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Listen to an Academic Talk Test #004
Listen to an Academic Talk
1. What is the talk mainly about?
A) The search for Earth-like planets
B) The composition of Jupiter's moons
C) Organisms that live in harsh environments
D) The challenges of space exploration
2. What does the speaker say about thermophiles?
A) They can be found in the ice of Antarctica.
B) They cannot survive in high temperatures.
C) They live in environments hotter than boiling water.
D) They are the most common form of life on Earth.
3. What does the speaker imply about the search for extraterrestrial life?
A) It will likely be unsuccessful.
B) It should focus only on planets like Earth.
C) It has been encouraged by discoveries on Earth.
D) It is primarily concerned with intelligent life.
4. Why does the speaker mention Europa and Mars?
A) To provide examples of potentially habitable locations
B) To list places where life has already been discovered
C) To describe places that are too hostile for any life
D) To compare their atmospheres with Earth's atmosphere
Guest Speaker: When we search for life beyond Earth, we often think of planets that are just like our own. But the discovery of extremophiles here on Earth has really broadened our perspective. Extremophiles are organisms that don't just survive, but actually thrive, in environmental conditions that we would consider incredibly hostile.
For instance, we have found thermophiles, which are microorganisms that live in deep-sea hydrothermal vents at temperatures above boiling point—over 100 degrees Celsius. On the other end of the spectrum are psychrophiles, which live in sub-zero temperatures in places like Antarctic ice.
The existence of these organisms is a game-changer for astrobiology. It means that life could potentially exist in the extreme environments of other planets or moons, like the freezing subsurface oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa, or perhaps deep beneath the surface of Mars. It expands the habitable zone dramatically.
For instance, we have found thermophiles, which are microorganisms that live in deep-sea hydrothermal vents at temperatures above boiling point—over 100 degrees Celsius. On the other end of the spectrum are psychrophiles, which live in sub-zero temperatures in places like Antarctic ice.
The existence of these organisms is a game-changer for astrobiology. It means that life could potentially exist in the extreme environments of other planets or moons, like the freezing subsurface oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa, or perhaps deep beneath the surface of Mars. It expands the habitable zone dramatically.
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