Middletown High School



Grade 10 Unit 2- Argument Assessment Name________________________________________ Date__________________________ Directions: Read the following selections. Then answer the questions that follow. Note: This article was written and published before Pluto’s planetary status was taken away. War of the Worlds Mike Brown Last year, two colleagues and I announced that we had found an unknown body slightly larger than Pluto in the far reaches of our solar system. Since then, astronomical confusion has reigned on Earth and, depending on whom you ask, our solar system has 8, 9, 10 or, shockingly, 53 planets. Next week, the International Astronomical Union, which oversees astronomical rules and conventions, will vote on a strict definition of “planet.” The result of that vote is hard to predict, but soon, we’ll likely lose a planet we’ve gotten to know for the past 76 years, or gain at least one more. From a scientific point of view, the status of Pluto and the newly 10 discovered object—stuck with the cumbersome label 2003 UB313 until astronomers decide what it is—is easy to discern. If you were to look unemotionally at the hundreds of thousands of bodies orbiting the sun, only eight (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) would clearly distinguish themselves by their large sizes. The remaining objects, which are significantly smaller, are mostly either rocky bodies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter or icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt in the distant regions beyond Neptune. Of the more than 1,000 known objects in the Kuiper Belt, 2003 UB313 and Pluto are the largest and second largest. 20 So why is there any debate at all, if the scientific view is so clear? It all dates back to the discovery of Pluto in 1930. At the time, Pluto was thought to be considerably larger than it is now known to be, and the existence of the rest of the Kuiper Belt was unknown. No other reasonable category existed in which to place the object, so Pluto became the oddball planet at the edge of the solar system. Since then, Pluto has been very much a part of our mental map of the universe. You’ll find it on lunchboxes, postage stamps, NASA Web sites, and in the mnemonics that children learn to remember the planets. Pluto’s qualifications may be more cultural than scientific, but we’ve fully embraced it as a planet in 30 good standing. This is why astronomers who question Pluto’s status come across as bullies trying to kick everyone’s favorite cosmic underdog out of the club. And while they have a point—after all, it’s not a great idea to let cultural attachments dictate scientific categories—they’re missing an important part of the picture. Think of it this way. The term “planet” is similar to “continent.” The word helps us organize our world, but the division between continents and subcontinents is thoroughly arbitrary. Yet no union of geologists has tried to vote on a definition of “continent,” and no one is concerned that letting culture determine the difference between Australia, the smallest continent, and 40 Greenland, the largest island, somehow erodes science. Like continents, planets are defined more by how we think of them thanby someone’s after-the-fact pronouncement. How then should we think about 2003 UB313? I’m biased, but I like to imagine this question through the eyes of the child I was in the 1970’s, when astronauts had just walked on the Moon, the first pictures were coming back from the surface of Mars and the launch of Skylab promised a future of unbroken space exploration. If I had heard back then about the discovery of something at the edge of the solar system, I wouldn’t have waited for a body of astronomers to tell me what 50 it was. I would have immediately cut out a little disk of white paper and taped it to the poster of planets on my bedroom wall. That night, I would have looked up, straining to see the latest addition to our solar system, hoping that I, too, might someday find a new planet. Recently, many plans for exploration and scientific study have been scrapped, and those that haven’t are being scaled back. It’s hard to have the same excitement about a limitless future in space. The astronomical union isn’t helping matters by forcing a Hobson’s choice: stick with the current nine planets or open the floodgates to a yawn- inducing 53 or more. It’s a “No Ice Ball Left Behind” policy. 60 I hope the union takes another galactic approach, and simply declares 2003 UB313 our 10th, full-fledged planet. Doing so might convince schoolchildren to put new paper disks on their walls, to look up to the sky and realize that exploration does continue, and that they can be part of it, too. “War of the Worlds” by Mike Brown, The New York Times , August 16, 2006. Copyright ? 