Lesson
Artemis II Crew Awarded Top Space Medal
Read this news story in English at three levels, easy, standard, and advanced (B1–C1) — with vocabulary and a comprehension quiz.
The Artemis II crew will receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their historic lunar mission, breaking records and achieving significant milestones.
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Standard — Natural English
54 words · ~1 min readEasy version (A2–B1)
The Artemis II crew is getting a special medal. They traveled far from Earth during their mission. The crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. They broke a record for distance traveled. Hansen is the first non-US citizen to fly to the moon.Standard version (B1–B2)
The crew of Artemis II will receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their remarkable lunar flyby mission. This mission broke the Apollo 13 record for the farthest distance from Earth, reaching 252,756 miles. The crew members, including the first non-US citizen to fly to the moon, faced many challenges during their journey.Advanced version (C1–C2)
The Artemis II crew, consisting of Cmdr Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialists Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, is set to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their groundbreaking lunar flyby mission. This mission, which began on April 1, 2026, broke the Apollo 13 record by traveling 252,756 miles from Earth. Notably, Hansen became the first non-US citizen to fly to the moon. The crew's successful return was marked by a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of space exploration.Lesson audio
Standard level
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Test your understanding
01What medal will the Artemis II crew receive?
02Who is the first non-US citizen to fly to the moon?
03What record did the Artemis II crew break?
04When did the Artemis II mission begin?
Discussion
What do you think are the implications of international collaboration in space exploration?
Vocabulary
medal word
a piece of metal given as an award
“The astronauts received a medal for their bravery.”
crew word
a group of people working together
“The crew worked hard to complete the mission.”
mission word
a specific task or journey
“Their mission was to explore the moon.”
record word
the best or highest achievement
“They set a new record for distance traveled.”
splashdown word
landing in water after a flight
“The spacecraft's splashdown was successful.”