Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36

Level 1 l Pre-intermediate / Intermediate

1 Warmer
Test your general knowledge in this space quiz.

1. How many planets are there in our solar system? 4. The distance from the Earth to our moon is …
a. 7 (+ 8 dwarf planets) a. 40,384 km.
b. 8 (+ 5 dwarf planets) b. 384,400 km.

2. A light year is … 5. Man first walked on the moon in …

a. the distance that light travels in one year. a. 1962.
b. the distance from the Earth to the Sun. b. 1969.

3. A light year is …
a. nearly five billion kilometres.
b. nearly ten trillion kilometres.

2 Key words
Match the key words with the definitions. Then find them in the article to read them in context. The
paragraph numbers will help you.

research estimate civilization equation communicate calculation

1. A ______________________ is a result you get by doing mathematics or using scientific methods. (para 1)

2. A ______________________ is a society that has developed its own culture. (para 1)

3. When you talk to someone, you ______________________ with them. (para 1)

4. An ______________________ is an amount you decide is probably right using the information you have.
(para 3)

5. ______________________ is work done by scientists to find new facts and information. (para 3)

6. An ______________________ is a calculation that must consider several factors. (para 4)

assumption likely tool reasonable form survive

7. A ______________________ is something that helps you do a job or task. (para 5)

8. An ______________________ is something that you think is true even though you do not know for sure.
(para 6)

9. When things ______________________, they start to develop or exist. (para 7)

10. If something is ______________________, it is sensible and fair, and probably true. (para 8)

11. If something is ______________________, it is probably going to happen or probably true. (para 10)

12. If people ______________________, they continue to stay alive and exist. (para 11)
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NEWS LESSONS / Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36 / Pre-intermediate / Intermediate
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Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36
Level 1 l Pre-intermediate / Intermediate
Scientists say most likely number of 7 “We made the assumption that intelligent life
contactable alien civilizations is 36 would form on other planets like it has on Earth,”
said Conselice.
Nicola Davis
15 June, 2020 8 The assumption is reasonable because
everything from chemical reactions to star
1 They may not be little green men. They may not formation can happen if the conditions are right,
arrive in a big space ship. But new calculations he said. “If intelligent life forms in a scientific way,
say that there could be more than 30 intelligent we would expect many civilizations within our
civilizations in our galaxy today that can galaxy,” he said.
communicate with others.
9 He said that he believes alien life could look
2 Scientists say their work tells us more about the similar to life on Earth. “We wouldn’t be shocked
possibility of life on other planets and also about when we saw them,” he said.
our own future.
10 On Earth, life formed between 4.5 billion and
3 “I think it is extremely important and exciting. For 5.5 billion years after star formation. Using this
the first time, we have an estimate for the number timescale as an assumption, there are likely to
of intelligent civilizations that we could try to be between four and 211 intelligent civilizations in
contact,” said Christopher Conselice, a professor the Milky Way today. Thirty-six is the most likely
at the University of Nottingham and a co-author number. But Conselice said the number could
of the research. be higher.
4 In 1961, the astronomer Frank Drake developed 11 But our civilization would need to survive at least
the Drake equation. It lists seven factors we need another 6,120 years for two-way communication
to know to get an estimate for the number of because the closest intelligent civilization is
intelligent civilizations in our galaxy. probably 17,000 light years from Earth,
5 Past estimates that used the Drake equation Conselice explained.
showed that there are between zero and a few © Guardian News and Media 2020
billion civilizations. “The Drake equation is more
First published in The Guardian, 15/06/20
like a tool for thinking about questions,”
said Conselice.
6 Conselice and colleagues have added new data
and assumptions to the equation to get their
new estimates.
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NEWS LESSONS / Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36 / Pre-intermediate / Intermediate
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Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36
Level 1 l Pre-intermediate / Intermediate
3 Comprehension check
Are the statements true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct any that are false.

1. Scientists say that there are more than 30 planets where intelligent aliens might live.
2. They say that we will be able to speak to aliens 36 years from now.
3. They think that alien life forms will probably be little green men.
4. They made their calculations by adding new data to a 60-year-old equation.
5. They assume that, because there is life on Earth, there must be life on other planets that are similar to Earth.

4 Space vocabulary
Match the words in the left-hand column with the words in the right-hand column to make phrases from
the text.

1. Milky a. men
2. space b. Way
3. little green c. formation
4. alien d. year
5. star e. ship
6. light f. life

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NEWS LESSONS / Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36 / Pre-intermediate / Intermediate
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Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36
Level 1 l Pre-intermediate / Intermediate
5 Word stress
a. Match these words from task 2 with their pronunciation patterns.

1. calculation a. oOo
2. civilization b. ooOo
3. communicate c. oOoo
4. estimate (noun) d. Oo
5. equation e. Ooo
6. assumption f. Oooo
7. reasonable g. oOo
8. likely h. oooOo

b. Find six more words from the article that you would like to learn to say. Write them on the lines and
draw their pronunciation patterns.

1. ___________________
2. ___________________
3. ___________________
4. ___________________
5. ___________________
6. ___________________

6 Writing and speaking

a. Complete the sentences so they are true for you.

1. I think that there is / isn’t intelligent life on other planets.

2. I think that it is / isn’t important to know for sure.
3. I would / wouldn’t like to talk to an alien.

b. What questions would you ask an alien?

c. Share your answers to tasks a and b with other students.
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NEWS LESSONS / Most likely number of contactable alien civilizations is 36 / Pre-intermediate / Intermediate
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