Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Textaufgabe Why on Earth would anyone go to Mars?

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For an election-year president, the temptation to announce new forays into outer space is close to irresistible. It is a chance to distract Americans from mundane earthly realities like unemployment, rising budget deficits and the death toll in Iraq. It is a chance to lure voters in key aerospace states like California. It is a chance to make a little history, as John F. Kennedy did when he pledged to put a man on the moon. And it is a chance to make a ringing speech about the spirit of discovery. When George W. Bush announced that the U.S. would send men back to the moon and eventually to Mars, he evoked Lewis and Clark, those great explorers of the American wilderness. Like them, “we have undertaken space travel because the desire to explore and understand is part of our character,” Mr. Bush said. But it was more than just a questing spirit that motivated Lewis and Clark and the other greater explorers of our world. Captain Lewis set out to find a land route to the Pacific Ocean because President Thomas Jefferson asked him to do so in hopes of opening up North America to colonization and economic exploitation. Columbus discovered America by accident as he sought a shortcut to the Indies, source of spices and other luxuries coveted by the European elite. Magellan set out on his voyage around the globe for essentially the same reason. Each one made the voyage because he thought he might find something useful. Of what possible use to humanity are the moon and Mars? Both are barren, lifeless places, with conditions utterly inhospitable to human habitation. The latest pictures from the robotic rover Spirit, spectacular as they are, show a desolate, rocky desert. Even if science could find ways of protecting human settlements from the radiation, the extreme cold and the lack of breathable air, it is hard to imagine why people would want to settle there. To mine for minerals? How would they be transported back to Earth? To ease world population pressures? How do we get millions of people to Mars? Some say we should go to Mars for science. Apart from examining rocks, the main scientific purpose of the rover missions is to determine whether the arid planet might in the distant past have been wet enough to support some form of life – not whether it supports life now, which is highly unlikely. Is answering that question worth the $ 400 billions that the experts say it would cost to send a manned expedition (and that was NASA’s estimate in 1989, when Bush Senior proposed it)? If the question is really important, it can be answered far more cheaply by robots like Spirit, a marvellous little machine that doesn’t care about the lack of air or the fierce temperatures. Supported by an army of scientists and computer technicians back at NASA, robots can do just about everything a man in a space suit can do at a fraction of the cost. As Mr. Bush himself put it this week, “The environment of space is hostile to human beings.” In a manned space expedition, most of the enormous cost goes to keeping the fragile human cargo alive. Unlike robots, the astronauts must have air, food, warmth and, of course, a way to get home. The robots will just stay happily behind. Of course, putting a robot on Mars isn’t nearly as exciting as putting a human being there. As Mr. Bush put it, “We need to see and examine and touch for ourselves.” NASA applauded Mr. Bush’s announcement because it knows that manned flight thrills the public and shakes money loose from Congress.

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Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Textaufgabe 45

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Space enthusiasts say the ultimate value of manned exploration is to expand humanity’s presence beyond the known world, “to boldly go where no man has gone before,” as they say on Star Trek. But to justify the enormous cost and the considerable danger, there must be some benefit beyond the delight of seeing a human footprint in the Martian dust – some practical benefit to the well-being of humankind. So let the rovers do the rock watching, and the humans stay home. (703 words)

Globe and Mail, 2004

Sacherläuterungen: line 47: Star Trek

- science fiction series

Wortangaben: line 01: foray line 02: mundane line 16: to covet line 21: rover

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undertaking, journey everyday, ordinary to want very much here: vehicle

I.

Comprehension (300 – 450 words)

1.

Summarize how the author interprets President Bush’s speech on the new space exploration program. (Minimum 100 words)

5 VP

Outline the author’s view on expeditions to Mars. (Minimum 120 words)

6 VP

Comment on how the author influences the reader through his choice of words, stylistic devices, humorous elements etc., and give examples. (Minimum 80 words)

4 VP

2.

3.

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Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Textaufgabe II.

