Chapter 4: Identifying Facts & Negative Facts (2)

9: Pluto

Pluto 9 .
(Percival Lowell) P
L 'PLuto' .
Mercury(), Venus(), Earth(), Mars(), Jupiter(), Saturn(),
Uranus(), Neptune(), Pluto() .

Pluto is unique among the planets in our solar system for several reasons. It was
the last planet to be discovered and is also the smallest and furthest from the Sun. Pluto
was discovered in 1930 and has an estimated diameter of 1400 miles. Because of its
great distance from the Sun, it takes Pluto over 248 years to complete an entire orbit.
There is considerable variation in the distance of Pluto from the Sun during the course of
its orbit. It gets as close as 2.75 billion miles and travels as far as 4.6 billion miles from
the Sun. Because Pluto's orbit is highly elliptical, its orbit passes within that of Neptune
for about 20 years of the time it takes to complete an orbit.

1.
- Pluto is unique among the planets in our solar system for several reasons.
2.
-as ~as as , as .
-within that of Neptune~ that orbit().
that, those . this, these
.
3.
-diameter ,
-elliptical

1
 Pluto's great distance from Earth makes it difficult to know with complete
certainty its physical characteristics. It is believed that it has a thick methane atmosphere
a few kilometers deep and that it is covered with frost and ice. The covering of methane
frost is redder towards the equator and bluer at the poles. Pluto is thought to have large
core, likely of silicate rock and this accounts for the planet's high density.

1.
- Plutos physical characteristics
2.
-make + 5 . ~make it difficult to
know~ it , to , difficult
.
-It is believed that it has a thick methane atmosphere a few kilometers deep and (it is
believed) that it is covered with frost and ice. it is believed .
-~and this accounts for the planet's high density. this .
3.
-characteristics ,
-density (= the state of being highly packed)

New information is still being learned about Pluto as technology becomes more
sophisticated. As recently as 1978 it was discovered that Pluto has a satellite. This
satellite, named Charon, has a diameter of about 700 miles and takes just over six days to
complete a revolution of Pluto which is about the same time that it takes Pluto to
complete a rotation.

1.
- New information about Pluto; Charon
2.
-As recently as 1978 as ~as , as as
.
3.
-sophisticated
-evolution (= the action of one planet or object moving in an orbit around another)

2
__________________________________
silicate: any of numerous compounds containing silicon, oxygen, and one or more metals
__________________________________

3
Question 1:
What is something that is NOT unusual about Pluto?
(A) It has an elliptical orbit.
(B) It has a diameter of about 1400 miles.
(C) It has a satellite.
(D) It is the furthest from the sun.

Question 2:
According to the passage, why is our knowledge of Pluto NOT definite?
(A) Pluto is the smallest planet.
(B) It was discovered in 1930.
(C) It is very far from the Earth.
(D) Saturn interferes.

Question 3:
According to the passage, why is Pluto thought to be very dense?
(A) It has a large core of rock.
(B) It is covered with frost and ice.
(C) Its atmosphere is a few kilometers deep.
(D) It is far from the Earth and the Sun.

Question 4:
Which of the following is true about Plutos satellite?
(A) It takes exactly 6 days to complete a revolution.
(B) Its diameter is smaller than that of Pluto.
(C) It was named after Pluto.
(D) It was discovered long before Pluto.

4
1. ?
(A) .
(B) 1400
(C) .
(D) .
[] (Pluto) . (A),(B),(D)
. (satellite) ,
.
[] (C)

2. , ?
(A)
(B) 1930
(C)
(D)

[] Pluto's great distance from Earth makes it difficult to

know with complete certainty its physical characteristics
.
[] (C)

3. ?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

[] Pluto is thought to have large core, likely of

silicate rock and this accounts for the planet's high density
.
[] (A)

4. ?
(A) 6 .

5
 (B) .
(C)
(D) .

[] , Pluto was discovered in 1930 and has an estimated diameter of

1400 miles. , , This satellite, named Charon, has a diameter of
about 700 miles .
[] (B)

6
(())

.
. 1930
1400 . ,
248 .
. 27 5 46 .
15
.
.

. .

.
.
1978 .
700 6
.

(())
Pluto / unique / solar / estimated / diameter /
entire / orbit / considerable / variation / elliptical /
Saturn / certainty / physical / characteristics / thick /
atmosphere / frost / covering , / equator / pole / core
/ silicate / account for ~ / density / sophisticated /
satellite / diameter / revolution / rotation