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    Life On Mars

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    Brayan Rodriguez
    The document discusses recent findings from NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars that provide evidence of organic molecules and methane on the surface of Mars. This suggests that Mars was once habitable and that something on Mars may still be producing methane, although the source remains a mystery. Further research is needed to better understand these discoveries and the possibility of life on Mars.

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    Life On Mars

    Uploaded by

    Brayan Rodriguez
    74 views4 pages
    The document discusses recent findings from NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars that provide evidence of organic molecules and methane on the surface of Mars. This suggests that Mars was once habitable and that something on Mars may still be producing methane, although the source remains a mystery. Further research is needed to better understand these discoveries and the possibility of life on Mars.

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    Life on Mars

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    The document discusses recent findings from NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars that provide evidence of organic molecules and methane on the surface of Mars. This suggests that Mars was once habitable and that something on Mars may still be producing methane, although the source remains a mystery. Further research is needed to better understand these discoveries and the possibility of life on Mars.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    74 views4 pages

    Life On Mars

    Uploaded by

    Brayan Rodriguez
    The document discusses recent findings from NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars that provide evidence of organic molecules and methane on the surface of Mars. This suggests that Mars was once habitable and that something on Mars may still be producing methane, although the source remains a mystery. Further research is needed to better understand these discoveries and the possibility of life on Mars.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    You are on page 1of 4

    Life on Mars

    Read an article about life on Mars to practise and improve your reading skills.

    Before reading
    Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.

    Preparation task
    Circle the word that does not belong.

    1. Which word does not belong?


    a. sulfur
    b. cardboard
    c. methane
    d. carbon

    2. Which word does not belong?


    a. astonishing
    b. amazing
    c. tedious
    d. remarkable

    3. Which word does not belong?


    a. data
    b. query
    c. evidence
    d. findings

    4. Which word does not belong?


    a. speculate
    b. suspect
    c. consider
    d. rehearse

    5. Which word does not belong?


    a. periodically
    b. repeatedly
    c. consistently
    d. frequently

    © 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish


    6. Which word does not belong?
    a. source
    b. result
    c. origin
    d. root

    Reading text: Life on Mars


    A new study published in the journal Science shows definitive evidence of organic matter on
    the surface of Mars. The data was collected by NASA’s nuclear-powered rover Curiosity. It
    confirms earlier findings that the Red Planet once contained carbon-based compounds. These
    compounds – also called organic molecules – are essential ingredients for life as scientists
    understand it.
    The organic molecules were found in Mars’s Gale Crater, a large area that may have been a
    watery lake over three billion years ago. The rover encountered traces of the molecule in
    rocks extracted from the area. The rocks also contain sulfur, which scientists speculate
    helped preserve the organics even when the rocks were exposed to the harsh radiation on
    the surface of the planet.
    Scientists are quick to state that the presence of these organic molecules is not sufficient
    evidence for ancient life on Mars, as the molecules could have been formed by non-living
    processes. But it’s still one of the most astonishing discoveries, which could lead to future
    revelations. Especially when one considers the other startling find that Curiosity uncovered
    around five years ago.
    The rover analyses the air around it periodically, and in 2014 it found the air contained
    another of the most basic organic molecules and a key ingredient of natural gas: methane.
    One of the characteristics of methane is that it only survives a few hundred years. This means
    that something, somewhere on Mars, is replenishing the supply. According to NASA, Mars
    emits thousands of tons of methane at a time. The level of methane rises and falls at seasonal
    intervals in the year, almost as if the planet is breathing it.
    NASA suspects the methane comes from deep under the surface of the planet. The variations
    in temperature on the surface of Mars cause the molecule to flow upwards at higher or lower
    levels. For example, in the Martian winter the gas could get trapped in underground icy
    crystals. These crystals, called clathrates, melt in the summer and release the gas. However,
    the source of the methane is still a complete mystery.
    The world of astrobiology considers both of these studies as historical milestones. According
    to this information, Mars is not a dead planet. On the contrary, it is quite active and may be
    changing and becoming more habitable.
    Of course, this means further research is necessary. Scientists say they need to send new
    equipment to Mars, equipment that can measure the air and soil with more precision. There
    are already missions underway. The European Space Agency’s ExoMars ship lands in
    2020 and will be able to drill into the ground on Mars to analyse what it finds. Additionally,

    © 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish


    NASA is sending another Mars rover in the same year to collect samples of Martian soil and
    return them to Earth.
    The possibility of life on Mars has fascinated humans for generations. It has been the subject
    of endless science-fiction novels and films. Are we alone in the universe or have there been
    other life forms within our Solar System? If the current missions to the Red Planet continue, it
    looks as if we may discover the answer very soon.

    Tasks

    Task 1
    Are the sentences true or false or is the information not given?

    1. The study in the journal Science was written by NASA scientists.

    True False Not given

    2. This is not the first study to suggest that life existed on Mars in the past.

    True False Not given

    3. A scientific vehicle found very small elements of an organic molecule within water
    extracted from the planet.

    True False Not given

    4. It is believed that this conclusively proves that there was once life on the planet.

    True False Not given

    5. Methane is a natural molecule that is a sign of life.

    True False Not given

    6. All organic molecules have a limited lifespan.

    True False Not given

    7. Mars can be said to have a winter and a summer.

    True False Not given

    8. There are at least two more scientific expeditions heading to Mars.

    True False Not given

    © 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish


    Task 2
    Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in CAPITALS.

    1. The vehicle works using a pair of large ....................... …-powered batteries. SUN
    2. The data is not ..........................to prove the existence of life. SUFFICE
    3. The ......................... shook the science world. REVEAL
    4. It’s far too early to reach any ......................... conclusions. DEFINITE
    5. This tool measures tiny .......................... in temperature. VARY
    6. The rover can pick up tiny samples with exact ........................... PRECISE
    7. We are going to analyse the ......................... back at the lab. FIND
    8. This process is observed in all .......................... from plants to animals. ORGANIC

    Discussion
    Do you think people will live on Mars?

    © 2019 British Council www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish

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