Learn by Listening Level 2

[00:00.56]The Planets of Our Solar System|[00:03.74] The planet on which we live is called the Earth.|[00:07.10] Our planet is constantly moving around the sun,|[00:10.52] and each year, the Earth travels all the way around the sun.|[00:15.18] But there are many other planets|[00:17.17] that also travel around the sun.|[00:19.54] Together with the sun, the planets, and various other bodies,|[00:23.52] the Earth is part of our "solar system."|[00:26.45] The planet that is closest to the sun is Mercury.|[00:30.49] Mercury is extremely hot,|[00:33.47] and it is much smaller than the Earth.|[00:36.02] The second planet from the sun is Venus.|[00:39.14] Venus is about the same size as the Earth.|[00:43.05] Venus is also very hot.|[00:45.48] The Earth is the third planet from the sun.|[00:49.09] The Earth is unusual among the planets,|[00:51.89] because it has such a large moon.|[00:54.62] The Earth is bigger than the moon,|[00:57.05] but the moon is still quite large.|[00:59.47] It takes about one month for the moon|[01:02.15] to travel around the Earth.|[01:04.39] The fourth planet from the sun is Mars.|[01:07.38] Mars is known for its red colour.|[01:10.42] Mars is smaller and colder than the Earth.|[01:13.16] Mars has two very small moons.|[01:16.21] After the planet Mars, there are many small bodies|[01:19.82] called the asteroids.|[01:21.75] These rocky objects are much smaller than planets.|[01:25.60] The first four planets are all made of rock and metal.|[01:29.71] The remaining planets, however,|[01:31.70] are mostly made of frozen gases.|[01:34.68] The fifth planet is called Jupiter.|[01:37.86] Jupiter is the largest planet.|[01:40.47] It has many moons that travel around it,|[01:43.27] and it also has a large red spot.|[01:46.07] The sixth planet is called Saturn.|[01:48.93] Saturn is the second-largest planet,|[01:51.61] and it is famous for the wide "rings" that surround it.|[01:55.40] These rings are made up of many smaller objects|[01:58.64] that are found in the same area.|[02:00.88] The seventh planet is called Uranus.|[02:03.99] The eighth planet is called Neptune.|[02:06.97] These planets are also gas giants,|[02:10.14] but they are smaller than Jupiter and Saturn.|[02:13.25] Both Uranus and Neptune are so far from the sun|[02:17.29] that scientists only discovered these planets|[02:19.97] during the past few hundred years, using telescopes.|[02:23.89] The other planets had all been visible to curious people|[02:27.68] for many thousands of years.|[02:29.80] The ninth planet is called Pluto.|[02:33.10] Pluto is very small, and it is much more rocky|[02:36.71] than the gas giants.|[02:38.20] Some scientists believe that Pluto is not really a planet at all.|[02:42.86] They suggest that Pluto is the largest of many asteroids|[02:46.97] that are found at the edge of the solar system.|[02:49.83] The solar system is a vast place.|[02:52.63] So far, people have not travelled beyond the moon.|[02:56.30] But perhaps someday, human astronauts will visit|[02:59.97] the other planets of our solar system!