The Spectacular Future of the Airship | Hello World with Ashlee Vance

The Spectacular Future of the Airship | Hello World with Ashlee Vance
Quizzed ESL Activities

Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, is funding the construction of a secret airship at NASA Ames in Mountain View, California, through his company Lighter Than Air (LTA). The airship, called the Pathfinder One, is 122 meters long and has a total lift of 28 tons, with a maximum speed of 60 knots and a range of over 2,000 nautical miles. LTA’s mission is to use lighter-than-air technology for humanitarian relief and reduce the carbon footprint of aviation. The company plans to build larger airships that can carry up to 200 tons of cargo and is working towards making airships a viable mode of transportation. Despite the challenges and risks associated with airships, LTA’s CEO Al Weston remains optimistic about their potential and envisions a future where airships are mass-produced and widely used.

Vocabulary List (Content Related):

Term Definition Example Usage
Rigid airship A type of airship with a fixed structure, unlike a blimp which has no rigid framework. “This is a rigid airship with a skeleton that defines its shape.”
Helium A light, odorless, and tasteless gas used to lift airships. “The airship is filled with non-flammable helium for safety.”
Quadcopter A type of multirotor aircraft with four rotors, often used for surveillance and recreation. “The Pathfinder One is like a giant quadcopter, with thrust-vectored motors.”
Carbon fiber A lightweight and strong material used in the construction of airships. “The airship’s skeleton is made of carbon fiber, making it lighter and stronger.”
Thrust-vectored Refers to the ability of an aircraft or airship to control its direction of thrust. “The airship’s motors can be pointed to lift the ship straight up or move laterally.”
Airdock A large, covered structure used for the construction and maintenance of airships. “The airdock is where we’re building the Pathfinder 3, the largest airship built in the United States since the Macon.”
Funicular A type of elevator or lift that uses a cable and pulley system to move people or goods. “We took the funicular to the top of the airdock to get a better view.”
Blimp A type of airship with no rigid framework, often used for advertising and recreation. “The Zeppelin company operates blimps for sightseeing flights.”
Disaster relief A humanitarian effort to provide aid and support to areas affected by natural disasters or other crises. “The airship is designed to provide disaster relief by transporting cargo and supplies to affected areas.”
Zeppelin A type of rigid airship, named after Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, a pioneer in airship technology. “The town of Friedrichshafen is embedded with airship propaganda, celebrating the dream of the Zeppelin.”

**Key Points Summary**

  1. The article discusses the resurgence of airships as a mode of transportation and their potential uses in disaster relief and cargo transport.
  2. The Pathfinder One is a rigid airship being built by Lighter Than Air (LTA), a company founded by Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google.
  3. The airship is designed to be slower and more fuel-efficient than traditional planes, with a focus on disaster relief and cargo transport.
  4. The article highlights the challenges and limitations of airship technology, including their slow speed, complexity, and high cost.
  5. Despite these challenges, the author remains optimistic about the potential of airships to revolutionize transportation and disaster relief efforts.
  6. The article also explores the history of airships, including the rise and fall of the Zeppelin company and the current efforts to revive airship technology.
  7. The author visits the Akron Airdock, where the Pathfinder One is being built, and gets a tour of the facility and the airship.
  8. The article concludes by highlighting the sense of wonder and excitement surrounding the return of airships to the skies.

Vocabulary Mastery Quiz

Question 1: What does “ingratiate” mean?

  • A) To make someone angry
  • B) To gain favor or approval
  • C) To ignore someone
  • D) To challenge someone

Question 2: What is the definition of “vectored”?

  • A) Directed or pointed in a specific direction
  • B) Moving in a circular motion
  • C) Stationary and unmoving
  • D) Randomly changing direction

Question 3: What does “lacing” refer to in the context of airships?

  • A) A type of engine used in airships
  • B) A method of attaching outer material to the airship’s skeleton
  • C) A type of navigation system
  • D) A type of fuel used in airships

Question 4: What is the name of the town in Germany associated with airship history?

  • A) Berlin
  • B) Friedrichshafen
  • C) Munich
  • D) Hamburg

Question 5: What is the name of the company founded by Al Weston to build airships?

  • A) Lighter Than Air (LTA)
  • B) Airship Ventures
  • C) Zeppelin Corporation
  • D) Akron Airdock

**Answer Key:**

Question 1:

The correct answer is B) To gain favor or approval.

Question 2:

The correct answer is A) Directed or pointed in a specific direction.

Question 3:

The correct answer is B) A method of attaching outer material to the airship’s skeleton.

Question 4:

The correct answer is B) Friedrichshafen.

Question 5:

The correct answer is A) Lighter Than Air (LTA).

One of the most interesting grammar points in this text is the use of the present perfect continuous tense to talk about an action that started in the past and has continued up to the present moment, often to show the result of that action. For example:

  • I’ve been really intrigued about the question, can these airships be made quickly and affordably enough to be mass produced?
  • I’ve known for years who really gets around Silicon Valley.
  • They’ve studied airships that could carry up to 200 tons of cargo.

This tense is often used to talk about an action that has been in progress for a certain amount of time, and is still continuing. It can also be used to show the result of an action, as in the first example above.

Here are five multiple-choice questions to practice the present perfect continuous tense:

  1. I ____________________ (work) on this project for three months, and I’m still not finished.
    • have been working
    • work
    • have worked
    • am working
  2. By the time I arrived, they ____________________ (eat) dinner for an hour.
    • had eaten
    • have been eating
    • ate
    • eaten
  3. She ____________________ (live) in Paris for five years, but she still can’t speak French fluently.
    • has lived
    • have been living
    • lived
    • is living
  4. They ____________________ (try) to fix the car for hours, but they still can’t get it started.
    • have been trying
    • try
    • tried
    • have tried
  5. I ____________________ (wait) for the bus for 20 minutes, and it still hasn’t arrived.
    • have been waiting
    • wait
    • have waited
    • am waiting

Answer key:

  1. have been working
  2. had been eating
  3. has been living
  4. have been trying
  5. have been waiting

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