Distant Worlds Could Be Stranger than Fiction

Which paragraph in the section "Earth Is Only Known Planet With Life" BEST explains why scientists believe life might be found in water on other planets?

• For many astronomers, the most important planet to study is Earth — the only known planet with life.  Life on Earth began in the ocean.

• “We need Earth climate science," said astrobiologist Nancy Kiang, a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. It helps us understand the possible climates and life of other planets," she says.

• As an astrobiologist, her job is to model the kind of plant life that might exist on planets around other stars — also known as exoplanets.

• We haven’t confirmed the existence of ocean worlds like the perpetually rainy Kamino in “Attack of the Clones,” or worlds with oceans, like the beachy Scarif from “Rogue One.” But we have found frozen ocean worlds in our solar system, in the moons Europa and Enceladus.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

Which piece of evidence from the article BEST explains why scientists compare the planet Kepler-16b to Tatooine from "Star Wars"?

• Officially called Kepler-16b, the Saturn-sized planet is about 200 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus.

• The reality of its two suns was so startling, George Lucas himself agreed to the astronomers’ nickname for the planet.

• Kepler-16b is probably too cold and gaseous to be home to life, but astronomers have discovered that about half of the stars in our Milky Way galaxy are pairs, rather than single stars like our sun.

• George Lucas has a fondness for desert planets, and at least one NASA scientist thinks he’s on the right track.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

What purpose does the article's introduction [paragraphs 1-4] serve in developing the article's MAIN idea?

• It explains "Star Wars" for readers who may be unfamiliar with the movie.

• It provides details about "Star Wars" that help readers picture images from the movie.

• It describes scientists' approach to understanding how planets are connected to "Star Wars."

• It sets up the comparison between the fictional planets in "Star Wars" and real planets.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

Why does the author include the section "NASA Scientists Are Looking For Life"?

• to explain why "Star Wars" is important to scientists

• to describe the next steps toward discovering life on other planets

• to emphasize the connection between life on other planets and "Star Wars"

• to make a prediction about how scientists will discover life on other planets

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5