Question

First Journey to the Moon


“This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon.” President John F. Kennedy made that pledge in 1961. That gave Americans less than nine years to reach the moon. What a challenge!


The country’s space program needed to learn a lot more about space. A spacecraft needs to be launched at a very fast speed. Scientists built rockets that could blast a spacecraft fast and far. Astronauts need to be able to breathe, eat, sleep, and work in space. Scientists succeeded in building a spacecraft in which astronauts could live safely.


In the meantime, astronomers studied the moon. They knew the lunar surface was covered with dust. Some thought it might be so thick that a spacecraft would sink and be buried in it. Space probes were sent to the moon to explore it.


Astronauts were carefully selected and trained. The scientists chose test pilots to be astronauts because they know how to control a complicated aircraft. They are also very brave.


Then the space program was ready to send astronauts into space. First, an astronaut was sent into space in a rocket. He came back down in a small craft. It landed in the ocean. The next step was for an astronaut to orbit, or circle around, Earth. Soon astronauts were sent to orbit the moon. They did not land. They inspected the moon’s surface. They took many photos.


An image of the moon is shown.


Finally, on July 16, 1969, a space flight called Apollo 11 blasted off from Earth. Three astronauts were inside: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. For more than three days, they drifted toward the moon. Then they orbited around it.


On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin entered a small lunar lander. It was called the Eagle. The Eagle left the main craft. Then it began to descend to the moon’s surface. Armstrong did not like the looks of the planned landing spot. It did not seem level enough. But Armstrong took control of the computer. He chose another spot and landed the Eagle safely.


A little while later, millions of spectators on Earth watched on TV. They saw Neil Armstrong walk down the ladder of the Eagle. He wore his big spacesuit. His foot touched the dusty lunar surface. “That’s one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind,” he said. The goal of putting a man on the moon had been reached. We did it eight years after President Kennedy’s pledge.


This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.


Part A

Which sentence explains the main problem facing America's space program after President Kennedy's challenge?


A.

There were not enough scientists.


B.

Few people wanted to be astronauts.


C.

They had more than nine years to do it.


D.

They did not know a lot about space travel.


Part B

Which sentence from the article best supports your answer in part A?


A.

"That gave Americans less than nine years to reach the moon."


B.

"The country's space program needed to learn a lot more about space."


C.

"They built rockets that could blast a spacecraft fast and far."


D.

"Astronauts were carefully selected and trained."

Answer 1

Explanation:

This long question

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