CHARLES COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

APEX English II

Weeks 7-8 (May 18 – May 29)

Dear parents,

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APEX English II

Estimados padres,

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Two Readings about Pluto

Watch and listen to the video to get some background information about the audio and text on the

following pages.

1. Print and look over your reading guide.

2. Read the text or texts over the following pages.

3. After you've read, answer the questions in your reading guide.

Important note: Answering the reading questions is essential for a solid understanding of the reading

and for success on the quiz that follows.

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Reading GuideEnglish 101.1.5 Read: Two Readings about Pluto

Name:Date:

After you've finished reading, write short answers to the following questions.

1. In the preface from The Pluto Files, Tyson writes that Pluto has a "remarkable grip on the hearts and

minds of the American public." In the NPR interview, he jokingly says that he's blaming Disney and

Mickey's dog, Pluto, for America's fascination. Why do you think he takes a more lighthearted tone during

the NPR interview?

2. According to the scientific community, there is no doubt that Pluto should be classified as a dwarf

planet. Why, then, do you think the Rose Center exhibit caused such a stir?

3. Which parts of the interview with Tyson show that his tone is playful when discussing the topic of

Pluto with the general public, even though he may take it more seriously the rest of the time?

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4. A key part of scientific inquiry is reexamining beliefs and theories. Do you see any value in questioning

and ultimately changing Pluto's planet status? Explain your answer.

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is prohibited. Apex Learning ® and the Apex Learning Logo are registered trademarks of Apex Learning Inc.

Terms of Use

64

Reading MaterialsEnglish 101.1.5 Read: Two Readings about Pluto

Name:Date:

Preface from The Pluto Filesby Neil deGrasse Tyson

Gathered here in one place is a record of Pluto's rise and fall from planethood, given by way of media

accounts, public forums, cartoons, and letters I received from disgruntled schoolchildren, their teachers,

strongly opinionated adults, and colleagues.

In February 2000, the American Museum of Natural History opened its $230-million Frederic Phineas and

Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space, containing the rebuilt Hayden Planetarium on the corner

of 81st Street and Central Park West in New York City. The newly conceived exhibits treated the solar

system in a way that was without precedent for public institutions, even though murmurs had already

begun in the planetary science community that something needed to be done about Pluto's classification

in the solar system.

The exhibit models, their accompanying text, and the overall layout of the Center organized the principal

contents of the solar system by objects of like properties, rather than as enumerations of planets and

their moons. This decision landed Pluto among the growing number of icy objects found in the outer

solar system, and left it unmentioned and out of view of our models for the rocky, terrestrial objects

(Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) and the gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). By this

organization, we practically abandoned the concept of planet altogether.

This decision represented the consensus of the science committee for the Rose Center's design and

construction, of which I served as head. While the accountability and originality of our pedagogical

approach to the subject lies equally among us on the committee, as director of the Hayden Planetarium I

became the most visible exponent of this decision when, a full year after the Rose Center opened to the

public, the New York Times broke a page-1 news story that we had "demoted" Pluto from its ranks of

planethood. I was thenceforth branded a public enemy of Pluto lovers the world over.

This distinction prevailed until August 2006, when the International Astronomical Union (IAU), prompted

by pressure from the professional community of planetary scientists as well as from the general public,

brought Pluto's planethood to a vote at a triennial General Assembly in Prague, Czech Republic. The

result? Pluto was formally downgraded from "Planet" to "Dwarf Planet," thereby helping to diffuse the

negative attention that I, and the Rose Center, had been receiving for six years running.

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It's one thing for a single institution to re-examine Pluto's standing in the solar system, but it's quite

another for an international organization of astronomers to do so. When the IAU voting results were

made public, a media-frenzy followed, temporarily displacing news stories on terrorism, the Iraq War,

genocide in Darfur, and global warming.

The Pluto Files chronicles and documents Pluto's remarkable grip on the hearts and minds of the public,

the professionals, and the press.

Sources:

From THE PLUTO FILES: THE RISE AND FALL OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE PLANET by Neil deGrasse Tyson.Copyright © 2009 by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Used by permission of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Copyright © 2018 Apex Learning Inc. Use of this material is subject to Apex Learning's . Any unauthorized copying, reuse, or redistribution

is prohibited. Apex Learning ® and the Apex Learning Logo are registered trademarks of Apex Learning Inc.

Terms of Use

66

Video Transcript: Two Readings about Pluto

Video opens with the words "So, you're about to read . . ." in white on a black background.

A man sitting in a chair speaks to the camera.

AUDIO

Narrator: You're going to listen to an interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson, a famous astrophysicist. At the

time of the interview, he was the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural

History in New York. You're also going to read the preface to his book, The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall

of America's Favorite Planet.

Both of these are focusing on Tyson's role in kicking Pluto out of the basic list of planets. (How rude,

right?) It caused a huge uproar. Neil deGrasse Tyson actually received a lot of hate mail for this.

The reason there was an uproar is that pretty much every educated adult in America considered the

existence of nine planets as a basic piece of information that had been drilled into the memories of

millions of American schoolchildren. Think how you would feel if a core piece of information you learned

in grade school suddenly changed.

Umm, two plus two? It's actually five. George Washington was actually the fifth president of the United

States. H2O? No, it's actually H3O: superwater. Wouldn't this shake everything up? I mean, does this

mean that all of your fundamental beliefs are potentially up for debate?

