When Dragons Swallowed the Sun

Based on the story the authors include in the introduction, which pair of words could be used to describe how people in ancient China felt about solar eclipses?

• alarmed and afraid

• content and thankful

• inspired and excited

• bored and uninterested

What is the central idea of the section “Blocking the Sun’s Light”?

• Earth orbits the sun at a shockingly high speed.

• The darkness in 2134 B.C. was not caused by a dragon, but by a solar eclipse.

• The moon orbits Earth.

• Eclipses can affect animal behavior.

The authors explain that solar eclipses happen when Earth, the sun, and the moon align. Align most closely means ___________.

• to become invisible

• to be in or come into a straight line

• to slow down

• to move quickly

When speaking of the eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024, the authors write, “It will be 20 years before another total solar eclipse is visible from the U.S.” This line supports the idea that solar eclipses ___________.

• capture the attention of people young and old

• are better understood today than they once were

• are dangerous to observe

• are rare experiences

Today people feel ________ about solar eclipses. (Choose TWO.)

• panicked

• curious

• confused

• fascinated

The main purpose of the article is to ___________. 

• compare and contrast the beliefs of various ancient civilizations

• illustrate the path the moon follows as it revolves around Earth

• describe the challenges that can arise when studying the sun’s corona

• describe how human understanding of solar eclipses has changed over time

What becomes visible during a total solar eclipse that is normally not seen?

• The Sun's corona

• The Sun's core

• Stars in the daytime

• The Moon's surface