Vocabulary Quiz on Space Exploration

What is the meaning of the term "Kuiper Belt" as used in the passage?

• A ring of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter

• A region beyond Neptune with many icy objects

• A group of stars in a distant galaxy

• A belt of debris around the sun

What does the term "astronomer" mean in the context of the passage?

• A person who studies the stars and planets

• A person who builds telescopes

• A person who travels to space

• A person who predicts the weather

What does the word "discovered" mean in the context of the passage?

• Invented

• Observed for the first time

• Created

• Lost

The term "dwarf planets" refers to objects that:

• Are smaller than moons

• Meet the first two criteria of a planet but not the third

• Do not orbit the sun

• Are found only in the Kuiper Belt

In the passage, "messy orbit" most likely means:

• An orbit with lots of twists and turns

• An orbit that overlaps with other objects and debris

• An orbit that is very large

• An orbit that is too small to notice

What does the word "orbiting" most closely mean in the context of the passage?

• Rotating

• Traveling around

• Shining

• Stationary near

What does the word "criteria" refer to in the context of the passage?

• Opinions

• Rules or standards

• Suggestions

• Examples

What is meant by "mass" in the phrase "enough mass to pull itself into a roundish shape"?

• Speed

• Size or weight

• Distance

• Temperature