Unit Five: Astronomy and The Solar

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UNIT FIVE

ASTRONOMY AND THE SOLAR


SYSTEM

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LISTEN AND CONSIDER …LISTEN AND CONSIDER …

In this part you will learn to:

 describe the functions of objects with used to/used for


 ask and answer questions about measurements
 form nouns from measurements adjectives
 form singular and plural nouns from verbs
 recognize and use stress in two-syllable verbs
 recognize shift of stress in words like increase (v)and
increase (n)
 use corrective stress
and you will: write a description of the moon

Let’s think about it


Look at the pictures and discuss the following questions:

1- What do pictures 1 &2 represent?


2- What are space satellites used for?

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Listen and do

1- Sentences A-F describe how telecommunication satellites work.


They are not in order. Read them carefully. Then listen to the first
part of the text and re-order them. Write numbers 1-6 in the
table below.

Jumbled sentences A B C D E F
Order

A- This satellite sends signals back to other earth stations.


B- It sends the signals to one of the satellites hovering
above the earth.
C- A radio or TV company transmits signals by ordinary
telephone.
D- The broadcasting stations transmit them to the homes
of millions of viewers.
E- These signals go to an earth station.
F- They change the signals and send them by phone to the
local broadcasting stations in each country.

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2- Listen to the second part of the text and choose the right answer
to each of the following questions about the Hubble Space
Telescope. Circle the letter corresponding to it.
A. How far is the Hubble Telescope from the Earth? It is …. .
a.106 km b. 610 km c.160 km
B. What is its shape? It is ….. in shape
a. circular b. rectangular c. cylindrical C.
C. How long is it? It is …. long
a. 13 m b. 30 m c.31 m
D. How much does it weigh? It weighs …. tons
a. 110 b. 11 c. 101

LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT

A/ Grammar

Describing the function of objects : used to/used for

Consider sentences 1-3 below and answer questions A-C that follow.
1. What are satellites used for?
2. They are used for sending computer data.
3. They are used to survey the earth and make weather
forecasts.
A. Which preposition follows the verb used in the interrogative?
B. What do you notice about the forms of the verbs which follow
used for and used to ?

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C. Match used for and used to with the form of the verbs that
come after.

used for + verb in the infinitive


used to + verb + ing

See grammar reference p. 35

Task 1 : Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

a. The space shuttle is a space transportation system used for


(transport) people and cargo to and from orbit around Earth. It is also
used to (launch) satellites.

b. The International Space Station has laboratories that are used to


(conduct) experiments on the changes that occur in space on the
human body and (study) the galaxy.

c. The Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched in 1990 by the


space shuttle Discovery, is used for (capture) images of stars, galaxies
and other astronomical objects in the universe. The images taken from
the Hubble Space Telescope has helped scientists make many
important discoveries about the universe.
Task 2 : Match questions 1-6 with answers A-F.

1. What is it? A. Case/eyepiece lens/object lens


2. What does it do ? B. Optical instrument
3. What is its shape? C. Magnify pictures of faint and
4. What does it consist of ? distant objects
5.What is it made of ? D. Cylindrical
6. What is it used for? E. Observe the stars
F. Metal and glass

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Task 3 : Use the answer to task 2 above to write a description of the
telescope and its functions.

Start like this:


A telescope is ……………………………………

Asking question about measurements

1- Go back to the questions and answers in listening task 2 and


answer the following questions.
A. What question word is used to ask he questions about the
dimensions/size of the Hubble Space Telescope and its
distance from our planet?
B. What do you notice about the position of the adjectives in
the answers?
2- Read the words in the two columns with attention. Then
complete each heading with the question word : “how” or
“what” that must precede them .

……………...... is it? ……………is its ………?


1.tall 1.height
2.high 2.length
3.long 3.width
4.fast 4. depth
5.heavy 5. weight
6.deep
7.wide

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8.far

Task. Look at sentences A-G. Use the words in the table above to
complete the questions. The questions are asked to get the
information in bold type.
A- Question : how ………. is the Moon from the Earth?
Answer: The average distance to the Moon from the Earth is
384,400 km.
B- Question: How …………….. does a Shuttle travel?
Answer: Like any other object in low-Earth orbit, a Space
Shuttle must reach speeds of about 17,500 miles per hour
( 28,000 kilometers per hour) to remain in orbit.
C- Question : How …………does it take the Hubble telescope to
make one revolution round our planet?
Answer: It only takes the Hubble telescope 97 minutes to
make 1 revolution around our planet.
d- Question : What is ……………….. of the Hubble telescope?
Answer: The Hubble telescope has a weight of 11,110 kg,
but is as light as a feather in space.

