Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage
Any word, any time — right from this page.
In the middle of the twentieth century, two powerful nationsnation (noun)A country and its people.≈ Synonym: country🇺🇿UZ: millat, davlat🇷🇺RU: нация, страна, the United States and the Soviet Union, competed fiercelycompete fiercelyTried very hard and aggressively to win against someone.≈ Synonym: struggled intensely against each other🇺🇿UZ: shiddat bilan raqobatlashdi🇷🇺RU: яростно соперничали to achieveachieve (verb)To successfully complete or reach something through effort.≈ Synonym: to accomplish🇺🇿UZ: erishmoq🇷🇺RU: достигать incredible featsfeat (noun)Impressive achievements that require great skill or effort.≈ Synonym: impressive achievements🇺🇿UZ: yutuqlar, jasoratlar🇷🇺RU: подвиги, достижения in space. This competitioncompetition (noun)A situation in which people try to be better than others.≈ Synonym: rivalry🇺🇿UZ: raqobat, musobaqa🇷🇺RU: соревнование, конкуренция became known as the Space Race, and it was closely connected to the tensiontension (noun)A feeling of unfriendliness or unease between people or countries.≈ Synonym: strain, unease🇺🇿UZ: keskinlik🇷🇺RU: напряжённость between the two countries during the Cold WarCold WarThe long period of political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union without direct fighting.≈ Synonym: era of US-Soviet rivalry🇺🇿UZ: Sovuq urush🇷🇺RU: холодная война. Both nations wanted to proveprove (verb)To show that something is true.≈ Synonym: show🇺🇿UZ: isbotlamoq🇷🇺RU: доказывать that their technology and their political systempolitical systemThe way a country is governed and organized.≈ Synonym: system of government🇺🇿UZ: siyosiy tizim🇷🇺RU: политическая система were the best in the world.
The Soviet Union took an early leadlead (noun)The first position in a race or competition.≈ Synonym: first place🇺🇿UZ: yetakchilik, oldinda bo'lish🇷🇺RU: лидерство. In 1957, it launchedlaunch (verb)Sent something, such as a rocket or satellite, into space or into use.≈ Synonym: sent up, released🇺🇿UZ: uchirdi🇷🇺RU: запустил Sputnik, the first artificial satelliteartificial satelliteA man-made object sent into space to orbit the Earth.≈ Synonym: man-made object orbiting Earth🇺🇿UZ: sun'iy yo'ldosh🇷🇺RU: искусственный спутник to orbitorbit (verb)To travel in a circular path around a planet or star.≈ Synonym: to circle around🇺🇿UZ: aylanib chiqmoq🇷🇺RU: вращаться по орбите the Earth. A few years later, in 1961, a Soviet cosmonautcosmonaut (noun)A Russian or Soviet astronaut, a person trained to travel in space.≈ Synonym: Soviet/Russian astronaut🇺🇿UZ: kosmonavt🇷🇺RU: космонавт named Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space. These achievements shockedshock (verb)Surprised someone very strongly, often unpleasantly.≈ Synonym: surprised strongly🇺🇿UZ: hayratga soldi, shokka tushirdi🇷🇺RU: шокировали many Americans and pushed the United States to invest heavilyinvest heavilyTo put a very large amount of money or effort into something.≈ Synonym: spend large amounts of money/effort🇺🇿UZ: katta mablag' sarflamoq🇷🇺RU: вкладывать значительные средства in its own space program.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy set an ambitiousambitious (adj)Having a strong desire to achieve something difficult.≈ Synonym: determined to achieve something big🇺🇿UZ: shiddatli, katta maqsadli🇷🇺RU: амбициозный goalgoal (noun)Something you hope to achieve.≈ Synonym: aim🇺🇿UZ: maqsad🇷🇺RU: цель: to landland (verb)To come down to the ground from the air.🇺🇿UZ: qo'nmoq🇷🇺RU: приземлять(ся) a man on the Moon before the end of the decadedecade (noun)A period of ten years.≈ Synonym: ten-year period🇺🇿UZ: o'n yillik🇷🇺RU: десятилетие. This required enormous effortenormous effortA very large amount of hard work.≈ Synonym: great amount of hard work🇺🇿UZ: ulkan mehnat🇷🇺RU: огромные усилия from thousands of scientists, engineers, and astronautsastronaut (noun)People trained to travel and work in space.≈ Synonym: space travelers🇺🇿UZ: kosmonavtlar, astronavtlar🇷🇺RU: астронавты working for NASA, the American space agency. They had to design powerful rocketsrocket (noun)A vehicle that travels into space.🇺🇿UZ: raketa🇷🇺RU: ракета, safe spacecraftspacecraft (noun)A vehicle designed to travel in space.≈ Synonym: space vehicle🇺🇿UZ: kosmik kema🇷🇺RU: космический корабль, and reliablereliable (adj)Able to be trusted to work well.≈ Synonym: dependable, trustworthy🇺🇿UZ: ishonchli🇷🇺RU: надёжный equipment capable of surviving the harsh conditionsharsh conditionsVery difficult and unpleasant environmental circumstances.≈ Synonym: extreme, difficult environment🇺🇿UZ: og'ir sharoitlar🇷🇺RU: суровые условия of space.
