Cover of the textbook Performer B1, Vol. 2

The key answer of exercise 4

The key to exercise solutions in chapter 3 - Culture and competences for the textbook Performer B1, Vol. 2 with authors Marina Spiazzi, Marina Tavella e Margaret Layton from Zanichelli

Question

Read the story again and answer the questions.

Answer

  1. Humans have created Arecibo, a telescope used to search for extraterrestrial intelligence. It serves as an ear capable of listening across the universe in the hope of making a connection with non-human intelligences.
  2. The Fermi paradox is the apparent contradiction between the high probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of evidence for or contact with such civilizations. It is also called the Great Silence.
  3. Possible explanations for the absence of intelligent life in the universe, as mentioned in the text, include the idea that intelligent species actively conceal their presence to avoid being targeted by hostile invaders or that they become extinct before they can expand into outer space.
  4. Alex was an African Grey Parrot known for his cognitive abilities. He could not only mimic words for shapes and colors but also understand the concepts behind them. He had a unique ability to communicate and comprehend language.
  5. In 1974, astronomers used Arecibo to broadcast a message into outer space as a demonstration of human intelligence. This was humanity's contact call, similar to the unique calls of parrots that identify them.
  6. Throughout history, humans have considered the activity of shaping sounds with their mouths as a pathway to the divine. There is a primal and visceral pleasure associated with vocalization, and it is seen as a way to give physical form to thoughts and intentions.
  7. The cosmic microwave background is the residual radiation of the Big Bang, the explosion that created the universe 14 billion years ago. When Arecibo is pointed at the space between stars, it detects this faint hum, considered the voice of creation.
  8. The parrots, facing the possibility of extinction, are sending a message to humanity using Arecibo. The message is: "You be good. I love you." This mirrors the communication style of Alex, the African Grey Parrot, and emphasizes the connection between humans and parrots as vocal learners who give physical form to their thoughts through sounds.