Michael Collins: The Man Who Stayed in Space | ESL Reading Worksheet (閱讀練習)

For about 21 hours in July 1969, one man orbited the far side of the Moon completely alone — out of radio contact and farther from another human being than anyone in history. His name was Michael Collins (麥可·柯林斯). While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin got the spotlight, Collins flew the command module that carried all three astronauts home. This free ESL reading worksheet retells his story at an elementary reading level, with vocabulary, comprehension, and discussion activities built in. 這份初級英文閱讀練習講述阿波羅11號太空人麥可·柯林斯獨自繞月的故事。

Earthrise over the Moon — the view from Apollo 11. (NASA, public domain 公共領域)

Who Was Michael Collins? (麥可·柯林斯是誰？)

Collins was a U.S. Air Force test pilot who joined NASA in 1963. On Apollo 11 he had the one job almost nobody remembers: he never landed. Instead he ran the systems checks, tracked the spacecraft, and waited — the only person who could bring Armstrong and Aldrin back from the surface. He later said he felt not loneliness but “awareness, anticipation, satisfaction, confidence, almost exultation.”

Michael Collins training in the command module Columbia. (NASA)

That quiet, essential role makes him a rare kind of hero — and a great topic for a reading lesson about teamwork. The truth is, most classroom stories celebrate the person who goes first; this one celebrates the person who stays behind so the team can succeed.

Read the Story (閱讀文章) — Elementary Level

Here is the ~220-word passage from the worksheet, written at roughly a Grade 3 reading level. Students can read it on screen or download the printable PDF below.

Most people know the names Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. They were the first two men to walk on the Moon in 1969. But there was a third man on that trip. His name was Michael Collins.

Michael Collins had a very important job. He flew the spaceship, called Columbia, around the Moon. He waited there while Armstrong and Aldrin walked below. He was all alone for about a day. When he was behind the Moon, he could not talk to anyone. He could not see Earth. He could not see his two friends. He was the most alone person in all of history.

Some people felt sorry for Collins. They said he missed his big chance. But Collins was not sad. He knew his job mattered. Without him, his friends could not come home. After three days, Armstrong and Aldrin flew back up to Columbia, and the three men went home to Earth as heroes. Michael Collins showed us that you do not always need to be first. Sometimes the most important job is the quiet one.

What’s Inside This ESL Reading Worksheet (內容)

• Reading passage (閱讀文章): ~220 words at an elementary reading level
• Vocabulary matching (詞彙配對): 10 key words with kid-friendly definitions
• True or False (是非題): 9 comprehension statements
• Fill in the blanks (填空題): 5 sentences with a word bank
• Comprehension questions (理解問題): 5 open-ended prompts
• Discussion questions (討論問題): 3 conversation starters for pair or group work
• Complete answer key (完整解答): every answer included for the busy teacher

Vocabulary Targets (重點單字)

Moon · spaceship · important · alone · history · sorry · chance · hero · team · quiet

📥 Download the PDF Worksheet (下載練習)

Printable A4 · 4 pages · Free to use in your classroom · 可自由列印於課堂使用

Perfect For (適合對象)

• Elementary ESL / EFL classrooms (Grade 3–6, 國小中高年級)
• Reading comprehension warm-ups (閱讀理解暖身)
• Space, science, and heroes units (太空與英雄主題)
• Substitute teacher emergency packs (代課教師備案)
• Homeschool and self-study reading practice (自學閱讀練習)

Teaching Tips (教學建議)

Start with the discussion question before the reading: “Is it okay to not be first?” Taiwanese students are often taught to aim for the top score, so a story that values the quiet supporting role sparks real conversation. After reading, ask students to find one sentence that shows why Collins was still a hero.

The Apollo 11 crew, safely home. Collins flew them all back. (NASA)

For a listening extension, the short PBS NewsHour clip below covers what Collins feared most during the mission — a natural bridge into the “chance” and “alone” vocabulary from the worksheet.

Want more free reading practice? Try our Chocolate elementary reading worksheet, the Sharks Level C worksheet, or the advanced Kangaroos Level F worksheet.

Sources (資料來源)

1. NASA — Former Astronaut Michael Collins — official NASA biography and career record.
2. NASA — Apollo 11 Mission Overview — mission timeline, crew, and command module details.
3. Michael Collins (astronaut) — Wikipedia — background, quotes, and post-NASA life.