Reading (1 hour 1 5 minutes)

cThe last ship of the season has left; the next will not behere until December. There will be eight months ofisolation, cut off from the rest of the world on the edgeof the world's coldest, remotest continent: Antarctica.rlInevitably, small social groups develop within thisisolated community. There is usually a group of smokers,a group of video watchers, a group of people who sit andchat. As people try to maintain contact with home so thecost ofphone bills increases, but in any case there isnothing else to spend money on.The people who spend the winter at Davis Station inAntarctica regard the departure of the last ship not withfear but with something like a feeling of relief. Gone arethe busy days of summer, the helicopters, the crowd ofpeople. Now life starts again.There are more than 40 research projects being carriedout in Antarctica but many of the scientists have left bythe time winter arrives. The station is home to physicists,biologists, weather observers, mechanics,communications technicians, electricians, carpenters,plumbers, a doctor and a chef. There is also a stationleader whose job it is to keep everyone happy andproductive and to look after all the paperwork. Whenmost of the team arrive each year in December, the sunnever sets. By the beginning of the following June it willnever rise, so people have to get used to many darkdays.:u:lIt is quite common for the sea to freeze during April andinstead of waves lapping the beach, thick plates of ice liftand move with the tide. Once the sea ice has beenchecked to see if it is strong enough to walk on, one canski over and fish through the holes. Eventually itbecomes strong enough for vehicles to drive on it andthe researchers can open up a new road system to enablethem to drive around the coast in minutes, to huts whichcould only be reached after hours of walking in summer.Trips to the huts are the only means of physicallyescaping from life on the station. Some trips are forscience, others for recreation and a way of having somepersonal and private space. Some trips can be made onfoot or skis, but in winter they are usually in vehicles.It doesn't matter what hours people choose to work solong as the work gets done, so they can start and finishwork at whatever times suit them. The first real meal ofthe day, a hot breakfast, is served at 10am. There is ahot lunch and a hot supper but putting on weight is apotential problem for many people. The doctor is thereto advise on diet and exercise and a gym is available tohelp people keep fit.There are no animals as they all leave for the winter, butin spring seals and seabirds and penguins arrive. Onlyhumans stay in Antarctica for the full year, and althoughtheir lives are comfortable they are still isolated andimprisoned. They have good food, comfortablebuildings, telephones, entertainment, the internet, butfor many months at a time no chance of leaving.TEST 2, PAPER 1E