B/ Vocabulary
Task. Match the words on the left with their associated words on the
right.
1. Temperature A.miles,kilometers, knots (nautical
miles)
2. Distance B.hot, heat, high, low, cold, warm,
Celsius scale, Fahrenheit scale
3. Area C. square foot, square metre , square
kilometre, acre
4.Volume D. feet, inches, metres, centimeters, tall,
short
5.Measurements/size E.Litres, centiliters, milliliters, cubic

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(humans) litres, cubic metres

C/ Pronunciation
- Pick out the words ending in “s” in the previous task and classify
them in the table below according to the pronunciation of their final”s”
.
/S/ /Z/ / IZ/

WRITING

 Write a short description of the Moon.

1. Write a draft expository presentation of the Moon using the notes in


the fact file below. Include any other details you think appropriate.

Fact File
- Earth satellite
Diameter: 3,476 km
Mass: 0.012 (approximately) one-eightieth that of the Earth
Surface gravity: only 0.16 ( one-sixth) that of Earth
Average distance from Earth:384,402 km
Orbit: - west-to-east direction but orbits in a west-to east every
27.32 days
- No atmosphere and no water
Temperature: sunlit side:+110°C
Lunar nights: -170°C
Composition: Rocky
Age: about 4,6 billion years.

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2. Read your draft version and correct your mistakes.

3. Write a final version of your presentation.

READ AND CONSIDER … READ AND CONSIDER …

In this part you will learn to:

 to use the comparatives with short and long adjectives and with
adverbs
 express contrast with whereas, while…….
 make hypotheses/ suppositions using if- conditional type 2
 read figures
 use stative verbs : think , suppose … and action verbs : listen, play,
write …;
 form plural nouns : galaxy- galaxies

and you will:


write an expository essay

Let’s think about it

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 Answer the questions below

1. What do you think are the similarities and the differences between
astronomy and astrology?
2. How many planets are there in our solar system? Name them.
3. What do you think is the difference between a moon and a planet?

Now, read the text and check your answer to questions 2 and 3.
Read and do
The Solar System

If you were out in space, billions of miles away from our planet,
you would see the Earth as a tiny ball moving in a wide path around a
star that you might recognize as our sun. You would also see, at
various distances from the Sun, seven other spherical bodies of
different sizes- the other planets-all travelling in the same direction in
almost circular paths around the Sun. Moving around some of the
planets are smaller balls- the satellites or moons of the planets. (§1)
Now suppose you were still in space and that you were looking at
the space between the orbits of planets Mars and Jupiter, what would
you see? There would be thousands of little planets, or asteroids, also

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revolving around the Sun. Cutting in this way and that, across the paths
of the planets, you would see comets- starry-headed objects,
sometimes with long tails streaming after them as they draw near the
Sun. You might also catch a glimpse of swarms of even smaller particles
– the meteors- swirling through space. (§2)
All these heavenly bodies make up our vast solar system. If you
continued to view them for months or for years, you would see that
they were moving together through space as a unit, at the speed of
some twelve miles a second, in the general direction of the blue star
Vega. (§3)
The Sun is the very heart of our solar system. It is a typical star- one
of the several thousand millions of stars in our galaxy; like the rest, it is
an incandescent body made up of highly compressed gases. Compared
with the other stars, the Sun is of average size, but it is a giant in
comparison with even the largest planets. Its diameter of 865,600
miles is 109 times that of the Earth; even though it is gaseous, it
weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth. Its surface
temperature is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit; at its centre the
temperature may be as high as 27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The
heat energy and light energy radiating from the Sun make it possible
for life to exist upon Earth. Without the reflection of the Sun’s light, we
could not see the other members of the solar system except for the
comets and meteors. (§4)
The Sun is just one of the stars in our universe. When the skies are
clear, we can see the twinkling of these other stars at night. Their light
is less intense than that of the Sun because they are far more remote
from us than any other heavenly bodies. (§5)
We know that the planets of the solar system are different from
the distant stars in some very important ways. Unlike stars, which
shine with their own light, the planets give off no light of their own. All
we can see is the light from the Sun that they reflect back to us as if

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they were huge mirrors in the sky. In addition, each one of the eight
planets travels in its own special path or orbit around the Sun held in
place by the powerful force of the Sun’s gravity, very much as if it were
a ball speeding around the Sun in a matter of a few months. More
distant planets have larger orbits and travel far more slowly. Jupiter,
for example, takes more than eleven Earth years to make one
complete turn around the Sun while Earth makes its path around the
Sun in just 365 1/4 days- in other words, once a year.(§6)

LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT

A/ Grammar

Comparatives of adjectives and adverbs

1. Read the text again and pick out the sentences which contain
comparatives of adjectives and adverbs and write them in the
table below.

