Neil DeGrasse Tyson on the Future

According to “Neil deGrasse Tyson on the Future of U.S. Space Exploration After Curiosity,” why will a private company never build the first colony on Mars?

• Private companies do not have the technological expertise.
  
• Private companies do not have the technological expertise.
  
• The U.S. government will not permit private companies to build colonies.
  
• Since building a colony will not be profitable, private companies will not make the effort.

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CCSS.RI.6.8

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.7.8

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

Which of the following situations best describes a capitalistic society?

• Businesses are privately owned and compete with one another for customers.
  
• The government owns all businesses and decides what products to produce.
  
• People get all they need by hunting, fishing, and growing a few plants in small gardens.
  
• The government tells business owners how much to charge for their goods.

In “Neil deGrasse Tyson on the Future of U.S. Space Exploration After Curiosity,” Tyson says of NASA, “It’s an investment, not a handout.” What does he mean?

• Investing money in NASA projects may advance human knowledge, but it has few practical benefits.
  
• Investing money in NASA projects will encourage innovation, which in turn will fuel a growing economy.
  
• Investing money in NASA projects is like giving money to any cause, but nothing should be expected in return.
  
• Investing money in NASA projects will support space travel, which will make people forget their daily concerns.

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CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

According to Tyson, why is it important for people to experience something so vividly that they will always remember where they were when the event occurred?
Read this passage from “Neil deGrasse Tyson on the Future of U.S. Space Exploration After Curiosity.”
I have the benefit of being able to say I know where I was when Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. You don’t have it. You don’t have that moment.We have bred multiple generations of people who have not experienced knowing where you are the moment a news story broke, with that news story being great and grand and something that elevates society instead of diminishes it.

• The memory will inspire them to believe in innovation and where it can lead.
  
• As individuals, they will no longer have to worry about not achieving great things.
  
• The experience will help them feel proud that their government is the world's leader in technology.
• If nothing else important occurs in their lives, people will at least have that memory.
  

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CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

Neil deGrasse Tyson claims that "The people who say that all we need is private space travel are simply delusional" (1). Which definition below best fits this usage of the word delusional.

• having ideas that are logical and reality-based

• having beliefs or ideas that are not based in reality

• gullible and believing everything they are told

• spiteful or cruel hearted

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CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4