VIDEO MISSION TO MARS Humans love to explore. We crossed oceans to discover new lands. We explored the highest, coldest and most remote places on Earth. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin boarded Vostok 1 at Baikonur Cosmodrome and became the first person in space. Eight years later, Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the Moon. Now, we're turning our attention to Mars as the next step on our journey of exploration. Why Mars? Well, firstly, it's not too far. Apart from Venus, it's our closest neighbour, so the journey will take months and not years. Temperatures on Venus are over 400°C so humans can't go there, but on Mars the average temperature is about -63°C. Other planets like Jupiter and Saturn are big balls of gas with extremely strong winds, but Mars has a solid rocky surface. We are learning more about Mars with the help of rovers. These are robots with wheels, and two American rovers, Opportunity and Curiosity, are already there. They are exploring and sending information to Earth for scientists to study. It'll soon be like rush hour on Mars as a European and Russian rover and a third American rover are going to join Opportunity and Curiosity soon. Of course, the dream for many people is to send humans to Mars. NASA, the American space agency, is aiming to do this in the 2030s. It won't be easy for the astronauts as they will have to spend almost three years away from Earth, but it will be worth it. Neil Armstrong made "one giant leap for mankind." The first astronaut on Mars will make an even greater one. Check these words: mission, humans, land, remote, board, turn sb's attention to, step, journey, exploration, close, average, gas, solid, rocky, surface, wheel, rush hour, dream, space agency, aim, astronaut, be worth it, giant leap, mankind, great. Look at the pictures of the solar system. Listen and repeat. b) Which four planets comprise: the inner solar system (closest to the Sun)? the outer solar system? Reading 2 DID YOU KNOW? It rains acid on Venus! The planet is so hot though that the acid turns into gas before it reaches the ground. 78 How are these names: Yuri Gagarin, Vostok 1, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Neil Armstrong, Opportunity and Curiosity, NASA related to space exploration? Listen and read to check.

0 0 Пожаловаться