Class 1 – Daily Life in the International Space Station (6/17)

Grammar Focus

  • Be verb (am / is / are)
  • Present Simple (habits, facts, routines)
  • Present Continuous (actions happening now, temporary situations)

Reading Text

Title: Daily Life in the International Space Station

The International Space Station, or ISS, is a large science laboratory that orbits Earth. It is about 400 kilometers above the ground and travels at 28,000 kilometers per hour. The station is a joint project between several countries, including the United States, Russia, Japan, and members of the European Space Agency.

There are usually six astronauts living and working on the ISS. They are from different countries, and they all speak English on the station. The ISS is not very big, but it has everything they need: computers, tools, food, and even exercise machines.

A normal day on the ISS starts at 6:00 a.m. The astronauts wake up, brush their teeth, and check the station’s systems. After that, they eat breakfast and begin their work. Some astronauts run experiments to learn how space affects the human body. Others are taking photographs of the Earth or are fixing equipment.

Exercise is an important part of daily life in space. Astronauts exercise for two hours each day to keep their muscles strong. Right now, one astronaut is using a treadmill while another is cycling on a special space bike. Without gravity, muscles and bones can become weak very quickly.

In the afternoon, astronauts attend meetings, write reports, and talk to scientists on Earth. Sometimes they speak with students or journalists using video calls. These activities help people on Earth understand more about life in space.

At the end of the day, the astronauts relax by watching movies, reading books, or writing emails to their families. Their sleeping bags are attached to the walls so they don’t float away while sleeping.

Life on the ISS is very different from life on Earth, but the astronauts are working hard every day. They are helping us learn how humans can live in space for long periods. Their work is important for the future of science and space exploration.

Grammar Explanation

1. Be Verb (am / is / are)

The verb “be” is one of the most common verbs in English. It shows a state, condition, identity, location, or quality.

Forms of “be”

Subject Be Verb
I am
You are
He/She/It is
We/They are

Uses of “be”

  1. To describe people, things, or places
    • She is a scientist.
    • The ISS is in space.
  2. To say how someone feels
    • I am tired.
    • They are excited.
  3. To describe locations
    • He is in the lab.
    • The astronauts are on the station.
  4. To form the present continuous
    • She is working now.
    • We are studying English.

2. Present Simple

The present simple tense describes regular actions, habits, general truths, and facts.

Sentence structure

  • Positive:
    • I/You/We/They work
    • He/She/It works (add -s or -es)
  • Negative:
    • I/You/We/They do not (don’t) work
    • He/She/It does not (doesn’t) work
  • Questions:
    • Do I/you/we/they work?
    • Does he/she/it work?

Common uses

  1. Habitual actions
    • I wake up at 7:00 every day.
    • She brushes her teeth after meals.
  2. General truths or facts
    • Water boils at 100°C.
    • The Earth orbits the sun.
  3. Scheduled events (e.g., timetables)
    • The train leaves at 6:00.
    • Our class starts at 2 p.m.
  4. Stative verbs (like know, want, like, need)
    • I know the answer.
    • He wants some coffee.

Examples

  • Astronauts live on the ISS for months.
  • The station travels around Earth at 28,000 km/h.
  • Do you exercise every day?
  • He doesn’t eat a big breakfast.

3. Present Continuous

The present continuous describes actions happening now, or around the current time period.

Sentence structure

  • Positive:
    • I am working
    • He/She/It is working
    • We/You/They are working
  • Negative:
    • I am not working
    • She is not (isn’t) working
    • They are not (aren’t) working
  • Questions:
    • Am I working?
    • Is she working?
    • Are they working?

Common uses

  1. Actions happening at the moment of speaking
    • She is eating lunch now.
    • They are speaking with scientists.
  2. Temporary situations
    • I am staying with my cousin this week.
    • He is working on a special project today.
  3. Trends or changes in progress
    • The world’s population is increasing.
    • His English is getting better.
  4. Future plans (with a time reference)
    • I am meeting my friend tomorrow.
    • We are leaving at 6 p.m.

Examples

  • The astronauts are fixing the equipment.
  • One of them is exercising right now.
  • Are you watching the video stream?
  • We aren’t using the computer at the moment.

Summary Chart

Tense Use Case Example
Be Verb State, identity, condition She is an astronaut.
Present Simple Habit, fact, regular action They exercise every day.
Present Continuous Action happening now / temporary He is reading a book.

Vocabulary

  1. International
  2. Space station
  3. Orbit
  4. Laboratory
  5. Astronaut
  6. Equipment
  7. Experiment
  8. Exercise
  9. Muscle
  10. Gravity
  11. Photograph
  12. Report
  13. Scientist
  14. Communication
  15. Relax
  16. Sleeping bag
  17. Explore
  18. Project
  19. Participate
  20. Environment