Sky Pioneers

FACT: The first engine-powered plane was called the ‘Wright Flyer I’.

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

• What had the Wright brothers made before they built the first airplane?
• When did the Orville make the world’s first engine-powered flight?

What had the Wright brothers made before they built the first airplane?

When did the Orville make the world’s first engine-powered flight?

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

When they were young, Orville and Wilbur Wright liked bicycles. They designed and built their own bicycles. They also repaired their friends’ bicycles. After they grew up, Orville and Wilbur opened a bicycle shop. In this shop, they built the first airplane.

In 1896, Orville got very sick. His brother stayed home to take care of him. This gave Wilbur a lot of spare time. He read a story about gliders. 3.1 do not have engines. Gliders fly on 3.2. People wanted gliders with engines so they could go faster and farther. No one knew how to build one, but many people were trying. It was like a race to see who could build the first one.

The glider story excited the brothers about flying. They decided to build an 3.3 glider. Wilbur wrote to a museum for information about flying machines. He read everything he could find about them.

Wilbur studied hard. He solved one important problem. Changing winds made early flying machines crash. Wilbur designed a glider with moveable wings. When the wind changed, Wilbur’s new glider could tilt its wings the right way. This would keep it in the air.

The next year, the brothers built their first glider. Then, they built a wind tunnel. This 3.4 their work. In the tunnel, they tested the glider in different winds. When the glider had trouble moving in the wind, they 3.5 it to work better.

The brothers built two more gliders. They tested them both in the wind tunnel. They also tested them outside. Then they built an engine-powered glider. This was the world’s first airplane. On December 17, 1903, the brothers flipped a coin. The winner of the toss would fly the plane. Orville won. That day he made the world’s first engine-powered flight. The flight lasted 12 seconds. The airplane traveled 120 feet. This short flight changed the world 3.6.

Read the passage and answer the questions.

When they were young, Orville and Wilbur Wright liked bicycles. They designed and built their own bicycles. They also repaired their friends’ bicycles. After they grew up, Orville and Wilbur opened a bicycle shop. In this shop, they built the first airplane.

In 1896, Orville got very sick. His brother stayed home to take care of him. This gave Wilbur a lot of spare time. He read a story about gliders. Gliders do not have engines. Gliders fly on wind currents. People wanted gliders with engines so they could go faster and farther. No one knew how to build one, but many people were trying. It was like a race to see who could build the first one.

The glider story excited the brothers about flying. They decided to build an engine-powered glider. Wilbur wrote to a museum for information about flying machines. He read everything he could find about them.

Wilbur studied hard. He solved one important problem. Changing winds made early flying machines crash. Wilbur designed a glider with moveable wings. When the wind changed, Wilbur’s new glider could tilt its wings the right way. This would keep it in the air.

The next year, the brothers built their first glider. Then, they built a wind tunnel. This sped up their work. In the tunnel, they tested the glider in different winds. When the glider had trouble moving in the wind, they rebuilt it to work better.

The brothers built two more gliders. They tested them both in the wind tunnel. They also tested them outside. Then they built an engine-powered glider. This was the world’s first airplane. On December 17, 1903, the brothers flipped a coin. The winner of the toss would fly the plane. Orville won. That day he made the world’s first engine-powered flight. The flight lasted 12 seconds. The airplane traveled 120 feet. This short flight changed the world forever.

What did Wilbur do to solve an important problem?

Why did Orville fly the first plane?

Why does the story end by saying, “This short flight changed the world forever”?

This passage was written to _____

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

1. When the glider had trouble moving in the wind, they 8.1 it to work better.
2. 8.2 do not have engines.
3. They decided to build an 8.3 glider.
4. Gliders fly on 8.4.
5. Then, they built a wind tunnel. This 8.5 their work.
6. This short flight changed the world 8.6.

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

1. A 9.1 flew above the beach.
2. Our publications reach the 9.2 equipment manufacturers in the area.
3. Sailors in earlier times travelled by 9.3.
4. The daring new technique dramatically 9.4 the construction process.
5. He 9.5 the engine using parts from cars that had been scrapped.
6. The final death toll may 9.6 remain a mystery.