The Reading / Listening - Extraterrestrial Life - Level 3

Is there life on other planets? Are we alone? These are two of the biggest questions humans have been asking for centuries. Now, scientists have launched a new search to find out if there is... anybody... out there. The researchers are from the SETI Institute in California. SETI stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The mission of SETI is, "to explore, understand and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence". SETI scientists will use new technologies to scan the heavens for signs of alien life. They will share their data with the public. SETI hopes that by sharing data, "citizen scientists" could spot things missed by scientists.

SETI's astronomers will use 28 giant radio telescopes in their search for alien life. The telescopes are located all around the world. It will be the first time that a project will search the entire sky for signs of alien life. The signs they are looking for are called "techno-signatures". These include things like alien chemicals, large amounts of oxygen, non-natural structures, and light from lasers. Astronomer Dr Tony Beasley said: "Determining whether we are alone in the universe as technologically capable life is among the most compelling questions in science." Another scientist, Jill Tarter, said we are getting closer to finding out if alien life exists. She said this science is now no longer fiction, but "almost mainstream".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Extraterrestrial Life - Level 0,  Extraterrestrial Life - Level 1   or  Extraterrestrial Life - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/alien-life-extraterrestrials-seti-latest-observatory-a9336681.html
  • https://phys.org/news/2020-02-technologies-strategies-extraterrestrial-life.html
  • https://www.seti.org/about-us/mission


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about extraterrestrial life. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       life / planets / questions / scientists / extraterrestrial / evolution / alien / intelligence /
       astronomer / telescope / project / sky / signature / chemical / universe / fiction
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. MORE MONEY: Students A strongly believe we should spend more money to find aliens; Students B strongly believe we should wait for aliens to find us.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. BIG QUESTIONS: What are the answers to these big questions? Complete this table and share what you wrote with your partner(s). Change partners often.

 

Answer

Why You Think So

Are we alone?

 

 

What is the meaning of life?

 

 

How can we get rich?

 

 

What is the secret to looking young?

 

 

What happens after you die?

 

 

Why is English so difficult?

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. ALONE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "alone". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. SPACE: Rank these with your partner. Put the most interesting things about space at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Aliens
  • Colonizing Mars
  • Black Holes
  • Comets
  • The Moon
  • The Aurora Borealis
  • Space dust
  • Zero gravity

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. alone a. The point or place where something begins.
      2. centuries b. Someone who is from a country.
      3. launched c. Having no one else present; on one's own.
      4. mission d. Periods of one hundred years.
      5. origin e. An important task or assignment carried out for political, religious, or commercial reasons, usually involving travel.
      6. evolution f. The process by which different kinds of living things are thought to have developed and changed from earlier forms during the history of the earth.
      7. citizen g. Started a new project or activity.

    Paragraph 2

      8. astronomer h. Having the ability, fitness, or quality necessary to do or achieve a specified thing.
      9. telescope i. A building or other object constructed from different parts.
      10. entire j. A special pattern, product, or characteristic that can easily identify something or someone.
      11. signatures k. Someone who studies space and the physical universe.
      12. structure l. Ideas, opinions, or activities that are thought of by most people as being normal.
      13. capable m. Something we look through to make faraway objects look nearer, especially things in space.
      14. mainstream n. With no part left out; whole.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article asked whether or not we were alone.     T / F
  2. The scientists are from an institute in Hawaii.     T / F
  3. The scientists say they will go to heaven for doing their work.     T / F
  4. Citizen scientists will help real scientists to spot signs of aliens.     T / F
  5. Scientists will use 28 radio telescopes to look for alien life.     T / F
  6. This is the second time scientists have searched the whole sky.     T / F
  7. A scientist said we are getting no closer to finding alien life.     T / F
  8. A scientist said science fiction is now like mainstream science.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. alone
  2. launched
  3. stands for
  4. mission
  5. data
  6. search
  7. entire
  8. compelling
  9. exists
  10. mainstream
  1. is alive
  2. goal
  3. hunt
  4. started
  5. normal
  6. powerful
  7. information
  8. by ourselves
  9. whole
  10. means

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. questions humans have been
  2. explain the origin and nature
  3. the evolution of
  4. They will share their data
  5. "citizen scientists" could spot things
  6. astronomers will use 28 giant
  7. search the entire
  8. large amounts
  9. the most compelling
  10. She said this science is now no
  1. missed by scientists
  2. longer fiction
  3. sky for signs
  4. asking for centuries
  5. intelligence
  6. questions in science
  7. of oxygen
  8. with the public
  9. radio telescopes
  10. of life

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
centuries
evolution
stands
spot
alone
data
anybody
mission

