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22 Oct 2026
In this photo provided by NASA, the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft uses parachutes for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, returning from the International Space Station. (Keegan Barber/NASA via AP
Four Astronauts Splash Down After Eight Months in Space
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Section: Warm Up
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) The astronauts land on the Moon.
b) The astronauts land in the sea.
c) The astronauts land in a big city.
Ask:
(1) Would you like to go to space? Why?
(2) What do you think astronauts do in space?
VOCABULARY
astronaut (/ˈæstrənɔːt/, noun)
Meaning: A person who travels to space.
Example: My cousin wants to be an astronaut when she grows up.
space (/speɪs/, noun)
Meaning: The place far above the Earth, where the stars and planets are.
Example: At night, I look up at the stars in space.
capsule (/ˈkæpsjuːl/, noun)
Meaning: A small spaceship that carries people to space and back.
Example: The astronauts sit close together in the capsule.
sea (/siː/, noun)
Meaning: A very big area of salty water.
Example: We swim in the sea in summer.
ship (/ʃɪp/, noun)
Meaning: A very big boat.
Example: A big ship is sailing on the water.
family (/ˈfæməli/, noun)
Meaning: The people you live with or are related to, like parents and brothers.
Example: I eat dinner with my family every evening.
moustache (/məˈstɑːʃ/, noun)
Meaning: Hair that grows above a man's top lip.
Example: My grandad has a grey moustache.
wave (/weɪv/, verb)
Meaning: To move your hand to say hello or goodbye.
Example: I wave to my friend at the school gate.
Four astronauts are coming home today. They live and work on the space station. The space station is high above the Earth. They are in space for eight months. That is a very long time!
Jessica and Jack are from America. Sophie is from France. Andrey is from Russia. They are good friends now.
Today, the astronauts are sitting in a small capsule. It is falling fast to the Earth. It lands in the big blue sea. Splash! A ship is waiting for them.
The astronauts are very happy. They are smiling and waving at everyone. They want to see their families. Sophie wants to swim in the water.
In space, the astronauts work hard. They fix the space station. They also have fun! They dance, and they cook food. Jack has a big moustache. He likes it a lot.
Now the astronauts are going home. Everyone is waiting for them. Welcome back to Earth!
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is helped out of the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft aboard the SpaceX recovery ship Shannon after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, returning from the International Space Station. (Keegan Barber/NASA via AP)
Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev is helped out of the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft aboard the SpaceX recovery ship Shannon after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, returning from the International Space Station. (Keegan Barber/NASA via AP)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Section 8: Discussion Questions
1. Would you like to live on a space station? Why or why not?
2. What is the first thing you want to do after a long trip?
3. Do you like Jack's big moustache? Why?
4. What fun things do the astronauts do in space?
5. Who waits for you when you come home from school?
FILL IN THE GAPS
FILL THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Read the text. Fill in the gaps with words from the Word Bank.
Word Bank: ship | moustache | capsule | families
Four astronauts are coming home today. They live and work on the space station. The space station is high above the Earth. They are in space for eight months. That is a very long time!
Jessica and Jack are from America. Sophie is from France. Andrey is from Russia. They are good friends now.
Today, the astronauts are sitting in a small _______(1). It is falling fast to the Earth. It lands in the big blue sea. Splash! A _______(2) is waiting for them.
The astronauts are very happy. They are smiling and waving at everyone. They want to see their _______(3). Sophie wants to swim in the water.
In space, the astronauts work hard. They fix the space station. They also have fun! They dance, and they cook food. Jack has a big _______(4). He likes it a lot.
Now the astronauts are going home. Everyone is waiting for them. Welcome back to Earth!
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the story about?
a) Four astronauts go to the Moon.
b) A ship is lost in the sea.
c) Four astronauts come home from space.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
Read the sentences. Circle T (true) or F (false).
1. The astronauts are in space for eight months. T/F
2. Sophie is from Russia. T/F
3. The capsule lands in the sea. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Write 1, 2 or 3 to put the events in the correct order.
___ The capsule lands in the sea.
___ The astronauts are going home.
___ The astronauts are sitting in the capsule.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. astronaut
2. capsule
3. ship
4. moustache
5. wave
a) hair above a man's top lip
b) a very big boat
c) a person who travels to space
d) to move your hand to say hello or goodbye
e) a small spaceship that carries people
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
Choose the best word or phrase to complete each sentence. Then use it in your discussion.
1. The astronauts are ______ because they are going home.
a) sad
b) happy
c) hungry
2. In space, the astronauts dance and ______ food.
a) swim
b) sleep
c) cook
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
Put the parts in the correct order to make a sentence from the story.
1.
A) in
B) The capsule
C) sea.
D) lands
E) the
______________________________________________
2.
A) in
B) wants
C) Sophie
D) the water.
E) to swim
______________________________________________
ANSWER KEY
Answer Key – A1
Warm Up
Think Ahead: b) The astronauts land in the sea.
Ask (1) and (2): Open answers – accept any reasonable, well-explained response.
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
(1) capsule
(2) ship
(3) families
(4) moustache
Section 2: Main Idea
c) Four astronauts come home from space.
Section 3: True or False
1. T
2. F – Sophie is from France.
3. T
Section 4: Put Events in Order
1 – The astronauts are sitting in the capsule.
2 – The capsule lands in the sea.
3 – The astronauts are going home.
Section 5: Vocab Match
1 – c
2 – e
3 – b
4 – a
5 – d
Section 6: Discussion Builder
1. b) happy
2. c) cook
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
1. B, D, A, E, C – The capsule lands in the sea.
2. C, B, E, A, D – Sophie wants to swim in the water.
Section 8: Discussion Questions
Open answers. Model answers:
1. Yes, I would, because I want to see the Earth from space.
2. I want to hug my mum and play with my dog.
3. Yes, I do. It is funny and it looks cool.
4. They dance and they cook food.
5. My dad waits for me at home.
Thank you for your feedback!