Neil Armstrong dies

Fill in the blanks while reading the following article, please

A family statement ………………………… (say) the 82-year-old former U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong  ………………………… (die) Saturday in his home state of Ohio, following a cardiovascular procedure earlier this month.   

Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that ………………………… (land) on the moon on July 20, 1969.  After ………………………… (step) on the lunar surface, he ………………………… (send) the historic message: "that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  As the world ………………………… (look) on, Armstrong ………………………… (spend) nearly three hours walking on the moon with fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.

Weeks after the moon walk, Armstrong, Aldrin and the mission's third astronaut, Michael Collins, ………………………… (receive) a thunderous welcome in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.  They later ………………………… (make) a world tour.

The moon walk ………………………… (mark) America's victory in the Cold War space race with the Soviet Union that ………………………… (begin) in October 1957 with the launch of the Soviet satellite "Sputnik 1."

Armstrong's Apollo 11 mission ………………………… (earn) decorations from 17 nations and many special American honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

In later years, he ………………………… (serve) as Deputy Associate Administrator at NASA headquarters, and ………………………… (be) a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He and his family ………………………… (live) on a 120-hectare farm outside of Cincinnati

President Barack Obama, in a statement Saturday, ………………………… (call) Armstrong "among the greatest of American heroes, not just of his time, but of all time.  When he and his fellow crew members ………………………… (lift) off  they ………………………… (carry) with them the aspirations of an entire nation.  They ………………………… (set out) to show that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible."

Saturday's family statement ………………………… (describe) Armstrong as "a loving husband, grandfather brother and friend."  It asked the public to "honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty.  And the next time you ………………………… (walk) outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, ………………………… (think) of Neil Armstrong and ………………………… (give) him a wink."

And how about asking at least 10 questions now?

1. 82 years old
2. Saturday
3. in his home state of Ohio
4. the Apollo 11 spacecraft
5. on the moon
6. on July 20, 1969. 
7. nearly three hours
8. with fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.
9. weeks after the moon walk
10. in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. 
11.  made a world tour.
12. America's victory in the Cold War space race with the Soviet Union
13. in October 1957
14. decorations from 17 nations and many special American honors
15. served as Deputy Associate Administrator at NASA headquarters, and was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati.
16. on a 120-hectare farm outside of Cincinnati

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Lance Armstrong (audio, video and article)

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency [USADA] has announced it will strip U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles from 1999-2005 and ban him from the sport for life.

The USADA move came one day after the 40-year-old Armstrong said he will stop fighting the doping charges

Armstrong claims there is "zero physical evidence" to support the allegations, but  the USADA argues it has evidence from more than a dozen witnesses that the star cyclist used illegal drugs..

The USADA expects the International Cycling Union, to take similar action. The ICU, however, is demanding the USADA first reveal details of its case against the cyclist.

A third party to the controversy, the Amaury Sport Organization, which runs the Tour de France, said it will not comment on the matter until a hearing with the USADA and the Cycling Union takes place.

Armstrong's attorney, Robert Luskin, is quoted in The Washington Post as saying the USADA can not unilaterally strip Armstrong of his titles, because the doping agency did not award them.

World Anti-doping Agency chief John Fahey said Armstrong's decision not to contest the allegations is an admission of guilt.

Jim Ochowicz, director of the BMC cycling team said "As a friend of Lance's, I support his decision to call it an end. He has done so much for our sport over the years. I love him. I know he still has a big fight ahead of him and his battle of trying to find a cure for cancer and help survivors and carry on with the Lance Armstrong foundation".

In losing his titles, Armstrong joins Canadian Ben Johnson and American Marion Jones as the highest-profile athletes to lose championships as a result of doping sanctions.

Johnson was stripped of the 1988 Seoul Olympics 100 metres title after testing positive for a steroid. while Jones lost her 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medals when she confessed she had been taking drugs at the time.

Armstrong faces the possibility of legal action from promoters and race organizers looking to recover prize money.

While Nike was quick to stand by Armstrong, his other sponsors, including RadioShack, exercise bike maker Johnson Health Tech, sunglass maker Oakley, and Michelob are still silent.

 Last week Armstrong said. " Enough is enough. Today I will turn the page. I will no longer address this issue regardless of the circumstances."

However, the story is far from over.

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