English Learning: Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Dialogue

Alice: Bob, guess what I was just reading about?

Bob: Alice, please tell me it’s not another conspiracy theory about Bigfoot riding a unicycle.

Alice: No, even better! The search for extraterrestrial life!

Bob: Ah, the old ‘are we alone?’ question. Still no definitive answer, I presume?

Alice: Well, SETI’s still listening, but I saw this new theory about how they might be hiding.

Bob: Hiding? Like intergalactic hide-and-seek? Maybe they’re just not picking up our reality TV signals.

Alice: Or maybe they’re so advanced, they think our internet is a slow, primitive form of communication.

Bob: Fair point. Imagine them trying to download a cat video on our Wi-Fi. They’d probably just give up and go back to their warp-speed Netflix.

Alice: Exactly! And what if they’re actually among us, disguised as… I don’t know, a grumpy barista?

Bob: The one who always judges my coffee order? That actually makes sense now!

Alice: See! Or perhaps they’re just waiting for us to stop fighting amongst ourselves before making contact.

Bob: So, basically, never? That’s a bit of a downer, Alice.

Alice: Optimism, Bob! Maybe they’re sending us subtle messages through crop circles, or those weird TikTok dances.

Bob: The TikTok dances? Now that’s a truly terrifying thought. I’d rather face a spaceship than try to learn those moves.

Alice: Me too! But seriously, the idea of other life out there is incredible.

Bob: It is, isn’t it? Just hope they don’t arrive during rush hour. Traffic’s bad enough already.

Alice: Good point. Intergalactic traffic jams would be a nightmare.

Current Situation

The search for extraterrestrial life, often abbreviated as SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), is an ongoing scientific endeavor. While no definitive proof of alien life has been found, scientists continue to explore various avenues. This includes listening for radio signals from space, studying exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) that could potentially host life, and searching for microbial life within our own solar system, particularly on Mars and moons like Europa and Enceladus. The vastness of the universe suggests that life elsewhere is highly probable, but the “Great Filter” and “Fermi Paradox” question why we haven’t encountered it yet, leading to theories ranging from aliens being too far away, too different, or even deliberately hiding from us.

Key Phrases

• conspiracy theory: an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by powerful and sinister groups, often political in motivation.

  My uncle loves reading about every new conspiracy theory on the internet.

• extraterrestrial life: life originating from outside Earth.

  Scientists are actively searching for signs of extraterrestrial life on other planets.

• definitive answer: a clear and final response or conclusion.

  We still don’t have a definitive answer about whether aliens exist.

• picking up signals: detecting or receiving electronic or radio waves.

  SETI’s telescopes are designed for picking up signals from deep space.

• give up: stop trying to do something.

  After hours of trying, I had to give up on solving the puzzle.

• among us: present within a group of people or in society.

  Some people believe aliens are already among us, disguised as humans.

• make contact: to establish communication with someone or something.

  Humanity has always wondered if we’ll ever make contact with an alien civilization.

• crop circles: patterns created by flattening crops in a field, often attributed to alien activity.

  The mysterious crop circles in the field fascinated the local villagers.

• rush hour: a time of day when traffic is heaviest.

  Trying to drive through the city during rush hour is always a nightmare.

Grammar Points

1. Present Continuous for Ongoing Actions

The present continuous tense (be + verb-ing) is used to describe actions that are happening now, at this very moment, or around the present time. It also describes ongoing situations or trends.

• Alice: “Bob, guess what I was just reading about?” (Past continuous to show an action ongoing in the past)
• Bob: “Still no definitive answer, I presume?” (Simple present for general truth, but could also be “I’m presuming” for present thought)
• Alice: “Well, SETI’s still listening…” (Action ongoing now and in the near future)
• Bob: “Imagine them trying to download a cat video…” (Gerund acting as a noun, part of a hypothetical ongoing action)
• Alice: “…just waiting for us to stop fighting…” (Present continuous used to describe an ongoing state or action)

2. Modal Verbs for Possibility and Speculation (might, may, could)

Modal verbs like might, may, and could are used to express possibility, probability, or speculation. They indicate that something is not certain but is considered possible.

• Alice: “…how they might be hiding.” (Expresses a possibility)
• Bob: “Maybe they’re just not picking up our reality TV signals.” (An informal way of expressing possibility, equivalent to “They may just not be picking up…”)
• Alice: “Or maybe they’re so advanced…” (Again, expressing possibility)
• Alice: “Or perhaps they’re just waiting for us to stop fighting…” (Implied possibility, similar to “They might be waiting”)
• Alice: “Maybe they’re sending us subtle messages…” (Expresses a possibility)

All three (might, may, could) can often be used interchangeably for possibility, though ‘may’ can also express permission, and ‘could’ can express ability in the past.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Key Phrases)

Complete the sentences using the most appropriate key phrase from the list above. Change the form if necessary.

1. Many people believe the moon landing was a __________.
2. Scientists hope to __________ with intelligent life beyond Earth one day.
3. The police spent hours __________ for clues at the crime scene.
4. I always try to avoid driving during __________ if I can.
5. After many failures, he was about to __________ on his dream.
6. Some people claim to have seen __________ flying over the desert.
7. The professor couldn’t give a __________ about when the project would be finished.

Exercise 2: Sentence Transformation (Modal Verbs)

Rewrite the following sentences using a modal verb of possibility (might, may, could) to express uncertainty. Keep the meaning similar.

1. It is possible that the train is delayed due to the bad weather.

   The train ____________________ due to the bad weather.

2. Perhaps she knows the answer to the difficult question.

   She ____________________ the answer to the difficult question.

3. There is a chance they are planning a surprise party for him.

   They ____________________ a surprise party for him.

4. It’s possible that I left my keys at home this morning.

   I ____________________ my keys at home this morning.

Exercise 3: Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions based on the dialogue.

1. What is the main topic Alice is excited about?
2. What humorous suggestion does Bob make about why aliens haven’t made contact?
3. What “disguise” does Alice jokingly suggest aliens might be using?
4. What does Bob find more terrifying than facing a spaceship?

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Answers

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. conspiracy theory
2. make contact
3. picking up signals
4. rush hour
5. give up
6. extraterrestrial life
7. definitive answer

Exercise 2: Sentence Transformation

1. The train might be delayed due to the bad weather. (Also acceptable: may be delayed, could be delayed)
2. She may know the answer to the difficult question. (Also acceptable: might know, could know)
3. They could be planning a surprise party for him. (Also acceptable: might be planning, may be planning)
4. I might have left my keys at home this morning. (Also acceptable: may have left, could have left)

Exercise 3: Comprehension Questions

1. Alice is excited about the search for extraterrestrial life.
2. Bob suggests that aliens might not be picking up our reality TV signals, or they think our internet is too slow, or they might give up due to our Wi-Fi.
3. Alice jokingly suggests aliens might be disguised as a grumpy barista.
4. Bob finds trying to learn TikTok dances more terrifying than facing a spaceship.