WATER ON THE MOON

Having dropped tantalizing hints days ago about an "exciting new discovery about the Moon", the US space agency has revealed conclusive evidence of water on our only natural satellite.

This "unambiguous detection of molecular water" will boost Nasa's hopes of establishing a lunar base. The aim is to sustain that base by tapping into the Moon's natural resources. Unlike previous detections of water in permanently shadowed parts of lunar craters, scientists have now detected the molecule in sunlit regions of the Moon's surface.

Speaking during a virtual teleconference, co-author Casey Honniball, postdoctoral fellow at Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, said: "The amount of water is roughly equivalent to a 12-ounce bottle of water in a cubic metre of lunar soil."

Her Nasa colleague Jacob Bleacher, said researchers still needed to understand the nature of the watery deposits. This would help them determine how accessible they would be for future lunar explorers to use. And while there have previously been signs of water on the lunar surface, these new discoveries suggest it is more abundant than previously thought. "It gives us more options for potential water sources on the Moon," said Hannah Sargeant "Where to put a Moon base is largely focused on where the water is."

The US space agency has said it will send the first woman and next man to the lunar surface in 2024  to prepare for the "next giant leap" - human exploration of Mars as early as the 2030s. Dr Sargeant explained that this meant developing "a more sustainable way of doing space exploration. Part of that is using these local resources - especially water," she told BBC News.

Question 1: [2 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

 a) Nasa gave the news about the unquestionable existence of lunar water some days ago.

 b) Space scientists will definitely benefit from this discovery.

  c) Space explorers had never found any water on the Moon before.

 d) The project to send a woman and another man to the Moon will help develop the exploration of Mars.

Question 2 [2 POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words.

                a) How is this new discovery different from previous ones?

                b) What new turn will space exploration take?

Question 3: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.      

a. insinuation (paragraph 1)

b. intensify (paragraph 2)

c. approximately (paragraph 2)

d. reachable (paragraph 3)

e. center on  (paragraph 3)

KEY

Question 1

a) False. " Having dropped tantalizing hints days ago about an "exciting new discovery about the Moon",

b) True. " This "unambiguous detection of molecular water" will boost Nasa's hopes of establishing a lunar base.

c) False. " Unlike previous detections of water ..... And while there have previously been signs of water on the lunar surface,"

d) True. " The US space agency has said it will send the first woman and next man to the lunar surface in 2024  to prepare for the "next giant leap" - human exploration of Mars as early as the 2030s."

Question 2

a) It is different in two aspects. First of all water has been found in a region lit by the sun whereas before it was found in a dark area. Besides, it seems a bigger quantity of water has been discovered.

b) The different findings in space have given scientists and space explorers the idea of acceeding to the resources discovered in space and using them.

Question 3

a) hint

b) boost /to boost

c) roughly

d) accessible

e) focused / to be focused