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O COUNCIL
Reading: B1

The Martian: a book review

Read a review of the book The Martian to practise and improve your reading skills

Before reading
Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises

Preparation task
Put the words in the correct groups.

Scientist scientific
author botanist
astronaut _calculations base
story

vcharacter planet plot

ship

space
science
books
5eient15t
Auho 6P 6eLentt 41C
planct botanust
Choacler astronout
oa se
PloT Calculdhons

book review
Reading text: The Martian: a
of Mark Watney, an
astronaut on the Ares 3 mission to Mars, Aftera
ic ddod
The Martian tells the story the crew of his ship believe he
almost destroys
the ship and the base, Arriv
terrible storm until the next mission to Mars
planet, he has tO survive
Alone on the red
non-fiction. It is very scientific a n d n
. . .

ways it feels like acked

novel is fiction, in some
and engineer and he beaine
While this is a botanist grow
on Mars. Watney
about survival he do this?(2).d
with details artificial camp. How does
water in his roaliee
food and produce b0Ok. In it he has created a stic
and this is his first published
Andy Weir, ldentify with the emotion
The author is humour in the story, dn iccdue
cdn
is a lot of to be on Mars). Watney
admits
character. There what its IKe
one can really imagine
n e v e r gives up.8)).
) Instead he
(although no trouble, but he
that he is in deep person alone on a planet and trvincg to
beginning an inteligent
realistic look at
Martian gives us is a
survive.

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The majority of the plot place on Mars and is r i t t e n in the form of Watney's journal
takes
(his fellow crew
entries. 4). .... Unfortunately, the other characters in the book
do not get much development and s o they often
members, the scientists at NASA on Earth)
feel one-dimensional.
of seat
to read. You will be on the edge your
I should also mention that the book is thrilling fans and scientists but for
until the very end. 5) . . It's good not only for space travel
it wass
for a unique and exciting story.
The Martian was so popular that
anyone who is looking book first.
but I recommend reading the
made into a film starring Matt Damon in 2015,

Tasks

Task 1
correct place in the text (1-5).
Match the missing sentences (a-e) with the

The a n s w e r s are explained with lots of very

convincing calculations.
a.
he has been left behind.
b. But Mark does not die in the storm, and
C. I would recommend this
book to all audiences.
look at
this book would only be a scientific
d. Without the character of Mark Watney,
survival on MarS.
character of Watney very real.
e. This diary style makes the

Task 2
Circle the best definitions for the words in CAPITALS.

details about survival on Mars.

1. It is very scientific and PACKED with
afilled
b. ready for a trip
C. empty

2 . . he begins togrow food and produce water in his ARTIFICIAL camp.

a. from the military

. n o t natural
C. imaginary

3. Watney admits at the beginning that he is in deep trouble, but he never GIVES UP.
astops trying
b. escapes
C. begins

2 0 1 9 Rritish Quncil
4. The majority of the plot takes place on Mars, and is written in the form of
JOURNAL ENTRIES. Watney's
(a)things you write in a diary
bhewspaperarticles
C. types of transport

5. Unfortunately, the other characters in the book (his fellow crew members, the scientists at
NASA on Earth) do not get much development and so they often feel ONE-DIMENSIONAL
a. complicated

n o t deep, not realistic

C. interesting

6. should also mention that the book

SEAT until the very end.
is thrilling to read. You will be ON THE EDGE OF YOUR
a. bored and sleepy
b. confused and lost
Cvery excited, wondering what is going to happen

Discussion
What book would you recommend?

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