After the obligatory planting of the American flag and some geological sampling, Conrad and Bean made their way to Surveyor 3. They observed that the probe had bounced after touchdown and carefully photographed the impressions made by its footpads. The whole spacecraft was covered in dust, perhaps kicked up by the landing.
The astronaut-archaeologists carefully removed the probes television camera, remote sampling arm. and pieces of tubing. They bagged and labelled these artefacts, and stowed them on board their lunar module. On their return to Earth, they passed them on to the Daveson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Hughes Air and Space Corporation in bl Segundo, California. There, scientists analyzed the changes in these aerospace artefacts.
One result of the analysis astonished them. A fragment of the television camera revealed evidence of the bacteria Streptococcus mitis. I or a moment it was thought Conrad and Bean had discovered evidence for life on the Moon, but after further research the real explanation became apparent. While the camera was being installed in the probe prior to the launch, someone sneezed on it. The resulting bacteria had travelled to the Moon, remained in an alternating freezing.' boiling vacuum for more than two years, and returned promptly to life upon reaching the safety of a laboratory back on Earth.
The finding that not even the vastness of space can stop humans from spreading a sore throat was an unexpected spin-off. Rut the artefacts brought back by Rean and Conrad have a broader significance. Simple as they may seem, they provide the first example of extraterrestrial archaeology and perhaps more significant for the history of the discipline formational archaeology, the study of environmental and cultural forces upon the life history of human artefacts in space.
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Question Focus: The diagram describes how bacteria first got onto the camera before launch. We need the human action that caused it.
Correct Answer: C
Why this is correct: The diagram shows the moment before launch when the bacteria got onto the camera. The passage clearly says someone sneezed on the camera, which explains how the bacteria were transferred.
Passage Reference: While the camera was being installed in the probe prior to the launch, someone sneezed on it.
Common Mistake: Some students choose discovered because discovery is mentioned later. But this blank is about how the bacteria arrived, not when they were found. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'someone sneezed on it' = Diagram: 'bacteria got onto the camera when someone ___'
Tips: For each diagram step, ask yourself: is this before launch, on the Moon, or back on Earth?
Key Vocabulary:
- installed = put in place
- probe = space machine
Question Focus: The diagram shows how long the bacteria survived in space. We need the number of years.
Correct Answer: G
Passage Reference: The resulting bacteria had travelled to the Moon, remained in an alternating freezing.' boiling vacuum for more than two years,
Why this is correct: The diagram asks for the length of time the bacteria survived. The passage says they remained in space for more than two years, so the correct label is two.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes choose three because they think 'more than two' means three. But the passage never says three. This is a Not Given trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'more than two years' = Diagram: 'for ___ years'
Tips: With numbers, only choose what is clearly stated. Do not guess or round up.
Key Vocabulary:
- remained = stayed
- vacuum = empty space
Question Focus: The diagram shows what the astronauts did to the probe parts on the Moon.
Correct Answer: I
Passage Reference: The astronaut-archaeologists carefully removed the probes television camera, remote sampling arm. and pieces of tubing.
Why this is correct: The diagram sentence describes the action taken with the camera and other parts. The passage clearly states they removed these items from the probe.
Common Mistake: Some students choose discovered because the astronauts found the probe. But the sentence is about taking parts away, not finding them. This is a Paraphrase trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'carefully removed the probes television camera' = Diagram: 'the astronauts ___ parts of the probe'
Tips: Check the verb carefully. Ask: is it about finding, taking, or studying?
Key Vocabulary:
- artefacts = objects
- stowed = stored
Question Focus: The diagram shows what scientists did with the artefacts after they returned to Earth.
Correct Answer: D
Passage Reference: There, scientists analyzed the changes in these aerospace artefacts.
Why this is correct: The diagram step is about what happened in the laboratories. The passage says scientists analyzed the artefacts, which matches analysis.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes choose discovered because results are mentioned later. But discovery comes after analysis. This is a Time/tense trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'scientists analyzed the changes' = Diagram: 'scientists carried out ___'
Tips: In process diagrams, follow the order exactly. Do not jump to later results.
Key Vocabulary:
- analyze = study closely
- changes = differences
Question Focus: The diagram shows what happened to the bacteria when they returned to Earth.
Correct Answer: F
Passage Reference: and returned promptly to life upon reaching the safety of a laboratory back on Earth.
Why this is correct: The diagram describes the final result for the bacteria. The passage clearly states they returned promptly to life once back on Earth, so the answer is life.
Common Mistake: Some students choose back because Earth is mentioned. But the blank is about the bacteria's condition, not the location. This is a Context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'returned promptly to life' = Diagram: 'the bacteria returned to ___'
Tips: Look at what the blank describes. Is it a place, an action, or a result?
Key Vocabulary:
- promptly = quickly
- laboratory = science room
General Tips:
- Diagram labels usually follow the passage order. Read from the first paragraph to the last.
- Always match the meaning, not just the same word form. Verbs often change into nouns.
- Numbers and time expressions are common traps. Only use what is clearly written.
- Cross out each option after you use it so you do not reuse the same word.
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