Comparatives Adjectives Adverbs


superiority
equality
inferiority
2. How are the comparatives of adjectives and adverbs formed?
Complete the following table with the missing information.

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Comparatives Adjectives/Adverbs
Short adj /adv +…..+than
superiority
Long ….+ adj/adv+ ……

equality ……+ adj/adv+ ….


inferiority …..+adj/adv+ ……..
See grammar reference p.38

Task. Study the figures in the table below. Then complete the
sentences with the right comparative form of the adjectives and
adverbs in the yellow box.

quickly - close – large - fast

Planets Diameter: Average Time for Time for


thousand distance from one orbit: one
km the sun: Earth rotation at
million km years their axis

Mercury 4.88 58 0.241 88 days


Venus 12.10 108 0.615 30 days
Earth 12.76 150 1 24 hours
Neptune 48.6 4.497 164.8 15 hours
and 48
minutes

A. Mercury is …………….. to our Sun …………. Venus, Earth and


Neptune.
B. Neptune has a …………….. diameter ………. Mercury, Venus and
Earth.

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C. Neptune rotates on its axis ……… Earth does.
D. Mercury and Venus complete one revolution around the Sun
………. Earth.

Expressing comparison and contrast

1.Read the text again. Pick out one sentence expressing similarity and
one sentence expressing difference , and write them in the table
below. Leave out the sentences which contain comparatives and
superlatives.

Comparison/contrast Sentences
Similarities
Differences

2. a. Consider the sentences you have written in the table above and
underline the link words used to express similarity and difference.
b. What do the following link words express : similarity or
difference? Put a cross (x) in the appropriate column.

Link words Similarity Difference


while
similarly
unlike
but
Just as/like
like
on the contrary
similar to
whereas
See grammar reference p.37

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Task. Join the following pairs of sentences, using a link word from the
table above, to get a meaningful sentence . Make any necessary
change.
1. It takes Uranus 84 years to complete one revolution around
the sun. It takes Neptune 164.8 years to complete one revolution
around the sun.
2. Mercury has no moon or natural satellite. Venus has no moon or
natural satellite.
3. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are mostly composed of rock
and metal. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are formed by
mostly gaseous material.
4 . The time it takes Earth to rotate on its axis equals one day or 24
hours. The time it takes Marsto rotate on its axis equals one
day or 24 hours.

Making hypotheses : if- conditional type 2

Go back to the text and pick out the sentences which contain if and
suppose? Then consider them and answer these questions.

1. What do the sentences express? Circle the right answer.


a. A real or possible situation
b. An unreal or imaginary situation
c. An impossible past situation

2. What tenses are used? Complete the following table.

Condition Result
…………………………………… ……………………………..

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See grammar reference p. 39/40
Task. Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
A. If the earth ( stop) orbiting the sun, the northern hemisphere
(keep) getting hotter and hooter while the southern hemisphere (be)
colder and colder.
B. If earth (cease) rotating about its axis but (continue) revolving
around the sun , the length of a year (remain) the same, but a day
(last) as long as a year
C. What (happen) to us if a large asteroid (smash) into the
Earth?
D. If the sun (stop) shining , we (need) heavy coats and flashlights.
We (see) the stars 24 hours a day, but we (never know) when
one day became the next day. And we (never) see the moon
again.

Stative verbs and action verbs

Consider the verbs in bold type in sentences 1-4 below.

1. We know that the planets of the solar system are different from the
distant stars.
2. All we can see is the light from the sun.
3. Each of the 8 planets travels in its own special path or obit.
4. Unlike stars, which shine with their own light, the planets give off no
light of their own.

Now answer questions A-D.

A. Which verbs describe an action?


B. What do we call the verbs that refer to an action ?

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C. Which verbs describe a state?
D. What do we call the verbs that refer to a state?

