Journey to Mars

Callum: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English, I'm Callum Robertson and with metoday is Kate, hello Kate.

    Kate: Hello Callum.

    Callum: Do you like going on business trips?

    Kate: Well I do quite like the idea of them but they're definitely no holiday.

    Callum: And what's the longest one you've been on?

    Kate: About a week.

    Callum: About a week! Well today we’re going to be finding out about what mayperhaps be the longest business trip ever but a trip that doesn't actually goanywhere. In this trip six men are going to spend 500 days locked in awarehouse in Moscow. Have you heard about this?

    Kate: Yes, I've heard vaguely 2 about it. It's some kind of psychological experiment tosee how long people can stay in the same place for.

    Callum: That's just about right. Yes, this is the story that six men are going to be lockedin an imitation spacecraft for 500 days. And that's about the length of time itwould take to travel to the planet Mars and back. And the idea is to see ifpeople can cope with the challenge of such a journey. And the planet Mars isthe subject of this week's question. Is the planet Mars:

    a: bigger than the Earth?

    b: smaller than the Earth?

    c: about the same size as the Earth?

    Kate: Well I'm no planetary expert but I've always thought that Mars was bigger thanthe Earth. But I'm not entirely 3 sure so I'm going to go for c: about the same sizeas the Earth.

    Callum: We'll find out if you're right later on.

    So, there are six people in a warehouse 1 in Moscow – pretending to go to Mars.

    What are they going to be doing? Here's Richard Galpin, who reports for theBBC from Moscow. He describes what they'll be doing for the first 250 days.

    Listen out for that information.

    Richard GalpinThe pretend astronauts will spend the first 250 days carrying out routine maintenance andscientific experiments as if they were actually on the ultra-long-haul flight to Mars.

    Callum: Kate, what are the 'pretend astronauts' going to be doing for the first 250 days?

    Kate: Well he mentioned routine maintenance – which means everyday tasks in the'spaceship' – and scientific experiments. These are the kind of things astronautswould be doing if they were on the real journey.

    Callum: Yes, he said they would be doing those things 'as if they were actually on theultra-long-haul flight to Mars.' Could you explain the phrase 'ultra-long-haulflight'?

    Kate: Well a 'long-haul flight' is phrase we use for a long distance journey by plane,for example flying from London to Australia is a long-haul flight. And 'ultra' isa prefix 4 which means 'extremely'. So an ultra-long-haul flight is a really longjourney, which of course, a trip to Mars would be.

    Callum: Let's listen again.

    Richard GalpinThe pretend astronauts will spend the first 250 days carrying out routine maintenance andscientific experiments as if they were actually on the ultra long-haul flight to Mars.

    Callum: So maintenance and experiments are the tasks for the first 250 days, but whathappens then. Here's Richard Galpin again.

    Richard GalpinOn day 251, three lucky members of the crew will be able to move out into what looks like alarge enclosed sand-pit. It's meant to be the Martian landscape.

    Callum: So Kate, what happens after 250 days, on day 251, as Richard said?

    Kate: Well three of the crew will be able to leave the 'spaceship' and go into a placewhere there is a lot of sand – described as a sand-pit. This area is supposed tosimulate the surface of the planet Mars, or as it’s described, the Martianlandscape.

    Callum: Let's listen again.

    Richard GalpinOn day two hundred and fifty one, three lucky members of the crew will be able to move outinto what looks like a large enclosed sand-pit. It's meant to be the Martian landscape.

    Callum: I'd have to say that after 250 days I think I'd be desperate to be one of thoseallowed out!

    Kate: Oh me too. I think I'd be going a bit crazy if I was stuck in that place for 250days.

    Callum: So, 250 days together, a little time in a sand-pit for three of them and thenanother 250 days all together again before they can come out. I don't think Icould do that, could you?

    Kate: Oh no, it sounds like hell to me. I really don't think I could do it. It would be soclaustrophobic and boring and being stuck with the same people for all thatamount of time.

    Callum: So boredom 5 and claustrophobia are certainly going to be an issue for thepeople in the experiment. Here's Richard Galpin again. What will be the resultif the astronauts in this experiment do manage to get through the experience?

    Richard GalpinIf all the astronauts do survive the boredom and claustrophobia of their long ordeal 6, it willcertainly boost hopes that a real human flight to Mars will take place in the coming decades.

    Callum: What will be the result?

    Kate: Well he said that if they do survive the boredom and claustrophobia it should'boost hopes' that a real flight might be possible – 'boost hopes' means it'llincrease hopes, make it more likely.

    Callum: Thanks Kate. Let's listen againRichard GalpinIf all the astronauts do survive the boredom and claustrophobia of their long ordeal, it willcertainly boost hopes that a real human flight to Mars will take place in the coming decades.

    Callum: Now just time to give the answer to this week's question which was about thesize of Mars. Kate, you said …?

    Kate: Well I guessed c: about the same size as the Earth.

    Callum: Unfortunately that's not the right guess. Mars is about half the size of the Earth.

    Kate: Oh really? Gosh! I got that completely wrong.

    Callum: Well, you can't get it right every week.

    Kate: No.

    Callum: That's all for today but do join us again for more 6 Minute English. Good bye.

    Kate: Good bye.