Unit 6: Exercise 1

Read the information. Then label the shapes with the words in the box.

In the IELTS Reading test, you might need to read about something and use the information
to label a diagram. Knowing vocabulary for describing shapes can help you to do this
successfully.

Cone cube cylinder pyramid rectangular prism sphere

1.

2.
3.

4.

5.

6.
Unit 6: Exercise 2
Complete the table with the correct nouns and adjectives.

noun adjective
circle -----------------------
----------------------- rectangular
square -----------------------
----------------------- spherical
oblong -----------------------
----------------------- conical
cylinder -----------------------

Unit 6: Exercise 3
Read the first sentences. Then choose the correct answers to complete the
definitions of the words in bold.

1. The Earth’s gravity is much stronger than the moon’s, meaning that an object would
effectively be lighter if it was on the moon than it is when on Earth. 

Gravity is the ability to fly slowly/the force that attracts things to each other.

2. Meteoroids are often referred to as ‘shooting stars’ when they burn up on entering the
Earth’s atmosphere.

Meteoroids are flying pieces of rock in space/other planets .

3. The Earth’s orbit of the sun takes 365 and a quarter days.

Orbit is a circular journey in space around a central point/the distance from a point in
space

4. Spacecraft returning to Earth re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of

approximately 120 km.

Atmosphere means the feeling or mood in a place/the layer of gases above the Earth’s
surface

5. Tim Peake is the British astronaut who in 2015–16 spent six months aboard the
International Space Station.

The best definition of astronaut is a person who works and travels on a

spacecraft/someone who has been to the moon .
 6. The International Space Station is comprised of 15 separate modules, including five
made by Russia.

A module is a place where a spacecraft takes off from the Earth/a unit of a spacecraft
that can be detached

Unit 6: Exercise 4
Read the information. Then complete the table to form collocations. Use the
words in the box.

Collocations are words that often go together. These can be noun + noun (e.g. space travel),
adjective + noun (e.g. lunar landings), etc.

Research scientific soalr space

Scientist

________________ Proposal

and development
Breakthrough

________________ Expertise

Research
Exploration

________________ Station

Rocket
Energy

________________ System

panel

Unit 6: Exercise 5
Complete the sentences about summary completion tasks in the IELTS Reading
test. Use the phrases in the box.

are grammatically correct be a paraphrase be found in the text

be in the same order choose from a list of words

write more than the maximum number of words

1. In a summary completion task, you have to either write the words in the gaps or
_______________________________ .
2. When you’re writing the words in the gaps, remember that the words you need to
_______________________________ write can always
3. It’s important that you don’t _______________________________ specified in the
instructions. 
4. Always check that the words you write _______________________________ within the
sentence.  

5. Remember that the notes you read and complete will probably
_______________________________ of the text.
6. The information in the text and in the questions will always
_______________________________ .

Unit 6: Exercise 6
Look at how an IELTS candidate has attempted a summary completion task.
The candidate has made a mistake with each answer. What are the mistakes?
Choose the correct answers.

Questions 1–4

Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

The Mercator projection

Mapmakers have always faced a challenge – how to make a flat map of the spherical Earth?
There will always be some 1 distortion to a certain extent.

Gerardus Mercator (1512–1594) had the idea of showing the map as a 2 cylindrical.

Maps of the Earth created in this way are known as the Mercator projection.
They are most accurate when close to the 3 the equator.

Several of the Earth’s 4 island are shown at the wrong size.

Answer 1  (problem with singular/ plural)/ too many words written/repetition of words in
notes/wrong part of speech

Answer 2 (problem with singular/ plural)/ too many words written/repetition of words in
notes/wrong part of speech

Answer 3 (problem with singular/ plural)/ too many words written/repetition of words in
notes/wrong part of speech

Answer 4 (problem with singular/ plural)/ too many words written/repetition of words in
notes/wrong part of speech

Unit 6: Exercise 7
Read the information. Then look quickly at the labelling task and scan the
passage. Choose the four paragraphs that contain the information you need to
label the diagram.

Read the information. Then look quickly at the labelling task and scan the passage. Choose
the four paragraphs that contain the information you need to label the diagram.
The Skylab space station

A The USA sent its Skylab space station into orbit in 1973 from the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida. It wasn’t the world’s first space station – that had been Salyut 1, which was launched
by the Soviet Union on 1 April 1971. However, Salyut travelled alone and empty, controlled
remotely back on the Earth. No space station had been manned until Skylab, with its crew of
three astronauts. Skylab too launched without its crew, who were transported to the space
station once it was in orbit in the Apollo Command / Service Module. The crew members
spent up to 84 days aboard Skylab. A limiting factor was pure logistics in terms of how many
supplies it was feasible for the crew to bring with them, given the restricted space available
while in transit on the Apollo Command / Service Module.

