the police may send out notices offering rewards to
whoever captures the suspect. This is where bounty hunters come in.

Is bounty hunting legal? The answer is both yes and no. In most states, it is
legal to go after people who have “skipped bail.” Skipping bail is when a person
commits a crime in a city or a state and then tries to run away to
35 another city or state before his or her court date. For many
situations in the US and Canada, if someone commits a minor
crime, he or she can pay some money to the court and stay
out of jail until the court date; this money is called bail. If
the person goes to court on the appointed date, then they get
40 the money back. If they miss the court appointment, then they
lose the money and must go to jail for a longer time if they are caught
by the police or a bounty hunter.

Many states also allow bounty hunters who have special licenses to go
after dangerous criminals called felons, but some do not allow this at all.
45 Illinois, Kentucky, and Oregon have laws against bounty hunting, while
California only allows it up to 180 days after the skip flees. Interestingly enough,
in the states that allow bounty hunting, people are allowed to break the law in
order to catch a fugitive.

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 579 words

73

74

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ Only police can catch criminals.
2. ____ Bounty hunters hunt so they can get the reward money.
3. ____ Bounty hunters may travel to do their jobs.
4. ____ Bounty hunting is illegal in some places.

B Choose the best answer.

1. What information is probably important for bounty hunters to know?
a. The law in different states
b. Exchange rates for money in different countries
c. The names of important police officers
d. How to break the law

2. What is bail?
a. The money bounty hunters collect
b. The money criminals steal
c. The money the police offer for reward
d. The money given to the court

3. When do the police use bounty hunters?
a. When they are too busy
b. When the criminals have committed a serious crime
c. When a dangerous criminal escapes the police’s area
d. When a criminal committed a minor crime

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. When can’t bounty hunters go after criminals?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. How do bounty hunters get paid?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Fill in the blanks with the words from the list. Use each word only once.

custody jurisdiction fugitive
flees criminals capture

A bounty hunter is a person who tries to catch 1 _________________. These
criminals may have either escaped from police 2 _________________ or skipped
bail. When a person skips bail, a bounty hunter may try to catch the
3 _________________ and collect a reward by taking the person to the police. In
some cases, the police cannot pursue criminals outside their 4 _______________.
However, bounty hunters can 5 _________________ criminals in other states.
And even if the criminal 6 _________________ to another country, bounty
hunters may still go after them.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words or phrases that are related to the topic but are not in
the reading. Fill in each blank with the best word or phrase from the list.
Use each word or phrase only once.

handcuffs probation case offense violated track down

1. “How did you __________ the criminal?” “I just went to his girlfriend’s house.”
2. Police officers use __________ so the criminal can’t get away.
3. George is on __________ now because he was caught drinking and driving.

Next time, they will take away his license.
4. Tom __________ his probation when he was caught stealing.
5. Now a lawyer is defending Tom’s __________.
6. Since it is Tom’s first __________, the lawyer thinks he will not go to jail.

75

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Supplemental Reading

The Most Successful Bounty Hunter Track 24

T hough bounty hunting is very dangerous work, it is a job that is not
limited to men; some women are bounty hunters, too. Mackenzie
Green is a woman--- and a very well-respected bounty hunter. In fact,
she has been called “the most successful bounty hunter in the US.” Why is she so
5 successful? She relies more on her brain than on physical strength. “A good
bounty hunter relies on gut feelings and people skills to pick up information on
the whereabouts of a skip,” she says. This means that she trusts her feelings
about people and situations to figure out if they are telling her the truth or if
they are trying to hide something. She also doesn’t carry a gun. “You can’t tame
10 a bull by hitting it with a stick,” she says. This means that violence always leads
to more violence. She prefers to use good people skills to get people to trust her.
Then, when they least expect it, she arrests them.
When asked what qualities make a good bounty
hunter, Mackenzie Green had this to say, “Being a
15 bounty hunter is difficult work, and a person has
to have experience in self-defense like judo and
boxing, as well as a familiarity with weapons. A
person also must be part detective to track down
the skips, part lawyer to know what the different
20 state laws allow, and part actor to try and get
people to give you information that they otherwise
wouldn’t give out. A person must also be patient
and lucky.”

