Key Vocabulary
| Word | Definition | Usage (Sentence) |
|---|---|---|
| grueling | Extremely tiring and demanding. | After the grueling marathon, she could barely walk. |
| established | Set up on a firm or permanent basis. | The company was established in 1950. |
| shuttle | A vehicle that travels regularly between two places. | I take the airport shuttle to get to the terminal. |
| stretched | Feeling pulled between two different people or things. | He felt stretched between his work responsibilities and his family life. |
| toll | The suffering or damage caused by a particular event. | The long hours of work took a heavy toll on his health. |
| disorienting | Making someone lose their sense of direction or feel confused. | Waking up in an unfamiliar room can be disorienting. |
| sterile | Lacking imagination, creativity, or excitement; uninspiring. | The office was a sterile environment with grey walls and no decorations. |
| relentless | Continuing in a severe or extreme way; constant. | The relentless heat made it impossible to do anything outdoors. |
| strain | A force pulling or stretching something; a state of tension. | The financial strain on the family was becoming unbearable. |
| pixelated | Displaying as a blocky or blurry image due to low resolution. | The old video was so pixelated you could barely see their faces. |
| cherished | Protected and cared for lovingly. | She cherished the memories of her childhood summers. |
| resentment | A feeling of bitter anger at having been treated unfairly. | He felt a deep resentment towards his boss for not promoting him. |
| poignant | Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret. | The photograph served as a poignant reminder of her youth. |
| transmission | The action of passing something from one place to another. | There was a delay in the satellite transmission of the live event. |
| realization | An act of becoming fully aware of something as a fact. | The realization that she had lost her keys came slowly. |
| sustainable | Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level over time. | The company is looking for a sustainable solution to its financial problems. |
| sacrifice | An act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else. | He made a big sacrifice to ensure his children had a good education. |
| ultimately | In the end; finally. | Ultimately, he had to decide what was most important to him. |
| redefined | Defined something again or differently. | The invention of the internet redefined how we communicate. |
| priority | A thing that is regarded as more important than another. | My main priority right now is to find a job. |
The Story
Kaelen’s life was a cycle of departures and arrivals. His grueling commute began every Monday morning, not on a train, but on a high-tech shuttle bound for Earth. His family lived in Olympus Village, one of the first permanently established colonies on Mars. For a high salary, Kaelen worked as an orbital engineer on Earth, constantly feeling stretched between two planets.
The journey took a significant physical and emotional toll. The transition between Earth’s gravity and the weaker pull of Mars was disorienting, leaving him with constant headaches. The shuttle itself was a sterile, metallic tube where the only view was the relentless blackness of space, dotted with distant stars. Loneliness was his constant companion during the six-hour flight.
The emotional strain was even worse. He connected with his wife, Lena, and daughter, Elara, through delayed, pixelated video calls. He watched his daughter grow up through a screen, missing the small, cherished moments that build a life. He could see a quiet resentment building in Lena’s eyes; he was more of a visitor than a husband and father.
A particularly poignant moment came during a call for Elara’s seventh birthday. The transmission delay made their conversation awkward and disconnected. She asked him, “Daddy, are you coming home soon, or are you just visiting again?” The simple question hit him with the force of a physical blow. The sudden realization of how his daughter perceived him was devastating.
That night, staring at the blue marble of Earth from his apartment window, Kaelen knew his current lifestyle was not sustainable. The financial security was not worth the sacrifice. He had to decide what “home” really was. Ultimately, he requested a transfer to the Mars colony’s engineering division. The pay was lower, but he had redefined his life’s priority. Home wasn’t a place, but the people he loved, and he was finally going there to stay.
Comprehension Quiz
Type the correct long-form answer (e.g., “Yes, it is” or “No, they are not”). You’ll get instant feedback!
Correct Answers Key
1. No, it was not.
2. No, they did not.
3. Yes, it did.
4. No, it was not.
5. No, they were not.
6. Yes, she did.
7. No, it did not.
8. No, it was not.
9. No, he did not.
10. Yes, he did.