Is there life on other planets? Are we (1) ____________? These are two of the biggest questions humans have been asking for (2) ____________. Now, scientists have launched a new search to find out if there is... (3) ____________... out there. The researchers are from the SETI Institute in California. SETI (4) ____________ for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The (5) ____________ of SETI is, "to explore, understand and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the (6) ____________ of intelligence". SETI scientists will use new technologies to scan the heavens for signs of alien life. They will share their (7) ____________ with the public. SETI hopes that by sharing data, "citizen scientists" could (8) ____________ things missed by scientists.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
signs
lasers
exists
telescopes
questions
chemicals
project
universe

SETI's astronomers will use 28 giant radio (9) ____________ in their search for alien life. The telescopes are located all around the world. It will be the first time that a (10) ____________ will search the entire sky for (11) ____________ of alien life. The signs they are looking for are called "techno-signatures". These include things like alien (12) ____________, large amounts of oxygen, non-natural structures, and light from (13) ____________. Astronomer Dr Tony Beasley said: "Determining whether we are alone in the (14) ____________ as technologically capable life is among the most compelling (15) ____________ in science." Another scientist, Jill Tarter, said we are getting closer to finding out if alien life (16) ____________. She said this science is now no longer fiction, but "almost mainstream".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Is there life on other planets? ______?
     a.  Are we a loner
     b.  Are we a lonely
     c.  Are we all lone
     d.  Are we alone
2)  scientists have launched a new search to find out if there is... ______
     a.  anybody... out there
     b.  any bodily... out here
     c.  any body... outer there
     d.  anybody... out here
3) explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the ______
     a.  evolution of intelligent
     b.  evolution of intelligentsia
     c.  evolution of intelligence
     d.  evolution of inter license
4)  They will share their data ______
     a.  with the public
     b.  with a public
     c.  with them public
     d.  with then public
5)  sharing data, "citizen scientists" could spot things ______
     a.  mist by scientists
     b.  misled by scientists
     c.  missed by scientists
     d.  miss spy scientists

6)  SETI's astronomers will use 28 giant radio telescopes in their search ______
     a.  for aliens live
     b.  four alien life
     c.  for alien life
     d.  for alien live
7)  It will be the first time that a project will search ______
     a.  the entirely sky
     b.  the entire sky
     c.  the entirety sky
     d.  the entry sky
8)  large amounts of oxygen, non-natural structures, and ______
     a.  light from lasers
     b.  lit from lasers
     c.  lite from lasers
     d.  lid from lasers
9)  the universe as technologically capable life is among the most ______
     a.  compel in questions
     b.  con pairing questions
     c.  comparing questions
     d.  compelling questions
10)  She said this science is now no longer fiction, but ______
     a.  all most mainstream
     b.  a most mainstream
     c.  upmost mainstream
     d.  almost mainstream

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Is there life on other planets? Are we alone? These (1) ___________________ the biggest questions humans have been asking for centuries. Now, scientists have (2) ___________________ search to find out if there is... anybody... out there. The researchers are from the SETI Institute in California. SETI (3) ___________________ for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The mission of SETI is, "to explore, understand and explain the (4) ___________________ of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence". SETI scientists will use new technologies to (5) ___________________ for signs of alien life. They will share their data with the public. SETI hopes that by sharing (6) ___________________ could spot things missed by scientists.

SETI's astronomers will use 28 (7) ___________________ in their search for alien life. The telescopes are located all around the world. It will be the first time that a project will search the (8) ___________________ signs of alien life. The signs they are looking for are called "techno-signatures". These include things like alien chemicals, large (9) ___________________, non-natural structures, and light from lasers. Astronomer Dr Tony Beasley said: "Determining whether we are (10) ___________________ universe as technologically capable life is among the most (11) ___________________ science." Another scientist, Jill Tarter, said we are getting closer to finding out if alien life exists. She said this science is now (12) ___________________, but "almost mainstream".

