GUESSING THE PICTURE
WHO IS HE?
* He is an American 
* He is an astronaut
* He is the first human to walk on 
the moon.
* He was born on August 5th, 1930 in 
Wapokotena in Ohio.

Neil Armstrong


Writing a biography


1. Activity 1: Brain-storming
Find out necessary information to write a biography
Full name
Date of birth

Place of birth

Biography
Career

Life / well-known as
(famous for)
Nationality

Vocabulary
+ Bachelor of Science (B.S): Bằng cử nhân khoa học
['bæt∫ələ əv 'saiəns] 
+ Master of Science (M.S) : Bằng thạc sỹ khoa học
['mɑ:stə əv 'saiəns] 
+ space shuttle (n) ['speis'∫ʌtl] tàu vũ trụ
+ leap (n) [ li:p] : bước nhảy
+ resign  (from) (v) [,ri:'zain] thôi việc
+ be appointed  [ə'pɔintid]  (phv): được bổ nhiệm làm gì
+ investigate [in'vestigeit]  (v):

khám phá, điều tra


Checking vocabulary
Complete the following sentences using the above words.
investigate
1. Scientists ......................to find out the cause of the accident
resign
2. His father decided to .................... from office
appointed
3. Barack Obama was .................. as the President of the USA 
leap
4. He made a  ................. of six metres


2. Activity 2:  Put each of the headings in the box in the appropriate 
blank ( Task 1: page 174):
  Quote Known as Date of birth Place of birth Career
Neil Armstrong ( American astronaut )

(1)___________________ 5th August,1930
(2)__________________ Wapokoneta, Ohio
(3) __________________ the first person to walk on the Moon
(4) ____________  1949­1952 : pilot in United States Navy.
                                1955 : receive a B.S / Purdue University.
                                1962: join NASA astronaut program.
                                1970: receive his M.S./ University of Southern California.
                                1971 : resign / NASA
                                1986 : appointed vice chairman / committee/  investigate / 
                                space shuttle Challenger disaster.       
(5) __________    “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”


3. Activity 3: Answer the questions about Neil Armstrong.
­  Neil  Armstrong  is  a  famous  American  astronaut.  He  is  known  as  the 
1. Who is Neil Armstrong?
first person to walk on the moon.
th
­ He was born on 5
 August, 1930 in Wapokoneta, Ohio.
2. When and where was Neil Armstrong born?
­ From 1949 to 1952, he worked as a pilot in the United States Navy
3. When did he work as a pilot in the United States Navy?
­ He received his B.S from Purdue University in 1955.
4. When did he receive his B.S from Purdue University?
irs

a
p
 

n
i
 
k
r
o
W
­ In 1962 he joined the NASA astronaut programmes.( program)

5. Which programmes (program) did he join in 1962?
­ On July 20th , 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on 
6. When did he become the first human to step on the Moon’s surface?
the Moon’s surface.
­ He received his M.S from the University of Southern California in 1970.
7. Where did he receive his M.S in 1970?
­ He resigned from NASA a year later (in 1971) and from 1971 to 1979, 
8. When did he resign from NASA and what did he do after that ?
he taught at University of Cincinnati.
­ 
In  1986,  he  was  appointed  vice  chairman  of  the  committee  that 
9. When was Armstrong appointed vice chairman of the committee that 
investigated the space shuttle Challenger disaster.
investigated the space shuttle Challenger disaster?
­ Armstrong is famous (well­known) for what he said /his quote (when 
10. What did he say when he stepped on the Moon’s surface?
he stepped on the moon’s surface) “That’s one small step for man, one 
giant leap for mankind ”


How to write a biography


1. How many parts are there in a biography?
2. What are they?
­ 3 parts:
+ Introduction: date / place of birth, career / job, famous for...
+ Body: lifetime/ important events. ...
+ Conclusion: effects, ...famous sayings...


How to write a biography

Useful language

­ date and place of birth… ?

* Phrases:

­ career… ?

• from .......... to ...

­ famous for …?

• receive ........ from...

* Preposition: 
­ at, on, in, with, from, to....
* Tenses:
­ Past simple tense.
(Present simple tense)


• resign .......... from...
• be known as ...
• work as...


