Make Your Way 5, Schulbuch mit Audio-CD und CD-ROM

Only YOU can save mankind You are going to read an extract from “Only You Can Save Mankind” , a novel by Terry Pratchett, a very popular British author. 10 In this story the hero, Johnny, is playing a “shoot ’em up” computer game called “Only You Can Save Mankind”. The aim of the game is to destroy a fleet of alien spaceships before they can attack the Earth. In the game, Johnny is about to destroy the alien fleet when a message appears on his screen saying “We surrender. Please do not shoot. We wish to talk.” Johnny agrees to talk and help them … Now read the extract and then answer the questions which follow. e face of the captain appeared on the communications screen. “Yes?” said Johnny. “We are ready.” “Ready?” said Johnny. “What for?” “Lead the way,” said the captain. “Where to?” he said. “Where are we going?” “Earth.” “What! at’s where I live! People can get into serious trouble showing huge alien eets where they live.” “Sorry,” said the alien captain. “I used the wrong word. I was translating the word for our home into your language. We wish to return to our home.” A red circle appeared on the navigation screen. “ ey’ve shown me where they live,” Johnny thought. e thought sunk in. “ ey trust me.” He moved his ghter forwards and the huge alien eet pulled in behind him. A er a short while a green dot appeared ahead of him. He watched it get bigger, until he recognised the shape of a star ghter, just like his, but the shape was di cult to see. is was because it was half hidden by the laser bolts it was ring at him as it came. Johnny pulled his joystick to one side and his ship rolled out of the way as the enemy star ghter roared past on towards the alien ships behind Johnny. e alien ships which had surrendered to him. But people out there were still playing the game, trying to destroy the alien ships. “No,” he screamed. “Listen to me! ey’re not ghting any more!” e star ghter turned in a wide curve and headed directly for the command ship. Johnny saw it launch a missile. Some kid sitting at a keyboard in a bedroom somewhere had just launched a missile. “Listen! You’ve got to stop!” It’s not listening to me, he thought. You don’t listen to the enemy. e enemy’s there to be shot at. at’s why it’s the enemy. at’s what the enemy’s for. He turned around to follow the starship, which had slowed down. It was ring shot a er shot into the alien command ship … … which wasn’t ring back. Johnny stared in horror. It’s a game, thought Johnny. ere’s not a real person in that ship. It’s someone playing a game. It’s all a game. It’s just things happening on a screen somewhere. No. I mean, yes. 154 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum d s Verlags öbv