Sequence IV : Pluto

A. Reading Comprehension
B. Pronunciation / Spelling
C. Word-Building
D. Grammar
E. Writing

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A. Reading Comprehension
Read this text then do the activities
PLUTO

Pluto was discovered by an

American Clyde W. Tombaugh
in 1930; it remains the only
planet that has not been visited
by a spacecraft.

Pluto is usually farther from the Sun than any other

planets; however, due to the eccentricity of its orbit, it is
closer than Neptune for 20 years out of its 249 year orbit. It
has an orbital inclination of 17° C.

Pluto’s rotation period is

6.387 days, the same as its satellite
Charon. Although it is common for
a satellite to travel in a synchronous
orbit with its planet, Pluto is the

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only planet to rotate synchronously with the orbit of its
satellite. Thus, Pluto and Charon continuously face each
other as they travel through space.

Thanks to the Hubble Space

Telescope, more recent images of
Pluto and its satellite Charon have
been provided. The improved
optics allow us to measure Pluto’s
diameter as 2,274 kilometers and
Charon`s diameter as 1,172 km.
Pluto’s density lies between 1.8 and 2.1 grams per cubic
centimeter. It is concluded that Pluto is 50% to 75% rock
mixed with ices. Its temperatures can reach -230° C.
However, the 26th General
Assembly for the International
Astronomical Union (IAU)
which was held in 2006 took
some resolutions, among them
the definition of a planet. A new
distinct class of objects called
“dwarf planets” was also decided. According to that
definition, Pluto is a “dwarf planet” like Ceres and 2003 UB
313 (temporary name) and is recognized as the prototype of
a new category of trans- Neptunian objects. More “dwarf
planets” are expected to be announced by the IAU.
Activity 1 : Choose the best answer (a or b)
1. Pluto is
a). nearer to the Sun than Neptune.
b). as close to the sun as Neptune.
2. Pluto and Charon
a). have an identical rotation period.
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 b). don’t rotate with their orbit.
3. The Hubble Space Telescope has made it possible to
a). measure Pluto’s density
b). calculate Pluto’s diameter.
4. Dwarf planets are
a). Trans - Neptunian objects.
b). objects that have been recently discovered in space.
5. Pluto was declared a Trans - Neptunian object
a). in 1930.
b). in 2006.
6. 2003 UB 313 is the name of
a). an astronomical organization.
b). a dwarf planet.

Activity 2
Answer these questions

1. What makes Pluto closer to the Sun than Neptune?

...............................................................................................

2. What has the Hubble Space Telescope enabled experts to

do?
...............................................................................................

3. List 2 resolutions adopted by the International

Astronomical Union in 2006.
................................................................................................

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Activity 3
Match the words in A with their definitions in B

A B
1. remain a. extend; be situated
2. synchronous b. person, animal, thing much below the
usual size.
3. provide c. have, observe, conduct
4. lie d. continue to be; continue in the same
place or condition.
5. hold e. that happens at the same time.
6. dwarf f. give; supply what is needed.

1. .... 2. .... 3. .... 4. .... 5. .... 6. ....

Activity 4
Complete each sentence with a word from activity 3

1. The Scots ....................... a festival of

music at Edinburgh each year.

2. the Mitidja plains .....................

between Algiers and Blida.

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 3. After the fire, very little
.......................ed of the
building.

4. It is the parents' role to

....................... their children
with food and clothes(a good
education?).

5. A bonsai is a .......................
tree that is grown in a pot
and prevented from reaching
its normal size.

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 6. The sound track
of a film must
be ...............
with the scenes.

B. Pronunciation / Spelling

Writing and Saying Numbers

a)- Numbers over 20 are written with a hyphen

e.g.: 35 Î thirty- five
b)- Numbers over 100
e.g.: 429 Î four hundred and twenty nine
c)- Numbers over 1000
e.g.: 1,100 Î one thousand one hundred
2,500 Î two thousand five hundred.

A comma is often used to divide large numbers into

groups of 3 figures.
33,423Îthirty three thousand four hundred and twenty
three.
d)- Decimals
e.g.: 79.3 Î seventy-nine point three
3.142 Î three point one four two
0.67 Î zero point six seven / nought point six seven

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 e)- The figure “0” has several names.
Zero: used in precise scientific, medical and economic
contexts and to talk about temperatures.
e.g.: It was ten degrees below zero last night.

nought: used to talk about a number, age.

e.g.: A million is written with six noughts.

Activity 1
Write these figures in letters

19: ...................................................................................

142: ...................................................................................

67: ...................................................................................

359: ...................................................................................

24,998: ...............................................................................

2.54: ...................................................................................

4,534: .................................................................................

34.15: .................................................................................

632: ...................................................................................

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Activity 2
Write the corresponding figures

1. two thousand nine hundred and seventy- three .................

2. two point six three eight ..................
3. nine point zero five two ..................
4. eight hundred and eleven ..................
5. three thousand six hundred ..................
6. one point seven six ..................
7. nought point four one ..................

