The teenager who built a submarine

ESL Lessons: True Stories

A printable worksheet for story-based English conversation classes.

Difficulty: Intermediate B1

PDF: The teenager who built a submarine

Warm-up

Have you ever built something by yourself? (Yes, I have/No, I haven't...)

Vocabulary Match

constructing •• building
materials •• things to make with
features •• move water away
experiment •• round roof
drainage •• special parts
dome •• try

Vocabulary Answers

constructingbuilding
materialsthings to make with
featuresspecial parts
experimenttry
drainagemove water away
domeround roof

True Story

Listen and fill in the blanks with words from above.

In 2013, Justin Beckerman, an 18-year-old student from New Jersey, USA, built a working one-person submarine. He spent six months designing and ________ it using ________ like ________ pipes and a clear plastic ________. The submarine, named The Nautilus, could dive up to 30 feet (9.1 meters) underwater. It included lights, a fan, a pump, and a radio.

He had been building things since he was young, including a helmet for watching videos and a remote-controlled vacuum. Justin said he enjoyed creating machines and learning how they worked. His parents supported his projects and gave him space to ________. At the time, Justin hoped to improve his submarine and add more ________ in the future.

In 2013, Justin Beckerman, an 18-year-old student from New Jersey, USA, built a working one-person submarine. He spent six months designing and constructing it using materials like drainage pipes and a clear plastic dome. The submarine, named The Nautilus, could dive up to 30 feet (9.1 meters) underwater. It included lights, a fan, a pump, and a radio.

He had been building things since he was young, including a helmet for watching videos and a remote-controlled vacuum. Justin said he enjoyed creating machines and learning how they worked. His parents supported his projects and gave him space to experiment. At the time, Justin hoped to improve his submarine and add more features in the future.

Quiz

  1. How old was Justin Beckerman when he built the submarine?
  2. What materials did Justin use to build the submarine?
  3. How deep could The Nautilus dive?
  4. What did Justin's parents do to help him with his projects?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. 18 years old
  2. Drainage pipes and a clear plastic dome
  3. Up to 30 feet underwater
  4. They supported his projects and gave him space to experiment

True or False

  1. Justin Beckerman built a two-person submarine. T F
  2. The submarine included a radio and a fan. T F
  3. Justin hoped to add more feathers in the future. T F

True or False Answers

  1. False
  2. True
  3. False

Conversation

A:Hey Justin, did you really build a submarine?
B:Yep, it's called The Nautilus!
A:That's amazing! How deep can it go?
B:It can go up to 30 feet underwater.
A:Wow, your parents must be proud!
B:They are! They always give me space to try new things.

Discussion

  1. Do you enjoy creating things? What do you like to make?
  2. Would you like to ride in a submarine? Why or why not?
  3. Would you rather go to space or the deep sea?
  4. What features would you add to Justin's submarine?

Further Reading

https://www.techeblog.com/teen-inventor-builds-functional-one-man-submarine-using-a-drainpipe/

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