See Grammar Reference p.36 and answer the following questions:


A. What is the major difference between the two types of verbs?
B. Which verbs have both simple and progressive forms?
C. Which verbs cannot have a progressive form?
Task.There are mistakes in the simple/progressive aspect of some of
the verbs in bold. Correct them to get a grammatically correct
conversation between speaker A and speaker B.

A. ‘I used to hate astronomy, but I love it now. Do you know why?’


B. ‘No, actually, I don’t’
A. ‘Well, because I am understanding now what astronomy really is.’
B. ‘Sorry, I don’t understand what you are meaning.’
A. ‘ Well, I mean that astronomy can help us understand the mysteries
of the universe.’
B. ‘ Oh, I am seeing that you have a telescope in your room. I suppose
that you bought it yourself.’
A. Actually, I didn’t buy it . You are knowing, it used to belong to my
grandfather, but now it is belonging to me. I am still remembering the
day when he gave it to me.’

B/ Vocabulary

1. Find in the text the words and phrases that match the definitions
below.

A. very small (§1)


B. identify again (sb or sth) that one has seen before (§1)

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C. moving continuously and smoothly in one direction (§2)
D. have a quick imperfect view of ( sb or sth) (§2)
E. giving out light when heated (§4)
F. shining with a light that gleams unsteadily (§5)
G.send, emit (§6)
H. very big (§6)
I. moving very quickly (§6)
2. Add suffix –ist or –er to the words in brackets to get a meaningful
text.
An (astrology) is completely different from an (astronomy) and an
(astrophysics). All three are constant (observe) of the skies, but only
the latter two really deserve the title of ( science). The difference
between them is similar to the one between a fortuneteller and a
(psychology).

C/ Spelling
1. Look at the tip box below. Give some more examples from the text
to illustrate the rules for forming the plural of nouns.

TIPS
1. We add –s to form the plural of most nouns.
E.g. …………………..
2. We add –es after some nouns ending in –o, and nouns ending in
-s, -x, -ch, and –sh.
E.g. …………………..
3. We change the vowels of some nouns to form the plural.
E.g. man /men, crisis / crises , emphasis /emphases,
………………… / …………………….
4. We change the consonant f for the consonant v of some nouns in the
/ plural.
E.g. Life / lives , leaf/ leaves , loaf /loaves
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………… / ………
5. But we don’t change the f ending of some other nouns
E.g. chief chiefs
2. Put the nouns in brackets in the text below into the plural. Pay
attention to the spelling form.

The (theory) about the creation of the world can be divided into two
(category) : religious and scientific. The first category is constituted of
divine (thesis) elaborated by (man) and (woman) with strong religious
(belief). These (man) and (woman) are more interested in divine
(mystery) than in producing tangible (fact) about the (origin) of the
world and its evolution. The second category is composed of a number
of (hypothesis) put forward by astrophysicists and astronomers ……

WRITING

 Suppose a comet collided with the Earth; what would happen


then? Follow the guidelines to write a twenty-line essay predicting
the consequences of such a collision.

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1. List any other ideas to expand on the notes below.

Expanding notes
Impact on the Earth surface – cause crater- volcanic
eruption- climate change- flooding- Tsunami- earthquake-
alteration of the Earth orbit- great freeze- extinction of
human kind….

2. Place your ideas in the chain of events that follows.

Chain of events :
Collision with a comet

Event 1

Event 3 Event 2

Final outcome:extinction
Event4
of human kind

3. Select the most pertinent ideas and write your first draft. Make use
of the useful language box below.

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Useful language

-Stative verbs: believe , suppose …


-Action verbs : collide, destroy …
- Modals and adverbs expressing probability: may, might,
probably,possibly, perhaps …
- Comparatives and link words for expressing comparison and
contrast: while, as, similarly …
- Link words for expressing result: as a result, so ,
consequently…

3. Correct your mistakes. Use the draft revision checklist below.

Draft revision checklist


- Have you used the language items above correctly?
- Have you structured the essay appropriately
(introduction, developing paragraphs, conclusion)?

4. Write the final version of your essay.

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LISTENING … LISTENING … LISTENING … LISTENING …

In this part you will :

 make inferences
 respond to an oral text
 agree and disagree ( verb+ so or not)
 make suppositions and hypotheses
and you will:
make a speech in defense of an opinion

Let’s think about it


 Look at the pictures and answer the questions.

1. E.T. in the caption of the picture below is an abbreviation. What


do you think it stands for? Do you believe in ETs?

