NASA: Saturn’s rings may vanish

admin 2023年7月17日

Intermediate

science & technology, science & technology - intermediate

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

Are you familiar with the planet Saturn? What do you know about it?
If you were going to describe Saturn to a blind person, how would you describe it?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

visible /VIZ-uh-buhl/

[adjective] – able to be seen
The police officer wore a reflective vest to ensure they were visible to drivers during nighttime patrols.

disappearance /dis-uh-PEER-uhns /

[noun] – a state or condition in which a person or thing cannot be seen or found
The detective was called in to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a valuable artifact from the museum.

rocky /ROK-ee/

[adjective] – made of rock and therefore usually rough
The mountain climbers wore sturdy boots to tackle the rocky slopes, ensuring a firm grip on the rugged surface.

giant /JAHY-uhnt/

[noun] – an extremely large, strong, powerful, or important thing
The dinosaur skeletons in the museum exhibit showcased the massive size of these prehistoric giants that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.

fate /feyt /

[noun] – what happens to a particular person or thing, especially something final or negative, such as death or defeat
Despite their efforts, they could not escape their fate as the ship sank in the stormy seas.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

NASA’s Cassini mission reveals that Saturn’s iconic icy rings may not be visible to future skygazers. The data collected during Cassini’s orbit of Saturn from 2004 to 2017 has suggested the age and potential disappearance of the rings. Three studies published in May support the theory that the rings formed long after Saturn was formed, making them possibly just a few hundred million years old. Saturn’s rings are mainly composed of ice, with a small percentage consisting of rocky dust. Surprisingly, the rings appear to be clean, suggesting that they have not been around long enough to collect cosmic dust. Additionally, the rings are losing mass at a rapid rate due to meteoroid impacts, indicating that their existence is limited. The researchers estimate that the rings may only exist for a few hundred million more years.

The origin of Saturn’s rings is speculated to be caused by the gravitational instability that destroyed some of the planet’s icy moons. The findings from these studies have led scientists to consider the possibility that the rings around other ice and gas giants in our solar system, such as Uranus and Neptune, may have once been more extensive and luminous. Understanding the formation and fate of Saturn’s rings may contribute to the potential for finding the building blocks of life elsewhere in the universe.

Comprehension questions

I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.

What did NASA’s Cassini mission reveal about Saturn’s icy rings?
What are Saturn’s rings mainly composed of?
Why are the rings losing mass at a rapid rate?
Which other ice and gas giants in our solar system may have once had extensive and luminous rings?
What significance does understanding the formation and fate of Saturn’s rings have in the search for life elsewhere in the universe?

Discussion questions