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.
1. Do you think bounty hunting is a dangerous, exciting or difficult job? Why?
2. If you were a bounty hunter, what kind of equipment or techniques would you use?

U N I T 7 Language & Literature 1

King’s March on
Washington Address

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. What is Martin Luther King, Jr. famous for?
2. When did he live? When did he die?
3. What was his “dream” that he spoke about in the famous speech

he gave?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. blow off steam a. a strong belief or trust in something

2. discrimination b. to do something to get rid of a feeling of frustration

3. equal c. the unfair treatment of one group in society

4. faith d. official separation of two or more groups

5. freedom e. the right to make your own choices or decisions

6. segregation f. the same

78

King’s March on Washington
Address Track 25

O ne hundred years ago, Lincoln signed a law that gave freedom to all
slaves in the United States. But one hundred years later, we must face
the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later,
the life of the Negro is still sadly chained by segregation and discrimination.
5 When the creators of our vast republic wrote the magnificent words of the
Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were making a promise
to all of their children. This promise was that all men would be guaranteed the
rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is clear today that America
has not kept her promise as far as her citizens of color are concerned.
10 Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that
the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be quiet and happy will have a
rude awakening if the nation returns to doing things the way they have always
been done.

There will be neither rest nor peace in America until the Negro is given his
15 rights as a citizen. But there is something that I must say to my people who

stand waiting at the doorway into the palace of justice. In the process of getting
our rights, we must not be guilty of wrongful acts. We must not allow our protest
to fall into violence. Again and again we must rise to the challenge of meeting
physical force with soul force. Go back to Mississippi. Go back to Alabama. Go
20 back to Georgia. Go back to the ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that
somehow this situation can and will be changed.

In spite of the difficulties of the moment,
I still have a dream. I have a dream that one day
this nation will rise up and live out the true
25 meaning of its belief that all men are created
equal. I have a dream that my four children will

4 negro --- past term to refer to African-Americans, now considered
offensive

9 as far as . . . are concerned --- with regard to
12 rude awakening --- shocking surprise
22 in spite of --- despite
24 live out ---to live according to

39 ‘tis --- old poetic form for “it is”
39 thee --- old poetic form for “you”
40 pilgrim --- a traveler, usually following her or his religious beliefs
48 almighty --- having complete power
48 at last --- finally

one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but
by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day in the state of
Alabama little black boys and little
30 black girls will be able to join hands
with little white boys and little white
girls and walk together as sisters and
brothers.

This is our hope. This is the faith
35 with which I return to the South. With

this faith we will be able to stand up
for freedom together, knowing that we
will be free one day. This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to
sing with new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I
40 sing. Land where my fathers died. Land of the pilgrim’s pride. From every
mountainside, let freedom ring.”

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom
ring from the hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty
mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the peaks of California!
45 Let freedom ring from every hill in Mississippi. When we let freedom ring, we
will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children will be able to join
hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 577 words

79

80

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ King had no children at the time of this speech.
2. ____ King believed that the men who wrote the Constitution wanted

Blacks and Whites to be equal.
3. ____ King said that violence is only necessary when others use violence.
4. ____ When this speech was made, Blacks had equal rights

so they were “free at last.”

B Choose the best answer.

1. What is the main idea of the reading?
a. The fight for equal rights has been won.
b. The fight for equal rights must continue.
c. The fight for equal rights should begin.
d. The fight for equal rights will be violent.

2. In the song “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee,” what is the “land where my fathers
died”?
a. Alabama
b. England
c. The South
d. The United States

3. What is an “old Negro spiritual”?
a. A ceremony to celebrate freedom
b. A famous Black leader
c. A song that lifted people’s spirits
d. The place where Black slaves prayed

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. What will give some people a “rude awakening” about Black protests for equal

rights?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. How does Martin Luther King hope his children will be judged?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided
below. Select THREE answer choices to complete the summary.

