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🛰️ B2 Vocabulary & Pronunciation

Satellites, GPS and Space Technology

Master key space tech terms and sharpen your real-world pronunciation in 20 minutes.

📋 How to use this lesson

TEACHER Classroom Flow (20 Mins)

Use this 20-minute guide to present satellite terminology, monitor student practice, and confirm answers using automated feedback.
Encourage students to read the memory tips aloud and complete all 16 exercises before practicing speech shadowing.

LEARNER Your Steps

First, review the 10 core words in the Word Table and read the example sentences and memory tips carefully.
Next, complete the 16 practice exercises and record your voice in the Shadowing section to improve your pronunciation.

Word table

Study these 10 core space technology terms across three main themes.

🚀 Theme 1: In Space

orbit

Form: –

Meaning: The curved path of a satellite or planet around a larger object in space.

Collocations: enter orbit, stay in orbit, low Earth orbit

Pattern Example

What engineers calculate carefully is how high a satellite must stay in orbit.

💡 Memory Tip: Think of "orb" (a round ball) + "it": going around a round object!

spacecraft

Form: –

Meaning: A vehicle designed for travel or operation beyond Earth's atmosphere.

Collocations: launch a spacecraft, crewed spacecraft, robotic spacecraft

Pattern Example

What makes space exploration possible is building a strong spacecraft.

💡 Memory Tip: "Space" + "craft": a watercraft travels on seas, a spacecraft travels in space!

gravity

Form: –

Meaning: The natural force that pulls objects toward the center of a planet.

Collocations: zero gravity, force of gravity, pull of gravity

Pattern Example

What keeps satellites moving in a circle is the pull of gravity.

💡 Memory Tip: Think of "grave" (heavy/serious): gravity keeps heavy things grounded!

antenna

Form: –

Meaning: A metal structure or dish used to send or receive radio signals.

Collocations: satellite antenna, dish antenna, directional antenna

Pattern Example

What sends data back to Earth is a dish antenna on the satellite.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture an insect's antenna sticking out to feel and catch signals!

🗺️ Theme 2: On the Ground

navigation

navigate (v)

Meaning: The act or process of planning and directing a vehicle's course.

Collocations: satellite navigation, GPS navigation, precise navigation

Pattern Example

What drivers rely on during long trips is satellite navigation.

💡 Memory Tip: Think of the "navi" screen in a car: navigation is the job of showing you the way.

receiver

receive (v)

Meaning: An electronic device that picks up incoming signals from space.

Collocations: GPS receiver, signal receiver, handheld receiver

Pattern Example

What I find amazing is how small a modern receiver has become.

💡 Memory Tip: A receiver is the device that "receives" signals sent from above.

coordinates

Form: –

Meaning: A set of numbers showing an exact location on a map or grid.

Collocations: exact coordinates, GPS coordinates, enter coordinates

Pattern Example

What rescue teams need first are the exact coordinates of the ship.

💡 Memory Tip: "Co" (together) + "order" (ordered numbers) = an exact spot on a map!

⚙️ Theme 3: How It Works

accurate

accuracy (n)

Meaning: Correct, precise, and free from errors.

Collocations: accurate data, highly accurate, accurate position

Pattern Example

What modern GPS provides is accurate timing down to nanoseconds.

💡 Memory Tip: "Accurate" sounds like "a cure": a cure for mistakes and errors!

network

Form: –

Meaning: A system of connected satellites or devices working together.

Collocations: satellite network, global network, connected network

Pattern Example

What connects the world is a constellation network of satellites.

💡 Memory Tip: A "net" that "works" to connect all devices together!

tracking

track (v)

Meaning: Following the movement or position of an object over time.

Collocations: real-time tracking, satellite tracking, location tracking

Pattern Example

What wildlife scientists use for research is real-time animal tracking.

💡 Memory Tip: Like following tracks or footprints left along a trail!

Practice

Complete these 16 practice activities to test your understanding step by step.

Part 1

Collocation Matching

Match each verb or descriptor on the left to the satellite noun that forms a natural collocation.

Phrase Base

antenna

orbit

tracking

network

1. stay in ___

____antenna ____orbit ____tracking ____network

2. directional ___

____antenna ____orbit ____tracking ____network

3. connected ___

____antenna ____orbit ____tracking ____network

4. real-time ___

____antenna ____orbit ____tracking ____network

Part 2

Word Bank Fill-in-the-Blank

Complete each sentence using the correct word from the bank below.

spacecraft gravity coordinates receiver

5. The uncrewed ____ left Earth's atmosphere yesterday.

6. Astronauts floating inside the space station experience zero ____.

7. Rescue pilots entered the exact map ____ into their instruments.

8. A small handheld ____ picks up radio signals from three satellites.

Part 3

Choose the Word

Select the option that correctly completes the meaning of each sentence.

9. Ships rely on satellite ___ to guide them safely through ocean storms.

____ a. navigation ____ b. gravity ____ c. antenna

10. Atomic clocks help your phone show the ___ position of a car on the map.

____ a. gravity ____ b. accurate ____ c. spacecraft

11. Ground control points a large dish ___ to receive radio data.

____ a. coordinates ____ b. network ____ c. antenna

12. Wildlife teams use space ___ to monitor animal movements over time.

____ a. tracking ____ b. receiver ____ c. orbit

Part 4

Word Formation

Change the given word in brackets into the correct word form specified in the lesson word list.

13. Pilots must ____ through thick storm clouds using radar. [navigation -> verb]

14. The dish antenna can ____ clear radio signals from deep space. [receiver -> verb]

15. Engineers checked the ____ of the position data before launching. [accurate -> noun]

16. Satellites can ____ weather systems as they move across the ocean. [tracking -> verb]

Shadowing

Listen to each phrase, sentence, or target word, then record your speech to practice natural B2 pronunciation.

Collocation 1

stay in orbit 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Collocation 2

satellite network 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Collocation 3

real-time tracking 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Collocation 4

accurate coordinates 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Sentence 1

The spacecraft is in orbit. 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Sentence 2

Gravity pulls satellites toward Earth. 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Sentence 3

The antenna receives clean signals. 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Sentence 4

The system provides precise navigation. 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Sentence 5

Modern receiver technology is fast and reliable. 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Sentence 6

Global tracking keeps ships safe at sea. 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Target Word Focus

navigation 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Target Word Focus

coordinates 🔊

[Bài tập luyện nói]

____

Vocabulary: Satellites, GPS and Space Technology

Satellites, GPS and Space Technology

📋 How to use this lesson

Word table

orbit

spacecraft

gravity

antenna

navigation

receiver

coordinates

accurate

network

tracking

Practice

Collocation Matching

Word Bank Fill-in-the-Blank

Choose the Word

Word Formation

Shadowing

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