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Practice Reading: Multiple Choice, Single Answer ID: #34766 NASA's Curiosity
Instructions ›
Read the text and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.
Four Earth-years ago, NASA’s Curiosity rover successfully touched ground on Mars’ dusty surface, after surviving a nail-biting descent through the red planet’s thin atmosphere. Since its triumphant arrival, the car-size “laboratory on wheels” has travelled more than 13.5 kilometres, taking pictures, collecting samples, and analysing rocks along the way. Recent software upgrades even let Curiosity autonomously choose which rocks it examines – and shoots with laser beams.
Curiosity has spent more than 1,421 sols, or Martian days, exploring Gale Crater, a low-lying region that may have held past life, if it existed. While the rover has yet to confirm whether Mars once hosted living things, it has found evidence of an ancient freshwater lake in the sediments of Yellowknife Bay, the lowest point of the crater, offering tantalizing insight into the planet’s past habitability. Since September 2014, Curiosity has been examining Mount Sharp, a mountain of layered rocks towering more than five kilometres high in the middle of Gale Crater.

Choose the correct sentence that best summarizes the text.

* Click on the correct answer

Result:

AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Option 2: "Over the last four years, NASA’s rover, Curiosity has collected samples and taken photographs of Mars’ surface which have revealed evidence of water but has not confirmed evidence of life."

Explanation: This option accurately summarizes the main points of the text. It states that Curiosity has collected samples and taken photographs, which aligns with the text's details about its activities. Furthermore, it correctly notes that while evidence of an ancient freshwater lake has been found, there is no confirmation of past life, reflecting the text's emphasis on the rover's findings.

Option 1: "NASA’s rover, Curiosity has had recent software upgrades that have let it explore new areas of Mars looking for evidence of life."

Explanation: This option incorrectly states that Curiosity has explored new areas looking for evidence of life. The text mentions that Curiosity has had software upgrades allowing it to choose which rocks to examine, but it does not indicate that it has explored new areas specifically for life. Therefore, this option misrepresents the rover's activities.

Option 3: "NASA’s rover, Curiosity has had recent software upgrades that have let it explore new areas of Mars looking for evidence of life."

Explanation: This option is identical to Option 1 and suffers from the same issues. It incorrectly suggests that Curiosity has explored new areas for evidence of life, which is not supported by the text. The rover's upgrades allowed it to choose rocks to examine, not to explore new areas.

Option 4: "Photographs of Mars’ surface have not revealed evidence of water but have confirmed evidence of life."

Explanation: This option contradicts the text. The text states that Curiosity has found evidence of an ancient freshwater lake, which implies evidence of water. Additionally, it clearly states that there is no confirmation of life, making this option factually incorrect.

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