First Sentence: King’s speech talks about the freedom and rights that all people
should have regardless of who they are.

1. He dreams of a time when there will be no segregation or discrimination in America.
2. At the time, some people thought that Blacks were only protesting in order to

blow off steam.
3. King believes that Blacks will not have to use violence in fighting for their equal

rights.
4. King has faith that someday all people of color will be treated as equals in the

United States.
5. Racial discrimination is especially a problem in southern states like Alabama and

Georgia.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

rally community boycott minister prejudice inspirational

1. He organized a(n) __________ in the park to protest the new policy.
2. He asked people to stop buying the company’s product in order to __________

their products.
3. Two hundred people from the working __________ supported his efforts.
4. They didn’t like the __________ the factory owners showed against working

women.
5. “Did you know that Dr. King was a(n) __________?” “Yes, his church was very

popular.”
6. His sermons were very __________. Everyone felt moved afterwards.

81

82

Supplemental Reading

Malcolm X: “By Any Means Necessary” Track 26

M alcolm X was born in Nebraska on May 19, 1925.
His real name was Malcolm Little. Malcolm’s

father died when he was thirteen. A few years
later, he started a life of crime. He was arrested for stealing in

5 1945 and spent seven years in prison. In prison, he educated

himself by reading books. At the urging of two of his brothers,

he joined the Nation of Islam. After leaving prison, he became

a minister for the Nation of Islam and then an important leader in the African-

American civil rights movement. He took the last name “X” to symbolize his

10 true, unknown African name.

Malcolm X had a different philosophy than Martin Luther King. While King

wanted black people and white people to live together peacefully, Malcolm X at

first claimed that black people were superior to white people and should live

separately from them. Also, while King urged equal civil rights for black people

15 and white people, Malcolm X emphasized equal human rights. “Human rights are

something you were born with,” he said. He saw the struggle for equality as being

international and wanted to affect worldwide change at the United Nations. While

King stressed non-violence, Malcolm X said that black people should be able to

protect themselves “by whatever means necessary”––including weapons.

20 Later in his life, Malcolm X no longer called white people a race of “devils.”

He continued, however, to encourage African-Americans to have pride in their

heritage, and he continued to advocate violence, if necessary. Malcolm X was

shot to death while giving a speech in New York on Feb. 21, 1965.

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.
1. Do you think violence is ever necessary? Why or why not?
2. What types of protests have occurred in your country recently?

U N I T 7 Language & Literature 2

Desiree’s Baby

by Kate Chopin

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. Do you know anyone who has a multiracial background?
2. In the past, how were multiracial people treated by society?
3. How are multiracial people treated by society today?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. blow a. a room devoted to reading and studying

2. bonfire b. a forcible stroke to the body

3. curse c. a large fire built outside

4. remnant d. an unusual public display

5. spectacle e. a small remaining part

6. study f. to bring great evil upon

84

Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin Track 27

D esiree sat in her room, one hot afternoon. The baby lay asleep upon
her own great mahogany bed. One of La Blanche’s little quadroon
boys stood fanning the child. Desiree’s eyes had been fixed absently
and sadly upon the baby. She looked from her child to the boy who stood beside
5 him and back again “Ah!” The blood turned like ice in her veins, and a clammy
moisture gathered upon her face. She stayed motionless, with her gaze riveted
upon her child and her face the picture of fright.

Presently, her husband entered the room and without
noticing her, went to a table and began to search among some
10 papers. “Armand,” she called to him. But he did not notice.
“Armand,” she said again. Then she rose and tottered
toward him. “Armand,” she panted once more, clutching his
arm, “look at our child. What does it mean? Tell me.”

“It means,” he answered lightly, “that the child is not
15 white; it means that you are not white.”

When she could hold a pen in her hand, she sent a despairing letter to
Madame Valmonde.

“My mother, they tell me I am not white. For God’s sake, tell them it is not
true. I will die. I must die. I cannot be so unhappy and live.”
20 The answer that came was brief:

“My own Desiree: Come home to Valmonde, back to your mother who
loves you. Come with your child.”

