News by Levels · Level 2 · For teachers

Teacher guide & answers

In this lesson: Explain the manoeuvre and its place in the journey.

Earth Flybys Send ESCAPADE Toward Mars

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.

What did each manoeuvre combine?
Correct answer: A — Earth’s gravity and an engine burn
Why: The first paragraph states both components.
Clue in the story: The twin ESCAPADE spacecraft have completed powered Earth flybys, NASA reported on November 9. Each manoeuvre combined Earth’s gravity with a sustained engine burn.
What is complete, according to the report?
Correct answer: C — The Earth flybys
Why: The second paragraph distinguishes the completed step from arrival.
Clue in the story: The successful flybys put the spacecraft on course for Mars. Arrival is targeted for September 2027, so the completed step is departure toward the planet, not arrival.

The open question: accept different answers

Ask learners: Explain how the flybys helped and why the journey is unfinished.

One possible answer: The manoeuvres combined Earth’s gravity with sustained engine burns. They put the spacecraft on course for Mars, but arrival remains targeted for September 2027.

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 achieved step

have completed

Have + past participle links a completed manoeuvre with its current result: the spacecraft are on course for Mars.