2006 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission. Why Pluto Had to Go Bryan Gaensler For thousands of years, the field of astronomy focused on making measurements and catalogues, often painstakingly built up over years or decades. But the modern astronomer’s emphasis is now on understanding, rather than just measuring. How are stars born, why do they shine, and how do they die? How old is the universe, what is it made of, and what is making it expand? It’s the need to answer these questions, not just to make pretty pictures of the sky, that motivates my colleagues and me. But recently the focus of world astronomy has been back on measuring and labelling. This past week in Prague, thousands of astronomers gathered 10 together for the general assembly of the International Astronomical Union. And amidst the debates about new scientific theories and the announcements of exciting discoveries, astronomers decided to change the number of planets in the Solar System. This came about when a resolution passed that a planet should hereon be defined as a spherical object that orbits a star, and which has cleared the neighborhood around it. The number of planets in the Solar System consequently drops from nine to eight; Pluto has now been demoted, and joins a variety of other small objects, such as Ceres, Sedna and Orcus, in a new yet-to-be-named category of “dwarf planets.” 20 The new definition of a planet is simple and sensible. A celestial body can only be round if it is large enough for its gravity to pull it into a spherical shape. This excludes the vast majority of Solar System bodies, most of which are small misshapen asteroids. The requirement that a planet orbit a star also makes sense, since some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn are otherwise big enough to qualify as planets. Finally, the key criterion that has demoted Pluto, that a planet must be able to clear out its neighborhood, is based on our understanding that a newly forming planet around a young star clears out a large area around it as it sweeps up surrounding debris. While the first eight planets all rule their orbits, Pluto follows an unusual elongated path that crosses the orbit of Neptune. Clearly it 30 does not make the cut. Many people feel very passionate about Pluto’s status as a planet, and will be disappointed or disbelieving that astronomers have voted to change this. But Pluto’s status as a planet was only ever a historical accident. For decades, astronomers had been convinced that the orbits of Uranus and Neptune hinted at the gravitational influence of a massive, more distant body, “Planet X.” When Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930, this exciting new object was quickly anointed as the ninth planet, before much was even known about it. But subsequent study showed that Pluto is puny, barely a quarter the size of our own 40 Moon. And we now know that Planet X never existed, the product of some subtle errors in some century-old mathematical calculations. So Pluto was only a planet because it was in the right place at the right time. Demoting this tiny lump of rock was a good decision. I encourage all Pluto- lovers to have a look at Pluto for themselves. Even through the largest telescope, it is barely distinguishable from the stars around it. Compare this to the spectacular sight of Jupiter’s moons and cloud bands, or the majesty of Saturn’s rings. When one factors in the presence of over 200 planets now known around other stars, all with their own weather systems, moons, rings and other features waiting to be studied and understood, it’s clear that it was time for little Pluto to 50 step aside. Text: “Why Pluto Had to Go” by Bryan Gaensler, Cosmos Online , August 25, 2006. Copyright ? 2006 Cosmos Magazine. Reprinted by permission. Comprehension Questions: Answer the following questions based on your reading of the passages. 1. Reread this sentence from the text: The result of that vote is hard to predict, but soon, we’ll likely lose a planet we’ve gotten to know for the past 76 years, or gain at least one more. The use of the underlined phrase implies a tone of a. anger b. happiness c. sadness d. excitement 2. Reread this sentence from the text: RI4 This is why astronomers who question Pluto’s status come across as bullies trying to kick everyone’s favorite cosmic underdog out of the club. What effect does the author create by using this figurative language? Choose the two answers that apply. a. He establishes a feeling of empathy toward Pluto as a planet. b. He demonstrates the power of the astronauts who wish to demote Pluto. c. He explains the debate between the two sides related to planets. d. He shows the feeling of the people who believe that Pluto should be a planet. e. He sets up the argument for the rest of his writing. 3. Which sentence best summarizes the central idea of “Why Pluto Had to Go?” RI2 a. Many astronomers once believed that “Planet X” influenced the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. b. Pluto’s original status as a planet was an accident because it was based on inaccurate information. c. Although many people feel passionate about Pluto’s status, they must look at the situation from a scientific viewpoint. d. Clyde Tombaugh was an intelligent, respected astronomer who discovered Pluto in 1930. 4a. Which of these inferences about the author’s line of reasoning in “Why Pluto Had to Go” is supported by the text? RI6, a. The author believes there is validity in both sides of the argument. b. The author believes that Pluto should remain a planet and other celestial bodies will join the group. c. The author believes that Pluto does not meet the criteria to be considered a planet. d. The author remains undecided on the issue of the status of Pluto’s planet title. 4b. Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in Part A? RI6 a. For thousands of years, the field of astronomy focused on making measurements and catalogues, often painstakingly built up over years or decades. b. Many people feel very passionate about Pluto’s status as a planet, and will be disappointed or disbelieving that astronomers have voted to change this. c. This came about when a resolution passed that a planet should hereon be defined as a spherical object that orbits a star, and which has cleared the neighborhood around it. d. Clearly it does not make the cut. 5. What conclusion can be drawn about the author’s point of view in “War of the Worlds?” RI6 Support your answer with evidence from the text. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What does the information in the final paragraph reveal about the author’s point of view in “Why Pluto Had to Go?” Select two of the five. a. He agrees with the scientists and their new definition of planets. b. He thinks that there will be a number of people unhappy about the decision. c. He believes that there was no real reason to make Pluto a planet in the first place. d. He feels there are too many planets in the solar system anyway. e. He thinks this topic will be revisited again and again over the years. 7. What does the difference in information included in each article reveal about the authors’ point of view from these passages? a. They agree about the status of Pluto b. They are on the same side with the argument presented. c. Each believes something different about the future status of Pluto. d. Each is waiting to hear more from the committee to decide. 8. Select the statement that best describes what the information in paragraph 8 of “War of the Worlds” reveals about the author’s point of view. a. It shows the history of the use of the word planet and why Pluto should stay. b. It establishes a comparison so that readers can understand the dilemma facing astronauts. c. It demonstrates a contrast in the two sides of the argument. d. It tells the challenge facing scientists as they decide on the size requirements of planets. 9. Based on the information in the second text, which detail from text 1 best supports the opinions of both authors? a. facts about astronomical discoveries and bodies in the solar system b. survey results showing popular beliefs about space objects c. statements from members of the International Astronomical Union d. statistics about the number of people who believe that Pluto should be a planet. 10. Read the targeted word or phrase from “Why Pluto had to Go.” Compare this to the spectacular sight of Jupiter’s moons and cloud bands, or the majesty of Saturn’s rings. What does the inclusion of these words suggest about the author’s point of view in the text related to Pluto? a. Celestial bodies are amazing things of great beauty. b. All objects in the night sky are impressive to watch. c. He enjoys looking at the moons, cloud bands and rings. d. These planets are more worthy of the title than Pluto. 11. Reread this sentence from “War of the Worlds.” I hope the union takes another galactic approach, and simply declares 2003 UB313 our 10th, full-fledged planet. What does the author communicate to the reader with the use of the word galactic? a. That Pluto is an amazing planet. b. That the decision to add another planet would be huge. c. That the galaxy needs to expand. d. That it would be an easy decision to add another planet to the group. Directions Read the following speech and answer the questions that follow. The Gettysburg Address Delivered at Gettysburg by Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863 Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate - we cannot consecrate - we cannot hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that this government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth. -Abraham Lincoln 12. Lincoln feels that nationality in the United States is based on equality of all men. Which of the following statements from the text, support this statement. RI1 A. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. B. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation so conceived and dedicated, can long endure. C. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. D. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. 13. Reread this sentence from “The Gettysburg Address.” It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. What does the author communicate to the reader with the use of the word nobly? a. The soldiers who died were of royal descent. b. The men who fought on the grounds gallantly gave their lives. c. The men who founded the nation paved the way for what was to come. d. The soldiers who died lost their lives for an unjust cause. 14. Describe the dual meaning of the word battlefield as Lincoln uses it in this speech. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. Read the text, lines 1-10. The word choice used by Lincoln in line 8 is an example of what type of figurative language? RI4- not the way SBAC will assess this. A. Repetition B. Simile C. Onomatopoeia D. Personification 16. Reread this portion of the text and answer the question that follows. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that this government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth. What is Lincoln’s most likely intention in including this sentence in his speech? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ................
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