April 12 is the International Day of Human Space Flight and I thought it would be great to have a lesson about space.
I found a few videos where you can watch how astronauts brush their teeth, wash their hair, or sleep. I know these might seem like very basic things but they can be challenging in space due to zero-gravity.
Before you watch the video, please think of what you already know about space, some facts. Write it down or say it aloud. If you have time, you can record yourself and listen after.
Watch the video to get a general idea and then watch it once again and fill in the blanks.
Do you know that the 1.__________ on Earth uses 350 liters of water per day? That’s over 1400 cups of water. Water consumption is 2.__________ on Earth but even more so here on the International Space Station, where we have a closed environment.
From washing ourselves to making our coffee or even when we sweat, the water that gets expelled is collected into a purification system and we reclaim about 93% of all the water on board. Definite soapy water here in space. Mix it up. Oh, I got some on the outside, apparently.
Water used to be delivered in water filled bags like this one. They brought them up on space shuttles and of course all of the visiting resupply vehicles. But since 2010 we’ve got a system on board that can purify the water real-time. You don’t have to take it out and store it in bags. We have filters and a keg size distiller that spins to create artificial gravity and move the 3.__________ along and with it we can recycle about 6000 liters of extra water for the station each year.
We even recycle our urine. But before you 4.__________ at the thought of drinking our 5.__________ wash-water and your leftover urine, 6.__________ that the water we end up with is purer than most of the water that you drink 7.__________ at home. That makes the International Space station its own self contained environment. That’s a critical step towards living for a long period off of planet Earth.
📌You can see the answers in the transcript below.
💡 Here's some good vocabulary that can be useful in everyday conversations:
Do you know that the average person on Earth uses 350 liters of water per day?
Average person is a typical person.
For example:
It is difficult for the average person to know the difference between quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.
The average person in Canada makes $45,000 per year.
🔹RUS обычный человек, среднестатистический человек, простой человек
Water consumption is critical on Earth...
Critical means very important.
For example:
Parents' support is critical for children.
It is critical to be honest in any relationship.
🔹RUS важнейший, решающий, особо важный
move the waste water along
Waste water is water that is not clean because it has already been used in homes, businesses, factories, etc.
In general waste is something that has been used and no longer needed, like: human waste, food waste, toxic waste, nuclear waste etc.
For example:
Sometimes people use food waste to produce fertilizer.
In some countries, waste water is being treated and used for irrigation.
🔹RUS сточные воды, отходы
But before you cringe at the thought of drinking your leftover wash-water
Sometimes when something or someone makes you feel awkward or embarrassed, you cringe (yeah, basically make that face).
Very often you can hear the verb cringe being used this way:
Something makes me cringe.
I cringe at the thought of doing something.
For example:
His singing made me cringe.
I cringe at the thought of earing cooked onions.
🔹RUS передергивает, съеживаться, коробит
keep in mind that the water we end up with
Keep in mind means to remember something, especially something that will be important in the future.
For example:
Keep in mind, you only have 2 days to make the decision.
Please keep in mind that I will be out of town next weekend.
🔹RUS иметь в виду, принимать во внимание, учитывать, помнить
the water we end up with is purer than most of the water that you drink on a daily basis at home
On a daily basis means every day. You can also hear these combinations with the word basis. ↪
For example:
I spend about 1 hour on social media on a daily basis.
We do so many things on auto-pilot on a daily basis.
🔹RUS ежедневно, повседневно, изо дня в день, каждодневно
⏰ You can practice the new words and phrases below:
I hope you enjoyed the lesson. I'd love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Have a wonderful day! 🤗
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