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Teacher guide & answers

In this lesson: Distinguish the upper part of Starship from its booster.

Starship Launches, but Its Booster Is Not Caught

How to use these two pages

Give learners the student worksheet. It contains the story and questions, without the answers. Keep this guide for yourself. Use it to lead the activity and explain the answers afterwards.

Student worksheet

A simple 15–20-minute lesson

Before reading · 2 minutes
Show the title. Ask: “What do you think this story is about?”
Read and answer · 8–10 minutes
Give out the student worksheet. Learners read for the main idea, then reread to answer the 2 questions. They can compare answers with a partner.
Discuss and write · 5–8 minutes
Check the answers below together. Ask learners to point to the clue in the story, then finish with the open question.

Adjust the support: Let learners use word help or Level 1 if needed. For a challenge, compare the wording in another level. This activity is not a proficiency test.

Answers to the 2 questions

The question numbers match the student worksheet. Each answer includes a reason and the clue learners can find in the story.

Which part reached orbit?
Correct answer: B — The upper part
Why: The first paragraph assigns orbit to the upper part and a sea landing to the booster.
Clue in the story: SpaceX launched Starship from Texas on November 13. The upper part reached orbit, but the booster came down in the sea.
What happened to the planned booster catch?
Correct answer: A — The company cancelled it
Why: The second paragraph explicitly states that the company cancelled the catch.
Clue in the story: The company cancelled its planned booster catch. A later return of the upper part was still planned, not completed.

The open question: accept different answers

Ask learners: Describe where the two parts went and the status of the upper part’s return.

One possible answer: The upper part reached orbit and the booster came down in the sea. The booster catch was cancelled, while the upper part’s later return was still planned.

This is an example, not the only correct answer. Look for a relevant idea, a reason and the learner’s own words. Learners can answer aloud or write one or two sentences.

Grammar to discuss

An unfinished plan

still planned, not completed

This contrast keeps the later upper-part return separate from events that had already happened.