C. Word-Building

- We can form nouns from adjectives

e.g.: accurate Î accuracy
arrogant Î arrogance

Activity 1
Form nouns from these adjectives and classify

them in the table below.

defiant – casual – rational – honest – relevant – wide – sad –

eccentric – long – material – deep – dark – royal - rude

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-ism -ance -ness -ty -th

................. ............... ............... ............. .............

................. ............... ............... ............... .............

............. ............... ...............

...............

Activity 2
Complete each sentence with a noun formed
from one of these adjectives.

1. When he settled in Canada, he suffered from ..................

for months before he could make friends.

2. A lot of species are threatened by.................. , so man

has to protect them.

3. The plane turned back to the airport because of poor

..................

4. Injustice engenders hate and ..................

5. When I entered the room, I didn’t see them as there was

complete ..................

6. She showed some .................. to join us on the trip but

finally we managed to persuade her to take some rest.

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7. He is always in debt because of his ..................
for months before he could make friends.

8. There is a .................. to build an airport on the island so

that planes could fly there.

D.Grammar

1. Reading speed and temperature

Earth is 12,756 km in diameter.
Light travels at 299,792 km per second (kps)
The normal temperature of the human body is 37° C.
( thirty-seven degrees Celcius )
♦ Asking questions with How + adjective

- We use how far for distances.

e.g.: How far is Earth from the Sun?
Earth is 150,000,000 km far from the Sun.
- We use how big for sizes.
e.g.: How big is Earth?
Earth is 12,756 km in diameter.

- We use fast for speed.

e.g.: How fast does Pluto rotate round the Sun ?
Pluto rotates at a speed of 4.74 km/sec

- We use how hot / how cold for temperatures.

e.g.: How hot was Djanet yesterday ?
It was 38° C.
How cold was Berlin on January 12th?
It was – 15° C.

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- We use how deep for depth.
e.g.: How deep is that swimming pool?
It is 3m. deep.

- We use how high / how tall for height.

e.g.: How tall are you?
I am 1.72 m tall.

How high is that building?

It is 20 m high.

- We use how long for length or a period of time.

e.g.: How long is the Nile?
It is 6,700 km. long.

How long have you stayed in London?

for two years.

Activity 1
Ask questions

1. a) ................................ Earth
from the Sun?
b) It is 150 million km.

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 2. a) ...................
El Azzizia in Lybia in
1922?
b) It was 58° C.

3. a) ............................... Mauna
Kea in Hawaii?
b) This mountain is 4,200 m.

4. a) .....................................
Arecibo Telescope?
b) This telescope is 304.8
meters in diameter.

5. a) ..................................... has the

Hubble Space Telescope been
orbiting the Earth ?
b) It was launched in 1990, so it
has been orbiting our planet
for 17 years now.

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 6. a) .............................
the Pacific Ocean?
b) It’s 180 million sq. km.
7. a) And ..............................?
b) It is 11 km deep in some
places.

2. Connectors

a)- To express contrast, we can use:

♦ while / whereas
e.g.: Jupiter has 63 satellites while/whereas Uranus has 27.

♦ Unlike
e.g.: Unlike Ptolomy who believed the Earth was at the
centre of the universe, Copernicus said that the
Earth and the other planets orbited around the Sun.

b)- To express similarity, we can use:

♦ like
e.g.: Neptune, like Saturn and Jupiter, is known as the
Jovian planets.
= Like Neptune, Saturn and Jupiter are known as the
Jovian planets.

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Activity 2
Complete with while (= whereas), unlike or like:

1. ..................... Pluto, Mercury is a small planet.

2.One day is 24 hours on Earth ..................... a day on
Venus is 243 Earth days.
3. ..................... Pluto, Mercury is the nearest planet to the
sun.
4. Earth is inhabited ................... the other planets are not.
5. Arecibo is a radio telescope ..................... the Keck
which is a reflector telescope.
6. In 2006, Pluto was declared to be a “dwarf planet”
......................... the eight others in the solar system.

E. Writing

Activity 1

Write a summary of the reading passage

.................................................................................................

.................................................................................................

.................................................................................................

.................................................................................................

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Activity 2
Reorder these sentences to get a coherent paragraph:

a)-During that same period the first

Observatory,
the Tower of Seville, was constructed by the
Arabs under the supervision of Jabir Ibn
Afiah in 1190 AD.

b)- The Muslims have thus made the greatest

contributions to astronomical knowledge
during medieval times.

c)- The outstanding Spanish astronomers were

Majriti of Cordoba, Al Zarqali of Toledo,
Ibn Afiah of Seville and Al Bitruji.

d)- During the 10th and 11th centuries

astronomical studies were especially
favoured in Spain.

e)- This latter was considered the exponent of a

new astronomy marking the culmination of
the anti- Ptolomaic movement.

1. .... 2. .... 3. .... 4. .... 5. ....

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