When the letter reached Desiree, she went with it to her husband’s study,
and laid it open upon the desk before which he sat.
25 He said nothing. “Shall I go, Armand?” she asked in tones sharp with
agonized suspense.

2 La Blanche --- the name of the head slave
2 quadroon --- a person with one-quarter black ancestry
5 vein --- a vessel that carries blood toward the heart
5 clammy --- damp, sticky, and cool
11 totter --- to walk unsteadily

34 gallery --- an outdoor balcony
38 plantation --- a large farm or estate that produces huge harvests of crops
42 L’Abri --- the name of the plantation that Armand owned
49 espousal --- marriage
56 brand --- a mark of disgrace

“Yes, go.”
“Do you want me to go?”
“Yes, I want you to go.”
30 She turned away like one stunned by a blow and walked slowly toward the
door, hoping he would call her back.
“Good-bye, Armand,” she moaned.
He did not answer her.
Desiree went in search of her child. Zandrine was pacing the gallery with
35 it. She took the little one from the nurse’s arms and, descending the steps,
walked away.
Desiree had not changed the thin white dress nor the slippers which she
wore. She did not take the broad road which led to the far-off plantation of
Valmonde. She walked across a deserted field, where the stubble bruised her
40 tender feet and tore her thin gown to shreds. She disappeared among the reeds
and willows that grew thick along the banks; and she did not come back again.
Some weeks later there was a curious scene enacted at L’Abri. In the center
of the backyard was a great bonfire. Armand Aubigny sat in the wide hallway
that commanded a view of the spectacle; and it was he who dealt out to a half
45 dozen negroes the material which kept this fire
ablaze.
The last thing to go was a tiny bundle of
letters that Desiree had sent to him during the
days of their espousal. There was the remnant
50 of one back in the drawer from which he took
them. But it was not Desiree’s; it was part of an
old letter from his mother to his father. He read it. She was thanking God for the
blessing of her husband’s love:
“But above all,” she wrote, “I thank the good God for having so arranged
55 our lives that our dear Armand will never know that his mother belongs to the
race that is cursed with the brand of slavery.”

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 599 words

85

86

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ Desiree and Armand had a loving relationship before the baby was born.
2. ____ Desiree’s Mom asked her to bring her baby and come home to Valmonde.
3. ____ Desiree took the easiest road when she left L’Abri.
4. ____ Armand was angry that his slaves started the great bonfire.

B Choose the best answer.

1. What does Armand accuse Desiree of?
a. Not taking care of their child
b. Not being white
c. Cheating on him with another man
d. Threatening to leave him

2. According to the passage, Zandrine was ________.
a. a slave
b. Desiree’s sister
c. a housekeeper
d. a nurse

3. What does Desiree do immediately after Armand tells her to go?
a. She burns all of the letters she wrote to Armand.
b. She runs away to her mother’s house.
c. She goes looking for her child.
d. She waits for her husband to stop her from leaving.

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. Why was Desiree frightened when she looked at her baby’s face?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. What was shocking about the letter from Armand’s mother to Armand’s
father?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided
below. Select THREE answer choices to complete the summary.

First Sentence: Desiree is so shocked by her husbands response to their son, she
decides to end her and her baby’s life.

1. She walked across a deserted field, where the stubble bruised her tender feet and
tore her thin gown to shreds.

2. She disappeared among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the banks.
3. Desiree did not take the easy road to get to Valmonde.
4. She did not come back again.
5. The baby slept on Desiree’s big, mahogany bed.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

Creole accuse impulsive cultivate moral devastated

1. If a person is __________, it means they are easily influenced by their
emotions and act without thinking.

2. A plantation’s main source of income is to ________ crops such as corn or
wheat.

3. Louisiana is famous for ________ food and culture that evolved from the
different ethnic groups who first settled there.

