Whose Mountain Is It, Anyway?

Where is the world's largest telescope located?

• Grand Canyon

• Waimea, Hawaii

• Honolulu, Hawaii

• Scottsdale, Hawaii

In what way does the Article contrast developers of the Thirty Meter Telescope with Native Hawaiian activists?

• Developers believe that the money paid to lease the land on Mauna Kea makes up for the disturbance caused by construction crews, but activists feel that the vibrations caused by trucks and construction will cause the volcano to erupt.

• Developers want the observatory to be situated on Mauna Kea because it is ideal for viewing the cosmos, but activists are opposed to the location because Mauna Kea has important cultural and natural features.

• Developers say that the permafrost on Mauna Kea will be the ideal base for the largest telescope in the world, but activists say that the permafrost has existed since the Ice Age and should not be disturbed.

• Developers argue that replacing the university's 13 telescopes with the TMT proves that they are being ecologically mindful, but activists are concerned that special archaeological features in the area will be harmed or even destroyed.

What is this Article mainly about?

• Most telescopes collect light using a mirror, and a larger mirror allows astronomers to gather images farther into space and time.

• The Kanaka Maoli have a plan to make their way to Mauna Kea if they see trucks going up the mountainside.

• Though the Thirty Meter Telescope could provide information about the universe, many Native Hawaiians are opposed to its construction on Mauna Kea for cultural and ecological reasons.

• Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano that is located above about 40 percent of the Earth's atmosphere, making it a great location for the 13 telescopes currently stationed there.

Which of these is a statement of opinion?

• Mauna Kea is located above approximately 40 percent of the Earth's atmosphere and has a stable climate.

• In 1968, the Hawaiian government began leasing more than 111,000 acres of Mauna Kea to the University of Hawaii for $1 per year.

• The TMT developers prepared an environmental impact statement in an attempt to show that their plans are ecologically conscious.

• Protecting land that has cultural significance is more important than making advancements in science.

Which is the closest antonym for the word desecration, as it is used in the Article?

• Regularity

• Peculiarity

• Insult

• Honor

Based on information in the Article, which of these happened first?

• The Hawaiian government began leasing land on Mauna Kea to the University of Hawaii.

• The Hawaiian Supreme Court ruled in favor of the TMT developers.

• The Kanaka Maoli held their first protest against the development of the TMT.

• The Kanaka Maoli issued a warning that they would go to the mountain if trucks arrived.

The reader can infer from the Article that __________.

• The Kanaka Maoli were satisfied with the Hawaiian Supreme Court's 2018 ruling about the TMT observatory project.

• If the Thirty Meter Telescope could be built without trucks going up the mountain, Native Hawaiians would be in favor of the project.

• The Kanaka Maoli allow their children to visit the summit of Mauna Kea only when they need to study astronomy at one of the university's telescopes.

• Scientists and other researchers have done surveys on Mauna Kea to learn about the mountain's ecology.

The Article states:

With its amazing capabilities, the TMT will greatly expand astronomers' understanding of how stars and planets are formed. It will also shed light upon mysteries like black holes and locate lifeforms on exoplanets if any exist. What's more, its images will be more than 12 times sharper than the ones the Hubble Space Telescope transmits from space.

Which would be the closest synonym for the word transmits, as it is used above?

• Suspends

• Refines

• Blocks

• Delivers

Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that a lot of thought went into choosing the location for the Thirty Meter Telescope?

• Apart from its spiritual significance, Mauna Kea is an ecological wonderland. Its permafrost existed in the Ice Age and is essential to the region's water supply.

• Mauna Kea is one of the most revered places for the Kanaka Maoli. They believe its summit is home to the gods of their culture. Its terrain is dotted with shrines and burial grounds.

• All that stands in the way between the TMT and the mountain is the Kanaka Maoli. And these Native Hawaiians have important reasons.

• The developers of the TMT spent five years searching the globe for the ideal site to build the observatory.