A student discussion
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 …
I think that one day human can do some research work on Mars just like we do today on the Moon. But there is a long way to live on Mars as a beautiful garden as on Earth. We can learn it from the earth history.
Yes, I think people will live on Mars one day. Humans develop technologies every single day, and I'm sure that thanks to this development, we'll be able to travel to Space. Just like in the past people didn't even think airbuses would exist, now I believe there are going to be spacebuses.
yes, i do. but ofcourse that wont be easy for us to live in mars. it will cost so much money and resources.
imposible . noway
In my opinion, people may be able to travel to Mars and stay there for a few days just to explore it.
However, living on Mars requires special equipment, which is very expensive.
In addition, Mars has no water or air suitable for human life.
I agree with you,in my opinion the life is not possible for human because Mars has not air or water
Yes, you say right thing. However, we thought that life on Mars like on Earth is possible but at the same time we never know can we try to live on that red planet and at what cost: money or our health.
Well when I was younger I used to believe that one day, humans will live on Mars, but as I grow older, I slowly begun to realize how human brain works, we don't just live because the minimum conditions are fulfilled, we look for more, I don't think it's possible to abandon all the luxuries that all mankind worked hard for and just go back to square one.
In my personal opinion i do not think that someday we can occupy Mars as Elon Musk's says,definitely going to space demands a sophisticated technology for example spaceships, rockets also the life in the Mars surface will be more difficult than the Earth.
The new or tv we inform us, the earth and another planets it might exits there, It happen when we belive that mars there is oxigen so and is possible but don't think so