Reprinted with permission from the BBC (bbc.co.uk)
Pre-Reading Questions: Keep a look out for these details when reading! Then, after you’ve read, fill in the answers.
What was the traditional view of Mercury, and what does the new view suggest?
What is unusual about Mercury’s mantle and why does it matter?
What is one of the theories that explain why Mercury’s mantle is so thin?
How did scientists discover that the shape of Mercury’s craters has changed with time?
By comparing current maps of Mercury to older ones
Through the use of laser measurements
By consulting old records of Mercury’s rotation
By monitoring Mercury over a couple of decades
What is the name of the process which causes geological features to shift around on a planet’s surface?
Global Shift
Red Shift
Polar Movement
Polar Wander
What is the most likely explanation for these geological shifts?
Features were distorted and contracted as the planet’s core cooled down.
Immense heat from Mercury’s position near the sun means that most of Mercury melts at times.
Mercury is regularly bombarded by meteor showers
Mercury’s core is mostly hollow and so the planet is collapsing
What is unique about Mercury’s core?
It makes up about 85% of the planet.
It is surrounded by a solid layer of iron sulphide.
The outer shell of the planet occupies only about 15% of the total.
All of the above.
What is special about the current mission to Mercury?
It is the last mission to Mercury by an unmanned vehicle
It is the first mission to Mercury which uses human astronauts
It is the first mission to Mercury which orbits from the Sun
It is the last mission to Mercury ever.
Now that you’ve answered the questions, use them to compile a summary. Remember, you want to hit on the main ideas, explaining who (or what) did what when and where, as well as (if possible) why they did it. After that, explain what’s happened as a result and what might happen in the future.
Vocabulary: define the following words using context clues. Explain how you arrived at the definition from the surrounding information.
