A supernova is a brief stellar explosion so luminous that it can brief

Question

A supernova is a brief stellar explosion so luminous that it can briefly outshine an entire galaxy. While the explosion itself takes less than fifteen seconds, supernovae take weeks or months to fade from view; during that time, a supernova can emit an amount of energy equivalent to the amount of energy the sun is expected to radiate over its entire lifespan. Supernovae generate enough heat to create heavy elements, such as mercury, gold, and silver. Although supernovae explode frequently, few of them are visible (from Earth) to the naked eye.

In 1604 in Padua, Italy, a supernova became visible, appearing as a star so bright that it was visible in daylight for more than a year. Galileo, who lectured at the university, gave several lectures widely attended by the public. The lectures not only sought to explain the origin of the “star” (some posited that perhaps it was merely “vapour near the earth”), but seriously undermined the views of many philosophers that the heavens were unchangeable. This idea was foundational to a worldview underpinned by a central and allimportant Earth, with celestial bodies merely rotating around it.    1 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) give the history of supernovae
(B) describe a shift in thought as a result of a natural event
(C) juxtapose two opposing views about supernovae
(D) corroborate the view that the Earth is not central to the universe
(E) explain how science and philosophy interrelate

2  
Consider each of the answer choices separately and indicate all that apply.

2. Which of the following can be inferred by the passage?

A. Supernovae can take over a year to fade from view.
B. Prior to 1604, no one had ever seen a supernova.
C. Galileo convinced philosophers of the incorrectness of their views.

3  
 3. The author mentions which of the following as a result of the supernova of 1604?

(A) The supernova created and dispersed the heavy elements out of which the Earth and everything on it is made.
(B) Galileo explained the origin of the supernova.
(C) The public was interested in hearing lectures about the phenomenon.
(D) Galileo’s lectures were opposed by philosophers.
(E) Those who thought the supernova was “vapour” were proved wrong.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

Articulate the main idea before reading the choices. Is the passage really about supernovae, or is it about Galileo, the philosophers, and the ideas being discussed? The fact that the “twist” occurs in the second paragraph (the passage is not talking just about science—now it’s talking about history and philosophy) supports the position that the second paragraph is more central to the main idea and that the first paragraph is background information.

Choice (A)  is wrong because it does not mention the main content of the second paragraph, the ideas and assumptions that became controversial. It is also too broad—giving a history of supernovae would take a lot more than two paragraphs.

Choice (B)  is correct—the passage does describe a “shift in thought” (from the unchangeable “heavens” to a more scientific view), and this shift was prompted by a “natural event” (the supernova).

Choice (C)  is attractive but does not describe the main idea. While Galileo and the philosophers certainly had different views about the bright light they saw in the sky, it’s not clear that philosophers had “views about supernovae” in general.

Choice (D)  can be stricken due to “corroborate” (to prove true or support with evidence). The passage is describing, not making an argument.

Finally, choice (E) is too broad. One could spend an entire career discussing how science and philosophy interrelate. This passage covers a much more narrow topic. 
  
  Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

2. Which of the following can be inferred by the passage?

The first sentence of the second paragraph proves the first statement: “In 1604 in Padua, Italy, a supernova became visible, appearing as a star so bright that it was visible in daylight for more than a year.” Since this supernova was visible for more than a year, it is possible for supernovae to “take more than a year to fade from view.” (Note that if the first statement said “Supernovae always take more than a year to fade from view,” it would be wrong.) The second statement cannot be proven. Just because a supernova in 1604 caused a stir does not mean no one else had ever seen one before. The third statement also cannot be proven. Galileo disagreed with the philosophers, but those particular philosophers may never have changed their minds.

Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

3. The author mentions which of the following as a result of the supernova of 1604?

As a result of the supernova in 1604, Galileo gave popular lectures in which he  “sought to explain the origin of the ‘star’”  and which  “undermined the views”  of some philosophers.  Choice (A)  mixed up some wording from the first paragraph to set a trap; the Earth was not made after the supernova of 1604.

Choice (B)  is too extreme—Galileo “sought to explain” the origin of the supernova, but it is unclear whether he succeeded.

Choice (C)  is true—the lectures were  “widely attended by the public.”  (A very picky person might point out that just because people go to a lecture doesn’t mean they are interested, but all of the other answers are definitely wrong, so that confirms that this is a reasonable—that is, very tiny—inferential leap.)

Choice (D)  is attractive, but is a trap answer. Galileo, in his lectures,  “undermined”  (weakened) the views of the philosophers. But the passage doesn’t say what the philosophers’ responses were or whether the philosophers were opposed to the lectures themselves (a person could be opposed to the ideas in a lecture but still think the lecturer should be allowed to lecture).

Choice (E)  is also attractive because the modern reader knows this to be true in real life. However, the question does not ask,  “What really happened?”  It asks:  “The author mentions which of the following as a result of the supernova of 1604?”  The author does not mention that the philosophers were  “proved wrong.”  Their views were  “undermined,”  which is much less extreme.

Answer: C

A supernova is a brief stellar explosion so luminous that it can brief

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