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E.T. (1982) by Steven Spielberg

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2. Suppose you saw a UFO (an unidentified flying object) landing in
front of you. How would you react?

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3. Do you think that if Martians existed, they would be intelligent?

4.What do you think is the difference between science and


science-fiction ?

Listen and do
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1.Listen to the radio programme about ETs and compare your answers
to the questions above to those of Mr. Henshaw.

2. Sentences A-D below are not in order. Listen to the programme


again and reorder them according to their occurrence in the interview .
Write letters A-D in the following table.

Order in the lecture 1 2 3 4


Jumbled sentences

A. They want to be ready to respond adequately to any message


coming from outer space.
B. Mr. Henshaw and his colleagues believe in the probable
existence of intelligent beings in outer space.
C. In their laboratory, the S.E.T.I’s researchers look for signals or
messages from sidereal clever beings.
D. They think other species of beings could suspect we exist and
try to contact us.

After listening Coping


 We
Have a look
often use at the coping
stative verbs box.
like :Then
think,dobelieve,
tasks 1hope,
and 2 guess,
that follow.
suppose, etc. to express agreement or disagreement with what is
said to us.

 - When we agree, we use : think so / believe so /


hope so / guess so / suppose so
 E.g. “Will man be capable of settling on the moon some
 day?”
 “I think so”
 - When we disagree, we use:
 doesn’t / don’t think so -26
doesn’t/don’t believe so
 doesn’t/don’t guess so - doesn’t/don’t hope so +
so
 doesn’t/don’t suppose
Task. Think of a response to one of the questions and statements
below using the verbs in the coping box above with so.

A. “Is what they are telling us about space laboratories true?”


“I ………………………………………….”
B. “Are we really capable of settling permanently on another
planet?”
“I …………………………………………….”
C. “Have people really seen all those UFOs reported in
newspapers?”
“I …………………………………….”
D. “pace exploration is just a waste of money.”
“ I ………………………………………”
E. “ Today we are capable of diverting comets from their orbits.”
“ I …………………………..”

WRITING

 Make a short public speech in defence of the usefulness of


astronomy. Follow the procedure below.

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1. Read the following notes to expand. These are arguments you can
include in your speech. Add facts or details to support them.

Notes

 Predicting catastrophe
 Solving the mysteries of the universe
 Improving telecommunications
 Making celestial and nautical navigation safer
 Making weather forecast

2. Organize your arguments from the most to the least important.


Then write a short draft speech in defence of astronomy starting
with this opening:
Ladies and gentlemen,
I think that astronomy is one of the most useful sciences today.
……………..
3. Read your draft speech for error checking. Use the following
editing checklist.

Editing checklist
 Are the paragraphs of the speech well marked off?
 Are the linked words used appropriately?
 Is there a pertinent conclusion?
 Are there any mistakes in grammar and spelling?
 Is the punctuation right?

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4. Write your final version of your speech.

READING AND WRITING … READING AND WRITING …

Let’s think about it

In this part you will :

 predict the content of a text


 identify the type of text and author’s purpose
 make inferences
 distinguish between different types of reasoning in argumentative
texts
and you will:
write an argumentative essay

 The paragraph below is taken from a lengthier text. Read it very


quickly and answer questions 1 , 2 and 3 .

‘DEEP IMPACT’
(by David Grinspoon)
On Sunday night, NASA fired a 3-foot
wide, 820-pound explosive barrel directly
into the path of a 9-mile long, potato- 1. What kind of
shaped comet called Tempel 1. The two source is it taken
successfully collided at 23,000 mph while a
spaceship photographed the collision and
sent the pictures home to us. Why?29
from? Circle the letter corresponding to the right answer and say
why.
A. a science-fiction book B. a scientific report
C. a newspaper article D. a letter of complaint

2. What, do you think comes next in the text?

3. Where do you think the paragraph fits in the text? Is it at the


beginning, in the middle, or at the end ? Why?

Read and do

 Read the text below to check the guesses and predictions you have
made in answering questions 1-3 on the previous page.