4. She was completely ________ when she heard the news that her father had
passed away in a car accident.

5. It is a serious matter to ________ somebody of a crime.

6. Some stories have a(n) ________ or lesson that the author wants the reader to
consider.

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88

Supplemental Reading

Master or Slave? Track 28

D esiree’s Baby was one of Kate Chopin’s (1851-1904) first and most
famous short stories. In this story, Chopin explores the theme of race
more strongly than in any of her other works.
Desiree is married to Armand, who owns a plantation and many African-

5 American slaves that work on it. This was typical in the southern United States

at that time. Black people were brought to America, primarily from Africa, as

slaves and consequently bought and sold like property. White people viewed

African-Americans as an inferior race, and it was shameful for a white person to

have “mixed blood,” as would result from having parents of unequal races.

10 This explains Desiree’s concern after realizing that her son had black

characteristics. When Armand told Desiree that “the child is not white” and that

“you are not white,” he was referring to more than skin color. He meant that his

wife and child were inferior and were no longer acceptable to him.

This rejection was more than Desiree could bear, and she felt it was better

15 to die than to live in such disgrace. When she walked away, the bushes tore her

white gown, symbolizing that she was no longer a white person.

When Armand discovered the baby’s mixed blood

came not through Desiree but through his own mother,

he had already lost his wife and son, and his life was

20 destroyed.

One critic noted that Armand was as much a slave

to his racial views as the real slaves that he controlled.

“No real distinction based on color can be made

between slave and master.”

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.
1. What reasons did the south use to justify having slaves?
2. What are some arguments against slavery?

U N I T 8 Space & Exploration 1

The Space
Race

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. What country was the first man in space from?
2. What countries were involved in the race for space?
3. Who was the first man to walk on the moon?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. accomplish a. a well-done job; an accomplishment

2. achievement b. the aim; the result that is hoped for

3. beat c. to send up or send away, usually with great speed

4. goal d. to win over another, as in a race

5. launch e. something sent to collect information

6. probe f. to do; to complete

90

The Space Race Track 29

T he space race occurred during the 1960s, as
the United States and the Soviet Union
competed for new achievements in space. Both
countries improved their technology and made new
5 scientific discoveries. Their astronauts also showed
great heroism. Though the space race began as
national and political competition, it remains one of
the great moments of history.

The space race had no clear goals at first. Each
10 country wanted to show the world that it could do more

than the other. At first, the Soviet Union seemed to be
winning. Besides sending the first artificial satellite into
orbit, Sergei P. Korolev---the person in charge of the Soviet space program---also had
many other successes. The Soviet space program sent the first unmanned spacecraft
15 to the moon. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, and later the
same year, Gherman Titov spent the first whole day in orbit around the Earth. In
1963, the Soviets accomplished the first long-term mission, spending five days in
orbit. Moreover, in the same year, the first woman went into space, Valentina
Tereshkova. The Vokshod 1 mission was in 1964 and carried three astronauts. This
20 was the first time a single spacecraft had carried more than one person. In addition,
the first spacewalk was conducted in 1965 by Alexi Leonov. Also during this time,
the Soviets sent many unmanned space probes to the moon and elsewhere.

The American space agency used modified missiles at first. The US
attempted to launch its first satellite in 1957, but the rocket exploded. Then in
25 1958, a satellite, Explorer 1, was successfully launched. On May 5, 1961, Alan
Shepard became the first American in space. Twenty days later, President John

12 artificial --- not natural; man-made
16 orbit --- a circular path in space around a planet
23 modify --- to change
24 explode --- to burst into pieces

29 firmly --- solidly; strongly
29 establish --- to set
32 target date --- future date for completion
38 capsule --- part of the rocket where people work
41 abandon --- to give up; to leave forever
52 land --- to arrive on the ground

F. Kennedy gave a speech which set a specific goal for the American space
program. This goal was for men to land on the moon before the end of the
1960s. This goal became firmly established when John Glenn orbited the
30 Earth in 1962. At this time, the space race became a race to the moon.