Comprehension questions

  1. What was the second question asked in the article?
  2. For how long have we been asking questions about aliens?
  3. Where is the SETI Institute?
  4. What did the article say SETI scientists would scan for signs of alien life?
  5. Who might spot things missed by scientists?
  6. How many giant radio telescopes will astronomers use?
  7. How many times before have scientists searched the whole sky?
  8. What will scientists try to find light from?
  9. Who is Dr Tony Beasley?
  10. What did a scientist say this science is no longer an example of?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What was the second question asked in the article?
a) Why are aliens green?
b) Are we alone?
c) How big is space?
d) How did we get here?
2) For how long have we been asking questions about aliens?
a) years
b) decades
c) millennia
d) centuries
3) Where is the SETI Institute?
a) Siberia
b) Peru
c) California
d) Hawaii
4) What did the article say SETI scientists would scan for signs of alien life?
a) the heavens
b) hell
c) the Moon
d) the Milky Way
5) Who might spot things missed by scientists?
a) airline pilots
b) citizen scientists
c) aliens
d) journalists

6) How many giant radio telescopes will astronomers use?
a) 28
b) 27
c) 26
d) 25
7) How many times before have scientists searched the whole sky?
a) 7
b) 1
c) 0
d) 2
8) What will scientists try to find light from?
a) lasers
b) black holes
c) a galaxy far, far away
d) the Sun
9) Who is Dr Tony Beasley?
a) an astronaut
b) a science fiction writer
c) an alien
d) an astronomer
10) What did a scientist say this science is no longer an example of?
a) school subjects
b) the arts
c) science fiction
d) fantasy

Role play

Role  A – Aliens
You think aliens are the best thing about space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): black holes, zero gravity or colonizing Mars.

Role  B – Black Holes
You think black holes are the best thing about space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): aliens, zero gravity or colonizing Mars.

Role  C – Zero Gravity
You think zero gravity is the best thing about space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): black holes, aliens or colonizing Mars.

Role  D – Colonizing Mars
You think colonizing Mars is the best thing about space. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least interesting of these (and why): black holes, zero gravity or aliens.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'alien'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'life'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • other
    • anybody
    • stands
    • explain
    • scan
    • spot
    • 28
    • project
    • signs
    • light
    • among
    • now

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Extraterrestrial Life

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'alien'?
    3. Is there life on other planets?
    4. Are we alone?
    5. How would you feel if scientists found alien life?
    6. What would alien life think about us?
    7. What would you say to an alien if you met one?
    8. What things on Earth would you show aliens?
    9. What do you think the scientists will find?
    10. How interested are you in astronomy?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'life'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What experiences do you have with telescopes?
    5. What might the dangers of aliens be?
    6. How worried are you about an alien attack?
    7. Do you think there could ever be space wars?
    8. What do you think of science fiction?
    9. What big questions about life do you have?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the astronomers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Is there life on other planets? Are we alone? These are two of the biggest questions humans have been asking for (1) ____. Now, scientists have launched a new search to find out if there is... anybody... out (2) ____. The researchers are from the SETI Institute in California. SETI stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The (3) ____ of SETI is, "to explore, understand and explain the (4) ____ and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence". SETI scientists will use new technologies to scan the (5) ____ for signs of alien life. They will share their data with the public. SETI hopes that by sharing data, "citizen scientists" could (6) ____ things missed by scientists.

    SETI's astronomers will use 28 giant radio telescopes in their search for alien life. The telescopes are (7) ____ all around the world. It will be the first time that a project will search the (8) ____ sky for signs of alien life. The signs they are looking for are called "techno-signatures". These include things like alien chemicals, large amounts of oxygen, non-natural structures, and light from lasers. Astronomer Dr Tony Beasley said: "Determining (9) ____ we are alone in the universe as technologically capable life is among the most (10) ____ questions in science." Another scientist, Jill Tarter, said we are (11) ____ closer to finding out if alien life exists. She said this science is now no longer (12) ____, but "almost mainstream".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     centennials     (b)     centurions     (c)     cents     (d)     centuries    
    2. (a)     up     (b)     sky     (c)     space     (d)     there    
    3. (a)     mission     (b)     mission     (c)     misses     (d)     missed    
    4. (a)     orbit     (b)     organ     (c)     origin     (d)     oval    
    5. (a)     heavens     (b)     hell     (c)     airs     (d)     oxygen    
    6. (a)     spot     (b)     dot     (c)     speck     (d)     speckle    
    7. (a)     local     (b)     locals     (c)     locale     (d)     located    
    8. (a)     entire     (b)     all     (c)     every     (d)     lots    
    9. (a)     weather     (b)     whether     (c)     wetter     (d)     whither    
    10. (a)     comparing     (b)     cooperating     (c)     compelling     (d)     compiling    
    11. (a)     doing     (b)     having     (c)     getting     (d)     finding    
    12. (a)     friction     (b)     fiction     (c)     faction     (d)     fraction

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. asking for retucensi
    2. The isisonm of SETI
    3. explain the rngoii and nature of life
    4. the toveuloni of intelligence
    5. scan the nveheas for signs of alien life
    6. tinzcei scientists

    Paragraph 2

    1. SETI's metsraosnor
    2. 28 giant radio sltsoepece
    3. a project will search the enerit sky
    4. large amounts of xyeong
    5. we are alone in the snieervu
    6. almost sminmraeat

