7th Grade ELA – Post-test Assessment 4 – Redo

1. Question

Part A

What does the word innovations mean as it is used in paragraph 3?

A. Devices
B. Missions
C. Attempts
D. Advancements

2. Question

Part B

Which two phrases from paragraph 3 help the reader understand the meaning of innovations?

A. “. . . will land near the foot of a mountain taller than Pike’s Peak . . .”
B. “. . . slows the rover’s descent toward Mars . . .”
C. “. . . will lower the rover on a tether . . .”
D. “. . . during the final moments before landing.”
E. “. . . allows landing a very large, heavy rover on Mars . . .”
F. “. . . enable a landing within a smaller target area . . .”

3. Question

Part A

Why did NASA most likely build a more advanced rover to explore Mars?

A. Curiosity would be able to navigate a more effective landing on Mars.
B. Curiosity would eliminate the need for future rover missions to Mars.
C. The older rovers had stopped transmitting information from Mars.
D. The older rovers’ solar batteries ran out of power on Mars.

4. Question

Part B

Which quotation from the article supports the answer to Part A?

A. “Mars Science Laboratory, aka Curiosity, is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term program of robotic exploration of the Red Planet.” (paragraph 1)
B. “Other innovations enable a landing within a smaller target area than previous Mars missions.” (paragraph 3)
C. “Other instruments include mast-mounted cameras to study targets from a distance . . . .” (paragraph 4)
D. “Each of Curiosity’s six wheels has an independent drive motor.” (paragraph 5)

5. Question

Part A

What is the author’s purpose for writing this article?

A. To inform readers of the possible hazards of the Mars Curiosity rover.
B. To persuade readers to continue funding the Mars Curiosity rover.
C. To describe the mission and functions of the Mars Curiosity rover.
D. To argue that the future of science is dependent on the mission of the Mars Curiosity rover.

6. Question

Part B

Which two sentences from the article help readers understand the author’s purpose?

A. “The goal of Curiosity, a rolling laboratory, is to assess whether Mars ever had an environment capable of supporting microbial life and conditions favorable for preserving clues about life, if it existed.” (paragraph 1)
B. “The Mini Cooper-sized rover is much bigger than its rover predecessors, Spirit, Opportunity and Sojourner.” (paragraph 2)
C. “Curiosity will land near the foot of a mountain taller than Pike’s Peak near the middle of Gale Crater, which is the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.” (paragraph 3)
D. “The landing system is similar to a sky crane heavy-lift helicopter.” (paragraph 3)
E. “After a parachute slows the rover’s descent toward Mars, a rocket-powered backpack will lower the rover on a tether during the final moments before landing.” (paragraph 3)
F. “Curiosity will use 10 science instruments to examine rocks, soil and the atmosphere.” (paragraph 4)

7. Question

Part A

Which statement expresses a central idea of the article?

A. Landing a rover on Mars requires years of preparation.
B. Sending a rover to Mars requires the teamwork of many scientists.
C. The Curiosity rover is being assisted by many rovers in the robotic exploration of Mars.
D. The Curiosity rover is more highly developed than previous rovers sent to explore Mars.

8. Question

Part B

How does the author develop the central idea over the course of the article?

A. By explaining what NASA learned from previous rover missions sent to Mars.
B. By outlining the steps Curiosity will follow in examining the surface of Mars.
C. By arguing that more money should be made available to fund future missions to Mars.
D. By describing the newer features of Curiosity and how they will benefit the Mars mission.

9. Question

Part A

How will NASA’s creation of the Mars Curiosity rover help with the study of possible life on Mars?

A. The rover will conduct experiments using advanced features.
B. The rover will provide information about how the Gale Crater was formed.
C. The rover will determine what type of equipment will be needed for future explorations.
D. The rover will examine why earlier robotic explorations were not as successful.

10. Question

Part B

Which sentence from the article supports the answer to Part A?

A. “This method allows landing a very large, heavy rover on Mars (instead of the airbag landing systems of previous Mars rovers).” (paragraph 3)
B. “A laser will vaporize patches of rock from a distance, and another instrument will search for organic compounds.” (paragraph 4)
C. “Each of Curiosity’s six wheels has an independent drive motor.” (paragraph 5)
D. “The two front and two rear wheels also have individual steering motors.” (paragraph 5)