Analysis (200 – 300 words)

10 VP

Bitte beachten Sie, dass entweder Teil II (Analysis) oder Teil IV (Translation) zu bearbeiten ist. Choose ONE of the following: 1.

The text above deals with new advances in space travel. You do not agree with the author’s view. Write a formal letter to the editor of Globe and Mail defending manned space exploration. or

2.

Describe the cartoon about the mission to Mars in January 2004, explain the artist’s message and relate it to the text form Globe and Mail.

a myth: - here: something that many people believe but that is not true

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Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Textaufgabe III.

Composition (200 – 300 words)

10 VP

Choose ONE of the following: 1.

“America and its European allies – a difficult relationship”. Discuss this statement and give your own opinion. or

2.

Discuss the importance of money in Moon Palace. or

3.

John F. Kennedy “pledged to put a man on the moon”. In the following excerpt from Paul Auster’s Moon Palace there is a description of the actual moon landing: “… and that was how I happened to witness the event. I saw the two padded figures take their first steps in that airless world, bouncing like toys over the landscape, driving a golf cart through the dust, planting a flag in the eye of what had once been the goddess of love and lunacy. Radiant Diana, I thought, image of all that is dark within us. Then the president spoke. In a solemn, deadpan voice, he declared this to be the greatest event since the creation of man. The old-timers at the bar laughed when they heard this, and I believe I managed to crack a smile or two myself. But for all the absurdity of that remark, there was one thing no one could challenge: since the day he was expelled from Paradise, Adam had never been this far from home.” (Chapter 1) Analyze the narrator’s attitude towards the moon landing in this excerpt (put quotations to support your arguments in parentheses). Choose another example from the novel that focuses on the idea of a ‘lost Paradise’ and describe it.

Sprachrichtigkeit

I, II, III: 35 VP / I, III: 30 VP

Ausdrucksvermögen

10 VP

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Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Übersetzung IV.

Translation

15 VP

Bitte beachten Sie, dass entweder Teil II (Analysis) oder Teil IV (Translation) zu bearbeiten ist.

Read the following text. Lines 02 – 13 (“We are reminded … we may be from.”) are to be translated. (142 words) Queen Elizabeth II in her speech on Commonwealth Day 2003:

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What we have in common makes the choice of this year’s theme for Commonwealth Day, ‘Partners in Development’, so fitting. We are reminded daily that we live in an interdependent world. And yet, with millions still living lives of deep poverty and deprivation, there exist great global inequalities which present a constant challenge to the notion of the Commonwealth. Under these conditions, peace is often more difficult to sustain, especially when precious natural resources and the environment are threatened, economic growth is impeded and the benefits of modern technology are denied to many. Working in partnership is essential if the nations of the earth, whether they be developed or developing, are to build a better and more secure world. Only together can governments and peoples create just, open and democratic societies. And through a sense of partnership and mutual respect we should be able to recognise that we are all humans, regardless of who we are or where we may be from. In all this, the Commonwealth has much to offer. It is a unique global grouping, spanning every region of the world and including in its membership countries of all sizes and stages of development. It is an association of peoples as well as governments and, as we particularly celebrated last year, it is a body which values the richness of its diversity.

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Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Lösungshinweise Bearbeitet von Wolfgang Heil I.

Comprehension

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As indicated by the author the proclamation of a new space program • is part of the President’s election campaign • distracts the voters’ attention from social, economic and political issues • creates attention for voters in states with aerospace industries • provides an opportunity for the President to find a place in history • is a chance to make a reference to the well-known American “spirit of discovery” • highlights the idealistic aspects of former expeditions • pays no attention to the materialistic interests of these expeditions

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With reference to Mars expeditions the author states the opinion that • manned expeditions are futile as the red planet is for human beings not an environment to live in and transport is a huge problem • scientific reasons are not compelling as they state facts about the planet’s past and not its present state • it is too large an amount of money to be spent • manned expeditions may be bold but, all in all, they are too expensive, they are not worth endangering human lives and in the end of no practical use • thus the use of robots would be a much better idea solution as they are both almost as effective and will cost a lot less • with robots there wouldn’t be any transport problems as they could remain on the planet

