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Mission To Mars By 2023 (6th June, 2012)

A company from Holland has announced plans to send people to Mars by 2023. The new project is called Mars One and is the brainchild of Dutch businessman Bas Lansdorp. He plans to send four astronauts on the greatest journey ever made by humans in 11 years time. Those who make the journey will never return to Earth. The scariest part of their contract will be they must stay on Mars forever and help build the complex that other space travellers will stay on.

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Mr Lansdorp is the former CEO of an alternative energy company. He said step one of his plan is to send a communications satellite to Mars in 2016. Two years later, he'll land a robot on wheels on the red planet to look for a good place to build the Martian accommodation. In 2020, all of the materials needed for the complex will make its way to Mars, including equipment to make water and oxygen. Lansdorp said the four astronauts will head off into space on September 14, 2022.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

announced plans to

a.

forever

2

the greatest journey ever

b.

to Earth

3.

never return

c.

travellers

4.

The scariest part

d.

send people to Mars

5.

they must stay on Mars

e.

of their contract

6.

space

f.

made

 

Paragraph 2

1.

former

a.

satellite to Mars

2

alternative

b.

space

3.

send a communications

c.

make water

4.

build the Martian

d.

CEO

5.

equipment to

e.

energy

6.

head off into

f.

accommodation


LISTENING GAP FILL

A company from Holland has announced _________________ people to Mars by 2023. The new project is called Mars One and ____________________ Dutch businessman Bas Lansdorp. He plans to send four astronauts on _________________ ever made by humans in 11 years time. Those who make the journey will _________________ Earth. The scariest part of their contract will be they must stay on Mars forever _________________ complex that other space ___________________ on.

Mr Lansdorp _________________ of an alternative energy company. He said _________________ plan is to send a communications satellite to Mars in 2016. Two years later, he'll _________________ wheels on the red planet to look for a good ____________________ Martian accommodation. In 2020, all of the materials needed _________________ will make its way to Mars, including equipment to make water and oxygen. Lansdorp said the four astronauts ___________________ space on September 14, 2022.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

A company from Holland has (1) ____ plans to send people to Mars by 2023. The new project is called Mars One and is the (2) ____ of Dutch businessman Bas Lansdorp. He plans to send four astronauts on the greatest journey ever (3) ____ by humans in 11 years time. Those who make the journey will never (4) ____ to Earth. The scariest part of their contract will be they must stay on Mars (5) ____ and help build the complex that other space (6) ____ will stay on.

Mr Lansdorp is the (7) ____ CEO of an alternative energy company. He said (8) ____ one of his plan is to send a communications satellite to Mars in 2016. Two years later, he'll (9) ____ a robot on wheels on the red planet to look for a good place to (10) ____ the Martian accommodation. In 2020, all of the materials (11) ____ for the complex will make its way to Mars, including equipment to make water and oxygen. Lansdorp said the four astronauts will (12) ____ off into space on September 14, 2022.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

announce

(b)

announced

(c)

announcement

2.

(a)

brainchild

(b)

grandchild

(c)

youngest child

3.

(a)

used

(b)

made

(c)

written

4.

(a)

redo

(b)

remake

(c)

return

5.

(a)

forever

(b)

timeless

(c)

infinity

6.

(a)

backpackers

(b)

passengers

(c)

travellers

7.

(a)

former

(b)

farmer

(c)

firmer

8.

(a)

ladder

(b)

stair

(c)

step

9.

(a)

land

(b)

air

(c)

sea

10.

(a)

arrive

(b)

tape

(c)

build

11.

(a)

needs

(b)

needed

(c)

needy

12

(a)

body

(b)

head

(c)

foot


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

unenoadcn plans

2.

The new jpeocrt

3.

the greatest ejonryu ever

4.

never tenrru to Earth

5.

help build the mpelcox

6.

space esllvterar

 

Paragraph 2

7.

rrmfeo CEO

8.

tvaalnieret energy

9.

communications leseltait

10.

the red naeplt

11.

ptemuqien to make water

12.

four nausstarto


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

water and oxygen. Lansdorp said the four astronauts will head off into space on September 14, 2022.

(    )

in 11 years time. Those who make the journey will never return

(    )

place to build the Martian accommodation. In 2020, all of the materials needed for

(    )

later, he'll land a robot on wheels on the red planet to look for a good

(    )

the complex will make its way to Mars, including equipment to make

1  )

A company from Holland has announced plans to send people to Mars by 2023. The new project is

(    )

Mr Lansdorp is the former CEO of an alternative energy company. He said step

(    )

one of his plan is to send a communications satellite to Mars in 2016. Two years

(    )

send four astronauts on the greatest journey ever made by humans

(    )

forever and help build the complex that other space travellers will stay on.

(    )

to Earth. The scariest part of their contract will be they must stay on Mars

(    )

called Mars One and is the brainchild of Dutch businessman Bas Lansdorp. He plans to


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

Mars     to     by     send     2023     people     to     Plans.    

2.

is     project     new     The     One     Mars     called.    

3.

The     humans     by     made     ever     journey     greatest.    

4.

will     who     never     make     return     the     journey     Those.    

5.

the     Stay     forever     build     Mars     help     complex     on     and.    

6.

of     an     The     alternative     former     energy     CEO     company.    

7.

Send     Mars     a     in     communications     2016     satellite     to.    

8.

red     planet     He'll     land     a     robot     on     wheels     on     the.    

9.

and     to     water     oxygen     Equipment     make.    

10.

will     head     The     off     four     into     astronauts     space.    


DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


WRITING

Write about Mars for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other's work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


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. MARS: Search the Internet and find more information about Mars. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Mars. Include an imaginary interview with a Martian. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. 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.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to a Mars expert. Ask him/her three questions about the red planet. Give him/her three of your opinions on living on it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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