A growing library of level-graded English lessons for classroom or self-study, with reading, listening, vocabulary, activities, and discussion practice from A1 to B2.
Lesson Info
In this lesson:
- Warm-up
- Vocab List
- Reading and Audio
- Main Idea Choose the overall message of the text.
- True or False Check understanding.
- Put Events in Order Arrange events from the story into the order they happened.
- Multiple Choice Check understanding.
- Words That Go Together Connect words and collocated phrases from the lesson.
- Discussion Builder Choose connecting expressions for discussion ideas.
- Sentence Unscramble Reorder mixed phrases into correct sentences.
- Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
- Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) SpaceX says it will focus only on AI.
b) The world’s first trillionaire.
c) SpaceX’s share price falls below its opening price.
Ask: (1) Are you interested in investing? (2) Do you like space themes in movies or on TV? Why or why not?
VOCAB LIST
Reading
SpaceX has taken a major step from private company to public giant. On June 12, the rocket, satellite, and AI company began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX. Its initial public offering, or IPO, raised $75 billion, making it the largest stock market debut in history.
The company sold shares at $135 each, giving it a value of about $1.77 trillion before trading began. Once investors were able to buy and sell the stock, the price quickly rose. It opened at $150 and later closed at $160.95, lifting SpaceX’s value above $2 trillion.
The successful launch of the stock also pushed Elon Musk into a new financial category. Because he owns a large part of SpaceX, the rise in the share price made him the world’s first trillionaire, according to several financial reports.
Many investors are excited because SpaceX is not only a rocket company. Its Starlink satellite internet service already reaches millions of customers, and the company says future growth may come from artificial intelligence, space-based data centers, and long-term plans connected to Mars. Supporters see SpaceX as a company that could shape several industries at once.
However, the IPO has also raised serious questions. SpaceX lost money in 2025, and some analysts argue that its value depends more on future hopes than present profits. Critics also worry about Musk’s strong control over the company and the wider problem of extreme wealth. For ordinary investors, the share price may move sharply if confidence changes.
For now, the market has given SpaceX a warm welcome. The harder test will come later, when investors judge whether the company can turn its huge ambitions into steady results instead of only exciting stories about the future.
SpaceX Enters the Stock Market
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) SpaceX says it will focus only on AI.
b) The world’s first trillionaire.
c) SpaceX’s share price falls below its opening price.
Ask: (1) Are you interested in investing? (2) Do you like space themes in movies or on TV? Why or why not?
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debut (n.)
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Nasdaq (n.)
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ticker (n.)
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IPO (n.)
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launch (n./v.)
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trillionaire (n.)
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investor (n.)
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analyst (n.)
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share price (n.)
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ambition (n.)
SpaceX has taken a major step from private company to public giant. On June 12, the rocket, satellite, and AI company began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX. Its initial public offering, or IPO, raised $75 billion, making it the largest stock market debut in history.
The company sold shares at $135 each, giving it a value of about $1.77 trillion before trading began. Once investors were able to buy and sell the stock, the price quickly rose. It opened at $150 and later closed at $160.95, lifting SpaceX’s value above $2 trillion.
The successful launch of the stock also pushed Elon Musk into a new financial category. Because he owns a large part of SpaceX, the rise in the share price made him the world’s first trillionaire, according to several financial reports.
Many investors are excited because SpaceX is not only a rocket company. Its Starlink satellite internet service already reaches millions of customers, and the company says future growth may come from artificial intelligence, space-based data centers, and long-term plans connected to Mars. Supporters see SpaceX as a company that could shape several industries at once.
However, the IPO has also raised serious questions. SpaceX lost money in 2025, and some analysts argue that its value depends more on future hopes than present profits. Critics also worry about Musk’s strong control over the company and the wider problem of extreme wealth. For ordinary investors, the share price may move sharply if confidence changes.
