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Japan Launches Probe to Bring Back Rocks From a Moon of Mars

Japan launched the MMX spacecraft to collect samples from Phobos, Mars' moon, aiming to learn how it formed and how Mars changed over time.

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Early on 20 October, Japan sent a spacecraft toward Mars. An H3 rocket lifted it from the Tanegashima Space Center in the south of the country. The probe is called MMX, and its goal is to bring back material from Phobos, the larger of the two small moons that circle Mars. No spacecraft has ever done this before.

Quick question Choose the form · paragraph 1
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The   is called MMX, and its goal is to bring back material from Phobos, the larger of the two small moons that circle Mars.

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The trip will take about a year, and MMX should reach Mars in August 2027. A small rover built by France and Germany will land on Phobos first and study the ground. In 2030 the main spacecraft will touch down twice and collect at least 10 grams of soil and dust. A capsule with the sample is planned to land in Australia in 2031. Japan leads the project, and space agencies from the United States, France, Germany and Europe are helping.

Quick question Fill the blank · paragraph 2
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In 2030 the spacecraft will touch down twice and collect at least 10 grams of soil and dust.

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Scientists do not agree on how Phobos was born. Some think it is an asteroid that Mars pulled in with its gravity. Others think it formed from rock thrown into space when a huge object hit Mars long ago. A sample could help decide between these ideas. It could also show how Mars changed from a planet with water and a thick atmosphere into a cold, dry one. Labs on Earth have large instruments that cannot fly in space, so a few grams of Phobos could be studied for many years.

Quick question Find the error · paragraph 3
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One word is in the wrong form: “pull”. Type the correct form of that word.

Some think it is an asteroid that Mars pull in with its gravity.

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Topics Science

Keep what you learned

Add the new items from this text to your deck so they come back for review.

Final check · about 2 min

Questions from the whole text. Your answers move your words, phrases and grammar.

Speaking

Talk about this text out loud

Two minutes, free. Open an assistant with the prompt ready, turn on its voice and answer a few questions about the text. Nothing is recorded here.

Your level
  1. Step 1Choose your app: ChatGPT or Claude.
  2. Step 2Press its voice button.
  3. Step 3Answer 4–5 questions out loud.
Open in ChatGPT

Questions, sentence starters and words

Questions

  1. OpinionDo you think countries should spend money on space missions like this one? Why or why not?
  2. OpinionWhy do you think many countries work together on big space projects?
  3. ExperienceHave you ever been interested in space, planets or stars? What first made you curious?
  4. ExperienceTell me about a project you worked on for a long time before you saw the result.
  5. What ifIf you could travel to Mars or one of its moons, would you go? What would you want to see?
  6. What ifWhat if scientists found signs of life in the sample? How do you think people would react?

Nothing to say? Start like this

  • I think that space missions are...
  • In my country, people are interested in...
  • One reason for this is that...
  • If I had the chance, I would...

Words from the text

  • spacecraft B1
  • sample B1
  • moon A2
  • circle B1
  • soil B2
  • gravity B2
  • atmosphere B2
  • decide A2
Show the prompt
# Speaking practice: Exploring space and bringing samples back to Earth

You are my friendly English conversation partner. We talk by voice, so keep every reply short: one to three sentences. Speak English only.

First ask me, in one short question, what my English level is, then use words and sentences at that level.

Topic: Exploring space and bringing samples back to Earth. It comes from a short text called “Japan Launches Probe to Bring Back Rocks From a Moon of Mars”.

Ask these questions one at a time. Wait for my answer, react to it in a few words, then ask the next one.

1. Do you think countries should spend money on space missions like this one? Why or why not?
2. Why do you think many countries work together on big space projects?
3. Have you ever been interested in space, planets or stars? What first made you curious?
4. Tell me about a project you worked on for a long time before you saw the result.
5. If you could travel to Mars or one of its moons, would you go? What would you want to see?
6. What if scientists found signs of life in the sample? How do you think people would react?

If I get stuck, give me one of these sentence starters or make the question easier:

- I think that space missions are...
- In my country, people are interested in...
- One reason for this is that...
- If I had the chance, I would...

Encourage me to use these words from the text:

- spacecraft (B1)
- sample (B1)
- moon (A2)
- circle (B1)
- soil (B2)
- gravity (B2)
- atmosphere (B2)
- decide (A2)

Rules:

- Do not correct me while I speak. Let me finish my thought.
- Quietly keep a list of my mistakes and of the new words I used or needed.
- When I say we are done, or after the last question, give me a summary: my mistakes with the corrected sentences, the new words with a short meaning each, and one thing to practise next.

Start now with the first question.

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