    Put the text back together

    (...)  asking for centuries. Now, scientists have launched a new search to find out if there is... anybody...
    (...)  Intelligence. The mission of SETI is, "to explore, understand and explain the origin and nature of
    (  1  ) Is there life on other planets? Are we alone? These are two of the biggest questions humans have been
    (...)  SETI's astronomers will use 28 giant radio telescopes in their search for alien life. The telescopes are located
    (...)  life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence". SETI scientists will use new technologies to
    (...)  hopes that by sharing data, "citizen scientists" could spot things missed by scientists.
    (...)  questions in science." Another scientist, Jill Tarter, said we are getting closer to finding out if alien life
    (...)  whether we are alone in the universe as technologically capable life is among the most compelling
    (...)  amounts of oxygen, non-natural structures, and light from lasers. Astronomer Dr Tony Beasley said: "Determining
    (...)  all around the world. It will be the first time that a project will search the entire sky for signs of alien
    (...)  out there. The researchers are from the SETI Institute in California. SETI stands for Search for Extraterrestrial
    (...)  life. The signs they are looking for are called "techno-signatures". These include things like alien chemicals, large
    (...)  scan the heavens for signs of alien life. They will share their data with the public. SETI
    (...)  exists. She said this science is now no longer fiction, but "almost mainstream".

    Put the words in the right order

    1. humans   asked   questions   The   for   centuries   .   have   biggest
    2. launched   search   a   out   .   have   find   to   Scientists
    3. SETI   of   The   is   explore   .   to   mission
    4. signs   for   the   alien   Scan   of   heavens   life   .
    5. missed   by   scientists   things   spot   could   Citizen   scientists   .
    6. 28   giant   their   radio   telescopes   in   search   .   Use
    7. telescopes   are   world   .   The   the   all   located   around
    8. are   universe   .   alone   we   whether   Determining   in   the
    9. to   if   life   exists   .   alien   Closer   out   finding
    10. but   almost   Science   longer   no   is   mainstream   .   fiction,

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Is there life on other planets? Are we loner / alone? These are two of the biggest questions humans have been asking for century / centuries. Now, scientists have launched / lunched a new search to find out if there is... anybody... out there / up. The researchers are from the SETI Institute in California. SETI sits / stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. The mission of SETI is, "to explore, understand and explain the original / origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence / intelligent". SETI scientists will use new technologies to scan / scam the heavens for signs of alien live / life. They will share their data with the public. SETI hopes that by sharing data, "citizen scientists" could dot / spot things missed by scientists.

    SETI's astronomers will use 28 giant radio telescopes in their / them search for alien life. The telescopes are located all around the world. It will be the first time that a project will search the entire / every sky for signs of alien life. The signs they are searched / looking for are called "techno-signatures". These include things like alien chemicals, large volume / amounts of oxygen, non-natural structures, and light from Tasers / lasers. Astronomer Dr Tony Beasley said: "Determining whether we are alone in / on the universe as technologically capable life is among the most comparing / compelling questions in science." Another scientist, Jill Tarter, said we are having / getting closer to finding out if alien life / live exists. She said this science is now no longer fiction, but "almost upstream / mainstream".

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    I s t h_r_ l_f_ _n _t h_r p l_n_t s ? A r_ w_ _l_n_? T h_s_ _r_ t w_ _f t h_ b_g g_s t q__ s t__ n s h_m_n s h_v_ b__ n _s k_n g f_r c_n t_r__ s . N_w , s c__ n t_s t s h_v_ l__ n c h_d _ n_w s__ r c h t_ f_n d __ t _f t h_r_ _s . . . _n y b_d y . . . __ t t h_r_. T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s _r_ f r_m t h_ S E T I I n s t_t_t_ _n C_l_f_r n__ . S E T I s t_n d s f_r S__ r c h f_r E x t r_t_r r_s t r__ l I n t_l l_g_n c_. T h_ m_s s__ n _f S E T I _s , " t_ _x p l_r_, _n d_r s t_n d _n d _x p l__ n t h_ _r_g_n _n d n_t_r_ _f l_f_ _n t h_ _n_v_r s_ _n d t h_ _v_l_t__ n _f _n t_l l_g_n c_" . S E T I s c__ n t_s t s w_l l _s_ n_w t_c h n_l_g__ s t_ s c_n t h_ h__ v_n s f_r s_g n s _f _l__ n l_f_. T h_y w_l l s h_r_ t h__ r d_t_ w_t h t h_ p_b l_c . S E T I h_p_s t h_t b y s h_r_n g d_t_, " c_t_z_n s c__ n t_s t s " c__ l d s p_t t h_n g s m_s s_d b y s c__ n t_s t s .

