Mars Worksheet | Intermediate ESL Reading PDF

読解文章

Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has long captivated scientists and dreamers alike. Known as the Red Planet for its characteristic rusty hue, Mars owes its distinctive color to iron oxide — essentially rust — scattered across its barren surface. With a diameter roughly half that of Earth, Mars is a cold, desolate world where temperatures can plunge to −125°C at the poles in winter. Yet despite these extreme conditions, it remains the most studied planet in our solar system after Earth.

Mars possesses some of the most dramatic 地質学 features in the solar system. Olympus Mons, a shield volcano near the Martian equator, rises approximately 22 kilometers above the surrounding plains — nearly three times the height of Mount Everest. Meanwhile, Valles Marineris, a system of canyons stretching over 4,000 kilometers, dwarfs Earth's Grand Canyon in both length and depth. These features suggest that Mars was once geologically active, with powerful volcanic and tectonic forces shaping its surface over billions of years.

Mars has two small, irregularly shaped moons: Phobos and Deimos. Both are significantly smaller than Earth's Moon and are thought to be captured asteroids from the outer solar system. Phobos orbits Mars so closely that it completes an orbit in just 7.6 hours — faster than Mars rotates on its own axis. Scientists predict that within 50 million years, Phobos will either crash into Mars or be broken apart by gravitational forces to form a ring around the planet.

Since the 1960s, numerous 宇宙船 have been sent to explore Mars. Rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance have provided extraordinary insights into Mars's geology and 雰囲気. Perseverance, which landed in 2021, is specifically designed to search for signs of 古代 microbial life and to collect rock samples for potential return to Earth. One of its companion instruments, a small helicopter named Ingenuity, became the first powered aircraft to achieve controlled flight on another planet.

The question of whether Mars could one day support human habitation is both scientifically fascinating and deeply complex. Mars lacks a global magnetic field, meaning its surface is bombarded by harmful solar radiation. Its thin atmosphere, composed mostly of carbon dioxide, cannot support human breathing. Any future colonists would require pressurized habitats, radiation shielding, and methods of producing water and oxygen from local resources. Yet despite these formidable obstacles, space agencies and private companies are already developing missions that could bring humans to Mars within the next few decades.

レベル： レベルF

A. 語彙マッチング

各単語とその定義を一致させてください。

B. 真か偽か

各文に対して T (True) または F (False) を記入してください。

1. Mars is the fifth planet from the Sun. ______
2. Iron oxide gives Mars its red color. ______
3. Olympus Mons is nearly three times the height of Mount Everest. ______
4. Valles Marineris is longer than the Grand Canyon. ______
5. Phobos orbits Mars slower than Mars rotates. ______
6. Perseverance landed on Mars in 2021. ______
7. Ingenuity was the first powered aircraft to fly on another planet. ______
8. Mars has a strong magnetic field that protects it from radiation. ______
9. Mars's atmosphere is mostly made of carbon dioxide. ______

C. 空欄を埋める

単語バンク: atmosphere   gravitational   ancient   barren   geological

1. The __________ features of Mars include the largest volcano in the solar system.
2. Phobos may one day be torn apart by __________ forces and form a ring around Mars.
3. Perseverance is searching for signs of __________ microbial life in Martian rocks.
4. Mars has a thin __________ that cannot support human breathing.
5. Without a magnetic field, the __________ surface of Mars is exposed to dangerous solar radiation.

D. 理解度チェック問題

1. Why is Mars called the Red Planet? What chemical causes its color?
2. Describe two major geological features of Mars and explain what they suggest about the planet's past.
3. What is unusual about the moon Phobos's orbit, and what might happen to it in the future?
4. What was significant about the helicopter Ingenuity on the Mars mission?
5. What are three challenges humans would face if they tried to live on Mars?

E. ディスカッションの質問

1. Do you think humans should prioritize colonizing Mars? What are the potential benefits and risks?
2. If evidence of ancient microbial life were found on Mars, how would that change our understanding of life in the universe?
3. Some scientists argue that resources spent on Mars exploration should be used to fix problems on Earth. Do you agree?

解答

Teacher Reference Only

A. 語彙: 1-b, 2-c, 3-h, 4-i, 5-d, 6-g, 7-e, 8-f, 9-j, 10-a

B. True or False: 1-F、2-T、3-T、4-T、5-F、6-T、7-T、8-F、9-T

C. 空欄を埋めてください: 1-geological, 2-gravitational, 3-ancient, 4-atmosphere, 5-barren

D. 理解力:

1. Mars is called the Red Planet because iron oxide (rust) covers its surface, giving it a rusty red color.

2. Olympus Mons is the tallest volcano in the solar system; Valles Marineris is a massive canyon system. Together they suggest Mars was once geologically active.

3. Phobos orbits Mars faster than Mars rotates — completing an orbit in 7.6 hours. It will either crash into Mars or break apart into a ring within 50 million years.

4. Ingenuity became the first powered aircraft to achieve controlled flight on another planet.

5. Challenges include: no breathable atmosphere (mostly CO2), no magnetic field exposing the surface to radiation, and extreme cold.