Three times the US lost a nuclear bomb

ESL Lessons: True Stories

A printable worksheet for story-based English conversation classes.

Difficulty: Intermediate B1

PDF: Three times the US lost a nuclear bomb

Warm-up

What's the most important thing you've ever lost?

Vocabulary Match

vanished •• crash
'Broken Arrows' •• found
weapons •• worries
concerns •• disappeared
collision •• guns
recovered •• 'Lost Weapons'

Vocabulary Answers

vanisheddisappeared
'Broken Arrows''Lost Weapons'
weaponsguns
concernsworries
collisioncrash
recoveredfound

True Story

Listen and fill in the blanks with words from above.

Ever lost something important? Imagine losing a nuclear bomb. The U.S. military has, a few times.

In 1958, a bomb was dropped into the sea near Tybee Island, USA, after a mid-air ________. It's still missing, but luckily, it can't explode.

In 1966, over Palomares, Spain, four bombs fell after two planes collided. Although three were ________, one took two months to find, causing nuclear safety ________.

Then, in 1968, the USS Scorpion submarine ________ in the Atlantic with two nuclear ________, which remain lost. These 'Broken Arrows' show even the military can lose track of dangerous items.

Ever lost something important? Imagine losing a nuclear bomb. The U.S. military has, a few times.

In 1958, a bomb was dropped into the sea near Tybee Island, USA, after a mid-air collision. It's still missing, but luckily, it can't explode.

In 1966, over Palomares, Spain, four bombs fell after two planes collided. Although three were recovered, one took two months to find, causing nuclear safety concerns.

Then, in 1968, the USS Scorpion submarine vanished in the Atlantic with two nuclear weapons, which remain lost. These 'Broken Arrows' show even the military can lose track of dangerous items.

Quiz

  1. What happened to the bomb lost near Tybee Island?
  2. How many bombs fell over Palomares, Spain in 1966?
  3. What happened to the USS Scorpion submarine in 1968?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. The bomb lost near Tybee Island is still missing, but it can't explode.
  2. Four bombs fell over Palomares, Spain in 1966.
  3. The USS Scorpion submarine vanished in the Atlantic with two nuclear weapons in 1968.

True or False

  1. The bomb lost near Tybee Island is probably still in the sea. T F
  2. All four bombs that fell over Palomares, Spain were found immediately. T F
  3. The two nuclear weapons on the USS Scorpion submarine were found. T F

True or False Answers

  1. True
  2. False
  3. False

Conversation

A:Can you believe we lost another one?
B:Another what? Not another bomb?
A:Yes, another bomb. This one's in the Atlantic.
B:Well, at least it can't explode, right?
A:That's what they said about the last one.
B:Oh, boy. And to think I panic when I lose my phone!

Discussion

  1. Have you ever had to carry something important? What was it?
  2. If you lost a nuclear bomb, how would you tell your boss?
  3. How can you hide something, but not forget where you've hidden it?

Further Reading

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220804-the-lost-nuclear-bombs-that-no-one-can-find

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