| Level | Topic | Speakers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficult | Science Fiction | Man – Woman – Girl – Boy | 02:34 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
What are common themes or storylines in science fiction movies?
- Humans will live on other planets in the future.
- Space travel is worth the high cost.
- Life exists somewhere else in the universe.
- Space exploration helps solve problems on Earth.
- Only trained astronauts should go to space.
- Private companies should be allowed to send people to space.
- Colonizing Mars is more important than going back to the Moon.
- Life in space will be very lonely for humans.
- Searching for alien life is a waste of time and money.
- Space tourism will be common within the next 50 years.
Listening Exercise
Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)
Vocabulary and Sample Sentences
Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:
-
episode (noun): one single section of a story which is part of a longer series
– You don’t want to miss the next episode of the show. -
crew (noun): an organized group of people working on a ship
– The crew met together to review the situation. -
bridge (noun): the main control center of a spaceship
– The captain was called to the bridge when the aliens were sighted. -
locate (verb): find
– The crew were able to locate a planet where they could land. -
status (noun): the condition at a particular time
– The commander of the starship asked about the status of the engines. -
respond (verb): answer
– The crew sent numerous messages to the moon’s surface, but no one responded. -
corridor (noun): hallway
– The captain encountered an alien in the corridor outside of the transporter room. -
inform (verb): give information
– Please inform me of any changes. -
deck (noun): a level or floor in a ship
– Some of the crew reported unusual activity on deck five. -
brief (verb): give a summary of information
– The captain briefed the officers about the status of the ship.
Post-Listening Exercise
Man has often pondered the mysteries of the universe, and the question of whether or not we are alone in space has gone unanswered. Do you believe in the existence of life beyond our own world? Why or why not? Search for reported sightings of UFOs or alien visits to support your position.