B Key objectives of the Skylab mission included the study of space and an investigation into
how people could live and work there for extended periods. Additionally, the astronauts were
to examine the Earth’s surface (both land and oceans). However, the primary goal of the
mission was solar research. In fact, solar science was significantly advanced by the powerful
telescope on board, and the telescope’s observation of the sun was unprecedented. The
astronauts had an intense programme of experiments to carry out, and the data from these was
scrutinised following Skylab’s return to Earth.

C The life cycle of Skylab began after a period of massive expenditure on space rockets,
moon capsules and service modules, many of which were still in serviceable condition on
return to Earth, and so the decision was taken to reuse leftover components from these to
forge the space station. Many of these were from the Apollo moon missions. For example, the
Orbital Workshop (the thickest end of the space station) was made from two tanks that had
been used for storing liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen; the former was reconfigured to
become a living and working facility, and the latter was used for storing waste products that
had accumulated on the mission – unlike in other spacecraft, these were not recycled or
dumped into space.

D At the opposite extremity of the space station was the Service Module, whose conical point
would dock with the rest of the space station. In actual fact, Skylab was so designed to allow
for more than one module to dock simultaneously; this was the contingency plan in the event
of any major mishap that meant that the astronauts needed rescuing.

E Skylab itself was essentially cylindrical in form, except for the Apollo Telescope Mount,
which stuck out at a right angle from the main body of Skylab. This allowed for observation
of the Earth and stars without atmospheric interference. This was instrumental in the
collection of many thousands of photographs that were taken and subsequently analysed.

F Radiating out from a central point were the solar array panels, arranged in a cross-like
formation and looking almost like a windmill. These were designed in order to achieve
optimum alignment.

G The Airlock Module, with a length of 5.4 metres and a width of 2.1 metres, was used by
the astronauts to exit the space station and perform spacewalks. It allowed the astronauts to
access the exterior and perform any necessary maintenance. This was the cylindrical section
with the smallest radius, dwarfed by the bulk of the substantially wider body of the Orbital
Workshop and its attachments.
H Overall, the Skylab mission proved a success, though it was not without its setbacks. Just
63 seconds after lift-off, a micrometeoroid shield worked loose and became separated due to
atmospheric drag, which compromised the space station’s usability and effectively cut off the
majority of its electrical power. The first crew members were due to occupy the space station
the following day, but their launch was delayed by ten days to allow for changes to be
planned and put in place. The damage to the shield caused Skylab’s internal temperature to
rise to a dangerously high 52 degrees, but a three-and-a-half-hour spacewalk and the adept
use of a pair of wire cutters attached to an eight-metre-long pole allowed the crew to cut a
metal strap and bring the temperature back down to acceptable levels, rendering the space
station habitable. This was the first time that a repair of this magnitude had been carried out
in space.

I Much attention was paid by NASA to ensuring that Skylab would be comfortably habitable
for the astronauts. Whereas previous missions had been brief and undertaken in spacecraft
with small volumes, Skylab was to be lived in for months at a time. With this in mind, NASA
sent a scientist to the Ben Franklin submarine in the Gulf Stream in July–August 1969 to
learn how a team of six people could live in an enclosed space for a four-week period. Skylab
offered what a subsequent study would call ‘a highly satisfactory living and working
environment for the crews’. Sitting by its large window with a view of the Earth became the
most popular way for the crew to relax in orbit.

J Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 until 1979. However, its decaying orbit meant that it
would inevitably crash back down to Earth. Controllers in Florida endeavoured to minimise
the risk of any debris from the space station landing in populated areas. NASA’s target was a
spot 810 miles off the coast of South Africa in the Indian Ocean. Many people reported
seeing brightly coloured flares in the sky on 11 July 1979 as large pieces of the space station
broke up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Skylab did not in fact burn up as NASA had anticipated,
and pieces of debris reached the Earth in Australia, but without any major mishaps.

 Paragraph A
 Paragraph B
 Paragraph C
 Paragraph D
 Paragraph E
 Paragraph F
 Paragraph G
 Paragraph H
 Paragraph I
 Paragraph J

Unit 6: Exercise 8
Read the information. Then read the first part of the passage. Complete the
notes. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each
answer.
Make sure that you only write one or two words in each gap. As a general rule, try to answer
with just one word if possible.

The Skylab space station

The USA sent its Skylab space station into orbit in 1973 from the Kennedy Space Center in
Florida. It wasn’t the world’s first space station – that had been Salyut 1, which was launched
by the Soviet Union on 1 April 1971. However, Salyut travelled alone and empty, controlled
remotely back on the Earth. No space station had been manned until Skylab, with its crew of
three astronauts. Skylab too launched without its crew, who were transported to the space
station once it was in orbit in the Apollo Command / Service Module. The crew members
spent up to 84 days aboard Skylab. A limiting factor was pure logistics in terms of how many
supplies it was feasible for the crew to bring with them, given the restricted space available
while in transit on the Apollo Command / Service Module.

Key objectives of the Skylab mission included the study of space and an investigation into
how people could live and work there for extended periods. Additionally, the astronauts were
to examine the Earth’s surface (both land and oceans). However, the primary goal of the
mission was solar research. In fact, solar science was significantly advanced by the powerful
telescope on board, and the telescope’s observation of the sun was unprecedented. The
astronauts had an intense programme of experiments to carry out, and the data from these was
scrutinised following Skylab’s return to Earth.