    S E T I ' s _s t r_n_m_r s w_l l _s_ 2 8 g__ n t r_d__ t_l_s c_p_s _n t h__ r s__ r c h f_r _l__ n l_f_. T h_ t_l_s c_p_s _r_ l_c_t_d _l l _r__ n d t h_ w_r l d . I t w_l l b_ t h_ f_r s t t_m_ t h_t _ p r_j_c t w_l l s__ r c h t h_ _n t_r_ s k y f_r s_g n s _f _l__ n l_f_. T h_ s_g n s t h_y _r_ l__ k_n g f_r _r_ c_l l_d " t_c h n_- s_g n_t_r_s " . T h_s_ _n c l_d_ t h_n g s l_k_ _l__ n c h_m_c_l s , l_r g_ _m__ n t s _f _x y g_n , n_n - n_t_r_l s t r_c t_r_s , _n d l_g h t f r_m l_s_r s . A s t r_n_m_r D r T_n y B__ s l_y s__ d : " D_t_r m_n_n g w h_t h_r w_ _r_ _l_n_ _n t h_ _n_v_r s_ _s t_c h n_l_g_c_l l y c_p_b l_ l_f_ _s _m_n g t h_ m_s t c_m p_l l_n g q__ s t__ n s _n s c__ n c_. " A n_t h_r s c__ n t_s t , J_l l T_r t_r , s__ d w_ _r_ g_t t_n g c l_s_r t_ f_n d_n g __ t _f _l__ n l_f_ _x_s t s . S h_ s__ d t h_s s c__ n c_ _s n_w n_ l_n g_r f_c t__ n , b_t "_l m_s t m__ n s t r__ m " .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    is there life on other planets are we alone these are two of the biggest questions humans have been asking for centuries now scientists have launched a new search to find out if there is anybody out there the researchers are from the seti institute in california seti stands for search for extraterrestrial intelligence the mission of seti is to explore understand and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence seti scientists will use new technologies to scan the heavens for signs of alien life they will share their data with the public seti hopes that by sharing data citizen scientists could spot things missed by scientists

    setis astronomers will use 28 giant radio telescopes in their search for alien life the telescopes are located all around the world it will be the first time that a project will search the entire sky for signs of alien life the signs they are looking for are called technosignatures these include things like alien chemicals large amounts of oxygen nonnatural structures and light from lasers astronomer dr tony beasley said determining whether we are alone in the universe as technologically capable life is among the most compelling questions in science another scientist jill tarter said we are getting closer to finding out if alien life exists she said this science is now no longer fiction but almost mainstream

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Istherelifeonotherplanets?Arewealone?Thesearetwoofthebiggestq
    uestionshumanshavebeenaskingforcenturies.Now,scientistshavela
    unchedanewsearchtofindoutifthereis...anybody...outthere.Therese
    archersarefromtheSETIInstituteinCalifornia.SETIstandsforSearchfo
    rExtraterrestrialIntelligence.ThemissionofSETIis,"toexplore,unders
    tandandexplaintheoriginandnatureoflifeintheuniverseandtheevoluti
    onofintelligence".SETIscientistswillusenewtechnologiestoscantheh
    eavensforsignsofalienlife.Theywillsharetheirdatawiththepublic.SET
    Ihopesthatbysharingdata,"citizenscientists"couldspotthingsmissed
    byscientists.SETI'sastronomerswilluse28giantradiotelescopesinthe
    irsearchforalienlife.Thetelescopesarelocatedallaroundtheworld.Itwi
    llbethefirsttimethataprojectwillsearchtheentireskyforsignsofalienlif
    e.Thesignstheyarelookingforarecalled"techno-signatures".Thesein
    cludethingslikealienchemicals,largeamountsofoxygen,non-naturals
    tructures,andlightfromlasers.AstronomerDrTonyBeasleysaid:"Dete
    rminingwhetherwearealoneintheuniverseastechnologicallycapableli
    feisamongthemostcompellingquestionsinscience."Anotherscientist,
    JillTarter,saidwearegettingclosertofindingoutifalienlifeexists.Shesai
    dthisscienceisnownolongerfiction,but"almostmainstream".

    Free writing

    Write about extraterrestrial life for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    Finding alien life is the most important thing in science. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE: Make a poster about extraterrestrial life. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. U.S. PRESIDENT: Write a magazine article about electing the US President to be the first Earth person to meet and greet any extraterrestrial life. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on extraterrestrial life. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on alien life. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You