Cambridge 9 | Test 1 | Passage 2

Is there anybody out there?

The question of whether we are alone in the Universe has haunted humanity for centuries, but we may now stand poised on the brink of the answer to that question, as we search for radio signals from other intelligent civilizations. This search, often known by the acronym SETI (search for extra-terrestrial intelligence), is a difficult one. Although groups around the world have been searching intermittently for three decades, it is only now that we have reached the level of technology where we can make a determined attempt to search all nearby stars for a sign of life.

haunt (verb) [transitive]

/hɔːnt/

if something unpleasant haunts you,

poised (adjective)

/pɔɪzd/

ready to do a particular thing at any moment

brink (noun) [singular]

/brɪŋk/

the point where a new or different situation is about to begin