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HESI A2 Reading Comprehension
Passages Questions and Correct Answers/
Latest Update / Already Graded
Moon
Ans: The Moon has been worshipped by primitive peoples and
has inspired humans to create everything from lunar calendars
to love sonnets, but what do we really know a bout it? The most
accepted theory about the origin of the Moon is that it was
formed of the debris from a massive collision with the young
Earth about 4.6 billion years ago. A huge body, perhaps the size
of Mars, struck the Earth, throwing out an immense a mount of
debris that coalesced and cooled in orbit around the Earth.
The development of Earth is inextricably linked to the moon;
the Moon's gravitational influence upon the Earth is the primary
cause of ocean tides. In fact, the Moon has more than twice t he
effect upon the tides than does the Sun. The Moon makes one
rotation and completes a revolution around the Earth every 27
days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes. This synchronous rotation is
caused by an uneven distribution of mass in the Moon
(essentially, it is heavier on one side than the other) and has
allowed the Earth's gravity to keep one side of the Moon
permanently facing Earth. It is an average distance from Earth
of 384,403 km.
The Moon has no atmosphere; without an atmosphere, the
Moon has nothing to protect it from meteorite impacts, and
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thus the surface of the Moon is covered with impact craters,
both large and small. The Moon also has no active tectonic or
volcanic activity, so the erosive effects of atmospheric
weathering, tectonic shifts, and volcanic upheavals that tend to
erase and reform the Earth's surface features are not at work on
the Moon. In fact, even tiny surface features such as the
footprint left by an astronaut in the lunar soil are likely to last
for millions of years, unless obliterated by a chance meteorite
strike. The surface gravity of the Moon is about one -sixth that
of the Earth's. Therefore, a man weighing 82 kilograms on Eart
1. What is the passage primarily about?
Ans: what we know about the Moon and its differences to
Earth
2. The word "debris" in line 5 is closest in meaning to
Ans: rubbish
3. According to the passage, the Moon is
Ans: the primary cause of Earth's ocean tides
4. The word "uneven " in line 11 is closest in meaning to
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Ans: Not uniform
5. Why does the author mention "impact craters" in line 16?
Ans: to show the result of the Moon not having an atmosphere
6. The word "erase" in line 19 is closest in meaning to
Ans: obliterate
7. A person on the Moon would weigh less than on the Earth
Ans: because the surface gravity of the Moon is less
8. All the following are true about the Moon EXCEPT
Ans: it has less effect upon the tides than the Sun
9. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
Ans: the Moon is not able to support human life
Immigration
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
HESI A2 Reading Comprehension
Passages Questions and Correct Answers/
Latest Update / Already Graded
Moon
Ans: The Moon has been worshipped by primitive peoples and
has inspired humans to create everything from lunar calendars
to love sonnets, but what do we really know a bout it? The most
accepted theory about the origin of the Moon is that it was
formed of the debris from a massive collision with the young
Earth about 4.6 billion years ago. A huge body, perhaps the size
of Mars, struck the Earth, throwing out an immense a mount of
debris that coalesced and cooled in orbit around the Earth.
The development of Earth is inextricably linked to the moon;
the Moon's gravitational influence upon the Earth is the primary
cause of ocean tides. In fact, the Moon has more than twice t he
effect upon the tides than does the Sun. The Moon makes one
rotation and completes a revolution around the Earth every 27
days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes. This synchronous rotation is
caused by an uneven distribution of mass in the Moon
(essentially, it is heavier on one side than the other) and has
allowed the Earth's gravity to keep one side of the Moon
permanently facing Earth. It is an average distance from Earth
of 384,403 km.
The Moon has no atmosphere; without an atmosphere, the
Moon has nothing to protect it from meteorite impacts, and
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
thus the surface of the Moon is covered with impact craters,
both large and small. The Moon also has no active tectonic or
volcanic activity, so the erosive effects of atmospheric
weathering, tectonic shifts, and volcanic upheavals that tend to
erase and reform the Earth's surface features are not at work on
the Moon. In fact, even tiny surface features such as the
footprint left by an astronaut in the lunar soil are likely to last
for millions of years, unless obliterated by a chance meteorite
strike. The surface gravity of the Moon is about one -sixth that
of the Earth's. Therefore, a man weighing 82 kilograms on Eart
1. What is the passage primarily about?
Ans: what we know about the Moon and its differences to
Earth
2. The word "debris" in line 5 is closest in meaning to
Ans: rubbish
3. According to the passage, the Moon is
Ans: the primary cause of Earth's ocean tides
4. The word "uneven " in line 11 is closest in meaning to
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |3
Ans: Not uniform
5. Why does the author mention "impact craters" in line 16?
Ans: to show the result of the Moon not having an atmosphere
6. The word "erase" in line 19 is closest in meaning to
Ans: obliterate
7. A person on the Moon would weigh less than on the Earth
Ans: because the surface gravity of the Moon is less
8. All the following are true about the Moon EXCEPT
Ans: it has less effect upon the tides than the Sun
9. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
Ans: the Moon is not able to support human life
Immigration
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
