Activity 1

Do the same kind of exercise as you did in activity 4, number 3. This time you must find at least 10 words and/or expressions from the text above.

For a better life

Since childhood Mark Shuttleworth had a dream to visit space. He was only a little boy when he would make and launch his own “rockets” in the yard of his Welcome home. In the end, he reached his dream and the rest, as they say, is history …

His father, Rick, recollects Mark’s ambitions as a child: “I have always known that Mark dearly wanted to visit space. He used to tell us so, even when he was still in primary school.”

Bigger things than space to worry about

As a loyal citizen of the human race, I feel an obligation to share with you some of the horrors of our society.

Over the past few months we have been bombarded with stories of a fellow South African who has been preparing himself for his first trip into space. Yes, I am talking about Mark Shuttleworth.

We have idolized this man as a pioneer of our society. This is shocking when we consider the state of affairs that our country, and more importantly, our beautiful Mother Earth is in.

This citizen of the human race is spending R220 million plus on his personal endeavour.

Yes, he has given back to society to try to improve the quality of life for some of his brothers and sisters. But my point is not so much what Mark has spent his money on.

My point is that we feel that Mark’s trip to space is worthy of making the front page.

We have far more pressing issues that need to be taken care of. Overpopulation, disease and pollution seem to be more important.

We constantly try to improve our realities by living our dreams through others – this is why Mark’s trip has made the front page.

Are we such a sad bunch that we cannot believe in our dreams enough to make them our own realities?

A new world is brewing inside each one of us, but we will only experience this when we as individuals take interest in our own lives and who we are!

Activity 2

Figure 1

Activity 3

Figure 2

A formula for success. Maths + Science lead to a future with infinite possibilities. Learn it. Let it multiply. Divide it. Just don’t ignore it.

Why has the + sign been used, and not the word “and”? What do you think of the use of the words “multiply” and “divide” in the copy?

It is clever because ________

It means ___________and it is a good choice, because ____________ .

Its aim is to _______________

Although the Shuttleworth experience gripped the imagination of practically the whole South African nation, there were people who felt that spending so much money on an “outing” into space was not morally justified while there was so much poverty in our country. “What about all the homeless people and orphans, the sick, elderly and unemployed?” they asked. “Why doesn’t Shuttleworth contribute to making life easier for them, instead of wasting it in this way?”

Other people said that one should look at the “bigger picture”. That means that one should try to find broader meaning; some kind of “long-term investment” stemming from his actions.

One of Shuttleworth’s main objectives was to motivate youngsters to take a greater interest in maths and science, two learning areas that have not been greatly exploited in the disadvantaged communities, and for which there is great scope in terms of future careers. The Hip2b² project has been mentioned. It was hoped that there would be a greater awareness of the exciting world of science. The University of Stellenbosch, which had previously launched its Sunsat satellite successfully, was deeply involved.

Shuttleworth planned to do three experiments in space. In the first one, which was designed by Dr Danie Barry of the University of Stellenbosch, the development of stem cells and embryos from sheep and mice in micro-gravity would be tested. In the second, students from the University of Cape Town studied Shuttleworth’s energy consumption and heartbeat in space.

On Wednesday, 4 September 2002, Dr Barry, from the Department of Animal Sciences at the US gave a talk: ”Never despair, the sky is the limit if you try hard enough”. Amongst other things he said the following:

“During the launch of the Soyuz rocket and Space Capsule No 33 by Energia, the Russian Rocket and Space Corporation, from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, we sent mammalian embryos and stem cells for a period of 10 days in a portable Biotherm incubator and a glove box with Mark Shuttleworth to the International Space Station.

After their return from outer space, the embryo and cell samples and the corresponding control samples were frozen immediately in liquid nitrogen. The control and space samples were then transported to the laboratory at the US for evaluation and further analysis. It was shown that the sheep and mouse embryos grown under micro-gravity conditions developed past the hatching stage of the embryo, and an enlargement and outgrowth of the inner mass was observed. …It can therefore be concluded that sheep and mouse embryos will … keep on developing after hatching under conditions of zero-gravity in outer space.”

Assignment 1

1. Posters

2. Research (links with History) into the Cold War, the space race and the first Russian cosmonaut.

3. Vocabulary as in assignment 4.

LEARNING UNIT 4: WRITING

Assignment 2

1. He is shocked at the state of the world; he is critical of the press for giving such prominence to Shuttleworth’s trip as there are more pressing problems that need to be highlighted; we must believe in our own dreams and our own lives (implied: for the betterment of society).

2. Letter to the editor. The format is important, as are the tone and register.

Assignment 3

1. Any suitable translation can be accepted.

2. The advertisement is visually striking and relates to the subject: One sees cells (microscopic images, suggesting the scientific experiments that formed an important part of the project), the earth as seen from space, and a satellite. The US Sunsat project was, like Shuttleworth’s undertaking, a first for Africa. The two things are linked through the visuals. The copy suggests vibrancy (“skiet” / shoot), and also faith in the future of the country. It promotes the US as an institution that is on the forefront of new developments. (Anything along these lines.)

3. The logo: Learners’ own opinion (must be substantiated). Logo has leaf because Stellenbosch is traditionally associated with the oak trees. Typography is perhaps too stilted.

4. Own advertisement: All facets to be explored: copy, graphics, typography, etc.

5. The + places it within the context of science and maths. The words “multiply” and “divide” reinforce this.

6.

(a) “hip” means stylish, following the latest fashion, “with-it”

(b) “square” means old-fahioned, opposed to new trends, not “with-it”.

7. It links it to the idea of a scientific equation.

8. Infinite means never-ending. It fits with the idea of space.

9. … promote science and technology and maths, especially amongst the youth of our country.