Part A and Part B Reading Questions

As used in paragraph 11 of “A Big Surprise from the Edge of the Solar System,” which meaning of the word acute best applies? RST.9-10.1, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.1

• A. clear

• B. dire

• C. crucial

• D. intense

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A, then answer Part B.

Part A: Read the caption under Figure 2 in the text. What is the meaning of the word orthodox as used in the caption? RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.1

• A. official

• B. legitimate

• C. conservative

• D. traditional

Part B: Which word in the caption under Figure 2 provides the strongest clue to the meaning of the word orthodox? RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.1

• A. old

• B. views

• C. models

• D. mix

What is the relationship between the terms magnetic reconnection and magnetic bubbles as they are used in the article? RST.9-10.5, RI.9-10.1

• A. Magnetic reconnection is what allows magnetic bubbles to create solar flares.

• B. Magnetic reconnection is what causes the magnetic bubbles to form.

• C. Magnetic reconnection occurs when magnetic bubbles rejoin the sun.

• D. Magnetic reconnection is what solar flares use to create magnetic bubbles.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A, then answer Part B.

Part A: Why does the author provide an explanation of the graceful-arc theory of the sun’s magnetic field? RST.9-10.6, RST.9-10.1, RI.9-10.6, RI.9-10.1

• A. to establish the idea that current data from Voyager probes seems to contradict previously held theories

• B. to show what the Voyager is attempting to find as it reaches the outer edge of the Sun’s magnetic field

• C. to demonstrate the relationship between the Sun’s magnetic field and the rate at which Voyager can send information back to Earth

• D. to introduce the beliefs about our solar system that the Voyager mission was designed to disprove

Part B: How does this explanation contribute to the author’s purpose in the article? RST.9-10.6, RST.9-10.1, RI.9-10.6, RI.9-10.1

• A. It gives an example that explains one of the Voyager’s primary goals.

• B. It provides support for the idea that scientific theories change as new information becomes available.

• C. It provides support for the claim that the Voyager is NASA’s primary tool for making discoveries in space.

• D. It gives an example of one way that scientists can learn new things from old experiments.

In the article, the author reveals Opher’s claim that “The magnetic bubbles appear to be our first line of defense against cosmic rays . . .” Choose a sentence from the article that help to develop this claim. RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.1

• A. “When a magnetic field gets severely folded like this, interesting things can happen.”

• B. “The crowded folds of the skirt reorganize themselves, sometimes explosively, into foamy magnetic bubbles.”

• C. “The actual bubbles appear to be self-contained and substantially disconnected from the broader solar magnetic field.”

• D. “When these microscopic cannonballs try to enter the solar system, they have to fight through the sun’s magnetic field to reach the inner planets.”

Which excerpt from the video best demonstrates the central idea? RST.9-10.2, RST.9-10.1

• A. “The two Voyager spacecraft have been travelling away from earth for more than thirty-three years, and they are finally in the outer edge of the solar system.” (0:14-0:20)

• B. “The sun’s magnetic field spins on opposite directions on the North and South Poles, creating a sheet where the two spins meet.” (0:46-0:52)

• C. “The smooth, streamlined look is gone, replaced with a bubbly, frothy outer layer.” (1:20-1:23)

• D. “When they arrive at the bubble region, they slowly move from bubble to bubble until they can reach smooth magnetic field lines, and follow them toward the sun.” (1:31-1:38)

This item has two parts. Answer Part A and then answer Part B.

Part A: Why does the author of the article compare cosmic rays to cannonballs? RST.9-10.7, RST.9-10.6, RST.9-10.1, SL.9-10.3

• A. to clarify the role dangerous cosmic rays play in space

• B. to explain the technical topic of cosmic rays using a familiar object

• C. to illustrate the explosive nature of the process of forming cosmic rays

• D. to describe the shape and trajectory of cosmic rays

Part B: Which excerpt from the video demonstrates a technique similar to the answer to Part A? RST.9-10.7, RST.9-10.6, RST.9-10.1, SL.9-10.3

• A. “As the solar wind travels out from the sun, it pushes against the galactic medium and abruptly slows down.” (0:29 – 0:33)

• B. “This sheet gently ripples as it travels outward, and the ripples get bigger as they go.” (0:53 – 0:57)

• C. “When this sheet reaches the termination shock, it starts to compress, like water hitting a wall.” (0:59 – 1:04)

• D. “This new layer also changes our understanding of how extremely fast-moving particles, called cosmic rays, enter our solar system.” (1:24 – 1:31)