Lesson Plan: Some UFO Stories Are Just “Too Hard” to Explain Away
II. While Reading Activities
Word Inference
- commander kəˈmandər| (abbr.: Comdr.) noun -a person in authority, especially over a body of troops or a military operation: the commander of a paratroop regiment.
- encounter |inˈkoun(t)ərenˈkoun(t)ər| verb [ with obj. ] unexpectedly experience or be faced with (something difficult or hostile): we have encountered one small problem.
- mar |mär| verb (mars, marring, marred) [ with obj. ] impair the appearance of; disfigure: no wrinkles marred her face.
- erratic |əˈradik| adjective- not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable: her breathing was erratic.
- mirror verb [ with obj. ]correspond to: gradations of educational attainment that mirror differences in social background.
- accelerate |əkˈseləˌrāt| verb [ no obj. ](of a vehicle or other physical object) begin to move more quickly: the car accelerated toward her.
- rendezvous |ˈrändəˌvo͞oˈrändāˌvo͞o| noun (pl.same) a meeting at an agreed time and place, typically between two people.
- impressive |imˈpresiv| adjective-evoking admiration through size, quality, or skill: grand, imposing, or awesome: an impressive view of the mountains | impressive achievements in science.
- launch |lôn(t)SHlän(t)SH|-verb –send (a missile, satellite, or spacecraft) on its course or into orbit: they launched two Scud missiles.
- weirded out adjective-informal; weird (someone) out, feeling extreme alienation or disbelief; quite uncomfortable.
Source: New Oxford American Dictionary
Reading Comprehension
Fill-ins
He got plenty of ribbing back aboard the carrier. But he said he was surprised at the lack of curiosity the Defense Department showed about the encounter, which happened in an area well-known as a Navy training ground.
Grammar Focus Word -Recognition
The $22 million reportedly spent on the five-year Pentagon program was like a “rounding error” in the Defense Department’s massive budget, he said. With better funding, he believes a breakthrough could happen. “With the right money and the right focus, you can figure this out,” he said. “I think there’s enough brilliant, open minds.”
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