HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

GENERAL ENGLISH · BREAKING NEWS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE
REVEALS THE PAST

QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet

Expemo code:
1D4K-C5KC-KEBV

1 Warm up

Discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.

1. Look at the images taken by the telescope. Do they remind you of anything in particular?
2. Do you find astronomy interesting in general? Why/why not?
3. If you had the opportunity to travel to another planet, would you do so?
4. Why do you think human beings have been fascinated with space for so long?
5. Do you think the James Webb telescope will help us to discover planets inhabited by aliens?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

2 Focus on vocabulary
Part A: Match words with the correct definitions.

1. upgrade (n) a. a new version, improved model

2. observatory (n) b. connected with the stars

3. successor (n) c. a special building or structure with a telescope and other

equipment that scientists use to watch the stars,
weather etc.
4. infrared (adj.) d. having or using electromagnetic waves that are longer
than those of red light in the spectrum, and that cannot
be seen
5. stellar (adj.) e. a person or thing that comes after somebody/something
else and takes their/its place

II

1. nebula (n) a. a sight of somebody/something for a very short time,

when you do not see the person or thing completely
2. predecessor (n) b. move soldiers, weapons or other objects in a place
where they are ready to be used
3. vapour (n) c. a mass of dust or gas that can be seen in the night sky,
often appearing very bright
4. deploy (v) d. a mass of very small drops of liquid in the air

5. glimpse (n) e. something or someone that has been followed or

replaced by something else

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

Part B: Complete the sentences with eight of the missing words from Part A. You may need to change
the form of the word.

1. Soldiers and tanks have been across the border in preparation for the invasion.

2. My favourite memory from school is the time when we visited an and were allowed
to use the telescope.

3. When you have a cold, from boiling water can help to make you feel better.

4. Some people consider tablets and smartphones to be to PCs and laptops.

5. It’s possible to purchase a camera capable of taking photos with technology, but
they are very expensive.

6. I’m happy with my new phone. It’s a big on my old one!

7. Pictures of can often appear beautiful.

8. I caught a of my sister’s new cat as it disappeared upstairs in a hurry.

9. The of the mobile phone was the landline phone.

10. My brother specialises in photography – he takes pictures of stars.

3 Listening for specific information

Listen to the report. Match the numbers and items mentioned with the things they relate to.

Video

Audio

10 1,150 13 1.5 18 2000 5

a. The amount (in billion dollars) that the James Webb telescope cost to build.

b. The distance from Earth (in billion lightyears) from which clusters of galaxies
can be viewed by the telescope.
c. The age (in billion years) of some of the galaxies in the images.

d. The distance (in lightyears) of the Southern Ring nebula from Earth.

e. The distance (in lightyears) of the planet in the images from Earth.

f. The number of gold-plated mirrors that the telescope contains.

g. The distance (in million kilometres) from Earth at which the telescope is
orbiting.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

4 Listening for comprehension

Listen to the report again. Answer the questions true, false or not given.

1. The James Webb telescope has captured images from the birth of the universe.

2. The telescope is named after the current administrator at NASA.

3. The James Webb telescope can view distant objects through the use of infrared technology.

4. The first colour image released shows a galaxy cluster as it was 4.6. billion years ago.

5. The telescope is located on a mountain range called the Carina nebula.

6. As well as looking back in time, the telescope will be used to observe planets in nearby galaxies.

7. The James Webb telescope orbits Earth at a greater distance than the Hubble telescope.

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 4/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

5 Reading: general vocabulary

Part A: Match the words and phrases in bold with the correct definitions.

1. Some animals can see different wavelengths of light from human beings. (n)

2. The pressing issue of our time is climate change. (adj.)

3. As a child, I remember peering through the window at my friend’s house to see if he was home.
(v)

4. Many people believe that virtual reality is just a fad. (n)

5. Humans may, one day, expand beyond their own frontiers, travelling to other planets and even
living in different galaxies. (n)

6. I prefer unsettling films that make you think rather than horror movies with lots of violence. (adj.)

7. When first learning about art, some find that painting colours in a spectrum, such as a rainbow,
can be a good way to practise. (n)

8. She confounded her critics by releasing a second novel that was even better than the first. (v)

a. something that people are interested in for only a short period of time

b. prove somebody/something wrong

c. looking closely or carefully at something, especially when you cannot see it clearly

d. the distance between one sound or light wave, etc. and the next

e. needing to be dealt with immediately

f. describing something that makes you feel upset, nervous or worried

g. physical borders or the limits of something, especially the limit of what is known about a particular
subject or activity

h. the set of colours into which light can be separated

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 5/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

Part B: Complete the dialogue below with the words and phrases from the above exercise. You may
need to change the tense of the word or phrase.

