Genre: Science #4

Comets
The term comet--which signifies literally a hairy star--may be
applied to all bodies that revolve about the sun in very eccentric
orbits. The sudden appearance, vast dimensions, and extraordinary
aspect of these celestial wanderers, together with their rapid and

continually varying motions, have never failed to excite the

attention and wonder of all observers.
...The special points of dissimilarity between planets and comets

are the following: - - The former are dense, and, so far as we know,
solid bodies; the latter are many thousand times rarer than the

earth's atmosphere. The planets all move from west to east; many
comets revolve in the opposite direction. The planetary orbits are
but slightly inclined to the plane of the ecliptic; those of comets
may have any inclination whatever. The planets are observed in all
parts of their orbits; comets, only in those parts nearest the sun.

The larger comets are attended by a tail, or train of varying

dimensions, extending generally in a direction opposite to that of
the sun. The more condensed part, from which the tail proceeds, is
called the nucleus; and the nebulous envelope immediately
surrounding the nucleus is sometimes termed the coma...

Zeno, Democritus, and other Greek philosophers held that comets

were produced by the collection of several stars into clusters.
Aristotle taught that they were formed by exhalations, which, rising
from the earth's surface, ignited in the upper regions of the
atmosphere. This hypothesis, through the great influence of its

author, was generally received for almost two thousand years. Juster
views, however, were entertained by the celebrated Seneca, who
maintained that comets ought to be ranked among the permanent works
of nature, and that their disappearance was not an extinction, but
 simply a passing beyond the reach of our vision...
1. The primary purpose of this passage is to
A. describe a comet’s orbit
B. disprove ancient beliefs about comets
C. explain how planet and comets are alike
D. tell of a phenomenon that has caught people's interest
E. compare current and ancient ideas about the universe

2. The word dissimilarity in the first sentence of paragraph 2 most nearly means
A. bulk
B. feature
C. difference
D. movement
E. relationship

3. The author’s overall tone toward comets can best be described as

A. remote
B. intrigued
C. frustrated
D. passionate
E. mysterious

4. Based on paragraph 4 of the passage, you can conclude that Greek Philosophers
A. sought to understand the world around them
B. accurately explained all elements of nature
C. believed that comets were fleeting occurances
D. studied the remains of actual comets they found
E. amused listeners with stories about comets

5. The word hypothesis in paragraph 4 most nearly means

A. theory
B. impact
C. lesson
D. evidence
E. observation