Question

This is what Neil Armstrong said when he took his first steps on the surface of the moon.

What did Armstrong mean?

His first step on the moon was important to himself, but not important to humankind.

His first step on the moon meant nothing for him as an individual, but it was very significant for human progress.

His first step on the moon was a great individual achievement even though it looked like a small thing.
That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

—Neil Armstrong,
July 21, 1969

Answer 1

Option 2 is the best match.

Armstrong meant that his physical act — stepping off the lunar module — was a small, individual action, while the event as a whole was a huge advance for humanity. He intended to say “one small step for a man” (meaning one small step for one person) and “one giant leap for mankind” (meaning a huge step forward for all people). Note: the spoken “a” is barely audible on the recording, which caused some confusion, but his contrast was between the personal and the collective significance of the moment.