Enter Title

MC

100

To which planet do scientists compare Kepler-10b?

1. Earth 
2. Jupiter 
3. Neptune 
4. Mars 

Earth

200

The Kepler space telescope was launched on March 7, 2009. What is an effect of this occurrence? 

1. Johannes Kepler has recently been interviewed by several television stations. 
2. Earth’s twin has been located revolving around a star in the Milky Way. 
3. Astronauts are traveling to several super-Neptunes to conduct research. 
4. Scientists have discovered hundreds of exoplanets in the Milky Way.

Scientists have discovered hundreds of exoplanets in the Milky Way.

300

What can you conclude after reading the passage? 

1. Many astronomers agree that exoplanets aren’t worth studying. 
2. In the near future, astronauts will be able to visit Kepler-10b. 
3. Most exoplanets have oxygen, water, and carbon dioxide. 
4. Scientists will continue to search for Earth-like exoplanets.

Scientists will continue to search for Earth-like exoplanets.

400

5. The primary purpose of this passage is 

1. to describe the mission of the Kepler space telescope 
2. to explain why so many different types of exoplanets exist 
3. to list the features of stars in the Goldilocks zone 
4. to discuss NASA’s plans for the future of astronomy

to describe the mission of the Kepler space telescope

Vocab

100

Read this sentence from the passage:

“For years, astronomers have speculated that the sun is not the only star with planets circling it.”

In this sentence, the word speculated means 

1. competed with members in the same group 
2. persuaded others to believe false information 
3. formed a belief without hard evidence 
4. stopped a mission that was unsuccessful

formed a belief without hard evidence

200

What does construct mean? What is a synonym?

to put together by assembling component parts; build. 

300

What does compose mean? What is a synonym?

to form or combine into a whole. write, create

400

What does originate mean? What is a synonym?

to arise or come into being; arise, begin, start, stem 

OE

100

What are exoplanets? 

Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars other than our sun. [paragraph 2]

200

The author writes that Kepler-10b is “unlikely to support life because it is 60 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun.” Why might the author draw this conclusion?

The sun, which is a star, is a ball of extremely hot gas. If Kepler-10b is 60 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun, it would likely be much too hot for life to exist. [paragraph under subhead “Kepler-10b”]