For now, the market has given SpaceX a warm welcome. The harder test will come later, when investors judge whether the company can turn its huge ambitions into steady results instead of only exciting stories about the future.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
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Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
SpaceX has taken a major step from private company to public giant. On June 12, the rocket, satellite, and AI company began trading on the Nasdaq under the (1) SPCX. Its initial public (2) , or IPO, raised $75 billion, making it the largest stock market debut in history.
The company sold shares at $135 each, giving it a value of about $1.77 trillion before trading began. Once investors were able to buy and sell the stock, the price quickly rose. It opened at $150 and later closed at $160.95, lifting SpaceX’s (3) above $2 trillion.
The successful launch of the stock also pushed Elon Musk into a new financial category. Because he owns a large part of SpaceX, the rise in the (4) made him the world’s first trillionaire, according to several financial reports.
Many investors are excited because SpaceX is not only a rocket company. Its Starlink satellite internet service already reaches millions of customers, and the company says future growth may come from artificial intelligence, space-based data centers, and long-term plans connected to Mars. Supporters see SpaceX as a company that could shape several (5) at once.
However, the IPO has also raised serious questions. SpaceX lost money in 2025, and some (6) argue that its value depends more on future hopes than present profits. Critics also worry about Musk’s strong control over the company and the wider problem of extreme wealth. For ordinary investors, the share price may move sharply if confidence changes.
For now, the market has given SpaceX a warm welcome. The harder test will come later, when investors judge whether the company can turn its huge (7) into steady results instead of only exciting stories about the future.
Main Idea
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Main Idea
Choose one:
- SpaceX’s IPO made investors excited, but it also raised questions about the company’s future. Correct answer
- SpaceX’s IPO showed how Starlink and new technology could become the company’s most important businesses.
- SpaceX’s IPO focused attention on Elon Musk’s wealth and control of the company.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. SpaceX's IPO raised $75 billion. TRUEFALSE True
2. SpaceX was already worth more than $2 trillion before trading began. TRUEFALSE False
3. Some analysts say SpaceX’s value depends more on future hopes than present profits. TRUEFALSE True
Put Events in Order
Put the events in the order they happened, from first to last.
- 1 SpaceX sold shares at $135 each before trading began.
- 2 SpaceX began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX.
- 3 The stock opened at $150.
- 4 The stock price rose during trading, pushing SpaceX’s value above $2 trillion.
- 5 The stock later closed at $160.95.
Put Events in Order
Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (5):
- The stock price rose during trading, pushing SpaceX’s value above $2 trillion.
- SpaceX began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX.
- The stock later closed at $160.95.
- SpaceX sold shares at $135 each before trading began.
- The stock opened at $150.
- SpaceX sold shares at $135 each before trading began.
- SpaceX began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX.
- The stock opened at $150.
- The stock price rose during trading, pushing SpaceX’s value above $2 trillion.
- The stock later closed at $160.95.
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. What pushed SpaceX’s value above $2 trillion?
a) The stock price rose after investors began buying and selling shares.Correct
b) Starlink added millions of new customers on the same day.
c) The company lowered the price of each share during trading.
2. Why are many investors excited about SpaceX beyond rockets?
a) They think the company will stop working on space projects soon.
b) They see growth potential in Starlink, AI, space-based data centers, and Mars-related plans.Correct
c) They believe the company has already solved its profit problems.
3. What concern do critics raise in the article?
a) SpaceX may leave the stock market if prices fall.
b) Starlink has already stopped growing.
c) Musk has strong control over the company, and the value may rely too much on future hopes.Correct
4. What does the article suggest investors will judge later?
a) Whether the company can choose a new stock ticker
b) Whether Starlink can stop serving millions of customers
c) Whether the company can turn its huge ambitions into steady resultsCorrect
Words That Go Together
Drag each word to its match below, or select a word and then select its match:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Words That Go Together
Match each word with the words it goes with:
1. raiseg) serious questions
2. buy and sellf) stock
3. lifte) a company’s value
4. reachd) millions of customers
5. shapec) several industries
6. loseb) money
7. turna) ambitions into steady results
a) ambitions into steady results
b) money
c) several industries
d) millions of customers
e) a company’s value
f) stock
g) serious questions
Discussion Builder
1) Reason 2) Contrast 3) Result
Q: Why do you think so many investors were willing to buy SpaceX shares?