TEXT

So we can learn about the impact that a collision with comets


might have on our planet. We will also have the chance to look at the
crater caused by the collision, and study the ice and vapor that are
released. In this way, we will also learn about the life secrets that lie
deep within the hole of the comet. (§1)
When I describe the mission to people, I receive mixed reactions.
Some feel that it is not really ‘fine’ to throw rockets at comets just to
see what happens. They say that it is like greeting a stranger by
shooting first and asking questions later. Aren’t we going too far to
satisfy our curiosity here? (§2)

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Well, no. This explosion is not going to hurt anyone or anything.
Here is an analogy. You would be justifiably angry if, in order to learn
about shorelines, some scientist decided to dig up your favourite
beach. But you wouldn’t object if the scientist took a few grains of
sand to study. There are approximately one trillion comets larger than
1 mile in diameter, in this solar system alone, and many more in the
wider universe. So even if we destroyed the comet Tempel 1 entirely
we would not be doing any harm to the cometary system. (§3)
In addition, this mission will not demolish the comet, alter its
course, or affect the cosmos in any way. Comets collide with other
celestial objects all the time. The only thing extraordinary about this
particular impact is that we provoked it. ‘Deep Impact’ will simply
make one more small hole in an object that, like all planets large and
small, has been repeatedly hit by colliding debris since our solar
system’s origin, 4.6 billion years ago. (§4)
It is the beginnings of the universe that this experiment can
illuminate. Beneath the dirty ice crust of a comet like Tempel 1 is the
material that has been frozen since the birth of our solar system. Inside
this timeless frozen rock are organic molecules like those that made
life possible on Earth. The study of that ice crust may help us explain
the story of our origin. (§5)
As H.G. Wells once wrote, “ There is no way back into the past. The
choice is the universe- or nothing.” It has been said that the dinosaurs
disappeared because they couldn’t go to another planet. Sooner or
later a killer comet will again cross Earth’s path, threatening all life.
Fortunately, because we have knowledge about comets and space
science, we will be able to survive. (§6)

(From International Herald Tribune, Tuesday, July, 5, 2005, p.5)

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1. Read the whole text again and answer the following questions.
A. Why did the NASA fire an explosive barrel in the path of
Tempel 1? Give one reason only.
B. Did people approve of throwing rockets at comets?
C. The author believes that the origin of life on Earth can be
explained through a better knowledge of space. What paragraph
indicates that?
D. Why is space science vital for humanity according to the author?
Explain by analogy with the fate of dinosaurs.

2. What do the words written in bold in the text refer to?


A. Paragraph one
… the hole ….. ………………………..
B. Paragraph two
Some feel ….. ………………………..
C. Paragraph three
…. many more …… ………………………
D. Paragraph six
…. because they …. …………………………

3. Match each of the following words or expressions with its


appropriate explanation.

Words/ expressions Explanations


1. crater a. to have a bad effect on
2. mixed somebody or something
3. hurt b. a hard layer of ice
4. demolish c. a large hole in the ground
5. ice crust caused by something hitting it.
d. of very different types
e. destroy

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After reading
 Read the coping box below and do the task that follows.

Coping

Argumentative texts defend implicitly or explicitly ideas, or points of


view. They have two functions: a polemical function ( dismissing
someone else’s point of view) and a persuasive function ( changing
someone else’s point of view).

Argumentative texts resort to three categories of reasoning :


deductive reasoning ( drawing conclusions each time you say
something), concessive reasoning ( making concessions to other
people’s arguments, the better to criticize them) and reasoning by
analogy ( making your arguments more concrete by comparing
situations).

Task. On the basis of the information provided in the coping box,


complete following table with sentences from the text to illustrate
each category of reasoning.

Categories Sentences from the text


of reasoning
1. deductive ……………………………………………………………………..
2. concessive …………………………………………………………………….
3. by analogy ………………………………………………………………………

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WRITING

 Write a twenty-line newspaper article refuting the statement


below. Use either deductive or concessive reasoning or both. Help
yourself with the guidelines that follow and the useful language .

Statement

Some people think that the budget devoted to space exploration is


wasted money.

1. Study the notes in the outline below. Flesh it out by adding


details of your own. Then write a first draft.

Introduction
…………………………………………………………………………………….
Body
 Arguments against space exploration
- Space exploration is a wild dream
- Huge amounts of money are gone into smoke
- This money is needed to relieve poverty in the Third World
- Medical research should be encouraged instead
 Arguments in favour of space exploration
- Predicting earthquakes
- Satellite communication
- Weather forecasting
- Solving environmental problems
- Blood analysis
Conclusion

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- The benefits of space exploration

Useful language
Expressions for making claims:
some people claim/assert/believe/state that ………
Adverbs, phrases and link words expressing concession:
Admittedly, certainly, though , although, in spite of the
fact that, despite the fact that, it is true that, but …..
Link words for making deductions:
and so , thus, as a result, hence, then ……………..
Expressions for putting forward a point of view:
I would argue that, I believe ……..

