Interviews

High-intermediate

Use one or more of these activities to prepare students to listen to the interview.

• Group Discussion on Space Travel: Have students discuss in small groups whether they would personally travel to Mars if given the opportunity, and what factors (family, safety, money, etc.) would influence their decision. Then, have groups share their thoughts with the class.

• Brainstorming Risks and Rewards: Ask students to brainstorm the possible risks and rewards of being the first person to travel to another planet. Divide the board into two columns (“Risks” and “Rewards”) and list their ideas, prompting them to think about factors like fame, money, danger, and personal fulfillment.

• Imagine You’re the First on Mars: In pairs or small groups, have students imagine what it would be like to be the first human on Mars. What would they do upon landing? How would they feel about leaving Earth? Each group presents a brief scenario to the class, describing their imagined experience.

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the video:

astronaut (noun): a person trained to travel and work in space
– The astronaut prepared for the mission to the moon.
– One day, many astronauts might live on Mars.

consider (verb): to think carefully about something before making a decision
– I need time to consider your offer.
– Emily will consider going to Mars if her family gets the money.

mission (noun): a specific task or journey, often with a clear goal or purpose
– The astronauts were on a mission to explore Mars.
– Completing the mission successfully was their top priority.

privately (adverb): done by an individual or organization rather than by the government
– The trip to Mars was funded privately.
– She spoke privately to her friend about her concerns.

dangerous (adjective): likely to cause harm or injury
– The journey to Mars could be very dangerous.
– He avoided dangerous activities like skydiving.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: In this video, Emily, let’s talk about interplanetary travel. And imagine in your situation, you are being asked by the, the government to fly to Mars and you would be the first person to step foot on the planet. Would you go, yes or no? And what factors what factors would determine that?

Emily: Under those conditions? Absolutely not. I don’t want to be the first one to step foot on that planet.

Randall: Why not? I mean, you, you could name a crater after yourself. Why or why not?

Emily: I feel like scientists, um, and astronauts and people who are much better equipped should definitely be the first. Would I…

Randall: No, no. But let’s assume you have all of the training. I mean, your qualifications equal all of the other candidates that could go.

Emily: And then we also have to think about I have a family. And…

Randall: Okay, so it takes about eight months to get there. Uh, you’ll be . . . the . . . You’ll fly eight months, may be on the planet for two months and then eight months back. Yes or no?

Emily: No, I wouldn’t want to be away from my family that long.

Randall: Okay, so let’s put monetary incentives on this. Let’s say that it’s a privately funded trip, and the individual will pay you $5 million to go.

Emily: For 5 million bucks. I would absolutely go.

Randall: Okay, okay. So 5 million, you would absolutely go. And looking at the statistics and all of the possibility of air and, uh, well, just disaster, they say that there’s a 50% chance you’ll make it.

Emily: A 50% chance? I’m…

Randall: fifty percent . . .

Emily: I’m backing off. I’m . . .  I’m off of that flight again.

Randall: Okay, so what about 80% chance of success?

Emily: Does my family still get the money if I die?

Randall: Yes, yes, the family gets the money of $5 million.

Emily: I would consider it strongly.

Randall: Okay, that is not an easy thing, and . . . for me it wouldn’t be because of fame I would want to go. Uh, money could be part of that, but just knowing . . . 50% chance? Nah, I don’t think so. Seventy precent? Maybe, but as you just mentioned, who gets the money?

Emily: Yeah

Randall: So, I probably for me . . . it would have to be a little bit more money than that, but there’s a lot to consider, right?

Emily: Yeah.

Randall: All right. Thank you.

Intermediate

1. What amount of money made Emily reconsider her decision about going to Mars?
2. How long did Randall say the trip to Mars and back would take?
3. At what survival rate did Emily say she would “consider it strongly”?
4. Why did Emily’s opinion change when Randall mentioned a financial reward, but change again when he introduced the survival odds?
5. What does the conversation reveal about the role of risk in making big decisions?
6. How does Randall’s view on space travel differ from Emily’s? What might influence his perspective?

Advanced

1. If governments began offering financial incentives for risky space missions, would it be ethical to accept volunteers knowing the dangers involved? Why or why not?
2. How does the idea of leaving Earth for a long time, as discussed in this interview, relate to the challenges astronauts and their families face in real life?
3. Do you think there are certain experiences or goals, like space exploration, that are worth risking one’s life for? Why or why not?

Reading/Writing Learning: Reflective Journals

Activity: Ask students to write a reflective journal entry about their thoughts on the interview. They should address questions like: Would they want to travel to Mars? What factors would influence their decision?
Materials Needed: Notebooks or digital writing tools.
Outcome: This allows reading/writing learners to process their thoughts in writing and reflect on personal connections to the topic.

Interpersonal Learning: Peer Interviews

Activity: Pair students up to conduct their own interviews about space travel. They can ask each other questions about their views, fears, and aspirations regarding space exploration, inspired by the original interview.
Materials Needed: Paper for note-taking and a list of questions to guide the interview.
Outcome: This fosters collaboration and helps interpersonal learners connect with their peers while discussing the topic.