Vocabulary Worksheets

Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th

Edition
Chapter 1: Overview of Verb Tenses
Worksheet 1. Reading: Journals from Space by Astronaut Sunita Williams

Read the passage based on excerpts from the journals of Sunita Williams
as she orbited in space for six months in 2006-2007. Then review the
glossary and complete the exercises that follow it.
The trip into space was quite a jolt! We had been lying on our backs, and the vehicle had
been vibrating for four hours when the main engines started. We were thinking, "We are
really going to go this time!" We were rumbling and shaking pretty significantly when the
blast of the rocket boosters launched us right off the pad. We had lifted off!

We accelerated very quickly. Our stomachs were really feeling bad, and it took a little effort
to breathe out. But then, once the rocket boosters turned off, the ride became much
smoother as we accelerated through the thinning atmosphere. Then everything got quiet.
My pen started to float and my arms started to float. Our brains and our bodies took some
time to adjust, about six hours….

I was looking out the window during the night and noticed the moon seemed bigger. It is
simply incredible to be able to see the craters of the moon and the dark and light spots on
it. It won't be the last time I see the moon in its full glory, but I'm not sure when I will see
it again so clearly….

It looks like it is going to storm over the Gulf of Mexico! We are seeing some pretty thick,
dark clouds in that area… Over the South Atlantic, we've been hunting for icebergs and even
found some. There is a big one that we have been tracking and monitoring its break up. It
broke off of Antarctica two years ago and is about 35 km (14 miles) long. We think about
what is happening to Antarctica.…

For the last two weeks, I have been getting used to living here and to understanding how
everything works. I finally feel settled. Now it is really necessary to make sure that we are
in tip-top shape for our spacewalks coming up in February! That will be the true test of how
well we have been doing up here….

We work out daily. We lift weights each day and then run or walk one day and cycle on the
alternate days. We weigh ourselves to make sure we aren’t losing weight. I really have been
eating more than I do on Earth to make sure I don’t lose too much weight. I have lost a

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 Vocabulary Worksheets
Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th
Edition
Chapter 1: Overview of Verb Tenses
couple of kilograms (four pounds) already, although I am certainly not trying to.
We don't walk around up here—we float around in our socks or bare feet, something like
flying. This morning I flew down to the kitchen to get my bag of coffee. Everything was
quiet. The others were still sleeping and the lights were off. It was so peaceful. I know this
won't last for long—the control centers will call on the radio, everyone will be up and
running around, sending e-mails and photos, and getting ready for the week’s work….
Glossary
Line 1 quite a — used before a noun to emphasize that something is
very good, large, interesting, etc.
Line 3 pretty — not a little, very
Line 4 rocket boosters — extra engines to set a vehicle in motion
Line 4 launched—sent spacecraft into the sky
Line 4 lifted off — left the ground and went into the air

Sunita Williams getting ready to walk in space

(NASA photo)

Comprehension practice
Check all the statements that are true, according to the reading.

1.  Sunita Williams describes her impressions of life in space.

2.  The entry into space was quiet and smooth.

3.  The astronauts’ bodies adjusted to the conditions in space immediately.

4.  Sunita walked on the moon.

5.  The astronauts saw icebergs in the South Atlantic Ocean.

6.  The astronauts are preparing to take spacewalks.

7.  The astronauts work out every day to get into very good shape.

8.  Sunita is worried about gaining too much weight.

9.  The astronauts walk around in special shoes.

10.  After a few quiet moments in the morning, everyone will be very busy soon.

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 Vocabulary Worksheets
Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th
Edition
Chapter 1: Overview of Verb Tenses
Worksheet 2. Definition practice
Write the letters of the correct completions in the blanks.
1. In Line 2, jolt means .
a. silence b. journey c. sudden shock

