Task 2. For items 8-12, read the text below and choose sentences a g that fit into the numbered gaps in the text. There are two extra sentences, which you do not need to use. MARS…

Task 2. For items 8-12, read the text below and choose sentences a g that fit into the numbered gaps in the text. There are two extra sentences, which you do not need to use. MARS ONE MISSION A one-way ticket to another planet where there is no air, no water or food - and certainly no return home - may not sound like a lot of fun. However, to 165,000 applicants, the opportunity to live permanently on Mars has been too tempting to ignore. 8. courageous pioneers for a permanent space colony on the Red Planet. They will be the first The organisers of the Mars One mission said they were surprised by how many people had offered to become the first astronauts to land and live on Mars. 9. This is not because it would be impossible, but because of the technical difficulty and cost of equipping and fuelling the trip home. Each applicant has had to pay on average about $25, depending on their country, to cover the administrative fees of the selection process. Nevertheless, even this small financial penalty has - The failed to dissuade the tens of thousands who dream of going to Mars. 10. quality of the applicants is very high, according to Bas Lansdorp, the Dutch businessman who dreamt up the scheme. Lansdorp's plan is to create a media event which is 'exciting, inspiring and beautiful', just like the Olympic Games that gave him the idea. A selection committee will begin to sort applicants in the coming months, and shortlists will be drawn up in the coming year. 11. . The list of 140 countries where the applicants live include such space nations as Russia, China, Brazil, India and the United States. The plan is to build teams of four people. each from a different continent, who will live and train together for seven years before the first manned launch. Rockets carrying cargo, food and living modules will be sent to Mars a few years in advance of the manned landing. 12. - Lansdorp insists that the mission will be successful, even though drinking water will have to be collected from the Martian soil by robotic explorers before the astronauts are able to land. But perhaps the biggest obstacle of all will be the psychological anxiety of knowing there is no return journey no matter what happens. 'They will only step into the rocket if they really want to go. The risk is theirs and they can't change their mind once they are on the way,' Mr Lansdorp said a) A further crew of four people will arrive two years after the first astronauts have landed. b) One would have to agree with their reaction, given that the privately financed plan does not involve a return journey. c) The pioneers will also face lethal hazards such as high doses of cosmic radiation and potentially toxic Martian dust. d) They are looking for applicants who are healthy, smart enough to learn new skills and able to function in a small group. e) Applicants were expected to be slim enough. 1) This is the number of people who have recently offered to join an ambitious private mission to send to Mars in the near future. g) And the final total could rise even higher before the deadline for applications is reached. Task 3. Read the text "Mars One mission" again and mark each sentence below (13-17) T (true) or F (false) according to the text. 13. Many people were ready to apply for the Mars One mission despite the high cost of the trip. 14. The Mars One mission will send astronauts to Mars with the possibility of returning to Earth. 15. Applicants had to pay a fee to participate in the selection process for the Mars One mission. 16. The selection committee will create teams of four people from the same continent. 17. The psychological challenge of this one-way trip is considered a major obstacle for the mission TRANSFER YOUR ANSWERS TO THE ANSWER SHEET.