CBSE Textbook: Space Travel | Communicative English for Class 10 PDF Download

 Page 1


UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
    
102
Page 2


UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
    
102
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
103
C.2.  Read the article:
 4 Women Astronauts Talk About Space Exploration
 By Julie Bain
 Peggy Whitson
 Age: 48
 Astronaut since: 1996
 Space time: Two six-month tours on the International Space Station, in 2002 and 
2007-2008
 Imagine being in a confined space for six months with no easy means of escape 
and only a cosmonaut or two to keep you company. Peggy Whitson did it-twice, the 
second time as the first woman commander. The former Iowa farm girl racked up 
377 days in space on two of her missions, more than any other U.S. astronaut. Her 
space walks totaled to nearly 40 hours, more than any other woman astronaut. 
She's now a walking laboratory for the long-term effects of zero gravity (zero-g) on 
the human body. And hers, by the way, is ripped like an Olympic athlete's.
 Getting used to zero-g: "Fitness is a lot more important than strength. So is your 
ability to think in 3-D and intuit how to move objects in a different way than on 
earth. The second time I went to the station, it felt like coming home. I adapted and 
got comfortable much quicker."
 The best zero-g side effect: “It's a nice plus that without the effects of gravity, 
everything is lifted while you're up there, so you look younger!"
 Staying in shape: "With no gravity for resistance, muscles and bones deteriorate 
quickly up there, so every day we do an hour of cardio on a specially designed cycle 
or treadmill and an hour of resistance training. You need strength for space walks, 
as every motion works against the pressure of the space suits we wear, and it's 
very fatiguing. Exercising always made me feel more positive and upbeat 
afterward too."
 Poetic moment: "As we orbited every 90 minutes, the view of the earth's 
curvature was incredible. You could see the layers of atmosphere extend beyond 
the surface to meet with the blackness of space beyond. It seemed impossibly thin, 
Page 3


UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
    
102
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
103
C.2.  Read the article:
 4 Women Astronauts Talk About Space Exploration
 By Julie Bain
 Peggy Whitson
 Age: 48
 Astronaut since: 1996
 Space time: Two six-month tours on the International Space Station, in 2002 and 
2007-2008
 Imagine being in a confined space for six months with no easy means of escape 
and only a cosmonaut or two to keep you company. Peggy Whitson did it-twice, the 
second time as the first woman commander. The former Iowa farm girl racked up 
377 days in space on two of her missions, more than any other U.S. astronaut. Her 
space walks totaled to nearly 40 hours, more than any other woman astronaut. 
She's now a walking laboratory for the long-term effects of zero gravity (zero-g) on 
the human body. And hers, by the way, is ripped like an Olympic athlete's.
 Getting used to zero-g: "Fitness is a lot more important than strength. So is your 
ability to think in 3-D and intuit how to move objects in a different way than on 
earth. The second time I went to the station, it felt like coming home. I adapted and 
got comfortable much quicker."
 The best zero-g side effect: “It's a nice plus that without the effects of gravity, 
everything is lifted while you're up there, so you look younger!"
 Staying in shape: "With no gravity for resistance, muscles and bones deteriorate 
quickly up there, so every day we do an hour of cardio on a specially designed cycle 
or treadmill and an hour of resistance training. You need strength for space walks, 
as every motion works against the pressure of the space suits we wear, and it's 
very fatiguing. Exercising always made me feel more positive and upbeat 
afterward too."
 Poetic moment: "As we orbited every 90 minutes, the view of the earth's 
curvature was incredible. You could see the layers of atmosphere extend beyond 
the surface to meet with the blackness of space beyond. It seemed impossibly thin, 
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
yet it carried all the shades of blue: closest to the planet a glowing blue, like sunlit 
water over white sand, extending to the deepest blue-purple mixture that holds 
the blackness at bay."
 Returning to gravity: "At first, being 
back on earth is not pleasant. My 
agility and quick motions, like playing 
basketball and the timing to dribble 
and do a layup, were severely 
hindered. But I had my physical 
fitness assessment about a month 
after my return, and I'm back to 
preflight norm, which I'm really 
happy about."
 Inspiration: "Exploration is a very 
important part of who we are, and if 
we want to literally expand our 
horizons, we have to keep doing it. 
Construction of the International 
Space Station shows we can expand 
those horizons culturally as well."
 Pamela Melroy
 Age: 47
 Astronaut since: 1995
 Space time: Three shuttle missions, in 2000, 2002, and 2007
 After Pam Melroy flew the shuttle into a tricky backflip within 600 feet of the 
space station to photograph the belly of the craft for damage, thereafter, she 
performed the pinpoint-precision feat of docking it with the station. The retired Air 
Force test pilot (and combat veteran) and her crew came on board to shouts and 
hugs from Whitson and her crew. It was a historic moment: the first time two 
women were in charge of two spacecrafts at the same time.
 Melroy's mettle as commander was tested when, during deployment of a solar 
wing at the station, a guide wire snapped, tearing the wing and keeping it from 
providing full power. The world watched as fellow astronaut Scott Parazynski, MD, 
104
Page 4


UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
    
102
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
103
C.2.  Read the article:
 4 Women Astronauts Talk About Space Exploration
 By Julie Bain
 Peggy Whitson
 Age: 48
 Astronaut since: 1996
 Space time: Two six-month tours on the International Space Station, in 2002 and 
2007-2008
 Imagine being in a confined space for six months with no easy means of escape 
and only a cosmonaut or two to keep you company. Peggy Whitson did it-twice, the 
second time as the first woman commander. The former Iowa farm girl racked up 
377 days in space on two of her missions, more than any other U.S. astronaut. Her 
space walks totaled to nearly 40 hours, more than any other woman astronaut. 
She's now a walking laboratory for the long-term effects of zero gravity (zero-g) on 
the human body. And hers, by the way, is ripped like an Olympic athlete's.
 Getting used to zero-g: "Fitness is a lot more important than strength. So is your 
ability to think in 3-D and intuit how to move objects in a different way than on 
earth. The second time I went to the station, it felt like coming home. I adapted and 
got comfortable much quicker."
 The best zero-g side effect: “It's a nice plus that without the effects of gravity, 
everything is lifted while you're up there, so you look younger!"
 Staying in shape: "With no gravity for resistance, muscles and bones deteriorate 
quickly up there, so every day we do an hour of cardio on a specially designed cycle 
or treadmill and an hour of resistance training. You need strength for space walks, 
as every motion works against the pressure of the space suits we wear, and it's 
very fatiguing. Exercising always made me feel more positive and upbeat 
afterward too."
 Poetic moment: "As we orbited every 90 minutes, the view of the earth's 
curvature was incredible. You could see the layers of atmosphere extend beyond 
the surface to meet with the blackness of space beyond. It seemed impossibly thin, 
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
yet it carried all the shades of blue: closest to the planet a glowing blue, like sunlit 
water over white sand, extending to the deepest blue-purple mixture that holds 
the blackness at bay."
 Returning to gravity: "At first, being 
back on earth is not pleasant. My 
agility and quick motions, like playing 
basketball and the timing to dribble 
and do a layup, were severely 
hindered. But I had my physical 
fitness assessment about a month 
after my return, and I'm back to 
preflight norm, which I'm really 
happy about."
 Inspiration: "Exploration is a very 
important part of who we are, and if 
we want to literally expand our 
horizons, we have to keep doing it. 
Construction of the International 
Space Station shows we can expand 
those horizons culturally as well."
 Pamela Melroy
 Age: 47
 Astronaut since: 1995
 Space time: Three shuttle missions, in 2000, 2002, and 2007
 After Pam Melroy flew the shuttle into a tricky backflip within 600 feet of the 
space station to photograph the belly of the craft for damage, thereafter, she 
performed the pinpoint-precision feat of docking it with the station. The retired Air 
Force test pilot (and combat veteran) and her crew came on board to shouts and 
hugs from Whitson and her crew. It was a historic moment: the first time two 
women were in charge of two spacecrafts at the same time.
 Melroy's mettle as commander was tested when, during deployment of a solar 
wing at the station, a guide wire snapped, tearing the wing and keeping it from 
providing full power. The world watched as fellow astronaut Scott Parazynski, MD, 
104
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
105
rode a boom for an hour and a half to reach the damaged area. He then performed 
a kind of delicate surgery for seven hours to cut the snagged wire and fix the torn 
parts. It worked.
 On managing a crisis: "The night before the space walk to repair the solar wing, 
we were all gathered to go over the final list of issues. The whole crew was giving 
their input, and everyone was firing on all cylinders. I realized I didn't need to say 
anything. I kind of floated away and observed them. They were doing what they 
were supposed to do, pulling together, without needing to be guided in any way. 
That was the best moment for me."
 On gender: "Twenty-five years ago, it would have been almost impossible to 
imagine that two women would be commanding two spacecrafts at the same time. 
But Peggy and I just try to relax and have fun with it. The most important part for 
us is that we're good friends and we really enjoyed working together."
 What she misses most: "The physical sensation of zero-g. It's magic. I do 
occasionally dream about it. It happens a lot within the first week or two of 
landing, and it can be profoundly disorienting, especially when you wake up and 
you're not sure where you are, in gravity or not. It is fun to go back and visit, 
though."
 The value of the space station: "The immediate payoff is in industrial and 
medical applications from the sheer act of sending humans into this extremely 
hostile environment. The medium outcomes are working with other countries on 
long-term, complicated technological projects. We'll need that to go to Mars and 
the moon. Then the long-term payoff is the science of understanding how the 
human body operates in space and other developments that we may not 
understand or value till later." 
 Sunita Williams
 Age: 43
 Astronaut since: 1998
 Space time: Six months on the space station in 2006-2007, including more than 
29 hours of space walks
 With her 195 days in space, Sunita Williams broke Shannon Lucid's previous 
endurance record-until Peggy Whitson broke both the women's records in 2008. 
Page 5


UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
    
102
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
103
C.2.  Read the article:
 4 Women Astronauts Talk About Space Exploration
 By Julie Bain
 Peggy Whitson
 Age: 48
 Astronaut since: 1996
 Space time: Two six-month tours on the International Space Station, in 2002 and 
2007-2008
 Imagine being in a confined space for six months with no easy means of escape 
and only a cosmonaut or two to keep you company. Peggy Whitson did it-twice, the 
second time as the first woman commander. The former Iowa farm girl racked up 
377 days in space on two of her missions, more than any other U.S. astronaut. Her 
space walks totaled to nearly 40 hours, more than any other woman astronaut. 
She's now a walking laboratory for the long-term effects of zero gravity (zero-g) on 
the human body. And hers, by the way, is ripped like an Olympic athlete's.
 Getting used to zero-g: "Fitness is a lot more important than strength. So is your 
ability to think in 3-D and intuit how to move objects in a different way than on 
earth. The second time I went to the station, it felt like coming home. I adapted and 
got comfortable much quicker."
 The best zero-g side effect: “It's a nice plus that without the effects of gravity, 
everything is lifted while you're up there, so you look younger!"
 Staying in shape: "With no gravity for resistance, muscles and bones deteriorate 
quickly up there, so every day we do an hour of cardio on a specially designed cycle 
or treadmill and an hour of resistance training. You need strength for space walks, 
as every motion works against the pressure of the space suits we wear, and it's 
very fatiguing. Exercising always made me feel more positive and upbeat 
afterward too."
 Poetic moment: "As we orbited every 90 minutes, the view of the earth's 
curvature was incredible. You could see the layers of atmosphere extend beyond 
the surface to meet with the blackness of space beyond. It seemed impossibly thin, 
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
yet it carried all the shades of blue: closest to the planet a glowing blue, like sunlit 
water over white sand, extending to the deepest blue-purple mixture that holds 
the blackness at bay."
 Returning to gravity: "At first, being 
back on earth is not pleasant. My 
agility and quick motions, like playing 
basketball and the timing to dribble 
and do a layup, were severely 
hindered. But I had my physical 
fitness assessment about a month 
after my return, and I'm back to 
preflight norm, which I'm really 
happy about."
 Inspiration: "Exploration is a very 
important part of who we are, and if 
we want to literally expand our 
horizons, we have to keep doing it. 
Construction of the International 
Space Station shows we can expand 
those horizons culturally as well."
 Pamela Melroy
 Age: 47
 Astronaut since: 1995
 Space time: Three shuttle missions, in 2000, 2002, and 2007
 After Pam Melroy flew the shuttle into a tricky backflip within 600 feet of the 
space station to photograph the belly of the craft for damage, thereafter, she 
performed the pinpoint-precision feat of docking it with the station. The retired Air 
Force test pilot (and combat veteran) and her crew came on board to shouts and 
hugs from Whitson and her crew. It was a historic moment: the first time two 
women were in charge of two spacecrafts at the same time.
 Melroy's mettle as commander was tested when, during deployment of a solar 
wing at the station, a guide wire snapped, tearing the wing and keeping it from 
providing full power. The world watched as fellow astronaut Scott Parazynski, MD, 
104
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
105
rode a boom for an hour and a half to reach the damaged area. He then performed 
