The Reading / Listening - Level 5

Scientists say it could be 1,500 years before humans make contact with aliens, or for them to communicate with us. Astronomers from Cornell University combined two theories about the possibility of life existing on other planets to form a new one. One of these theories is the Fermi Paradox. This states that while billions of Earth-like planets exist in our galaxy, not one has made contact with Earth yet. The other, the mediocrity principle, suggests that because there is life on Earth, it will exist on Earth-like planets throughout the universe.

Researcher Evan Solomonides will present a paper on his theory. He said: "We haven't heard from aliens yet, as space is a big place, but that doesn't mean no one is out there." He said extraterrestrials could have received signals from Earth, but they may not have decoded them. He said they would need to decode and analyse 3,000 human languages to understand any messages. Signals from Earth have only reached about 8,500 stars; the Milky Way galaxy alone contains 200 billion stars. Solomonides said: "If we stop listening or looking, we may miss the signals, so we should keep looking."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/23863/20160617/contact-aliens-1500-years.htm
  • http://www.techtimes.com/articles/165512/20160617/alien-contact-new-calculations-say-we-should-wait-it-out-for-1500-years.htm
  • http://astronomy.com/news/2016/06/it-may-take-1500-years-to-meet-et


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Scientists say it could be
  2. make contact
  3. combined
  4. the possibility of life existing
  5. One of these theories
  6. Earth-like planets exist in
  7. there is life
  8. Earth-like planets throughout the
  1. universe
  2. is the Fermi Paradox
  3. our galaxy
  4. with aliens
  5. on Earth
  6. on other planets
  7. 1,500 years
  8. two theories

Paragraph 2

  1. present a
  2. We haven't heard
  3. that doesn't mean
  4. extraterrestrials could have
  5. they may not
  6. the Milky Way galaxy alone
  7. we may miss
  8. we should keep
  1. contains 200 billion stars
  2. received signals
  3. looking
  4. have decoded them
  5. no one is out there
  6. the signals
  7. paper on his theory
  8. from aliens yet

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists (1) ___________________ 1,500 years before humans make contact with aliens, (2) ___________________ communicate with us. Astronomers from Cornell University combined two theories about the possibility (3) ___________________ other planets to form a new one. One of these theories is the Fermi Paradox. This states that while billions of Earth-like planets (4) ___________________, not one has made contact with Earth yet. The other, the mediocrity principle, (5) ___________________ there is life on Earth, it will exist on Earth-like planets (6) ___________________.

Researcher Evan Solomonides will present a paper (7) _________________. He said: "We haven't heard from aliens yet, as space is a big place, but that (8) ___________________ one is out there." He said extraterrestrials could have (9) ___________________ Earth, but they may not have decoded them. He said they (10) ___________________ and analyse 3,000 human languages to understand any messages. Signals from Earth have only reached about 8,500 stars; the Milky Way galaxy alone contains (11) ___________________. Solomonides said: "If we stop listening or looking, we may miss the signals, so we (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Scientistssayitcouldbe1,500yearsbeforehumansmakecontactwithal
iens,orforthemtocommunicatewithus.AstronomersfromCornellUniv
ersitycombinedtwotheoriesaboutthepossibilityoflifeexistingonother
planetstoformanewone.OneofthesetheoriesistheFermiParadox.This
statesthatwhilebillionsofEarth-likeplanetsexistinourgalaxy,notoneh
asmadecontactwithEarthyet.Theother,themediocrityprinciple,sugg
eststhatbecausethereislifeonEarth,itwillexistonEarth-likeplane
tsthroughouttheuniverse.ResearcherEvanSolomonideswillpresenta
paperonhistheory.Hesaid:"Wehaven'theardfromaliensyet,asspacei
sabigplace,butthatdoesn'tmeannooneisoutthere."Hesaidextraterre
strialscouldhavereceivedsignalsfromEarth,buttheymaynothavedec
odedthem.Hesaidtheywouldneedtodecodeandanalyse3,000humanl
anguagestounderstandanymessages.SignalsfromEarthhaveonlyre
achedabout8,500stars;theMilkyWaygalaxyalonecontains200billion
stars.Solomonidessaid:"Ifwestoplisteningorlooking,wemaymissthe
signals,soweshouldkeeplooking."

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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