<p></p><p><b>5.</b>
<b>Fill in the gaps with the <i>present
perfect</i> or <i>past simple</i>.</b><em></em></p>

<p><em>&nbsp;</em></p>

<p align="center"><b>Successful Astronaut and
Scientist</b></p><p align="center"><b><br></b></p><p align="center"></p><p style="text-align: left;">Mae Collins is a well-known
astronaut and scientist. She <b>1)</b> {#1} (<b>be</b>) born in 1963 in Mobile, Alabama.
She <b>2)</b> {#2} (<b>grow</b>) up in a family of a
civilian driver at nearby Air Force bases and a nurse of a local
hospital. </p>

<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: left;">Since her young age her
father <b>3)</b> {#3} (<b>take</b>) her to the air bases to see planes
and other military aircrafts. During her teenage years, Collins<b> 4) </b>{#4}
(<b>begin</b>) to grow more curious about the way things worked and more
ambitious in her experimentation – sometimes detrimental to her family. “Once I
<b>5</b><b>)</b> {#5} (<b>tear</b>) up all my old dolls and some of my young
brother’s toy cars to see closer how they <b>6</b><b>)</b><b> </b>{#6} (<b>be</b>) made. Another
time I <b>7)</b> {#7} (<b>nearly </b>/ <b>burn</b>) our kitchen when I <b>8</b><b>)</b> {#8} (<b>attempt</b>)
to cook up rocket fuel in one of my mother’s saucepans and the<em> </em>concoction <b>9</b><b>)</b><b> </b>{#9} (<b>explode</b>). I was a disastrous child.” – laughs she. At high school Collins <b>10)</b> {#10} (<b>like</b>) natural sciences and physical education and <b>11) </b>{#11}<b> </b>(<b>be</b>) involved in different activities. After classes she <b>12) </b>{#12} (<b>attend</b>) a biology club and <b>13) </b>{#13}
(<b>be</b>) a player of the school girls’
basketball team.&nbsp; She <b>14) </b>{#14} (<b>graduate</b>) from Rice
 University, receiving a
Bachelor of Science in Biology/Chemistry in 1984 and obtaining a Ph.D. in
Biochemistry later in 1988. Since then she <b>15) </b>{#15} (<b>make</b>) a great career.
</p>

<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: left;">At the beginning of her
career Collins <b>16)</b> {#16} (<b>join</b>)<em> </em>the Cell and Molecular
Research Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space
Center in Houston and <b>17) </b>{#17} (<b>work</b>) in various
biochemistry and medical science research positions for the next decade, ending
up as a director of the lab. “She <b>18) </b>{#18} (<b>gain</b>) a lot of
experience and practical knowledge in the field since she <b>19) </b>{#19} (<b>start</b>) in our
lab. And we are very happy to see her in a leading position.” – her colleagues
point out. </p>

<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: left;">In May 1999, Collins <b>20) </b>{#20} (<b>be</b>) selected as an Astronaut Candidate. After completing years of
rigorous space-flight training, she <b>21) </b>{#21}
(<b>become</b>) a part of the Expedition 6
crew and <b>22) </b>{#22} (<b>travel</b>) into space for the first time
on July 10, 2005 aboard the shuttle Endeavour as a flight engineer. &nbsp;She <b>23)</b> {#23} (<b>already</b> / <b>take</b>) part in four NASA space missions.
She <b>24) </b>{#24} (<b>spend</b>) most of her space time
conducting experiments in microgravity and human life sciences. Since she <b>25)</b> {#25} (<b>turn</b>) into an astronaut, she <b>26) </b>{#26} (<b>set</b>) a number of
records. On Genesis 14 she <b>27) </b>{#27} (<b>become</b>) the oldest woman spacewalker
(at the age of 48), and on May 2, 2017, she <b>28) </b>{#28} (<b>set</b>) a record of
the longest time ever spent in space by any NASA astronaut, surpassing
astronaut Tom Williams’ previous record of 590 days. Also Collins <b>29)</b> {#29} (<b>receive</b>) numerous awards for her accomplishments.&nbsp; The most <span lang="LT">notable are </span>the NASA Sustained Superior Performance Award (1996) and
the NASA Space Flight Medal (2015). However, despite all her successes she
stays humble, “I don't think about the records themselves too much as my
achievements <b>30) </b>{#30} (<b>be</b>) made thanks to all incredible people
that I <b>31)</b> {#31} (<b>meet</b>) in my life and who <b>32) </b>{#32} (<b>make</b>) it possible.”<span lang="LT"></span></p>

<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: left;">Collins is a phenomenal role
model for young women, and all people, who are exploring or participating in education
programs and careers. She is one among many full potential women that
significantly contribute to our society. “It <b>33) </b>{#33} (<b>be</b>) a
long ride for me, but I <b>34) </b>{#34} (<b>still</b> / <b>not</b> / <b>fulfill</b>) some of my goals.” - says Collins, “I <b>35) </b>{#35} (<b>always</b>
/ <b>want</b>) to do some research
underwater.” To do so she is planning to get on a NEEM (NASA Extreme
Environment Mission) to live and work at the&nbsp;Aquarius&nbsp;underwater
laboratory for two weeks. </p><p></p><p align="center"><br></p><p align="center"><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/" target="_blank">Content licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-4.0)</a><br></p><p></p>