In contrast to the United States, the Soviet moon program was secret.
Its target date for reaching the Moon was 1967 or 68. However, the Soviet
program began to have problems. Early designs of the N-1, a more powerful
rocket, failed frequently. Many exploded after launch. Then in 1966, Sergei P.
35 Korolev died during a medical operation. This was a great loss, since few people
could replace Korolev. Even so, the Soviets continued their efforts. In 1967, the
astronaut Vladimir Komarov, testing a possible moon vehicle, died when his
capsule crashed. Two more rockets failed that year. The biggest shock of all
came in 1968, when Yuri Gagarin, the hero of the Soviet space program, died in
40 a plane crash. The Soviets began
to abandon the idea of going to
the moon. However, in 1968 a
robotic probe circled the moon
and took pictures of it. This
45 would have been a bright
moment, except that the probe
crashed when it returned. In
1969, two more N-1 rockets
exploded. It became clear that
50 the Soviet Union would not only
fail to beat the United States but fail to reach the moon at all that decade.

On July 20, 1969, the American mission Apollo 11 landed, and Neil
Armstrong walked on the moon. The space race was over.

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 558 words

91

92

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ The space race involved many countries from all over the world.
2. ____ An American was the first man in space.
3. ____ The final goal of the space race was to land on the moon.
4. ____ The space race is still continuing today.

B Choose the best answer.

1. What country was considered to be the leader in the beginning of the space race?
a. The Soviet Union because of their advanced N-1 rockets
b. The US because they landed on the moon
c. The Soviet Union because it sent up the first satellite and the first man in
space
d. The US because they orbited the Earth in 1962

2. What was probably the main reason why the Soviet Union lost the space race?
a. Their N-1 rockets were not as good as the American rockets.
b. Their space program was a secret, so it couldn’t improve quickly.
c. Their robotic moon probe crashed, wasting a lot of money.
d. They lost hope when some important and skilled people in the space
program died.

3. According to the reading, what is probably true?
a. The Soviet Union never replaced Sergei Korolev.
b. It took the Soviet Union many years before sending someone to the moon.
c. The US never had any space accidents.
d. The US succeeded in its first space mission.

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. Why did the space race occur?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. Why did the Soviets begin to abandon the idea of going to the moon in 1968?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Fill in the blanks in the table with the phrases below according to the
category they belong to. Use each phrase only once.

Soviet Union Space Program

Achievements Failures

1. Frequent failures of the early designs of the N-1 rocket
2. The first country to launch a satellite into orbit
3. The death of Sergei P. Korolev during a medical operation
4. Sent the first woman astronaut into space
5. In 1968 a robotic probe took pictures of the moon, but crashed when it returned
6. The first manned orbit of Earth

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

budget booster landing gear re-entry vacuum pioneers

1. NASA needs a big __________ to run its space program---over a billion dollars!
2. __________ rockets are important for the space shuttle. Otherwise, they

wouldn’t be able to break free of Earth’s gravity.
3. When an object in space comes back down through Earth’s atmosphere again,

that is called __________.
4. Yuri Gagarin is considered to be one of the __________ of space since he was

the first man in space.
5. The space shuttle must put down its __________ prior to landing.
6. Space has no air in it, so it is considered to be a(n) __________.

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Supplemental Reading

Two Very Different Space Programs Track 30

T he Soviet and American space programs were very different. In the
United States, a government agency called the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) had existed since 1915. This agency
was involved with the development of flight in the US. In 1958, the name was
5 changed to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). NASA was
a government agency, but it did not depend completely on government support.
The American space program was only about 50 percent military. It was
operated primarily by civilians.

The Soviet military was strongly involved with the
10 space program. About 95 percent of the program was

related to the military in some way. Many of the Soviet
space projects tested military applications. Also, the
technical operations, like launching and mission control,
were handled by the military.
15 One of the biggest differences between the Soviet
and American space efforts was how each was presented to the media. The
Soviet space program was very secret. The Soviet government only publicized its
program’s successes. For example, in 1960, a rocket exploded on its launch pad,
killing one hundred people, but this was not revealed until much later. Even the
20 name of the “Grand Designer,” Sergei P. Korolev, was not announced until he
died in 1966. However, almost all of NASA’s actions were reported not just to
Americans but to the whole world. NASA’s failures were just as clear as its
successes.