2. In Line 3, rumbling means .

a. moving up and down b. feeling hot c. making a long, low sound

3. In Line 4, a blast is .
a. a storm b. an explosion c. the direction

4. In Line 5, the pad is .

a. the base b. the earth c. the atmosphere

5. In Line 5, effort means .

a. rest b. help c. energy needed to do something

6. In Line 6, breathe out means .

a. inhale b. exhale c. hold your breath

7. In Line 6, once is another way to say .

a. before b. after c. since

8. In Line 7, the thinning atmosphere is air with .

a. less oxygen b. more oxygen c. no oxygen

9. In Line 9, adjust means .

a. wake up b. get comfortable c. make smaller

10. In Line 11, simply incredible means .

a. really amazing b. difficult c. boring

11. In Line 12, in its full glory is a way to say that the moon is .
a. spectacular b. soft c. shining brightly

12. In line 15, icebergs are .

a.cool water b. blue water c. large masses of ice on water

13. In Line 20, settled means .

a. well b. awake c. organized and comfortable

14. In Line 21, top-top shape means .

a. standing tall b. excellent condition c. thin

15. In Line 27, bare feet means that you are without .
a. socks b. socks and shoes c. shoes

16. In Line 30, everyone will be up means that everyone will be .

a. floating b. sitting up c. awake and out of bed

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 Vocabulary Worksheets
Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th
Edition
Chapter 1: Overview of Verb Tenses

Worksheet 3. Vocabulary practice: Which word doesn’t belong?

In each item, check the one word that doesn’t belong in the group with the others.

1. O crater O hole O top O valley

2. O track O follow O paint O monitor

3. O slowed O sped up O went faster O accelerated

4. O jolt O shock O calm O surprise

5. O launch O send off O lift off O land

6. O sound O move O shake O vibrate

7. O rumble O sound O shake O make noise

8. O float O walk O fly O swim

9. O incredible O amazing O usual O extraordinary

10. O hunt O search O look for O lose

11. O the worst O the best O tip-top O excellent

12. O work out O exercise O practice O sleep

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 Vocabulary Worksheets
Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th
Edition
Chapter 1: Overview of Verb Tenses

Worksheet 4. Crossword

Complete the crossword puzzle. Use the clues to figure out the words. Write one letter in
each space. All the words in the puzzle appear in the reading about Sunita Williams’
journals in space.

1F 2I 3W

4L A U N C H E D 5J

O C I O

A R G L

T E 6H U N T I N G

7R U M B L E

8S E T T L E D

ACROSS DOWN
4 Sent into space 1 Move slowly through the air
6 Looking for 2 Unbelievable
7 Make a long, low sound 3 Measure
8 Organized and comfortable 5 A sudden shock

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 Vocabulary Worksheets
Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th
Edition
Chapter 1: Overview of Verb Tenses
Answer Key

Worksheet 1
True statements are 1, 5, 6, 7, 10.

Worksheet 2
1. c. sudden shock 9. b. get comfortable
2. c. making a long, low sound 10. a. really amazing
3. b. an explosion 11. a. spectacular
4. a. the base 12. c. large masses of ice in and on water
5. c. energy needed to do something 13. b. organized and comfortable
6. b. exhale 14. b. excellent condition
7. b. after 15. b. socks and shoes
8. a. less oxygen 16. c. awake and out of bed

Worksheet 3
1. top 7. shake
2. paint 8. walk
3. slowed 9. usual
4. calm 10. lose
5. land 11. the worst
6. sound 12. sleep

Worksheet 4 F I W
ACROSS L A U N C H E D J
4 launched O C I O
6 hunting A R G L
7 rumble T E H U N T I N G
8 settled D
DOWN I
1 float R U M B L E
2 incredible
L
3 weigh
5 jolt S E T T L E D

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 Vocabulary Worksheets
Understanding and Using English Grammar, 4th
Edition
Chapter 1: Overview of Verb Tenses

Word List
monitor
accelerate once
adjust pad
alternate peaceful
bare pretty
be up quite
blast rocket booster
break off rumble
break up run around
breathe out settle
crater shake
cycle significant
effort spacewalk
get used to thin
glory tip-top
iceberg track
incredible vehicle
jolt vibrate
kilogram weigh
launch weight
lift off work out

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