3. Activity 3: Answers for the questions about Neil Armstrong.
Name,  1.  Neil  Armstrong  is  a  famous  American  astronaut.  He  is  known  as  the 
date/place
first person to walk on the moon.
 of birth
2. He was born on 5th August, 1930 in Wapokoneta, Ohio.
3. From 1949 to 1952, he worked as a pilot in the United States Navy
4. He received his B.S from Purdue University in 1955.
Life and 
career

5. In 1962 he joined the NASA astronaut programmes.(program)
6. On July 20th , 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on 
the Moon’s surface.
7. He received his M.S from the University of Southern California in 1970.
8. He resigned from NASA a year later (in 1971) and from 1971 to 1979, 
he taught at University of Cincinnati.
9.  In  1986,  he  was  appointed  vice  chairman  of  the  committee  that 
investigated the space shuttle Challenger disaster.

Present 
life

10. Armstrong is famous (well­known) for what he said /his quote (when 

he  stepped  on  the  moon’s  surface)  “That’s  one  small  step  for  man, 
one giant leap for mankind ”


1. Activity 1: Write a biography of Neil Armstrong from 
the information given in Task 1.

( Work in groups )
You may begin with:
Neil  Armstrong  is  a  famous  American  astronaut.  He  is 
known as the first person to walk on the moon. He was born ...


• Correct written work
  
Check the ideas and common mistakes 

      Grammar
S pe lling


Unit 15: Writing
Neil Armstrong is an American astronaut. He is known as 
the first person to walk on the Moon. He was born on August 
5th,  1930  in  Wapokoneta  in  Ohio.  From  1949  to  1952,  he 
worked  as  a  pilot  in  the  United  States  Navy.  Armstrong 
received  his  B.S.  from  Purdue  University  in  1955.  He  joined 
the  NASA  astronaut  program  in  1962.  Neil    Armstrong 
became the first human to step on the Moon's surface on July 
20th,  1969.  Armstrong  and  Aldrin  spent  two  and  a  half  hours 

on  the  Moon's  surface.  Armstrong  received  his  M.S  at  the 
University of Southern California in 1970. In 1971 he resigned 
from  NASA  and  from  1971  to    1979,  he  taught  at  the 
University  of  Cincinnati.  In  1986  Armstrong  was  appointed 
vice  chairman  of  the  committee  that  investigated  the  space 
shuttle Challenger disaster. He is also well­known for what he 
said when he stepped on the moon’s surface: "That's one small 
step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.


Writing a biography 
 Date of birth .............. ?

* Phrases:
 ­ from ......... to ........ 

 Famous for ................ ?

 ­ receive ...... from....
 ­ resign ........ from....
 ­ be known as .....
 ­ work as ........

* Homework

* Preposition: 

Prepare “Language Focus” lesson

­ at, on, in, with, from , to


 Place of birth ............. ?
 Career ........................ ?

* Tenses:
­ Past simple tense




Unit 15: Writing

Unit 15: Writing
•
•

Task
3:past
Write
a paragraph
Tense:
simple
(present of
simple)
Neil Armstrong,
using
the as,
answers
Phrases:
be known

as, work
receivein…
Task
from, 2.
resign … from.

• Prepositions: from … to


Unit 15: Writing
The short biographyHo
often
three parts:
me has
wo rk

1. Name, date, and place of birth.
(educational
background,
personal
In 120 words,
write a short
biography of a
family…….)
famous person you know.
2. Life and career.
3. Present life (Date and place of death)


1


1. Neil Armstrong is a famous American astronaut. He is known as the
Name,
first person to walk on the moon.
date & place
2. He was born on August, 1930 in Wapokoneta, Ohio.
1. Who is Neil Armstrong?
of birth
2. When and where was he born?
3. What did he do from 1949 to 1952?
2
worked
a pilot in United States Navy from 1949 to 1952.
4. What did he do3.inHe
1955
and as
in 1962?
5. Did he become
the received
first human
step
onPurdue
the Moon’s
surface
20thJuly,1969?
4. He
his to
B.S
from
University

in on
1955,
and in 1962 he
joined the NASA astronaut program.
6. What
did he do5.after
he received
his M.S
from
Southern
California
Life and
He became
the first
human
to University
step on theofMoon’s
surface
on in
1970?
career
20th July, 1969.
6. in
He1986?
received his M.S from University of Southern California in 1970.
7. What did he do
A year
later,
he resigned
from

NASAsurface?
and from 1971 to 1979 he taught
8. What did he say
when
he stepped
on the
Moon’s
at the University of Cincinnati.
7. In 1986, he was appointed as vice chairman of the committee that
investigated the space shuttle Challenger disaster.

3
Present
life

10. Armstrong is also well- known for what he said when he stepped
on the Moon’s surface: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap
for mankind”