The plan to bring an asteroid to Earth
Read The plan to bring an asteroid to Earth and check the IELTS Reading answers. Send a robot into space, catch an asteroid and bring it back to Earth’s orbit. This, say scientists and engineers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), could be feasible. A four-day workshop was dedicate…
Passage preview
Send a robot into space, catch an asteroid and bring it back to Earth’s orbit. This, say scientists and engineers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), could be feasible. A four-day workshop was dedicated to investigating the feasibility of capturing a near-Earth asteroid, bringing it closer to our planet and using it as a base for future manned space-flight missions.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- challenges posed by noun phrase
Difficulties that something creates for the people who must deal with it.
In the passage:
"the challenges posed by a large asteroid seem too daunting": a reusable collocation for Writing Task 2.
Synonyms: difficulties caused by, problems presented by
- conceivably adverb
In a way that it is possible to imagine, though not certain.
In the passage:
"of which there might conceivably be millions": hedging; the number is possible but not claimed.
Synonyms: possibly, potentially
Opposites: inconceivably
- daunting adjective
Making you feel nervous or worried about whether you can succeed.
In the passage:
"if the challenges for a large asteroid seem too daunting": the engineers' answer is to start smaller.
Synonyms: intimidating, overwhelming
Opposites: encouraging
- emotional impact noun phrase
The strength of feeling or excitement that something produces in people.
In the passage:
Q21 says "difficult to arouse interest in an asteroid of limited size"; the passage says a small object "might not have the same emotional impact".
Synonyms: appeal, interest
- foot such a bill verb phrase
To pay for something expensive, often when you would prefer not to.
In the passage:
"Convincing taxpayers to foot such a bill could be difficult": learn it as "foot the bill".
Synonyms: pay for, cover the cost of
- hefty adjective
Very large or heavy in size, weight or amount.
In the passage:
Q20 says "An asteroid's weight makes the project extremely challenging"; the passage says "shifting such a hefty and substantial target would not be easy".
Synonyms: heavy, massive
Opposites: slight
- justify the expense verb phrase
To give good enough reasons why spending a lot of money is right.
In the passage:
Q22 says capturing an asteroid "would not be an efficient method of research"; Nuth says science alone is "not enough on its own to justify the expense".
Synonyms: warrant the cost, be worth the money
- no shortage of noun phrase
A plentiful supply of something, with more than enough available.
In the passage:
"there’s no shortage of potential targets": a fixed phrase for saying something is plentiful.
Synonyms: plenty of, an abundance of
Opposites: a lack of
- on the drawing board adverb phrase
Still being planned or designed and not yet built or started.
In the passage:
"many of these ideas have been on the drawing board for years": planned, but not carried out.
Synonyms: in the planning stage, under development
Opposites: completed
- undertaking noun
A large or important task or project that someone decides to do.
In the passage:
"may seem an excessive undertaking": here "undertaking" means a big project, not a promise.
Synonyms: project, enterprise
Answers with explanations
- 14. v
The first section is about whether the plan can really be done. It says the idea is **possible with the technology we have today** and could happen **within a decade**. That is the **achievable goal, not an impossible dream** heading.
- 15. viii
This section gives reasons for the mission: a much shorter trip for astronauts (**practical**), less **fuel and money** (**economic**) and **important scientific data** (**research**). Together these are the practical, economic and research justifications.
- 16. i
The section is about difficulty and danger: moving the target is **not easy**, and engineers must be **absolutely certain** they can **control** it. That is **skill and care**. Planetary defence is mentioned only as a contrast, so the heading about protecting the asteroid does not fit.
- 17. vii
Look for the main advice of this section: if a large asteroid is **too daunting**, **start with a smaller asteroid**. That is **beginning with a less challenging task**. The comment from NASA about small targets is only a supporting detail.
- 18. iv
The section is about money: **hefty investments**, at least a **billion dollars**, **convincing taxpayers** and inviting **private industry** to join in. All of this is about **obtaining support** for the project.
- 19. E
Find **Louis Friedman**, who is quoted in the paragraph on what asteroids offer. He says the mission would teach engineers how to capture a target, **useful practice** if a **threat** came from space. Skill gained now could **save Earth from future danger**. The statement about a mistake is Tantardini's Tunguska warning, not Friedman's.
- 20. D
Find **Rusty Schweickart**. He says shifting such a **hefty and substantial target** would **not be easy**. **Hefty** is the statement's **weight**, and not easy becomes extremely challenging. The mistake warning is Tantardini's.
- 21. B
Find **Dan Mazanek**, who says NASA won't want something **smaller than our spaceships**. The sentence just before his quote says a small object **might not have the same emotional impact**, which becomes **difficult to arouse interest** in an asteroid of limited size.
- 22. G
Find **Joseph A. Nuth** in the last paragraph. He says asteroids can be investigated **much more cheaply** with an **unmanned spacecraft**, so bringing one to Earth is **not an efficient** way to do research.
- 23. base
Look for the asteroid as a place to **launch missions further into space**. The summary's **act as a ... for further space travel** matches **a stationary base from which to launch missions**, so the gap needs **base**.
- 24. gravity
Look at the summary's **weaker**. In the text, **this** in **Since this would be far weaker on an asteroid** refers back to **our planet's strong force of gravity**. The gap needs **gravity**.
- 25. metals
**These resources include** points to the list of what asteroids offer. The first is **metals**, which can be **used to build space-based habitats** (in space) or **brought back to Earth**.
- 26. water
The second resource is in the next sentence: **water**. It could be **used for life-support**, which the summary calls consumed, or turned into **fuel**, the **source of power**. The gap needs **water**.