Comet Mission IELTS Reading Answer Explanation

In this post, you'll find the complete solution and explanation for  Test 1 Reading passage 2  Comet Missions from IELTS Academic Vol- 1 ( IDP). Each answer is explained in the easiest possible way, along with the answer location as well as hard vocabulary from the passage. This is perfect for students who want to understand not just the correct answers, but why they are correct, helping you improve your IELTS Reading skills with every practice test. 

Questions 14-18   Write the correct letter, A-E.

14. This spacecraft is noted for being reactivated. Answer: C

Keywords: being reactivated,

Answer Location: Paragraph 2,  lines 7-9. In the same year, the ESA's Giotto was able to make unprecedented observations of a comet during its seven-year mission and was also the first spacecraft to be reactivated for an extended mission. 

15. An object was fired at a comet by this spacecraft. Answer: E

Keywords: objects/materials, were fired/collided

Answer Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 15-17. What made this mission different from the others was that it was able to force material off a comet's surface by launching an impactor, which collided with the comet's surface, creating a crater approximately 150 metres in diameter. 

16. This was a particular country's first spacecraft. Answer: B

Keywords: particular country/Japan, first/inaugural

Answer Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 1-3, Following separate missions run by the former Soviet Union and NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the US, the probe Sakigake, the inaugural Japanese spacecraft, was launched in 1985. 

17. This mission ended in failure. Answer: D

Keywords: ended in failure=it failed soon

Answer Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 12-15, The CONTOUR probe was intended to fly past two comets in the hope of discovering a third, but its mission was cut short when it failed soon after launching in 2002. NASA, the probe's constructor, did not give up, and only three years later they launched Deep Impact.

18. This spacecraft could not return images. Answer: A

Keywords: didnot produce pictorial data

Answer location: Paragraph 2, lines 5-7,Unlike its twin, Suisei, which was launched months later, Sakigake did not carry any photographic equipment and therefore, did not produce pictorial data.

Questions 19-22  complete the notes below.

19. Answer: launched

Keywords: Rosseta, March 2004

Answer location: Paragraph 3, lines 5-6, Rosetta was delayed due to technical faults of another craf,t and as a result, a different target comet needed to be chosen. Rosetta was finally launched on the 2nd of March in 2004 from French Guiana.

20.Answer: Litetia

Keywords:fly by, 2010 ( 2008 ...two years later)

Answer location: Paragraph 3, last few lines, Images of the Steins asteroid in 2008, followed by Lutetia two years later, provided scientists with more data to work with.

21. Answer: deep space

Keywords: hibernation,2011

Answer location: Paragraph 4, lines 1-3. In 2011, as Rosetta was making its way through the orbit of Jupiter, there was very little solar energy to power the vehicle, so it was put into hibernation while in deep space.

22. Answer: August

Keywords: Comet 67P, Philae arrives=, entering orbits, 2014

Answer location: Paragraph 4, lines 3-5, The craft was then reactivated three years later as it neared its target, before finally entering orbit around 67P in August of that year. A few months later, in November 2014, Philae landed on the surface of the comet, and observations began and continued for a few years.

Questions 23-26   Sentence Completion

23. The exposure of new material on the surface of the comet.Answer: D

Keywords: exposure, new materials,

Answer location: Paragraph 5, line 5-8, It became apparent that the outer and older surface of 67P was stripped away by the sheer heat of the Sun. This exposed fresh material increased the comet's brightness and made it much bluer than had previously been observed.

24. Shortly after landing on 67P, the probe Philae.Answer:C

Keywords: after landing,67P, probe Philae ,lost contact

Answer location: Paragraph 6, lines 2-3, Much of the data collected came from measurements made by Philae on the surface of 67P. This was collected before Philae malfunctioned and stopped communicating after only around three days in position.

25. The discovery of water vapour.Answer: F

Keywords: discovery, water vapor, any connection,

Answer Location: Paragraph 6, line 3-7, Evidence of water vapour was discovered, and although this was exciting, scientists ruled out the possibility that water on Earth derived from these sources on comets. This was due to the different chemical compounds found in the vapour when compared with water on our planet.

26. The detection of a common Earth gas. Answer: E

Keywords: detection, earth gas

Answer location: Paragraph 7, last few lines. Although there is no evidence to suggest that life exists on 67P, this theory argues that oxygen can be produced without some form of life being present. 

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                                Hard Vocabulary From the Passage " Comet Missions"

Word / Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence
fascinated	Extremely interested or attracted to something	Humans have always been fascinated by the night sky.
inaugural	First in a series; marking the beginning	The inaugural flight of the spacecraft was a success.
showcase	To display or present something in an impressive way	The new mission will showcase advanced space technology.
pictorial	Expressed in pictures or visual form	The book contained a pictorial record of the expedition.
unprecedented	Never done or known before	The spacecraft made unprecedented observations of the comet.
reactivated	Brought back into action after being inactive	The old satellite was reactivated after 10 years.
impact / impactor	A strong collision / an object designed to collide	The impactor created a crater on the comet’s surface.
orbit	The curved path around a planet or star	The probe entered orbit around Jupiter.
remarkable	Extraordinary, worthy of attention	Rosetta’s journey was truly remarkable.
propel	To drive or push something forward	Gravity helped propel the spacecraft further into space.
navigate	To find the correct way through	The pilot had to navigate through a storm.
hibernation	Inactive state for conserving energy	The spacecraft was placed into hibernation to save power.
reactivated	Restored back to active use	After three years, Rosetta was reactivated.
observations	Careful watching and recording of events	The scientists made detailed observations of the comet.
ground-breaking	Innovative; pioneering	The mission was ground-breaking in comet research.
wealth (of information)	A large amount	The experiment provided a wealth of information for future studies.
apparent	Clear or obvious	It became apparent that the comet’s surface was changing.
exposed	Revealed, uncovered	The melting snow exposed the rocks beneath.
resembles	Looks like	The cloud resembles a rabbit.
malfunctioned	Failed to work properly	The machine malfunctioned and stopped working.
ruled out	To eliminate as a possibility	Doctors ruled out infection as the cause of illness.
traces	Very small amounts	Scientists found traces of water on the surface.
abundance	A large quantity of something	There was an abundance of food at the festival.
revelation	A surprising discovery	The study was a revelation to scientists.
dormant	Inactive but capable of becoming active	The volcano had been dormant for hundreds of years.
theory	An explanation based on evidence	The theory suggests comets may have carried life’s building blocks.
quest	A long search for something	The quest for knowledge about the universe continues.
edge closer	To make gradual progress	With each discovery, scientists edge closer to understanding comets.

 

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