A Message You Won't Hear

10/10/2020 2:52:00 PM

The Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. Image: earthsky.org

Do you know?

  • On November 16, 1974, the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico was used to send the most powerful broadcast ever deliberately sent into space, with the intention of contacting alien life. 
  • It included representations of the fundamental chemicals of life, the formula for DNA, a crude diagram of our solar system and simple pictures of a human being and the Arecibo telescope.

Let's explore this story!

Image: nationalgeographic.com

Listen and choose the correct answer to each of the following questions.

  • Why do you leave a message when you can't talk to a friend on a phone call?
  • What star cluster was the message from the largest radio telescope sent to?
  • How many years will it take the message from the M13 star cluster to get to Earth?

Why do you leave a message when you can't talk to a friend on a phone call?

  • When my friend can't answer my call, he or she can still read or hear my message.
  • I hope that he or she will call me back.
  • Because it's required by the phone.

What star cluster was the message from the largest radio telescope sent to?

  • N13
  • M13
  • M25

How many years will it take the message from the M13 star cluster to get to Earth?

  • 20,000 years
  • 25,000 years
  • 50,000 years

Complete the text you are listening to by dragging the correct word to each blank.

A Message You Won't Hear

You call a friend. He or she is not home. What do you do? You leave a message. You wait for a . A message was once sent. No one is sure there will be an answer. What if there is an answer? No one will hear it. Why a message if you won't hear the answer? The message was sent in 1974. It was sent by a radio . The radio telescope is the largest in the world. It is in Puerto Rico. The message was sent to the M13 star . When will it get there? It will take 25,000 years! What if someone calls back? The message will take 25,000 years to get to Earth. That is why people today will not hear an answer. The answer won't come for 50,000 years!

Read and answer the following questions.

You call a friend. He or she is not home. What do you do? You leave a message. You wait for a callback. A message was once sent. No one is sure there will be an answer. What if there is an answer? No one will hear it. Why leave a message if you won't hear the answer?

The message was sent in 1974. It was sent by a radio telescope. The radio telescope is the largest in the world. It is in Puerto Rico. The message was sent to the M13 star cluster. When will it get there? It will take 25,000 years!

What if someone calls back? The message will take 25,000 years to get to Earth. That is why people today will not hear an answer. The answer won't come for 50,000 years!

Adapted from Daily Warm-ups Reading Grade 2

The story does not tell you _____

  • what the message said.
  • how the message was sent.
  • when the message was sent.
  • where the message was sent.
What answer is true?
  • There will be an answer.
  • You will hear an answer.
  • There might be an answer.
  • You will know if the message gets there.

Put the right word in each blank. The sentences are from the text.

  1. The message was sent in 1974. It was sent by a radio .
  2. You leave a message. You wait for a .
  3. The message was sent to the M13 star .
  4. Why a message if you won't hear the answer?

Put the right word in each blank. These are new sentences for words in the text.

  1. The plants have of white flowers in early June.
  2. They look at the stars through a .
  3. Please a comment on the blog.
  4. I'm still awaiting a from her.