1.Select two claims made by the author in this text.
Question 5 options:

A. Comets may be warnings about dangerous events yet to come.

Comets can be dangerous to humans if they collide with Earth.

. Comets may be asteroids that had their dust and ice melt away.

Comets may contain chemicals that are necessary to Earth’s survival.

Comets may have benefited humans by distributing helpful chemicals.

Comets can be blown by solar winds that determine the length of their orbits.
Question 6 (5 points)

This is a two-part item.

Part A

What is the author’s main purpose for writing the text?
Question 6 options:

. to inform the reader about the danger that comets present to people

to explain how ancient people were wrong in their beliefs about comets

. to describe some of the topics astronomers have begun to explore about comets

. to persuade the reader that comets are the most beautiful occurrence in our solar system
Question 7 (5 points)

Part B

Which sentence supports the answer to Part A?
Question 7 options:

. “One of the most beautiful sights in our solar system occurs when a comet travels near the Sun.” (paragraph 1)

“If comets, like every other object in our solar system, were created billions of years ago, astronomers wonder why we still see them.” (paragraph 6)

. “In some ways, they may have been correct.” (paragraph 8)

. “If the comet had hit a large city, however, much of the city would have been destroyed.” (paragraph 9)