WRITING : Let’s save our planet! Life on Mars?

Name: ………………………………………Date: ……/……/……

Group: ………… Evaluation score: ………….

A) Read the following text carefully:
ARTICLE No 1

Let’s save our planet!
Everyone must play a part in protecting the environment. There are many things you can do your own every day to help save the planet. Here are some suggestions.

REDUCE!
Really, the best thing we can do for the planet is to use less of it. At the Earth of the environmental crisis is our consumer society. Here are some questions you can ask yourself before buying something: Do I, or the other person I am buying this for, really need this? Is there another product which would do the same thing but more sustainable? Will this last a long time? Did I know how this item was made, how it will be used and how it will be disposed of?

REUSE!
Regrettably, because we live in a “disposable society”, we are encouraged to buy a new “improved” item even if the one we have can be repaired. When we buy, we should buy items which are durable, we should maintain and have them repaired when necessary. If we practice this, many things can not only last a life-time, but they can be passed along generation to generation. If something is truly unusable for its original proposes, try to be more creative and think of how else it might be used. When you’re done with it, think of whether someone else might be able to use it.

RECYCLE!

Rather than throwing an item out when neither you nor anyone else can make use of it, have it recycled. And while recycling is not perfect, it is better than sending goods to landfill or having them incinerated.

Find out what types of materials can be recycled in your area. Clean and sort the materials before putting them out on the curb – often collectors will not pick up recycling that is mixed or contains non-recyclables.
In www.greenpeace.org (adapted)

COMPREHENSION
B) Find evidence of these statements in the text:
1. The main reason why our planet is in danger is our uncontrolled willingness to buy goods even they aren't necessary.

2. Consumers should have in mind the necessity of buying products that can last for a long time.

3. Every body has not only the worry about keeping things in working order but also restoring them good condition in order to put the “Reuse” principle in practice.

4. People should search for information on the items that are accepted for recycling in their place of living.

C. Read the following sentences carefully and answer the questions in a complete, coherent and meaningful way.

a) “There are also many things you can do on your own everyday to help save the planet.” What should you do? What must you do?
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b) “Will this last a long time?” What would it be referred to?
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c) “How would be this item made?”
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d) The Greenpeace members advised us to be creative and think of how else might be used. “Be creative and think how else it may be used.”

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ARTICLE No 2

LIFE ON MARS?

1. What books and / or films do you know about space travel? Do you think it is possible to people to travel to distant planets?

“Space ships have been seen in the sky above New York. Cities all over the US have been attacked. We believe that the invaders are from Mars.”

When those words were broadcast on the radio in 1938, thousands of Americans ran from their homes. Roads were blocked by cars as people tried to escape from Martians. In fact, it was just a play called The War of the Worlds. The play was based on a story that was written by H.G. wells in 1898. In the story, Earth is attacked by spaceships that come from Mars. We now know that there aren't any aliens from Mars. The Red Planet has been visited by several space probes, and photographs are taken by the Mars Orbital Surveyor every day. All the pictures show a cold, dead planet, and no signs of life have ever been found there. Has it always been a dead planet, however?

American scientists believe that they have found signs of life on Mars. These signs weren’t found on the Red Planet itself; they were found in Antarctica in a small meteorite called ALH84001. The Earth is hit by millions of meteorites every year. This particular meteorite came from Mars. It is billions of years old and contains fossils that look like bacteria.

Not every one agrees that the fossils in the meteorite are bacteria. In the next ten or twenty years, we might find out, however, as there are many plans to send astronauts to Mars. The Earth won't be invaded by Martians, as H.G. Wells thought.

Instead, Mars will be visited by people of Earth. It will be difficult, dangerous and expense journey. We mind only find bacteria, but this will show that life can exist on other planets.

2. Look through the texts. Who or what are these?

· H.G.Wells

· ALH84001

· The Red Planet

· The Mars Orbital Surveyor.

2.1. Why will astronauts be sent to Mars?

3. Read the texts again. Are these statements true or false?

• New York was attacked by Martians in 1938.
• People thought that the radio play was real.
• Space probes have found signs of live in Mars.
• ALH84001 was found in Antarctica.
• Meteorites don't hit the Earth very often.
• All scientists agree that ALH 84001 contains fossils of bacteria.
• Astronauts will be sent to mars next year.
• We know there is life on other planets.

The Passive voice

a) Complete the gapped sentence below with the verb in the passive voice.

Active

The Mars Orbital Surveyor takes photographs everyday.

Passive

___________________ by the mars Orbital Surveyor every day.

b) Complete the sentences from the text.

1. Spaceships _____________ in the sky above New York.

2. Roads ____________ by cars.

3. The Earth ____________ by millions of meteorites every year.

4. Mars _____________ by people from Earth.

c) Which sentence is each sentence in? Write the numbers of the sentences in b in the boxes.

¨ present simple____

¨ past simple____

¨ future____

¨ present perfect____

d) Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple passive.

How did ALH84001 get to Earth? Mars _______________ (form) about 4.5 billion years ago. About 16 million years ago, the planet _______________ (hit) by a huge comet. Millions of pieces of the planet _______________ (throw) into space. About 13.000 years ago one of these meteorites landed in Antarctica and it _____________(cover) by snow and ice. It _____________ (find) in 1980s and it ______________ (take) to the USA with other meteorites. There, the meteorites ______________ (cut) open, and they ________________ (study) by scientists. Objects that look like bacteria ____________________ (see) in ALH84001. The news of discovery ________________ (broadcast) around the world on TV, radio and the Internet.

d) If people had ever gone to Mars what would have been the problems faced? What do you think?

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