📙 Part 2: Describe a science subject (Biology, Robotics) that you are interested in

his episode's vocabulary

Astronomy (noun) - the scientific study of the universe and of objects that exist naturally in space, such as the moon, the sun, planets, and stars.

Limited (adj.) - kept within a particular size, range, time, etc.

Isolated (adj.) - happening or existing only once, separate.

In-depth (adj.) - done carefully and in great detail.

Planetarium (noun) - a building in which moving images of the sky at night are shown using a special machine.

Observatory (noun) - a building from which scientists can watch the planets, the stars, the weather, etc.

Escapism (noun) - a way of avoiding an unpleasant or boring life, especially by thinking, reading, etc. about more exciting but impossible activities.

Mind-boggling (adj.) - extremely exciting or surprising.

Monumental (adj.) - very big.

Worldview (noun) - a way of thinking about the world.

Questions and Answers

M: Tell us your story.

R: Well, anyone who has heard me talk about it before knows that I am super into astronomy, which is the study of space. I think I've been learning about it my whole life, to be honest. You just look up at night, see the stars and planets and want to understand what they are, where they come from, and where they are going since they move around. We had some limited lessons in school, but that was mostly about knowing the names and a few isolated facts, really. Nothing very in-depth or really connected to the real world at all. Most of my knowledge like the really in-depth stuff comes from books I read at home or that I learned through various television documentaries with occasional visits to places like planetariums, and observatories. Sometimes people would ask me questions about it, but I don't think they were as interested in it as I was, to be honest with you. I think the main reason that I like it so much is that it's part of the escapism you get with science fiction, which I also like. And astronomy is like a real light version of that. Just knowing there are billions of galaxies and trillions of solar systems out there with a load of unique characteristics for us to investigate is amazing. And on top of that, the scale of it is pretty impressive too. Without even knowing the exact numbers. Like the idea that you can fit several Earths inside The Red Spot on Jupiter. Or that the same place is a giant tornado. These are particularly mind-boggling things to think about. Even if you can, like grasp the scale, like the monumental size of it. If I hadn't taken an interest in this subject, then I think I'd have less of an understanding of at least my place in the universe, and probably our place as well. And a less developed sense of self and scale. So I would be pretty ignorant about a lot of information that informs my worldview. I would probably be a completely different person.

M: And what about your friends? Do they enjoy this subject?

R: They are sick of me talking about it.

Discussion

M: Hey, dear listener, did you enjoy the story? Yeah, astronomy is a good one to talk about here. If you hate science, you have to choose. Okay?

R: Choose astronomy.

M: Yeah, why not choose astronomy? Even if you have nothing to say about it, we're gonna give ideas and vocabulary and grammar to you now. Okay? So astronomy is the study of space. Space, planets, okay? You can also listen to our speaking part one episode about the sky and stars. I think we have two episodes about stars. Really useful if you're going to be talking about astronomy in this one, okay? I'm super into astronomy, or I'm into biology, I'm into maths. I've been learning about it my whole life. And Rory here tells us the truth, because he is really into astronomy.

R: Yes. Anyone who knows me knows that I like space.

M: I've been learning about it. I've been studying it my whole life. Or I've always been interested in astronomy. And then Rory gets romantic. You just look up at night, and see the stars and planets. Oh... So you look up at night and you see stars and planets, dear listener. You also see... What do you call these... The groups of stars that are in the sky?

R: Oh, well, there are many different ways to talk about them.

M: Constellations.

R: Constellations is one. Yes. But you could probably also have a stellar nursery.

M: Ooh, that's too difficult. Constellations, dear listener.

R: No, it's not. A stellar nursery is what happens when a nebula starts to collapse in and form multiple stars.

M: Oh, there he goes. You see?

R: Yeah, constellation seems like such an easier word compared to the stellar nursery.

M: Oh, boy, oh, boy.

R: But fine, constellations. You look up and see the constellations, which are the shapes that we see because we superimpose our viewpoint onto the stars.

M: We had some limited lessons in school. So the lessons on astronomy were limited.

R: That means that they were rubbish.

M: Ah, okay, so not like a few lessons, but they were rubbish, they were not interesting.

R: They weren't very good. They were very boring. I don't... Honestly, leave it to a school teacher to turn something interesting, like space and the universe into something so boring.

M: Yeah. So the lessons in school were about knowing the names, and a few isolated facts, a few random facts, but nothing very in-depth. So just on the surface, nothing in-depth. Most of my knowledge of astronomy comes from books, or various, like different, television documentaries. So you can say I watch different television documentaries, and films, and read books. And then sometimes I go to planetariums and observatories. So a planetarium? Where you learn about planets. Usually, it's this, you know, like a huge dome. And you go there and they show you different planets and space. Or observatory, where you go, and you have this, what do you call it? You look into...

R: Oh, you look into the telescope, and you see planets and things.

M: Yeah. So you look into the telescope in an observatory, and you look at the planets. And, oh my gosh, dear listener, once I went to a huge observatory, and I saw Saturn. It was one of the most beautiful things that I've ever seen in my life. The main reason why I like it is because blah, blah, blah. It's part of the escapism.

R: And we've talked about escapism before.

M: Yeah, it's our favourite word now.

R: It is my favourite word.

M: Yeah, you escape from your daily boring routine. You immerse yourself in astronomy, oh, how interesting is this? And then you say, just knowing that there are billions of galaxies, trillions of solar systems. So just like many galaxies, and many solar systems. Solar? From the sun. Moreover, on top of that, the scale of our galaxy is impressive. On top of that, like...

R: How big it is?

M: Yeah, but usually, in speaking, we don't use this moreover, furthermore, additionally, we use more informal words, like besides, also.

R: On top of that.

M: On top of that, there are trillions of stars. And then Rory gets philosophical and romantic. Just the idea you can fit several Earths. Many Earths are inside The Red Spot on Jupiter. So Jupiter is one of the planets. And there is this The Red Spot on Jupiter. Is this like a small spot on this planet, yeah? Or what?

R: Oh, yeah, it's... Well, it looks like a red spot. But it's actually a giant tornado.

M: Ooh. And just there, you can fit several Earths. Wow, Jupiter is huge.

R: Yeah, it's massive.

M: How do we use Earth? So it's the planet Earth or the Earth or just without any article. Earth?

R: I would say Earth, unless you're talking about it in plural in which case it's the Earth.

M: Okay, for example, we live on Earth?

R: Yes.

M: When will you say the Earth?

R: If we're saying something specific about it.

M: Oh, dear listener, how are you doing? Are you okay? Is it a horrible topic to talk about? Rory, you finish the episode.

R: Well, thank you very much everyone for listening to me nerd out about astronomy.

M: And we'll get back to you in speaking part three about science. Sorry, if you hate science. And hey, if you love science.

R: I'm not sorry. You're gonna love it by the time we're done.

M: Bye!

R: Bye!

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