As you're making your way through these materials, think about how you might feel if something you

were taught as a fact was suddenly brought up for a debate nationally. How would you react, and how

would you feel toward the person who kicked off this argument?

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Two Readings about Pluto

Take a minute to review your answers on the reading guide. You're about to take a quiz

on what you just read.

Use this opportunity to check your work.

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proseThe standard writing format, usually arranged in

paragraphs and complete sentences, found in �ction andnon�ction, but not in poetry.

formal languageLanguage written or spoken in a manner that respects

accepted rules and uses proper vocabulary and grammar.

informal languageLanguage written or spoken in a manner that may not useproper vocabulary or grammar; conversational language.

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Quiz: Two Readings about Pluto

Question 1a of 5

Based on his NPR interview, "Astrophysicist Chronicles Battle over Pluto," why does Dr. Tysonbelieve that Pluto is America's favorite planet?

# Choice

A. Because people are used to nine planets in the solar system

B. Because it is small and considered the underdog

C. Because Disney cartoons have a dog of the same name

D. Because it is so far way that it is fascinating

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Question 1b of 5

Why does Dr. Tyson believe that Pluto is America's favorite planet, based on "AstrophysicistChronicles Battle over Pluto"?

# Choice

A. Because Pluto seems so small and far away

B. Because a Disney character is also named Pluto

C. Because Americans identify with Pluto's spirit

D. Because the rest of the world doesn't care

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Question 1c of 5

In "Astrophysicist Chronicles Battle over Pluto," what reason does Dr. Tyson give for Pluto's statusas America's favorite planet?

# Choice

A. Americans think there should be nine planets instead of just eight.

B. Americans identify with Pluto's remoteness and independent spirit.

C. Americans associate Pluto with the Disney character of the same name.

D. Americans feel bad that Pluto is not as popular in the rest of the world.

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Question 2a of 5

In "Astrophysicist Chronicles Battle over Pluto," whom does Dr. Tyson credit with first noticing thatPluto was not included in his museum exhibit?

# Choice

A. A seven-year-old boy

B. The New York Times

C. International Astronomical Union

D. Hayden Planetarium

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Question 2b of 5

Based on "Astrophysicist Chronicles Battle over Pluto," who first noticed that Pluto had been leftout of Dr. Tyson's exhibit?

# Choice

A. A science reporter

B. A seven-year-old

C. An astrophysicist

D. An astronomer

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Question 2c of 5

In his NPR interview, "Astrophysicist Chronicles Battle over Pluto," whom does Dr. Tyson credit withfirst noticing that Pluto was not included in his museum exhibit?

# Choice

A. Astrophysicists at Hayden Planetarium

B. A reporter for The New York Times

C. Seven-year-old boy Will Galmot

D. The International Astronomical Union

Question 3a of 5

According to the preface, what is the main topic of The Pluto Files?

# Choice

A. The story of how Dr. Tyson became an astrophysicist

B. The history of the American Museum of Natural History

C. A record of Pluto's rise and fall from planethood

D. How Dr. Tyson became interested in Pluto

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Question 3b of 5

According to the preface to The Pluto Files, what best describes the information the book willinclude?

# Choice

A. Information about Pluto's geography and atmosphere

B. A record of Pluto's rise and fall as a planet

C. The construction of the Hayden Planetarium

D. A history of the International Astronomical Union

Question 3c of 5

What will The Pluto Files be about, according to the preface?

# Choice

A. The building of the museum's solar system exhibit

B. The record of Pluto's rise and fall as a planet

C. Tyson's interest in the natural features of Pluto

D. The story of Pluto's discovery by astronomers.

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Question 4a of 5

When was Pluto formally downgraded from planet to dwarf planet?

# Choice

A. After a vote by the International Astronomical Union

B. After The New York Times published an article about Pluto

C. After Dr. Tyson received a letter from a concerned child

D. After the Hayden Planetarium's solar system exhibit opened

Question 4b of 5

What decision did the International Astronomical Union make in August 2006?

# Choice

A. To downgrade Pluto from planet to dwarf planet

B. To withdraw their support of Dr. Tyson's exhibit

C. To fire Dr. Tyson as director of the planetarium

D. To sue The New York Times for making false claims

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Question 4c of 5

Who made the official decision to downgrade Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet?

# Choice

A. The Hayden Planetarium

B. The New York Times

C. The International Astronomical Union

D. The Museum of Natural History

Question 5a of 5

According to "Astrophysicist Chronicles Battle over Pluto," why did Dr. Tyson decide to excludePluto from the exhibits of planets?

# Choice

A. Because he didn't have enough room left in the solar system exhibit

B. Because it displays the characteristics of an icy body rather than a planet

C. Because the International Astronomical Union said it was not a planet

D. Because it was too small to be noticeable among the other exhibits

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Question 5b of 5

In his interview with NPR, what reason does Dr. Tyson give for leaving Pluto out of his solar systemexhibit?

# Choice

A. Because he considered Pluto to be an icy body rather than a planet

B. He didn't think anyone would miss the tiny planet

C. He didn't have enough room to include it

D. He wanted to cause controversy

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Question 5c of 5

In "Astrophysicist Chronicles Battle over Pluto," what reason does Dr. Tyson give for excluding Plutofrom the museum exhibit?

# Choice

A. He considered Pluto to be an icy body and not a planet.

B. He wanted to create controversy at the museum.

C. He was following instructions from fellow astronomers.

D. He didn't have enough room in the exhibit hall.

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