Comet Wild
What is the name of the scientist who discovered the comet Wild 2?
Paul Wild
What is the name of the spacecraft that studied Wild 2?
Stardust
Which of the following is the prepositional phrase in this sentence: "Kelly, my coworker and sister-in-law, walks up the road with her sisters."?
- a) coworker and sister-in-law
- b) walks up the road
- c) up the road
- d) with her sisters
c) up the road
Who is Homan Walsh and why is he important to the story "A Kite Called Union"?
He is a young boy who helps in flying the kite that will span the Great Gorge, enabling the bridge construction.
What does the word "suspended" mean as it is used in the phrase "it hangs in the air"?
To be held up or suspended in mid-air.
Why was Wild 2 a surprising discovery for scientists?
It was a rigid surface with cliffs and peaks, unlike the expected fluffy ball.
What was the primary reason Wild 2's particles were able to be collected by Stardust?
The spacecraft traveled at a low speed, which allowed the particles to be collected.
Which sentence is the best revision of this one?
"Before taking lunch, the conflict was resolved."
- a) Before taking lunch, I resolved the conflict.
- b) Taking lunch, the conflict was resolved.
- c) Resolving the conflict, before I took lunch.
- d) The conflict was resolved, since I had not eaten
a) Before taking lunch, I resolved the conflict.
Why did Homan's father become silent when he heard about his son’s role in flying the kite?
He realizes the importance of the task and the weight of his responsibility.
What does the word "gorge" mean in the context of the story?
A narrow valley between hills or mountains, often with steep sides.
How does Wild 2’s surface differ from what scientists initially expected?
The surface is rigid, with cliffs and peaks.
What did scientists discover about Wild 2's surface after studying it closely?
The surface had cliffs, peaks, and craters, contrary to the expected soft, fluffy surface.
Which sentence from the summary of "A Wild Comet Like No Other" should be replaced?
- a) Sentence 1
- b) Sentence 2
- c) Sentence 3
- d) Sentence 4
Sentence 1
What is the significance of the Great Gorge in the story?
The Great Gorge is where the bridge must be built and where Homan flies the kite.
What does the word "dramatically" mean in the context of Mr. Ellet’s speech?
In a way that is exciting or with emphasis.
What significant event allowed NASA’s Stardust spacecraft to study Wild 2?
Stardust flew 147 miles from the comet on January 2, 2004.
How fast was the Stardust spacecraft traveling when it flew by Wild 2?
13,600 miles per hour
What is the prepositional phrase in the following sentence: "Oscar Fisk said he had a cheaper and simpler idea."?
- a) said he had
- b) had a cheaper and simpler idea
- c) a cheaper and simpler idea
What is the prepositional phrase in the following sentence: "Oscar Fisk said he had a cheaper and simpler idea."?
- a) said he had
- b) had a cheaper and simpler idea
- c) a cheaper and simpler idea
- d) none of the above
d) none of the above
How does the setting of Niagara Falls contribute to the plot of "A Kite Called Union"?
The setting makes the construction of a bridge seem impossible, setting the stage for innovation.
What is the meaning of "flushed with anger" as used in "Homan Walsh felt his face flush with anger
Became red or hot from anger.
Given that Wild 2 has only made five trips around the sun and still contains much of its original dust and gases, how might studying Wild 2 provide unique insights into the early solar system, and why is it considered an important object for scientific research?
Studying Wild 2 is important because it has kept much of its original material, unlike other comets that have changed over time. With only five trips around the sun, it's like a "time capsule" from the early solar system. By analyzing its dust and gases, scientists can learn about the conditions when the solar system was forming and gain insights into how planets and moons evolved.
How did NASA’s Stardust spacecraft help scientists learn more about the comet Wild 2, and why was flying by the comet at a slow speed important?
NASA’s Stardust spacecraft helped scientists learn more about Wild 2 by flying close to the comet and collecting dust particles. Flying at a slow speed (13,600 miles per hour) was important because it allowed the spacecraft to capture the particles without them blowing past the collectors, so the scientists could bring them back to Earth for study.
In the sentence “The samples are being studied at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas,” how does the passive voice affect the focus of the sentence? What would be the effect of changing this sentence to active voice, and how would it change the emphasis?
It makes the action feel not important and puts focus on the action happening.
Active: Scientists and researchers are studying samples. This puts focus on who is doing the action.
How does the setting of Niagara Falls and the Great Gorge affect Homan Walsh’s actions in "A Kite Called Union"? What would be different if the story took place in a safer, less dramatic location?
The setting of Niagara Falls and the Great Gorge makes Homan Walsh’s task much harder and more dangerous, which pushes him to think of a creative solution, like using a kite. The danger of the gorge adds excitement and makes Homan's actions seem more important. If the story took place in a safer location, Homan might not have needed to come up with such a creative idea, and the story might not have been as dramatic or challenging.
In the passage about Wild 2, the author uses the phrase "plunging pits and craters" to describe features on the comet's surface. How does the word "plunging" affect your interpretation of the craters, and what might this suggest about the geological activity or history of the comet?
The word "plunging" suggests that the craters on Wild 2 are deep and dramatic, not just small, shallow holes. It makes you think of something falling quickly and forcefully. This choice of word helps us understand that the craters are important and might have been caused by strong impacts or events that shaped the surface of the comet. By using "plunging," the author suggests that Wild 2 has gone through major changes over time, like collisions with other objects. This gives the comet a more active history, rather than just being a quiet, unchanging object in space.