a kind of delicate surgery for seven hours to cut the snagged wire and fix the torn 
parts. It worked.
 On managing a crisis: "The night before the space walk to repair the solar wing, 
we were all gathered to go over the final list of issues. The whole crew was giving 
their input, and everyone was firing on all cylinders. I realized I didn't need to say 
anything. I kind of floated away and observed them. They were doing what they 
were supposed to do, pulling together, without needing to be guided in any way. 
That was the best moment for me."
 On gender: "Twenty-five years ago, it would have been almost impossible to 
imagine that two women would be commanding two spacecrafts at the same time. 
But Peggy and I just try to relax and have fun with it. The most important part for 
us is that we're good friends and we really enjoyed working together."
 What she misses most: "The physical sensation of zero-g. It's magic. I do 
occasionally dream about it. It happens a lot within the first week or two of 
landing, and it can be profoundly disorienting, especially when you wake up and 
you're not sure where you are, in gravity or not. It is fun to go back and visit, 
though."
 The value of the space station: "The immediate payoff is in industrial and 
medical applications from the sheer act of sending humans into this extremely 
hostile environment. The medium outcomes are working with other countries on 
long-term, complicated technological projects. We'll need that to go to Mars and 
the moon. Then the long-term payoff is the science of understanding how the 
human body operates in space and other developments that we may not 
understand or value till later." 
 Sunita Williams
 Age: 43
 Astronaut since: 1998
 Space time: Six months on the space station in 2006-2007, including more than 
29 hours of space walks
 With her 195 days in space, Sunita Williams broke Shannon Lucid's previous 
endurance record-until Peggy Whitson broke both the women's records in 2008. 
UNIT-3
MAIN COURSE BOOK
SCIENCE
Williams, a naval aviator and test pilot 
who grew up in the Boston area, also "ran" 
the Boston Marathon from the station 
treadmill, with an unofficial time of 4 
hours and 24 minutes (during which the 
International Space Station orbited the 
earth about three times).
 On being a rookie: "Yes, it's unusual to 
stay in space for six months on a first 
flight. And yes, it's a little shift that you're 
going to be locked in a can with a couple of 
guys. But I embraced the idea. I mean, I 
prepared for almost eight years! All the 
training was definitely beneficial for living 
up there. And with my Navy background, 
I'd gone on deployments before, so I 
wasn't worried about leaving home for six months. The cosmonauts were very 
professional, and we all had mutual respect and understanding."
 Flying versus walking: "I learned after about a week how to fly gracefully without 
going too fast or jerking around. I had a hard time remembering how to walk. I 
prefer flying!"
 Daily exercise: "The treadmill harness is a little uncomfortable and takes some 
getting used to. I really like running outside and having the wind blow on you, even 
if it's hot and humid like in Houston. But I got into a routine. If you're healthy, your 
body can adapt to anything."
 Her haircut: "Long hair can be troublesome in space. It sticks to everything, and I 
didn't want to have my hair floating all around the space station. So I decided to 
cut it as we were preparing to dock.
 "I've had some friends who've had cancer and had to go through chemo. I know 
how traumatic that is, so I thought the least I could do was donate my hair. A 
friend's 12-year-old daughter had given her own hair to Locks of Love. So I put my 
hair in a plastic bag, sent it home on the space shuttle, and asked that someone 
give it to her. She donated it for me."
106