Goldilocks and Life on Other Planets

Read these sentences from the article.

A team of NASA scientists monitored data from the Kepler spacecraft, with its unblinking eye on the sky, for almost ten years. The astronomical telescope observed, from a fixed position, more than 100,000 sun-like stars at the same time.

The word “fixed” in this sentence most closely means

• influenced

• mended

• ready

• stationary

Which sentence from the text best shows the author’s intent to describe the type of information the Kepler mission is gathering?

• “The astronomical telescope observed, from a fixed position, more than 100,000 sun-like stars at the same time.”

• “Some of this data includes the period of a planet’s orbit around its star, the mass of the star, the size of the star, the size of the planet. . . .”

• “Interpreting data from transits provides a limited amount of information, however.”

• “For example, the mass and density of the planets cannot be determined until scientists conduct

  further research. . . .”

How does the information in the fourth paragraph help to develop the article?

• It explains what scientists hope to learn about Kepler-22b.

• It provides a comparison between Kepler-22b and Earth.

• It emphasizes events that led to the discovery of Kepler-22b.

• It identifies challenges in researching Kepler-22b from Earth.

Read this sentence from the article.

Imagine humanlike creatures who can communicate with each other, build cities, care for families, and make discoveries—beings who are as curious about us as we are about them.

Why does the author most likely include this sentence in the article?

• to challenge a common opinion about life on other planets

• to highlight the impossibility of finding life on other planets

• to describe how many people think of life on other planets

• to suggest why people are interested in life on other planets

With which statement would the author of this article most likely agree?

• NASA scientists should focus on interpreting the data they have collected about newly discovered

  planets.

• NASA scientists should develop technology that can determine whether life is present in habitable zones.

• NASA scientists should conduct more research on the conditions that are suitable for life on other

  planets.

• NASA scientists should consider classifying more planets in the solar system as part of the habitable

  zone of the sun.

Which statement best describes how the illustration contributes to the content of

the article?

• It depicts what a habitable zone is.

• It shows how the Kepler spacecraft worked.

• It maps the exact location of planet Kepler-22b.

• It illustrates the data the Kepler mission has produced

What does the word “particular” mean in this sentence from paragraph 1 of the passage?

In the story, a very particular little girl slips into an empty house looking for the perfect bowl of porridge.

• specific

• unusual

• special

• choosy

Which phrase from paragraph 1 of the passage best helps the reader understand the meaning of “particular”?

• “neither too hot nor too cold”

• “focus is on planets”

• “regions in the space around a star”

• “planets located in these zones”