After completing the dialogue, read it out with a partner, focusing on pronouncing the key vocabulary
correctly.

Kim: There was a debate at university today about the images from the James
Webb telescope.
Jen: What happened?

Kim: At first it was interesting. We were talking about how light existing on
1
different allows us to see images from the past, but
then it turned into a bit of an argument. Some people found the idea of
2 3
back through time a bit , and others thought
4
the whole fascination with space is a , and that people will
get bored of it soon.
5
Jen: Let me guess, they said that there were more issues to deal
with?
Kim: Exactly! I mean, I get it – there are lots of problems in the world, but I think
6
it’s important to try to discover new things, new – after all,
hundreds of years ago we thought the Earth was flat. Imagine if we’d just
stopped there and didn’t bother to learn more about our planet!
Jen: I think some people are a bit scared of knowledge. I can understand why,
7
millions of humans around the world have beliefs that could be
by new evidence, and that’s what this telescope is looking for – pictures from
the beginning of the universe.
8
Kim: I feel like there’s a whole of colours out there that we still
can’t see. We have so much more to learn about everything!

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 6/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

Discuss these questions in pairs.

1. Can you think of a film you’ve watched that you found unsettling?
2. Which issue do you think is the most pressing in the world at the moment?
3. Can you remember any popular fads from your childhood?
4. Why do you think that some animals can see light at different wavelengths from others?
5. If aliens exist, do you think they will perceive colours from a different spectrum to humans?
6. Do you think that space is the final frontier for humanity? Once we have mastered travel between
galaxies, will there be anything left for us to learn?
7. Has there ever been a scientific discovery that confounded your personal beliefs? How would you
react if this happened?

6 Reading for general understanding

You are going to read a text about people’s reactions to the images taken by the James Webb telescope.
Scan the text and match the profession with the correct speaker. One profession cannot be matched
to any of the four speakers in the text and should be marked ‘Not given’.

1. Pub owner:

2. University researcher:

3. Biologist:

4. Astronomer:

5. Student:

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 7/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

Snapshots from the start of the universe

Members of the public react to the James Webb images

A. Harriet, 44

It’s incredible, isn’t it? Looking back in time, seeing a moment that happened before human beings knew how to
write. I’ve been fascinated by everything relating to stars and space since I was a small girl, and I truly believe that
this is one of the most monumental events in modern human history. Although I work in astronomy, I have many
friends who don’t, and they’re all incredibly interested in the new images. Of course, it can be a little difficult to
describe exactly how it’s possible to witness things that happened billions of years ago. The best explanation I can
give is that, while light appears to travel instantly to us, space is so vast that it can take a very long time for light
from distant galaxies to reach us. The new telescope is tuned to infrared light, meaning it picks up wavelengths
of light that would otherwise be undetectable. This is because, over time, light loses energy, and so this ‘old light’
has shifted into a different region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The James Webb telescope can detect this
light, and, with the help of a huge mirror, can produce images from the early days of the universe.

B. Ben, 29

Ten billion dollars – that’s a lot of money to spend on a science project! I’ve seen the photos, and while I agree
that they are pretty to look at, I think that there are more pressing issues here on Earth. Global warming, poverty,
robots taking our jobs. My girlfriend thinks that it’s important to spend money on this sort of thing, but I think we
should put space research on hold for now. I own a pub, and I have to say most of my clients agree. My brother
just lost his job and is on the verge of being kicked out of his house, and we’re living through one of the hottest
summers on record. To be honest, if we did find aliens, I don’t think they would be very friendly, anyway. I mean,
look at the mess we’ve made of our own planet – we probably need to evolve for another few thousand years
before anyone wants to work with us!