On July 20, 1969, the missionmission (noun)An important task or journey with a specific purpose, especially in space travel.≈ Synonym: important planned task🇺🇿UZ: missiya🇷🇺RU: миссия Apollo 11 succeededsucceed (verb)Achieved the desired result or goal.≈ Synonym: was successful🇺🇿UZ: muvaffaqiyatga erishdi🇷🇺RU: преуспела, увенчалась успехом. Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon, followed shortlyshortly (adv)Soon; a short time after.≈ Synonym: soon🇺🇿UZ: tez orada, ko'p o'tmay🇷🇺RU: вскоре by Buzz Aldrin. Millions of people around the world watched the event on television, amazedamazed (adj)Filled with great surprise or wonder.≈ Synonym: astonished🇺🇿UZ: hayratda qolgan🇷🇺RU: изумлённый by what humans had accomplishedaccomplish (verb)Successfully completed or achieved.≈ Synonym: achieved, completed🇺🇿UZ: amalga oshirgan🇷🇺RU: совершили, достигли. Armstrong's famous words about a small step became known across the globe.
The Moon landing mattered for reasons beyond national pridepride (noun)A feeling of satisfaction about something good.🇺🇿UZ: faxr, g'urur🇷🇺RU: гордость. It proved that with enough determinationdetermination (noun)A firm decision to keep trying to do something despite difficulty.≈ Synonym: firm resolve🇺🇿UZ: qat'iyat🇷🇺RU: решимость, humans could overcomeovercome (verb)To successfully deal with or defeat a difficulty.≈ Synonym: to defeat, to conquer🇺🇿UZ: yengib o'tmoq🇷🇺RU: преодолевать extraordinaryextraordinary (adj)Very unusual or remarkable.≈ Synonym: remarkable, exceptional🇺🇿UZ: g'ayrioddiy, ajoyib🇷🇺RU: необычайный challenges. The technology developed during the Space Race also led to countlesscountless (adj)Too many to be counted; very numerous.≈ Synonym: innumerable, very many🇺🇿UZ: son-sanoqsiz🇷🇺RU: бесчисленный inventionsinvention (noun)New things that have been created or designed.≈ Synonym: new creations🇺🇿UZ: ixtirolar🇷🇺RU: изобретения still used today. Decades later, the achievement of Apollo 11 remains one of humanity'shumanity (noun)Belonging to all human beings as a whole.≈ Synonym: of mankind🇺🇿UZ: insoniyatning🇷🇺RU: человечества greatest accomplishments, inspiringinspire (verb)Giving someone the desire or motivation to do something.≈ Synonym: motivating, encouraging🇺🇿UZ: ilhomlantirmoqda🇷🇺RU: вдохновляя new generations to dream of exploring even fartherfarther (adv)To a greater distance.≈ Synonym: further🇺🇿UZ: uzoqroq🇷🇺RU: дальше into space.
In your own words, write a short summary of what you just read (70–100 words). Don't copy sentences — explain the main ideas.