The life cycle of Skylab began after a period of massive expenditure on space rockets, moon
capsules and service modules, many of which were still in serviceable condition on return to
Earth, and so the decision was taken to reuse leftover components from these to forge the
space station. Many of these were from the Apollo moon missions. For example, the Orbital
Workshop (the thickest end of the space station) was made from two tanks that had been used
for storing liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen; the former was reconfigured to become a
living and working facility, and the latter was used for storing waste products that had
accumulated on the mission – unlike in other spacecraft, these were not recycled or dumped
into space.

 Time spent by astronauts in orbit depended on the availability of ____________ on

Skylab.
 The main purpose of Skylab was to study the _____________ .
 Skylab was constructed from ______________ pieces of hardware.
 In the Orbital Workshop, _____________ were kept in an old oxygen tank.

Unit 6: Exercise 9
Read the next part of the passage. Use the information in the passage to label
the space station. Use the phrases in the box.

The life cycle of Skylab began after a period of massive expenditure on space rockets, moon
capsules and service modules, many of which were still in serviceable condition on return to
Earth, and so the decision was taken to reuse leftover components from these to forge the
space station. Many of these were from the Apollo moon missions. For example, the Orbital
Workshop (the thickest end of the space station) was made from two tanks that had been used
for storing liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen; the former was reconfigured to become a
living and working facility, and the latter was used for storing waste products that had
accumulated on the mission – unlike in other spacecraft, these were not recycled or dumped
into space.

At the opposite extremity of the space station was the Service Module, whose conical point
would dock with the rest of the space station. In actual fact, Skylab was so designed to allow
for more than one module to dock simultaneously; this was the contingency plan in the event
of any major mishap that meant that the astronauts needed rescuing.

Skylab itself was essentially cylindrical in form, except for the Apollo Telescope Mount,
which stuck out at a right angle from the main body of Skylab. This allowed for observation
of the Earth and stars without atmospheric interference. This was instrumental in the
collection of many thousands of photographs that were taken and subsequently analysed.

Radiating out from a central point were the solar array panels, arranged in a cross-like
formation and looking almost like a windmill. These were designed in order to achieve
optimum alignment.

The Airlock Module, with a length of 5.4 metres and a width of 2.1 metres, was used by the
astronauts to exit the space station and perform spacewalks. It allowed the astronauts to
access the exterior and perform any necessary maintenance. This was the cylindrical section
with the smallest radius, dwarfed by the bulk of the substantially wider body of the Orbital
Workshop and its attachments.

Airlock Module Apollo Telescope Mount Command Module Orbital Workshop

Service Module Solar Array Panels

Unit 6: Exercise 10
Read the final part of the passage. Complete the notes. Write NO MORE THAN
TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Overall, the Skylab mission proved a success, though it was not without its setbacks. Just 63
seconds after lift-off, a micrometeoroid shield worked loose and became separated due to
atmospheric drag, which compromised the space station’s usability and effectively cut off the
majority of its electrical power. The first crew members were due to occupy the space station
the following day, but their launch was delayed by ten days to allow for changes to be
planned and put in place. The damage to the shield caused Skylab’s internal temperature to
rise to a dangerously high 52 degrees, but a three-and-a-half-hour spacewalk and the adept
use of a pair of wire cutters attached to an eight-metre-long pole allowed the crew to cut a
metal strap and bring the temperature back down to acceptable levels, rendering the space
station habitable. This was the first time that a repair of this magnitude had been carried out
in space.

Much attention was paid by NASA to ensuring that Skylab would be comfortably habitable
for the astronauts. Whereas previous missions had been brief and undertaken in spacecraft
with small volumes, Skylab was to be lived in for months at a time. With this in mind, NASA
sent a scientist to the Ben Franklin submarine in the Gulf Stream in July–August 1969 to
learn how a team of six people could live in an enclosed space for a four-week period. Skylab
offered what a subsequent study would call ‘a highly satisfactory living and working
environment for the crews’. Sitting by its large window with a view of the Earth became the
most popular way for the crew to relax in orbit.

Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 until 1979. However, its decaying orbit meant that it
would inevitably crash back down to Earth. Controllers in Florida endeavoured to minimise
the risk of any debris from the space station landing in populated areas. NASA’s target was a
spot 810 miles off the coast of South Africa in the Indian Ocean. Many people reported
seeing brightly coloured flares in the sky on 11 July 1979 as large pieces of the space station
broke up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Skylab did not in fact burn up as NASA had anticipated,
and pieces of debris reached the Earth in Australia, but without any major mishaps.

 An accident during take-off meant that the space station had hardly any
_______________ .
 Astronauts performed repairs to correct the ______________ inside the space station.
 The living conditions in a ________________ were studied to inform the design of a
space station that would be easy to live in.
 NASA had intended the spaceship to fall into the sea near ________________ .