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L. What are scientists worried about?
M. What are the two possibilities for the future of the universe?
N. What explanations are given for the disappearance of socks?
2. Here are the last sentences from some of the texts. Which
text do they belong to?
A. Meanwhile, the only thing to do is to rest in bed for a few
days.
B. But people sharing the same experience, such as students in a
boring lecture, may start to imitate each other without
realizing it.
C. And if this is the case, then they’ve always been with us!
D. However, the wisdom of this training is questionable.
E. This suggests that we need dreams as a sort of escape from
reality.
F. It’s a long shot, but imagine the implications if they find what
they’re looking for!
G. If there was a beginning, does that mean there will be an end?
1. Are we alone in the universe?
Probably not. Just the size of the universe makes it unlikely.
Alien life forms might not be too far away, either. This year
American astronomers discovered a planet capable of sustaining
life just 50 light-years away.
But alien life almost certainly won’t be like us. Biochemists
have calculated that the chances of the chemical combinations
necessary to produce life are minute. The possibility that alien life
forms will resemble us is zero. NASA is planning a huge deep-
space telescope to search for signs of alien life.
3. Where do the oceans come from?
While the world’s seas and oceans have been home to life
for over three billion years, the origin of the 1.4 billion billion
tonnes of water that they collectively contain remains a
mystery. It seems to have condensed out of the early earth’s
atmosphere, but how it got there in the first place isn’t known.
One possible theory is that it was dropped on our planet
by comets. These gigantic chunks of frozen vapour and dust are
rich in water. According to some scientists, satellite pictures
have shown that tiny comets continue to hit the earth, topping
up our oceans all the time.
3. Will there ever be a cure for the common cold?
Perhaps, but not yet. The big challenge facing scientists
trying to rid mankind of this misery is finding a drug that can
combat the huge and ever-changing variety of cold viruses.
Researchers are looking for features that all such viruses share.
Whichever drug company comes up with something is
guaranteed to make a fortune.
4. How old is the universe?
The date of the Big Bang has caused astronomers trouble
since they discovered that the universe was expanding in 1929.
At the time, measurements of the rate of expansion suggested
an age of a few billion years. Latest figures, using the Hubble
Space Telescope, suggest nine to twelve billion years.
But what happened before the Big Bang? No one knows.
According to current theories of the birth of the universe, not
only matter but also space and time came into being with the
Big Bang. If correct, these theories imply that there was no
“before” the Big Bang.
L. What are scientists worried about? While the world’s seas and oceans have been home to life
M. What are the two possibilities for the future of the universe? for over three billion years, the origin of the 1.4 billion billion
N. What explanations are given for the disappearance of socks? tonnes of water that they collectively contain remains a
mystery. It seems to have condensed out of the early earth’s
2. Here are the last sentences from some of the texts. Which atmosphere, but how it got there in the first place isn’t known.
text do they belong to? One possible theory is that it was dropped on our planet
by comets. These gigantic chunks of frozen vapour and dust are
A. Meanwhile, the only thing to do is to rest in bed for a few rich in water. According to some scientists, satellite pictures
days. have shown that tiny comets continue to hit the earth, topping
B. But people sharing the same experience, such as students in a up our oceans all the time.
boring lecture, may start to imitate each other without
realizing it. 3. Will there ever be a cure for the common cold?
C. And if this is the case, then they’ve always been with us!
D. However, the wisdom of this training is questionable. Perhaps, but not yet. The big challenge facing scientists
E. This suggests that we need dreams as a sort of escape from trying to rid mankind of this misery is finding a drug that can
reality. combat the huge and ever-changing variety of cold viruses.
F. It’s a long shot, but imagine the implications if they find what Researchers are looking for features that all such viruses share.
they’re looking for! Whichever drug company comes up with something is
G. If there was a beginning, does that mean there will be an end? guaranteed to make a fortune.
1. Are we alone in the universe? 4. How old is the universe?
Probably not. Just the size of the universe makes it unlikely. The date of the Big Bang has caused astronomers trouble
Alien life forms might not be too far away, either. This year since they discovered that the universe was expanding in 1929.
American astronomers discovered a planet capable of sustaining At the time, measurements of the rate of expansion suggested
life just 50 light-years away. an age of a few billion years. Latest figures, using the Hubble
But alien life almost certainly won’t be like us. Biochemists Space Telescope, suggest nine to twelve billion years.
have calculated that the chances of the chemical combinations But what happened before the Big Bang? No one knows.
necessary to produce life are minute. The possibility that alien life According to current theories of the birth of the universe, not
forms will resemble us is zero. NASA is planning a huge deep- only matter but also space and time came into being with the
space telescope to search for signs of alien life. Big Bang. If correct, these theories imply that there was no
“before” the Big Bang.
3. Where do the oceans come from?
