Alpha Centauri is a triple-star system. One of the three stars in Alpha Centauri is Proxima Centauri, which is the nearest star to the Earth, except of course for the Sun. The name “Proxima” comes from a Latin word which means “close.”Even though Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Earth outside of our solar system, it is not really close. Interstellar distances are so large that they are almost impossible to imagine. A person traveling in a modern spacecraft would not arrive at Proxima Centauri within this lifetime or the next, or even ten lifetimes because the distance is so great. Light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, and it still takes light more than four years to travel from Proxima Centauri to the Earth.

Alpha Centauri can be easily seen in the night sky without a telescope from certain parts of the Earth. It is the third brightest star in the sky, out of approximately 6,000 visible stars. It cannot be seen from most parts of the United States because most of the United States is too far north; however; it can be seen from the southern parts of the southernmost states.

1. The main subject of this passage is
(A) the closest stars to the Earth
(B) modern space travel
(C) the speed of light
(D) interstellar distances

2. The passage indicates that which of the following is NOT true?
(A) Alpha Centauri is composed of three stars.
(B) Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Earth.
(C) Proxima Centauri is one of the stars in Alpha Centauri.
(D) It is possible to see Alpha Centauri from the Earth.

3. The word “comes” in line 3 could best be replaced by
(A) travels
(B) is derived
(C) is directed
(D) visits


4. “Interstellar distances” in line 5 are
(A) distances between stars
(B) distances between the Earth and various stars
(C) distances measured by the speed of light
(D) distances from the Sun to each of the planets, including the Earth

5. It can be inferred from the passage that if a person left in one of today’s spacecrafts, he or she would arrive at Alpha Centauri
(A) within this lifetime
(B) within the next lifetime within
(C) ten lifetimes
(D) after more than ten lifetimes

6. The word “great” in line 7 could best be replaced by which of the following?
(A) Famous
(B) Well-known
(C) Accomplished
(D) Big

7. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
(A) Light travels at 186,000 miles per hour.
(B) A person could travel from Earth to Proxima Centauri in four years.
(C) Light from Proxima Centauri reaches the Earth in more than four years.
(D) It is 186,000 miles from the Earth to Proxima Centauri.

8. The word “brightest” in line 11 could best be replaced by
(A) smartest
(B) palest
(C) shiniest
(D) largest

9. It can be inferred from the passage that from Alaska Alpha Centauri is
(A) always visible
(B) frequently visible
(C) occasionally visible
(D) never visible

10. Where in the passage does the author explain how fast light can travel?
(A) Lines 1 - 2
(B) sentence 6
(C) Lines 7 - 9
(D) Lines 10 – 11