8. The Elegant Universe Quiz. Work in groups.
1. According to the standard model, what is the elementary constituent of nature?
(A) A point particle
(B) A vibrating strand of string
(C) A two-dimensional blob
(D) A photon
2. How thick is a string?
(A) 10–33cm
(B) A string is zero dimensional, so it has no thickness
(C) A string’s length is 10–33cm, but it has no thickness
(D) Planck thickness
3. What is the weakest force of nature?
(A) Strong force
(B) Weak force
(C) Electromagnetism
(D) Gravity
4. Which fundamental forces does the standard model describe?
(A) Strong force, Electromagnetism, Gravity
(B) Dynamic Force, Top Force, Weak Force
(C) Strong Force, Weak Force, Electromagnetism
(D) Gravity, Escape Velocity, Strong Force
5. What does it mean to describe a particle as “elementary” or “fundamental”?
(A) It is a tiny point
(B) It cannot be broken up or divided
(C) It contains electrons, protons, and neutrons, but nothing else
(D) There is no such thing as a fundamental particle
6. What are the problems with string theory today?
(A) It cannot be tested
(B) Its propositions cannot be proved
(C) Its equations are so complex that only approximations exist
(D) All of the above
7. The equivalence principle refers to which phenomenon?
(A) The similarities of the strong and weak force
(B) The impossibility of distinguishing between accelerated motion and gravity
(C) The plausibility of all competing versions of string theory
(D) The ability of quantum effects to cancel each other out
8. The uncertainty principle is a feature of which theoretical framework?
(A) Quantum mechanics
(B) Special relativity
(C) General relativity
(D) String theory
9. Has the universe always been the same size?
(A) Yes, and it always will be
(B) No, it expanded during the big bang only
(C) No, it has been expanding almost since the moment of its origin
(D) Scientists have not yet determined if the universe is expanding
10. How did black holes get their name?
(A) They are associated with lunar eclipses
(B) Nothing, not even light, can escape them
(C) Scientists know absolutely nothing about them
(D) They cause thunderstorms
11. What is the messenger particle of electromagnetism?
(A) Gluon
(B) Photon
(C) W and Z
(D) Neutrino
12. How does the existence of quantum foam clash with Einstein’s general theory of relativity?
(A) It moves faster than the speed of light
(B) It is weaker than gravity
(C) Einstein’s theory presupposes a smooth spatial fabric
(D) It doesn’t curve
13. After the first superstring revolution, how many viable versions of string theory emerged?
(A) Three
(B) Five
(C) Ten
(D) Eleven
14. How many dimensions of space does the current formulation of string theory require to be viable?
(A) Three
(B) Five
(C) Ten
(D) Eleven
15. Why did the existence of a tachyon bring about the collapse of bosonic string theory?
(A) It differed from its superpartner by three units
(B) It was fluctuating too violently to compute
(C) It had a negative mass
(D) None of the above
16. Bosonic and fermionic vibrational patterns differ by how much?
(A) A whole number
(B) A half unit
(C) Two
(D) They are identical
17. What does the M in M-theory stand for?
(A) Mysterious
(B) Mega
(C) Matrix
(D) No one knows
18. How many dimensions does a Calabi-Yau space have?
(A) Two
(B) Three
(C) Five
(D) Six
19. Who was the first scientist to argue that light exhibits wave properties?
(A) Newton
(B) Einstein
(C) Planck
(D) Feynman
20. What is the basic principle underlying special relativity?
(A) The uncertainty principle
(B) The equivalence principle
(C) The constancy of the speed of light
(D) The Euler beta function
21. What do string theorists think that the extra dimensions of space will look like?
(A) Tightly curled up strings
(B) Two-dimensional branes
(C) Three-dimensional blobs
(D) All of the above
22. Supersymmetry predicts what about the elementary particles?
(A) For every known particle, a heavier superpartner exists
(B) Every particle has not one, but two, messenger particles
(C) Particles all vibrate in identical patterns
(D) More than one version of how particles vibrate is viable
23. Which of the following particles is thought to be massless?
(A) Photon
(B) Gluon
(C) Neutrino
(D) Electron
24. Which small-scale phenomenon creates the incompatibility between general relativity and quantum mechanics?
(A) Anomalies
(B) Quantum foam
(C) Neutral electrons
(D) Half-integer vibrational patterns
25. What is the term for the approximations string theorists much make in their calculations?
(A) M-theory
(B) Perturbation theory
(C) Mirror symmetry
(D) Grand unification
- 1. You are going to listen to the text “nasa telescope to look for other Earths”. Listen to it attentively and be ready to fill in the gaps. Nasa telescope to look for other Earths
- 2. Before reading the text let’s check your knowledge of some physical notions. Answer the following questions:
- 3. Imagine that your friend does not understand the meaning of the following terms, and he/she does not speak Ukrainian. Try to explain the meaning of the terms in English to help him/her.
- Universal alignment
- 4. Answer the following questions.
- 5. Match the given word with its definition.
- 6. Express your point of view concerning the following statement:
- 7. Translate the following sentences into English:
- 8. Read the given article and retell it in English. Китайські астрономи виявили вісь зла
- 9. Make a report on “Anomalies in Cosmic Microwave Background”. Be ready to discuss this topic.
- 10. Write a short summary of the text (80-100 words).
