A Galaxy in Her Glasses
Classroom
Journey into the Galaxy
Part One: The Missing Universe
On July 12, 2022, astronomy intern Maya Ortiz stood inside Alto Vista Observatory, where the air smelled of warm wires and burnt coffee. That evening, visitors would see NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope First Deep Field image, released during a real worldwide event. The telescope was operating far away in orbit, but its image had already crossed space and reached their mountain computers. It showed thousands of ancient galaxies. Some appeared as orange curves, while others looked like grains of white sugar. “Every dot has billions of stars,” Maya said. Technician Leo Park balanced a plate of star-shaped cookies on one hand. “And our snack table has at least twelve,” he replied.
While families were climbing toward the observatory, black clouds rolled over the horizon. Wind shook the metal doors, and rain hammered the roof like a thousand impatient fingers. Maya was checking the presentation when the lights flickered. The main signal disappeared, and the deep field vanished from the screen. Dr. Chen examined the receiver and smelled burned plastic. Lightning had damaged it. A backup copy existed, but it was inside an older dome across the ridge. The road was already closed because muddy water covered it. Maya pulled on a yellow raincoat. Leo filled his pockets with star cookies and grabbed two flashlights. “Emergency astronaut food,” he explained as they stepped into the rain.
Part Two: Light across the Ridge
Maya and Leo followed the narrow path across the ridge. Wet pine branches brushed their faces, and their shoes squeaked on the slippery stones. When a fallen branch blocked the trail, they pushed together until it rolled into the grass. Leo slipped into a puddle and raised one muddy cookie. “One star has fallen,” he announced. Maya laughed, but then thunder shook the ground. Because the storm was getting closer, they ran the final hundred metres. Inside the old dome, dust scratched their throats. They found the backup drive in a metal cabinet, but the electric lights began to flicker again.
The drive contained the image, yet they could not send it through the damaged observatory receiver. Beneath a grey cover, Maya discovered an old transmitter. She had practised with it only once. Leo held the manual under a flashlight while Maya connected the cables and began to calibrate the machine. A red warning light flashed. Instead of waiting for Dr. Chen, Maya reduced the power and adjusted the frequency herself. The warning stopped, and the transmitter hummed. Back in the main hall, the screen revealed the deep field just as the visitors took their seats. Through the radio, a child asked why some galaxies looked stretched. Maya explained that gravity could bend light. On Leo’s laptop, she saw the child leaning closer; blue and orange galaxies shone in the lenses of her round glasses while rain slid down the dark windows behind her.
Past Actions and Events
Grammar Rule
Use the past continuous for an action already in progress at a past moment: was/were + verb-ing.
Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupted or followed it.
- Ongoing action: Maya was checking the presentation.
- Completed event: The lights flickered.
Examples
- Families were climbing toward the observatory when the storm arrived.
- Maya was checking the presentation when the lights flickered.
- While Leo was holding the manual, Maya connected the cables.
- The visitors were taking their seats when the image appeared.
Common Mistakes
❌ Maya was check the presentation.
✅ Maya was checking the presentation.
❌ The lights were flickering once and then stopped.
✅ The lights flickered once and then stopped.
❌ While Leo held the manual, Maya was connected the cables.
✅ While Leo held the manual, Maya connected the cables.