Every highlighted word from this story with its meaning in Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺, and an example. Tap 🇬🇧 or 🇺🇸 to hear the word or the sentence in a British or American accent.
| # | 🇬🇧 | 🇺🇿 | 🇷🇺 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | nationnoun | millat, davlat | нация, страна | Athletes from 200 nations took part. |
| 2 | compete fiercely | shiddat bilan raqobatlashdi | яростно соперничали | The two teams competed fiercely for the cup. |
| 3 | achieveverb | erishmoq | достигать | She achieved her goal of running a marathon. |
| 4 | featnoun | yutuqlar, jasoratlar | подвиги, достижения | Climbing the mountain alone was an amazing feat. |
| 5 | competitionnoun | raqobat, musobaqa | соревнование, конкуренция | There is strong competition for places at this university. |
| 6 | tensionnoun | keskinlik | напряжённость | You could feel the tension in the room before the results. |
| 7 | Cold War | Sovuq urush | холодная война | The Cold War lasted for more than forty years. |
| 8 | proveverb | isbotlamoq | доказывать | She wanted to prove that she could do it alone. |
| 9 | political system | siyosiy tizim | политическая система | Every country has its own political system. |
| 10 | leadnoun | yetakchilik, oldinda bo'lish | лидерство | Our team took the lead in the second half. |
| 11 | launchverb | uchirdi | запустил | The company will launch its new phone in May. |
| 12 | artificial satellite | sun'iy yo'ldosh | искусственный спутник | There are thousands of artificial satellites around the Earth. |
| 13 | orbitverb | aylanib chiqmoq | вращаться по орбите | The Moon orbits the Earth once a month. |
| 14 | cosmonautnoun | kosmonavt | космонавт | The cosmonaut spent six months on the space station. |
| 15 | shockverb | hayratga soldi, shokka tushirdi | шокировали | The news of his accident shocked everyone. |
| 16 | invest heavily | katta mablag' sarflamoq | вкладывать значительные средства | The government is investing heavily in new schools. |
| 17 | ambitiousadjective | shiddatli, katta maqsadli | амбициозный | Building a new city in five years is an ambitious plan. |
| 18 | goalnoun | maqsad | цель | My goal is to get band 7 in IELTS. |
| 19 | landverb | qo'nmoq | приземлять(ся) | Our plane landed in Tashkent at midnight. |
| 20 | decadenoun | o'n yillik | десятилетие | My parents have lived in this house for three decades. |
| 21 | enormous effort | ulkan mehnat | огромные усилия | It took an enormous effort to clean up after the flood. |
| 22 | astronautnoun | kosmonavtlar, astronavtlar | астронавты | As a child, he wanted to be an astronaut. |
| 23 | rocketnoun | raketa | ракета | The rocket took off at sunrise. |
| 24 | spacecraftnoun | kosmik kema | космический корабль | The spacecraft landed safely in the desert. |
| 25 | reliableadjective | ishonchli | надёжный | My old car is still very reliable. |
| 26 | harsh conditions | og'ir sharoitlar | суровые условия | The workers built the road in harsh conditions. |
| 27 | missionnoun | missiya | миссия | The rescue mission lasted three days. |
| 28 | succeedverb | muvaffaqiyatga erishdi | преуспела, увенчалась успехом | If you work hard, you will succeed. |
| 29 | shortlyadverb | tez orada, ko'p o'tmay | вскоре | The film will start shortly. |
| 30 | amazedadjective | hayratda qolgan | изумлённый | I was amazed by how big the city was. |
| 31 | accomplishverb | amalga oshirgan | совершили, достигли | We accomplished a lot in just one week. |
| 32 | pridenoun | faxr, g'urur | гордость | Parents watched their children with pride. |
| 33 | determinationnoun | qat'iyat | решимость | Her determination helped her win the scholarship. |
| 34 | overcomeverb | yengib o'tmoq | преодолевать | He overcame his fear of water and learned to swim. |
| 35 | extraordinaryadjective | g'ayrioddiy, ajoyib | необычайный | She has an extraordinary talent for music. |
| 36 | countlessadjective | son-sanoqsiz | бесчисленный | There are countless stars in the night sky. |
| 37 | inventionnoun | ixtirolar | изобретения | The microwave was an accidental invention. |
| 38 | humanitynoun | insoniyatning | человечества | Climate change is one of the biggest challenges for humanity. |
| 39 | inspireverb | ilhomlantirmoqda | вдохновляя | Her success inspired other women in the village. |
| 40 | fartheradverb | uzoqroq | дальше | I can't walk any farther. |