- 1. You are going to listen to text “One-Way Ticket to Mars Mission”. Be ready to fill in the gaps. One-Way Ticket to Mars Mission
- 2. Match the following words with their synonyms.
- 3. You are going to read the text “Stop the Killer Rocks”. Before reading it say what asteroids are, what you know about them. Stop the killer rocks
- 4. You have read the article, and now complete the following sentences. Try not to look into the text.
- 5. Make a list of Edward t. Lu’s suggestions on the u.S. Program. Express your opinion.
- 6. Brainstorm.
- 2. Before reading the text explain the meaning of the following words in English.
- 3. What do you know about moonlets. Share your knowledge with other students.
- Moonlets keep the moon company around earth
- 4. Answer the following questions to the text.
- 5. Match the columns to make a phrase.
- 6. Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the space agency ‘nasa’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them.
- Elegant universe is back in fashion
- 4. Answer the following questions.
- 5. Try to guess the meaning of the words given in italics in the text.
- 6. Agree or disagree with the statements given below.
- 7. Translate the following sentences into English in writing.
- 8. Particle Physics Quiz. Work in groups.
- 9. Elementary Particle Crossword. Work in groups.
- 10. Make a report about the Large Hadron Collider and its usage.
- 1. Listen to the text “Scientists find oldest human ancestor” and be ready to fill in the gaps.
- 2. Before reading a text explain the meaning of the following terms.
- 3. What do you know about Stephen Hawking? What is his contribution to physics?
- Death of the eternal cosmos
- 4. Answer the following questions.
- 5. Fill in the table with pros and cons of the universe origin theories.
- 6. Spend one minute writing down words you associate with the Universe. Explain your choice.
- 7. Quiz “Where Did the Universe Come From?”
- 8. State whether the following statements are true or false.
- 9. Make a report on origins of the universe. Discuss it with other students.
- 10. Read the following article and write down a short summary of it in English.
- Таємниці виникнення Всесвіту
- 1. You are going to listen to text “What Is String Theory?”. Be ready to fill in the gaps with missing information.
- What Is String Theory?
- 2. Give synonyms to the following words.
- 3. Match the word with its definition.
- Hawking at 70
- If you were a young physicist just starting out today, what would you study?
- 4. Answer the following questions on Hawking’s life and work.
- 5. Here are six life lessons you should learn from Stephen Hawking. Express your personal opinion on them.
- 6. Find information on Stephen Hawking’s point of view on religion. Share this information with other students.
- 7. Guess what is depicted in the following pictures.
- 8. The Elegant Universe Quiz. Work in groups.
- 9. Make a PowerPoint presentation to show how the string theory works.
- 10. Watch a documentary film about Hawking (“a Brief History of Time”, 1992) and write down a short summary of it.
- 1. Listen to the text “Signs of the Zodiac” attentively. Fill in the gaps.
- Signs of the Zodiac
- 2. Explain the meaning of the following words.
- 3. Give English equivalents to the following words and word-combinations. Make up a sentence with each of them.
- Catch a high-speed star
- 4. State whether the following statements are true or false.
- 5. Spend one minute writing down words you associate with stars.
- 6. Match a word with its meaning.
- 7. Star Cloze. Fill in the gaps below.
- 8. Star Quiz. Answer the following questions. Work in groups.
- 9. Make a presentation about stars:
- 10. Watch the third part (“Universe – the Story of Everything”) of the documentary film “Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking”. Write down a short summary of it.
- 1. Listen to the text “Scientists say water is on the Moon” attentively. State whether the following statements are true or false.
- 2. Before reading the article “Can you spot an ancient Moon?” find the meaning of the following words and word-combinations.
- 3. Spend one minute to write down words you associate with the Moon. Make up several sentences with these words.
- Can you spot an ancient moon?
- 4. Answer the following questions.
- 5. Write Ten Things About the Moon.
- 6. The Moon Quiz. Work in groups.
- 7. Make a short report on the following lunar objects:
- 2. Before reading the text explain the meaning of the following words.
- 3. Match a word with its definition.
- A pass across the sun
- 4. Answer the following questions.
- 5. Translate the following passage into English. Do this task in writing.
- 6. Venus Quiz. Work in groups.
- 7. Here are 10 facts about Venus. Some you might know, others should be totally new to you. So read on and learn these interesting facts about planet Venus.
- 8. Complete the following sentences.
- 9. Make a PowerPoint presentation on Venus.
- 10. Watch the documentary film “The Sky at Night - Venus and the Midnight Sun”. Write a short summary of this film.
- 1. Listen to the text “Home robots on sale in Japan” attentively. Fill in the gaps.
- Home robots on sale in Japan
- 2. Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “robot”. Make up sentences with these words.
- 3. Before reading the article “Hello, Robo-Astronauts” try to explain the meaning of the following words.
- Hello, robo-astronauts
- 4. State whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statements. Try not to look into the article.
- 5. Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how they were used in the article:
- 8. Engage in the following (for-fun) 2-minute debates. Students a take the first argument, students b the second. Change partners often.
- 9. You are ceo of the Marvel Robot Company. You must design a new robot to compete with Mitsubishi’s Wakamaru robot. In pairs / groups, decide on the areas in the column on the left.
- 10. Creative Writing. You are Wakamaru. Write your diary / journal entry for one day in your life. Write about your feelings towards your owner.