2.Correct your mistakes. Then write the final version of your article.

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GRAMMAR
REFERENCE
SECTION

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* When we describe the purpose of something, we use one of the
following structures:
* It’s used for + verb + ing
E.g. It’s used for cutting wood.

* It’s used to + verb in the inf


E.g. It’s used to cut wood.

* Or simply It’s for + verb + ing


E.g. It’s for cutting wood.

* The question: What is it (used) for? - asks about the purpose of


something. i.e. What we use something for.
E.g. A. What’s this machine (used) for?

* We can’t use the preposition to with used when we ask a question


about the purpose of something.
* Make sure you don’t confuse it is used to do something/ it is used
for doing something with the semi- modal used to. The former
expresses purpose whereas the latter indicates a constant and
frequent practice in the past.
E.g. I used to dance when I was a child. (But now I no longer do
it)
* Finally make sure you don’t confuse it is used to do something
with used to (doing) something, which means accustomed to.
E.g. I’m used to cutting wood. (= I’m accustomed to cutting
wood)

B. It’s (used) for cutting wood.

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Verbs in English can be divided into two main categories:

Action verbs

(Also called dynamic verbs) describe events which happen in a


limited period of time, and have a definite beginning and end. Action
verbs have both simple and progressive forms.

Examples: * I always listen to music. (Simple present tense)


* I’m listening to a record. (Simple progressive tense)

Stative verbs

(Also called nonconclusive / state verbs) .They describe states


which continue over a period of time and need not have a well-defined
beginning and end. Stative verbs cannot usually have a progressive
form (Or continuous form)

Example: ‘I am knowing English’ is incorrect because ‘know’


describes a continuing state. Therefore, the correct formulation is ‘I
know English.

Verbs referring to feelings: like, love, hate, detest, etc.


* Verbs referring to thinking/ believing: think, understand,
remember, know, etc.
* Verbs referring to perception: see, hear, smell, touch, taste, etc.
* Verbs referring to wants: want, prefer, etc.
* Verbs referring to being/ having: seem, own, belong, appear,
possess, etc.
Stative verbs fall into five main group

Note

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* Some of the verbs above can be in the progressive when
describing an action or a process.
Example: I see (= understand) what you mean. (Not I am seeing ...)
But you can say, ‘I am seeing (= meeting) the headmaster
tomorrow.

* Verbs of perception are often preceded by the auxiliary can.


Example: On a clear day, we can see Algiers from here.

Whether you speak or write, you need to help people make sense of
what you say by signaling to them how one idea leads on to another.
The words and phrases which have this connecting function are called
link words or discourse connectors. They generally come at the
beginning of a sentence. Among their functions are :

Comparing:
In comparison with, like, likewise, similarly, compared with,
both...and... , neither... nor... etc.
Example: The doctor advised him to stop smoking. Similarly, he
recommended him to eat much less and to take plenty of exercise.
Contrasting:
But, however, and yet, while, whereas, conversely, on the one
hand, on the other hand express contrast.
Example: Living in the country is quite healthy; and yet it can be
rather boring at times.

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I- Comparatives of equality
A. Comparative of positive equality:
as+ short or long adjective/adverb + as
- My house is as big as yours.
- This exercise is as difficult as the one we did yesterday.
B. Comparative of negative equality
not as + short or long adjective /adverb+ as
- The Thames is not as long as the Nile.
- Travelling by train is not as expensive as travelling by plane.

II- Comparatives of superiority

A. We use Adjective /adverb+ er + than in the following

cases:

 with adjectives/adverbs of one syllable


- It is hotter in the Sahara desert than in the Gobi
desert.
 With adjectives ending in –y , -w , or –le
- My satchel is heavier than yours.
- This street is narrower than the one over there.
- Your teacher is gentler than mine.

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Note:
a. In adjectives with one syllable ending with a vowel+
consonant ( big, hot) we double the consonant ( bigger ,
hotter )
b. We add –er to adjectives ending in w and y, even if they
have more than one syllable.
c. In adjectives ending in - y , we transform -y into -i
d. With adjectives ending in –le we can use either more +
adjective+ than or adjective+er + than

B. We use More + adjective /Adverb + than with

Adjectives/adverbs which have more than 2 syllables.


