Choose the correct form of the verb in brackets: the gerund (-ing form) or the to-infinitive.
Need help? See the gerunds and to-infinitives guide.
The signal from nowhere
The research ship Aurora was travelling between two distant planets when its crew received a weak radio signal from an abandoned station. Captain Reyes decided (investigate) rather than continue on course. The engineer first tried (restart) the receiver to see whether the signal was simply a technical error, but it returned immediately.
The crew agreed (keep) (listen) while the ship approached the station. Reyes ordered the pilot (hold) their position several kilometres away. (ignore) an unexplained distress signal seemed too risky, but nobody knew who, or what, had sent it. The transmission appeared (be) more than fifty years old. One scientist suggested (send) a reply before they went any closer. They were prepared (wait) for a response, so Reyes opened a channel (reply) . A few seconds later, the station answered.