C. Fiona, 20

I run the Astronomy Club at my university. There aren’t many of us, and I think it’s a little hard to attract young
people to astronomy these days. There’s a perception that it’s just not very exciting, sitting under the sky for
hours peering through a telescope. When I was a child, my parents used to watch The Sky at Night, hosted by
Patrick Moore. I loved it! I’m hoping to present my own television show one day, maybe something a bit more
modern that appeals to kids and teenagers. I have to say, since the images from the James Webb telescope were
released, we’ve seen a lot more interest in our little club. Even if it’s a fad, I think it’s great to see my fellow students
becoming curious about space. After all, there’s an awful lot of it to learn about!

D. Ted, 59

Space: the final frontier. Or is it? I’m not sure if there’s anything beyond the universe, and if there is, I don’t know
if we’re ready to find out. I spent the first twenty years of my adult life as a priest before undertaking a physics
degree. Now, I’m a researcher at a renowned university. People often ask me if I lost my faith, but it’s a bit more
complicated than that. I realised that I didn’t have the answers anymore, and that I wanted to know more about
the universe around us. We’re very small, in the scheme of things, and we’re not here for a long time. I’m eagerly
awaiting the day when the James Webb telescope, or one like it, presents us with images from the very beginning
of everything. I don’t know if it will confirm or confound my beliefs, but I think the truth is important, no matter
how unsettling it may be.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian, Reuters, NASA

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 8/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

7 Reading comprehension

Part A: Read the article again. Match statements with the correct speakers. Some statements can be
matched to more than one speaker. One of the statements cannot be matched to any of the speakers
and should be marked ‘Not given’.

1. They have been interested in space since childhood.

2. They don’t agree with their partner.

3. They changed their career.

4. They are considering training to become an astronaut.

5. They want to become a TV presenter.

Part B: For each question, choose the answer you believe best suits the speaker.

1. According to Harriet, why are some wavelengths of light undetectable without infrared
technology?
a. She says that, over time, light loses energy and shifts into a different region of the spectrum.

b. She says that light from different galaxies travels too fast for humans to detect without the
help of technology.
c. She says that light needs to be reflected by mirrors in order for us to detect it if it is very far
away.

2. Why doesn’t Ben think aliens would be friendly towards us?

a. He thinks that aliens would want to invade our planet and take our resources.

b. He thinks that they would be shocked by the way we have treated our planet.

c. He thinks that aliens wouldn’t be evolved enough to communicate with us.

3. Why does Fiona think that it’s hard to attract young people to astronomy?

a. She thinks there aren’t enough interesting television programmes available.

b. She thinks they’re more interested in social media and computer games.

c. She thinks that astronomy is perceived to be boring.

4. How does Ted feel about images from the beginning of the universe being released in the future?

a. He’s worried that such images may challenge his beliefs.

b. He’s excited, even if it means his beliefs are challenged, because he thinks that the truth is
important.
c. He’s hoping that the images might help him to rediscover his faith.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 9/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE REVEALS THE PAST

8 Talking point

In pairs or small groups, discuss the following questions.

1. What do you think the telescope might reveal about the beginning of the universe?
2. Do you think that it’s wise to look for alien life? Could it be dangerous?
3. Do you agree with Ben that there are more pressing issues to deal with on Earth, before spending
money on space research?
4. If you discovered a planet through a telescope yourself and were invited to give it an official name,
what would you call it?
5. Do you think that aliens would be disappointed if they met us? Why/why not?
6. Can you think of any ways to get young people interested in astronomy?
7. Would you like to know exactly how the universe began? Why/why not?

9 Extended activity/writing homework

Write an opinion essay on one of the topics below. Your essay should agree or disagree with the
statement and should be between 260 – 320 words long.

Topic 1

"Although space research is important, we should prioritise our own planet before looking for
others."

Topic 2

"If we want to continue to evolve, we must constantly seek to improve our own knowledge
of the universe."

Alternative extended activity:

As an astronomer, you have just discovered a new planet through a powerful new type of telescope. The
telescope allows you to see the planet and its inhabitants in incredible detail. Write a report about your new
planet for the general public. You’ll need to give your planet a name, and describe the creatures that live
there, the climate and whether or not civilisation exists. Are the natives friendly? Are they intelligent? Is the
planet inhabitable by humans?

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 10/10

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Ana Cuesta Gutierrez's lessons.