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.
1. Most recently, space probes have been exploring Mars and Jupiter.

What do you think the next goal of the space program should be?
2. Would you like to go into space? Why or why not?

U N I T 8 Space & Exploration 2

Asteroid Impacts
on Earth

Pre-Reading Questions

Think about the following questions.
1. Why did the dinosaurs all die out?
2. When was the last time a large rock from space or an asteroid hit

Earth?
3. Which do you think are more dangerous, big asteroids or small

asteroids?

Vocabulary Preview

Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. blast a. the distance across a circle or sphere

2. detect b. to change to gas by some process

3. diameter c. an explosion

4. locate d. to know by seeing or measuring

5. strike e. to hit

6. vaporize f. to find

96 Track 31

Asteroid Impacts on Earth

A steroids are small objects in space. They are small compared to the
Earth and the other planets. They are made of different kinds of rock
or metal. They orbit the sun, mostly between the paths of Mars and
Jupiter. Astronomers know where many asteroids are, but not all. Though they
5 may seem small and far away, asteroids have hit the Earth many times, sometimes
causing extreme destruction. It also seems clear that an asteroid will hit the
Earth again in the future.

Most asteroids are located in what is called the “Main Belt.” This is an orbit
between Mars and Jupiter. All of these asteroids are very far from the Earth and
10 will never come close. Several hundred asteroids follow Jupiter in its orbit.
These are called “Trojans.” Asteroids can also be found in the outer solar
system, past the orbit of Saturn. There is also a set
of asteroids that orbit close to the Earth. These are
called NEAs (Near-Earth Asteroids). These are also
15 included in a group called Near-Earth Objects
(NEOs) which also includes comets. Because of
their closeness, NEAs are dangerous to the Earth.

More than half of all NEAs have been discovered. There are still many
asteroids that are unknown. There is no way to know when such asteroids could
20 strike the Earth. In 1989, a NEA passed very close. However, it was only
discovered as it was going away. If it had hit the Earth, it would have been a
complete surprise. It could have had 50,000 times the destructive force compared
to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Though the possibility of an asteroid
striking the Earth soon is not great, it is definite that the Earth will be struck
25 sometime.

NEAs have struck the Earth before. Most scientists believe that a NEA caused

3 Mars --- the fourth planet from the sun; the “red” planet
4 Jupiter --- the fifth planet from the sun; the largest planet
11 solar system --- the group of objects in space including the sun and

planets near Earth
12 Saturn --- the sixth planet from the sun; the planet with rings
16 comet --- a visible asteroid due to its “tail” of gases

30 block out --- to cover from sight
38 visible --- able to be seen
42 remote --- isolated; far from other people or things
44 vibrations --- small movements, like shaking
47 vaporize --- to change to gas form

the extinction of the dinosaurs. This sort of asteroid
would have been one or more kilometers in diameter.
If it had hit land, it would have caused a huge cloud of
30 dust that would have blocked out all sunlight for at
least a year. This would have caused a short ice age,
leading to the deaths of numerous plants and animals.
If the asteroid had hit the water, which is more likely,
the cloud of water vapor it produced would have had a
35 similar effect. Further, the shock from the impact could
have caused volcanoes to erupt, adding to the dust and vapor around the Earth.
Scientists think these kinds of events happen every million years or so.
The outlines of the craters of some of these impacts are still visible from space.

The last time a large NEA struck the Earth was in 1908, in the forests of
40 Tunguska, Siberia. This asteroid was between 30 and 60 meters across and

exploded in the air instead of hitting the ground. This explosion was just as
powerful as a nuclear bomb. Because Tunguska was a very remote place,
no-one was killed. However, closer to the blast, windows were smashed, and
people could feel extreme heat. Vibrations were recorded in the Earth as far as
45 1,000 kilometers away. The forest near the blast site had been flattened as far as
30 kilometers from the center. Some trees were burned completely. The asteroid
itself had vaporized completely.