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The author wants to • entertain the reader by ridiculing the topic − applying humorous terms which are not common in scientific texts (l. 33 “a marvellous little machine”; l. 48 “the delight of seeing a human footprint”) − using the stylistic device of personification when talking about machines: (l. 40 “stay happily behind”; l. 49 “let the rovers do the rock watching”) • absorb the reader and make him think − by catching his attention with a play on words in the title − by using repetitions (ll. 2-6: “It is a chance…”) − by rhetorical questions (ll. 19-25) − by connecting space exploration with science fiction series (l. 47 “as they say on Star Trek”) The application of all these devices creates in the reader a tendency to accept the author’s criticism.

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Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Lösungshinweise Bearbeitet von Wolfgang Heil II.

Analysis

Die folgenden Lösungshinweise stellen eine Auswahl an Möglichkeiten dar. 1.

Possible arguments: • • • • • • • • •

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the achievements made through space travel have broadened mankind’s view of the universe and have inspired people around the world with the moon and Mars having been more closely researched they might prove to be not as hostile and even inhabitable transportation problems and safety issues will be overcome by future research and technologies these new technologies can also solve problems on earth only humans can take the right decisions while exploring space robots may not be able to deal with the unexpected unrest and thrill are a necessary challenge to modern society human beings have always dared to go (boldly) where they had not been before the underlying concept of such a program is to take forward scientific and economic interests and to remain competitive

Description of cartoon: • • • •

the rover, equipped with cameras and antennas, exploring desert-like Mars surface rover located in front of a rock with the inscription “Global Warming is a Myth” three scientists in the ground control center watching TV pictures transmitted from Mars one scientist interpreting the inscription

Artist’s message: • • • • • • • •

Mars mission can be done by robots there is not any life left on Mars evidence of former intelligent life Martian life extinguished due to dangers that now threaten life on Earth warning to humans not to underestimate environmental problems danger of environmental catastrophe absurdity of flying to Mars to find the same problems that exist on Earth too much confidence in technology

Relation to article: • •

both have the common topic: the successful landing of the rover Spirit on Mars both take similar point of view: critical but with a humorous approach 7

Abitur 2005 – Englisch Haupttermin – Lösungshinweise Bearbeitet von Wolfgang Heil • • •

IV.

cartoon illustrates a “rock watching” (l. 49) rover discovering that there used to be life on the planet which is now a “barren, lifeless” (l. 19) place both share same message: sending men to Mars is unnecessary the cartoon explains the consequences and effects of global warming, thus adding an additional message

Translation

Wir werden täglich daran erinnert, dass wir in einer Welt gegenseitiger Abhängigkeiten leben. Und dennoch, da Millionen immer noch ein Leben in bitterer Armut und Entbehrung führen, besteht weltweit große Ungleichheit, die eine fortwährende Herausforderung an die Grundgedanken des Commonwealth darstellt. Unter diesen Bedingungen ist der Frieden oft schwerer aufrecht zu erhalten, besonders wenn wertvolle Rohstoffe und die Umwelt bedroht sind, Wirtschaftswachstum behindert wird und die Vorteile der modernen Technik vielen versagt bleiben. Einträchtiges Arbeiten ist unentbehrlich, wenn die Länder der Erde, ob es sich hierbei um Industrieländer oder Entwicklungsländer handelt, eine bessere und sicherere Welt aufbauen sollen. Nur gemeinsam können Regierungen und Völker gerechte, offene und demokratische Gesellschaften erschaffen. Und durch Gespür für den Anderen und gegenseitige Achtung sollten wir erkennen können, dass wir alle Menschen sind, ganz gleich, wer wir sind oder woher wir auch kommen mögen.

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