[Technology ★★]
(P1) Facebook’s solar-powered drone completed its first successful test flight. The drone flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes in Arizona.
(P2) The company hopes that the drone will help to get the internet to every corner of the planet. The company hopes to have many of these drones that can fly for at least 3 months without stopping and deliver internet access to people.
(P3) The company wants to make the drone lighter so it can fly for longer periods. It hopes it will soon break the world record for the longest solar-powered unmanned flight, which is currently at 2 weeks.
WORDS: 100
SOURCE: http://www.newsinlevels.com/products/facebooks-internet-drone-level-2/
VOCABULARY: solar-powered, test flight, flew, access, lighter, unmanned
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Do you think Facebook will put internet access everywhere in the world?
- Do you think drones could be used in bad ways? Why or why not?
- Would you like to own a drone? Why or why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
- Facebook’s drone finished its second flight. (T or F)
- How much time was the drone in the air?
- Where does Facebook want to put the internet?
- What does Facebook want to do to the drone so it can fly longer?
- Who is the pilot of the drone?
EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:
What do the following expressions or phrases mean?
- at a few thousand feet (p1)
- every corner of the planet (P2)
- at least 3 months (P2)
- fly for longer periods (P3)
Image source: by “unknown” http://mycdn.technologyvista.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/facebook-drones-970-80.jpg