Name Date Grade 4 Hubble: An Out-of-This World Telescope
Today you will read the following passage. Read this passage carefully to gather information to answer questions and write an essay. Excerpt from Hubble: An Out-of-This-World-Telescope by Amy S. Hansen Introduction 1 Look into the sky on a clear night. All of those stars is what the Hubble Space Telescope sees all the time, only better. The Hubble Telescope doesn t sit on the ground. It orbits Earth, circling high above the planet s atmosphere. 2 The atmosphere is important to life on Earth, but the atmosphere causes problems for telescopes. It blocks out some kinds of light, which is what makes stars look as though they twinkle. Astronomers solved the problem of having to look through the atmosphere to study objects in space by launching the Hubble Space Telescope. Because the Hubble is outside the atmosphere, it can see objects more clearly than telescopes on Earth. Hubble s New Eyes 3 The Hubble is one of the best telescopes that astronomers have. The telescope s images show stars forming, stars dying, and the universe expanding. Recently, astronauts visited the Hubble in space to install new equipment. With the new instruments in place, the Hubble can see better than ever. History of the Hubble Space Telescope 4 Astronomers first started using the Hubble to peer into the universe in 1990. When it was first released into orbit from the cargo bay of the shuttle Discovery, people were excited about the possibilities. However, there was a big glitch. The telescope s main mirror had a tiny imperfection. The mirror is used to collect and focus light on the instruments. The mirror was off by 1/50th of the thickness of a piece of paper. That amount was enough to make the telescope s images look blurry and slightly out of focus. 1 of 6
5 In 1993, astronauts flew to the Hubble and repaired it. After that, the images surprised everyone. No one knew that the telescope would be a source of so much information and beauty. Astronauts visited the telescope four more times. They updated its equipment, proving that astronauts could do complex work in space. 6 With its new equipment installed in 2009, the Hubble looks deeper into the universe than ever before. It can see stars that are dying and stars that are just starting out. Understanding how the universe is put together will help people travel through space. It will also help people who hope to find life on other planets. 2 of 6
1. Part A What is the meaning of the word orbits as it is used in paragraph 1 of the passage? A revolves around another object B travels in a straight line C increases in number D remains in a fixed position Which word or phrase from the paragraph helps readers understand the meaning of orbits? A into the sky B multitude C on the ground D circling 2. What reason does the author provide to support the point that Earth s atmosphere causes problems for telescopes? A Earth s atmosphere is too warm for telescopes to work properly. B Earth s atmosphere causes a telescope s parts to break down over time. C Earth s atmosphere obscures certain kinds of light from space. D Earth s atmosphere allows too much light to reach a telescope s lens. 3. Part A Which of the following best describes the text structure of the History of the Hubble Space Telescope section? A the causes for building the Hubble telescope B the order of major events related to the care of the Hubble telescope C the comparison of the images taken by Hubble and other telescopes D the problems related to new equipment installed on the Hubble telescope Which two sentences from the text contain details that support the correct answer to Part A? A Astronomers first started using the Hubble to peer into the universe in 1990. B The mirror is used to collect and focus light on the instruments. C The mirror was off by 1/50th of the thickness of a piece of paper. D In 1993, astronauts flew to the Hubble and repaired it. E It can see stars that are dying and stars that are just starting out. F It will also help people who hope to find life on other planets. 3 of 6
4. Part A What is the main idea of Hubble: An Outof-This-World Telescope? A The Earth s atmosphere presents certain difficulties for telescopes used on Earth. B The Hubble is an effective telescope that has been repaired and updated over time. C The Hubble Space Telescope had a serious design flaw when it was first developed. D Images from the Hubble show stars forming and dying and the universe expanding. Which two key details support the correct main idea from Part A? A The Hubble Space Telescope had a serious design flaw when it was first developed. B The Earth s atmosphere blocks the light that makes stars appear to twinkle. C Images from the Hubble show stars forming and dying and the universe expanding. D The Earth s atmosphere presents certain difficulties for telescopes used on Earth. E Astronauts fixed the Hubble in 1993 and installed new equipment in 2009. 4 of 6
5. What was the result of the Hubble Space Telescope s main mirror being off by 1/50th of the thickness of a piece of paper? 5 of 6
: Answer Sheet 1. Part A 2. 3. Part A e f 4. Part A e 5. Constructed Response 6 of 6