A funny image of a worker trying desperately to catch a small, fast-moving silver magnet in a zero-gravity spaceport, causing chaotic movement among ships.

Max worked at the space port. He managed all ships there. Order was always important. A main magnet broke free. It was a silver ball. This anchor was vital. It controlled all zones. The ball began to slide. It moved without control. It was hard to catch. Max started a quick chase. Workers rushed to assist. They chased the quick thing. No one stopped its motion. The port became chaos then. Ships stopped landing now. Max used his small net. He threw the net very far. The net held the magnet. Peace returned quickly.

Story Vocabulary and Phrase

  • Managed (v.) : Controlled or took care of a large place or system.
  • Vital (adj.) : Extremely important and necessary for something to work.
  • Anchor (n.) : A heavy thing that holds something stable or in place.
  • Chaos (n.) : A situation where everything is disorganized and confused.
  • Returned (v.) : Past tense of ‘return’; to come back to a place or a situation.

Exercise: True or False

Read the story carefully and decide if the following statements are True or False.

  1. Max was responsible for the traffic control at the space port.
  2. The main magnet was an old, heavy iron cube.
  3. The magnetic anchor was not important for the port’s function.
  4. The ships continued their normal landing routine during the chase.
  5. Max used a small net to catch the floating, slippery magnet.

Answers

  1. True. The story says Max managed all ships there.
  2. False. The text says, “It was a silver ball,” not an iron cube.
  3. False. The anchor was vital, meaning it was very important.
  4. False. Ships stopped landing now because of the problem.
  5. True. Max used his small net, which held the magnet.

Let’s talk about it!

Let’s discuss the story’s themes. Use the ” Answer Tip” to help you start your sentences.

If something became slippery, what would you use to catch it?
Simple Answer Tip: “I would use a big sticky piece of gum.”

Max needed order. What makes you feel chaos?
Simple Answer Tip: “I feel chaos when my desk is at sixes and sevens.”

The story is set in a space port. Where would you like to work in the future?
Simple Answer Tip: “I would like to work at a future Chocolate factory.”