Though people may worry about large asteroids striking the Earth, they are
easy to detect. Smaller NEAs are much harder to find, and there are many more
50 of them. The history of asteroids and the Earth has not ended.

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 590 words

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98

Reading Comprehension

A Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the

reading.
1. ____ Most asteroids are located between Mars and Jupiter.
2. ____ NEAs have probably caused the extinction of animals in the past.
3. ____ In 1989, a NEA hit Earth.
4. ____ The effect of an asteroid strike can be similar to that of a nuclear bomb.

B Choose the best answer.

1. Why do scientists think that big asteroids hit the Earth in the past?
a. There is evidence in space.
b. We can see big marks on Earth.
c. We have experienced it recently.
d. We have had an ice age.

2. How could a NEA have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs?
a. By hitting the dinosaurs
b. By making poisonous vapor
c. By causing the climate to become very cold
d. By causing volcanoes

3. Why are NEAs more dangerous to us?
a. We can’t easily find them to destroy.
b. They are too big to destroy.
c. They are smaller and faster.
d. We know where they are.

C For the next two questions, look for the answers in the passage and

write them on the lines provided.
1. In terms of hitting the Earth, where are the most dangerous asteroids located?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

2. What is the probable reason why the Tunguska asteroid did less damage
than the dinosaur-killing asteroid?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

S ummary

Fill in the blanks in the table with the sentences below according to the
category they belong to. Use each sentence only once.

Asteroid Impacts on Earth

Types of Asteroids Effects of Impact

1. Even though the NEA that struck the Earth in 1908 vaporized before it hit the
ground, the blast still caused a lot of damage in the area.

2. Asteroids whose orbits are located near the Earth are called NEAs.
3. Scientists believe that an asteroid that was one or more kilometers in diameter

may have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
4. Asteroids that follow Jupiter in its orbit are called “Trojans.”
5. The NEA in 1989 that scientists failed to detect could have been 50,000 times more

destructive than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima if it had struck the Earth.
6. Another name for a comet is NEO or Near-Earth Object.

V ocabulary Extension

Here are six words that are related to the topic but are not in the reading.
Fill in each blank with the best word from the list. Use each word only
once.

debris collision disaster aftermath precautions probability

1. The __________ of an asteroid with Earth could cause a lot of damage.
2. In fact, an asteroid strike would be a(n) __________.
3. In the __________ of a large asteroid strike, dust and clouds would prevent

sunlight from reaching Earth.
4. The __________ of a large asteroid strike is very low---much less than 1 percent.
5. The __________ from the plane crash was found all over the mountain.
6. If we take __________, we should have no trouble.

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Supplemental Reading

It’s All in the Location Track 32

D ifferent kinds of NEAs can produce different kinds of damage. The
kind of damage depends first on the size and speed of the asteroid.
However, it also depends on where the asteroid hits. An asteroid that
hits the ocean will have a very different effect than one that strikes the land.

5 An asteroid that hits the water would produce the most destruction. While

an asteroid hitting land would cause damage in only one place, an ocean strike

would cause a tsunami (a giant wave). This could severely damage or destroy

cities close to the ocean over a very large area. Seventy percent of the Earth is

covered by oceans, so an ocean impact is more likely. If a large asteroid struck

10 the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the tsunami could destroy cities on the east

coast of North and South America, as well as western cities of Europe and Africa.

Such an asteroid would only have to be about forty to sixty meters wide.

An asteroid strike on land would be destructive in a concentrated way. It

would take an object of about seventy-five meters wide to destroy a city. This

15 would not include all parts of the city, and suburbs might not be damaged so

severely. To destroy an entire urban area would

take an asteroid of around 160 meters. A 700

meter asteroid could destroy a small country.

However, a one or two kilometer asteroid strike

20 would be deadly enough to kill millions of

people, simply by the dust and vapor it would

throw into the atmosphere.

Discussion

Discuss the following questions.

1. What are some possible solutions to reducing the threat of asteroids?
2. Do you think that the government should spend money on protection against

an asteroid hit? Or is the money better spent on other areas like health care
and education?