- A meal in a restaurant is more expensive than a sandwich.
- She drives more carefully than I do

III- Comparatives of inferiority


 We use less+ short or long adjective/ adverb + than
- A sandwich is less expensive than a meal in a restaurant.
- It is less hot in the Gobi desert than in the Sahara desert.

Form
If + ……… past simple ……. , ……….+ would ( or ‘d )
a. If I were you, I would apologize
b. If the Martians invaded our planet one day , they’d kill us all.

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Meaning:
We use the second conditional to talk about the present, and to
imagine something totally
different from the real situation now or in the future.
In sentence a , the speaker is just imagining himself/herself that he
is me. But he can’t really be
me.
In sentence b, the speaking is just imagining that one day the
Martians will invade our planet. But
we know well that Martians do not exist.

Note:
You can use were for all forms of be in the if -clause of the second
conditional.
Example: If Karim was/were rich , he would travel to Australia.

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LISTENING SCRIPTS

Unit 5, Script 1 : Listen and consider


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PART 1
Have you ever wondered how more than one billion people, in more
than one hundred countries, can all watch the World Cup at the same
time?
Well, it’s done by telecommunication satellites. Dozens of them are
hovering above the equator all the time.
Together they make a telephone and TV link-up which covers the
whole world. They are part of the International Satellite
Telecommunication Organisation-Intelsat. This organisation tells all
member countries what’s going on in space, and decides how new
satellites should be used.
Now, how does this system work? Do the satellites just wait for big
news like a World Cup match to happen? No, they don’t. This is how it
works: first, a radio or TV company transmits signals from the place
where the news is happening- a World Cup stadium for example-by
ordinary telephone. These signals go to an earth station. An earth
station is a radio station which sends signals to, and receives signals
from satellites in space. Once this earth station has received the World
cup information, it sends it to one of the satellites hovering above the
Earth. This satellite sends the signals back to other earth stations in
different parts of the world. They change the signals, make them more
powerful, and send them by phone to the local broadcasting stations in
each country. They are then transmitted to the homes of millions of
viewers.
PART 2
Apart from sending pictures, what are satellites used for? Well,
satellites are used for sending computer data and helping ships find
their way. They are also used to survey the earth, to make weather
forecasts. Satellites can carry telescopes like the Hubble Space
Telescope, which was put in orbit at an altitude of 610 km. This
telescope is roughly cylindrical in shape. It is 13 m long and 4m in

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diameter. It is very heavy.It weighs more than 11 tons. By having a
large telescope above Earth’s atmosphere, astronomers are able to
look at the universe with more clarity than ever before.
( From Modern English International p.32)

Unit 5, Script 2 : Listening


Radio host: The questions that we will try to answer in our
programme this afternoon are : are we, human beings, alone in the
universe? Or are there any other intelligent beings in it ?And if so, how
do we get in touch with them ?Our guest today is Mr. Graham
Henshaw who is a radio astronomer working at the SETI laboratory.
First of all, Mr Hensaw, would you like to tell our listeners what SETI
is?
Mr Henshaw: Certainly. The letters S-E-T and I stand for Search for
Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. What we do in our laboratory is try to
detect and keep track of any signal or message that might come from
outer space.
Radio host: Thank you. Now Mr Henshaw, could there really be a
race of intelligent beings somewhere out there I the vastness of space
… beyond the solar system, perhaps even beyond the milky way?
Mr Henshaw:I suppose there could be. You know, for many
centuries we were ignorant of what we call the New World today. So
why not believe that there might be another race of intelligent beings
out there?
Radio host: I see. And could other species of beings be sking the
same questions that we are asking in this programme? I mean, could
they also wonder whether they are alone or not? Perhaps they suspect
we exist. So could they be trying to contact us?
Mr Henshaw:We hope so. Actually, we at the S.E.T.I are listening for
that kind of message with ultra-sensitive receivers linked with radio
telescopes.

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Radio host: Does the idea of an extra-terrestrial message make you
think of space invaders, flying saucers and little green men?
Mr Henshaw: Not at all. The S.E.T.I’s scientists are determines to
distance themselves from science fiction and fantasy. Ours is a serious
and sophisticated project, in what we believe is a legitimate field of
research. So should a signal come from some intelligent species, we
would want o be ready to respond adequately.
Radio host: Supposing extra-terrestrials came into contact with us,
would that change anything for us here on earth?
Mr Henshaw: Oh, the implications would be tremendous. That
would shed light on the origin, the nature and the future of the
universe as a whole.
(Adapted from The Good News)

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