A student discussion

A student discussion

Listen to two students comparing Mars and Earth to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

Transcript

Teacher: So you've got a few minutes to discuss with your partner.

Student 1: So, as far as I know, the main similarity between Mars and Earth is that they can both support human life.

Student 2: Yeah, but do we know that's actually true? I mean, Mars is much colder than Earth, isn't it? It says here it's about minus 55 degrees most of the time, whereas on Earth only places like Antarctica get that cold.

Student 1: True. Well then, I suppose you could say both planets are a similar distance from the Sun?

Student 2: No way! Mars is much further away! It says here it's about 228 million kilometres, while Earth is about 150 million.

Student 1: Yes, but in space that's not that far. Jupiter is, like, almost 780 million kilometres. That's why we use astronomical units when we talk about distances in space. Earth is 1 astronomical unit from the Sun and Mars is 1.3. The difference doesn't sound so big when you look at it that way.

Student 2: I see what you mean. Jupiter is 5.2 astronomical units so I guess you're right. What other similarities are there between the two planets?

Student 1: Let's see … not the colour, obviously!

Student 2: Yeah! Earth is called the blue planet and Mars is called the red planet for pretty obvious reasons!

Student 1: Their sizes are pretty different. Mars is about half the size of Earth.

Student 2: What about this? It looks like the days on both planets are almost the same length. Earth's day is 24 hours but Mars's is about half an hour longer.

Student 1: You're right. OK, any other things they both share?

Student 2: I suppose you could say they have water in common.

Student 1: Could you? How?

Student 2: Well, Earth is 70 per cent water and Mars probably had huge oceans in the past. It's just that most of the water there now is probably frozen.

Student 1: Ah, I see. I don't think we can say the air is the same, though. Most of Earth's air is nitrogen and oxygen, but Mars …?

Student 2: Mars doesn't really have air, not compared with Earth. It's got about one per cent as much air as Earth.

Student 1: Right, and it's mostly carbon dioxide.

Student 2: Gravity is another difference. I didn't know this, but Mars has higher gravity than the Moon. But it's much less than on Earth, of course.

Student 1: Oh, yes. It says Mars has about 38 per cent of Earth's gravity.

Teacher: OK, let's see what you've found …

Discussion

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Average: 4.3 (293 votes)

Submitted by Chewlim on Tue, 14/01/2020 - 20:08

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As far as I know, Mars only has one per cent air of earth's air, consists of carbon dioxygen, which is impossible for human beings to live in; not mention that all the water in Mars is frozen now, which is a necessity for people's life. So based on the lack of the two facts, it is so far not realistic for people to live in Mars unless the atmosphere would have changed.
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Submitted by walidel7 on Sun, 12/01/2020 - 17:27

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In order to improve my skills in English especially in listen skill , I set plan for one month to improve my score from A2 to B1 , I hope I will capable to hear easily and can to do exercise in any website. Yes I can to achieve 6 score in IELTS exam and get opportunity for scholarship in Phd in pediatric nursing. Best wishes for all

Submitted by Bernice on Fri, 10/01/2020 - 15:56

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Yes, I do actually. As we could see Mars gets the suitable environment for people to live on as it used to have water which could obviously sustain human's life. I believe that part of us will move up to there in the future when we invent the equipment that could send us to Mars safely. I would like to be one of that.(∩▽∩)

Submitted by Lee137 on Fri, 03/01/2020 - 20:59

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To be honest, I think humanity would find its own destruction before being able to get to Mars at least. Apparently Governments are eager to start a great war and that means there would be a lot of destruction and therefore, the projects to reach Mars would be affected and delayed. I have to admit it'd be great to see humanity reaching that planet. Something totally historical.

Submitted by Pablo88 on Mon, 30/12/2019 - 20:52

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I think that the people can’t live on Mars, because there aren’t the normal condition to allow the human life (extreme temperature excursion, less gravity , air composition etc). Furthermore on Mars there aren’t any kind of food for the human. But in the future, after a important develop of space travel will can possible only visit the planet and stay few day, and the people will try the life on the space and over other planet.

Submitted by Lincoln01 on Mon, 30/12/2019 - 10:28

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Mars cannot support life due to the attributes listed. However, we have to protect the earth and make it a better place because it remains the only home for human existence

Submitted by Fikymaulana on Sat, 28/12/2019 - 09:36

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If mars is possible for human life When the earth would be destroyed. In my opinion, I wouldn't be the who fly to mars including all of you.
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Submitted by Mohamad-Altaha on Tue, 24/12/2019 - 18:27

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I absolutely believe that there will never be life on Mars, but we should save our planet instead of thinking about life on Mars. To make our planet greener

Submitted by muradovkamran on Tue, 24/12/2019 - 17:12

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Maybe...Elon Musk has already sent a car to there for future's people. But in that theme I can be negative. Because, I suppose not people of Earth are ready to live on Mars. İnstead of planning living on Mars, humans could make better life on Earth! Does anyone agree with my opinion?

Submitted by username123 on Mon, 09/12/2019 - 17:10

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I suppose that, one day, people will definitly live on Mars This thing will happen when our Earth will be destroyed by future generation...