Comprehension text: Elon Musk

von Eric Fendley

Elon Musk, also known as the real-life Tony Stark, was born in South Africa in 1971. As a child, he was always interested in science and technology, and he even taught himself how to program computers at the tender age of 12.

After completing his studies in South Africa, Elon decided to move to the United States to pursue his dreams of making the world a better place through his inventions. He started his first company, Zip2, which was a software company that provided maps and business directories to newspapers. However, he soon realized that his true passion was in space exploration and electric cars.

In 2004, Elon founded SpaceX, a company that designs and launches rockets and spacecraft. He wanted to create a company that could help humans become a multi-planetary species and establish a self-sustaining civilization on Mars. His ultimate goal is to make humanity a “multi-planetary species” by colonizing Mars.

In addition to SpaceX, Elon also founded Tesla, a company that designs and manufactures electric cars. He wanted to create a car that was not only environmentally friendly but also looked good and was fun to drive. The first Tesla car was the Roadster, which was released in 2008. Since then, Tesla has become one of the most innovative car companies in the world.

Despite his success, Elon is known for his quirky personality and sometimes strange behavior. He once tweeted that he was going to sell all his possessions and live in a tiny house, and he even named his child “X Æ A-12”. But despite his oddities, there’s no denying that Elon Musk is a brilliant inventor and a visionary who has changed the world with his ideas. So, let’s raise a glass to the man who is not just a genius, but also a little bit eccentric. Cheers to you, Elon!

Comprehension questions

  1. What is Elon Musk's ultimate goal for humanity?
  2. What is the name of the first Tesla car released in 2008?
  3. Why did Elon decide to move to the United States?
  4. What was the name of Elon's first company, and what did it do?
  5. How is Elon Musk known for his personality and behavior?

Explanation: Past simple tense

The past simple tense is used to describe completed actions or states in the past. It's often used to talk about a specific time or moment in the past. In English, the past simple tense is formed by adding -ed to the base form of a regular verb or by using the second form of an irregular verb. For example, "walked" is the past simple form of the regular verb "walk," and "was" is the past simple form of the irregular verb "be."

In the text, the past simple tense is used to describe events and actions that happened in the past. For example:

  • "Elon Musk, also known as the real-life Tony Stark, was born in South Africa in 1971." (describing Elon's birth)
  • "He started his first company, Zip2, which was a software company that provided maps and business directories to newspapers." (describing the start of Zip2)
  • "The first Tesla car was the Roadster, which was released in 2008." (describing the release of the first Tesla car)

These sentences use the past simple tense to describe completed actions in the past, such as Elon's birth, the start of Zip2, and the release of the first Tesla car.

Video explanation: Past simple tense

Elon Musk - Past Continuous gapfill

  1. Elon Musk ___ (move) to the United States to pursue his dreams of making the world a better place through his inventions.
  2. He ___ (teach) himself how to program computers at the tender age of 12.
  3. In 2004, Elon Musk ___ (found) SpaceX, a company that designs and launches rockets and spacecraft.
  4. The first Tesla car ___ (be) the Roadster, which ___ (release) in 2008.
  5. Despite his success, Elon Musk ___ (be) known for his quirky personality and sometimes strange behavior.
  6. Elon Musk ___ (tweet) that he was going to sell all his possessions and live in a tiny house.
  7. He ___ (name) his child "X Æ A-12".
  8. As a child, Elon Musk ___ (be) always interested in science and technology.
  9. Elon Musk's ultimate goal ___ (be) to make humanity a "multi-planetary species" by colonizing Mars.
  10. Zip2, Elon Musk's first company, ___ (provide) maps and business directories to newspapers.

Elon Musk - Past Continuous gapfill

Translate into English:

Elon Musk ist ein bekannter Unternehmer und Visionär. Er wurde 1971 in Südafrika geboren und zog später in die USA, um seine Träume von Raumfahrt und Elektroautos zu verwirklichen. Im Jahr 2004 gründete er SpaceX, eine Firma, die Raketen und Raumfahrzeuge entwirft und startet. Das Ziel von SpaceX ist es, eine selbsttragende Zivilisation auf dem Mars zu etablieren. Im Jahr 2008 gründete Musk auch Tesla, eine Firma, die Elektroautos herstellt. Die erste Tesla-Auto war der Roadster, der im Jahr 2008 veröffentlicht wurde. Obwohl er bekannt für seine eigenartige Persönlichkeit und Verhaltensweise ist, hat Elon Musk zweifellos die Welt mit seinen Ideen und Erfindungen verändert.

 

 

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