About their problems. They try to find answers for their problems together. For example

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powers to find out minute variations in stars’ motions caused by orbiting planets.

In addition, a programme called the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) will concentrate on studying radio waves from stars which may have life-supporting planets.

Today, many scientists believe that by the end of the century we may have an accurate answer to the fundamental question: are we alone?

*companion: anything that forms a pair with another thing.

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NICE NOT EASY
Alison Bray takes a spot of French leave.
Every year thousands of girls from all over the world drop everything in their home country to become au pairs abroad.

A need to improve language skills, discover other cultures, or simply find some independence are the most common reasons, but most have little idea of what is waiting for them.

When I landed in Nice last February, I was as green as the England I left behind. I was to work for a family in the "Nouveau Riche" mould just outside Nice and my contract stipulated caring for the children and "petite aide menagere" (light housework).

I found, in fact, all the housework in the large villa was my responsibility.

A typical morning's work would involve washing and dressing the five-, seven- and nine-year-old children, preparing them for school, washing up the breakfast things, making the beds (to army standards), tidying their rooms and play rooms, cleaning and making the fire, vacuuming and washing either the upstairs or downstairs floor surfaces, polishing ornaments and all wood, cleaning the toilets and bathrooms, taking out and feeding the dog, setting the table and preparing part of the lunch.

The chores steadily mounted each week, so I was usually working from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. with a two-hour break after lunch, six days a week, for £140 a month.

Despite Mme. H. agreeing on my contract: that I would have "une vie de famille," I could not eat without her permission (she even locked