A:Q: Do you think future plans should strongly affect a company’s value? Why or why not?
A:Q: Why do you think so many investors were willing to buy SpaceX shares?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: Why do you think so many investors were willing to buy SpaceX shares?
A: I think investors bought SpaceX shares they expect its future plans to make money.
because / unless / although / if
I think investors bought SpaceX shares because they expect its future plans to make money.
Q: Do you think future plans should strongly affect a company’s value? Why or why not?
A: Future plans can make a company more exciting, they should not hide weak profits.
and / because / but / so
Future plans can make a company more exciting, but they should not hide weak profits.
Q: Why do you think so many investors were willing to buy SpaceX shares?
A: SpaceX works on rockets, satellite internet, AI ideas, and Mars plans. it could affect several industries at once.
So, / Still, / For example, / However,
SpaceX works on rockets, satellite internet, AI ideas, and Mars plans. So, it could affect several industries at once.
Sentence Unscramble
Sentence Unscramble
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A. to profit. B. a clear path C. if the company D. I might E. had F. buy shares
I might buy shares if the company had a clear path to profit.
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A. because B. A public company C. ordinary investors D. more pressure E. may face F. expect G. steady results.
A public company may face more pressure because ordinary investors expect steady results.
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A. fast decisions, B. add risk. C. but it can also D. too much control E. can produce F. To me, G. in one person's hands
To me, too much control in one person's hands can produce fast decisions, but it can also add risk.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think so many investors were willing to buy SpaceX shares?
- Do you think future plans should strongly affect a company’s value? Why or why not?
- What are the risks when one person has a lot of control over a company?
- Is it a problem when one person becomes extremely rich? Why or why not?
- Would you personally buy shares in a company that lost money last year? Why or why not?
- Humans will live on Mars one day. Agree or disagree?
- Do public companies face different pressures than private companies? How?
- What company in your country gets the most attention from investors or the public?
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think so many investors were willing to buy SpaceX shares?
- Do you think future plans should strongly affect a company’s value? Why or why not?
- What are the risks when one person has a lot of control over a company?
- Is it a problem when one person becomes extremely rich? Why or why not?
- Would you personally buy shares in a company that lost money last year? Why or why not?
- Humans will live on Mars one day. Agree or disagree?
- Do public companies face different pressures than private companies? How?
- What company in your country gets the most attention from investors or the public?
Answers
Think Ahead: b
Listening: (1) ticker, (2) offering, (3) value, (4) share price, (5) industries, (6) analysts, (7) ambitions
Main Idea: SpaceX’s IPO made investors excited, but it also raised questions about the company’s future.
True or False:
- True. The first paragraph says the IPO raised $75 billion, making it the largest stock market debut in history.
- False. The second paragraph says SpaceX was worth about $1.77 trillion before trading began and went above $2 trillion only after the stock rose.
- True. The fifth paragraph says some analysts argue that SpaceX’s value depends more on future hopes than present profits.
Multiple Choice: a, b, c, c
Put Events in Order:
- SpaceX sold shares at $135 each before trading began.
- SpaceX began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX.
- The stock opened at $150.
- The stock price rose during trading, pushing SpaceX’s value above $2 trillion.
- The stock later closed at $160.95.
Vocabulary:
- raise: serious questions
- buy and sell: stock
- lift: a company’s value
- reach: millions of customers
- shape: several industries
- lose: money
- turn: ambitions into steady results
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast. 3) Result.
- because
- but
- So,
Sentence Unscramble:
- I might buy shares if the company had a clear path to profit.
- A public company may face more pressure because ordinary investors expect steady results.
- To me, too much control in one person's hands can produce fast decisions, but it can also add risk.