IELTS Academic Reading Sample 18 - The Discovery of Uranus

You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27 - 40

The Discovery of Uranus

Someone once put forward an attractive though unlikely theory. Throughout the Earth's annual revolution around the sun, there is one point of space always hidden from our eyes. This point is the opposite part of the Earth's orbit, which is always hidden by the sun. Could there be another planet there, essentially similar to our own, but always invisible?

If a space probe today sent back evidence that such a world existed it would cause not much more sensation than Sir William Herschel's discovery of a new planet, Uranus, in 1781. Herschel was an extraordinary man — no other astronomer has ever covered so vast a field of work — and his career deserves study. He was born in Hanover in Germany in 1738, left the German army in 1757, and arrived in England the same year with no money but quite exceptional music ability. He played the violin and oboe and at one time was organist in the Octagon Chapel in the city of Bath. Herschel's was an active mind, and deep inside he was conscious that music was not his destiny; he, therefore, read widely in science and the arts, but not until 1772 did he come across a book on astronomy. He was then 34, middle-aged by the standards of the time, but without hesitation he embarked on his new career, financing it by his professional work as a musician. He spent years mastering the art of telescope construction, and even by present-day standards, his instruments are comparable with the best.

Serious observation began in 1774. He set himself the astonishing task of 'reviewing the heavens', in other words, pointing his telescope to every accessible part of the sky and recording what he saw. The first review was made in 1775; the second, and most momentous, in 1780-81. It was during the latter part of this that he discovered Uranus. Afterwards, supported by the royal grant in recognition of his work, he was able to devote himself entirely to astronomy. His final achievements spread from the sun and moon to remote galaxies (of which he discovered hundreds), and papers flooded from his pen until his death in 1822. Among these, there was one sent to the Royal Society in 1781, entitled An Account of a Comet. In his own words:

On Tuesday the 13th of March, between ten and eleven in the evening, while I was examining the small stars in the neighbourhood of H Geminorum, I perceived one that appeared visibly larger than the rest; being struck with its uncommon magnitude, I compared it to H Geminorum and the small star in the quartile between Auriga and Gemini, and finding it to be much larger than either of them, suspected it to be a comet.

 

Herschel's care was the hallmark of a great observer; he was not prepared to jump any conclusions. Also, to be fair, the discovery of a new planet was the last thought in anybody's mind. But further observation by other astronomers besides Herschel revealed two curious facts. For the comet, it showed a remarkably sharp disc; furthermore, it was moving so slowly that it was thought to be a great distance from the sun, and comets are only normally visible in the immediate vicinity of the sun. As its orbit came to be worked out the truth dawned that it was a new planet far beyond Saturn's realm, and that the 'reviewer of the heavens' had stumbled across an unprecedented prize. Herschel wanted to call it Georgian sidus (Star of George) in honour of his royal patron King George III of Great Britain. The planet was later for a time called Herschel in honour of its discoverer. The name Uranus, which was first proposed by the German astronomer Johann Elert Bode, was in use by the late 19th century.

Uranus is a giant in construction, but not so much in size; its diameter compares unfavourably with that of Jupiter and Saturn, though on the terrestrial scale it is still colossal. Uranus' atmosphere consists largely of hydrogen and helium, with a trace of methane. Through a telescope, the planet appears as a small bluish-green disc with a faint green periphery. In 1977, while recording the occultation 1 of a star behind the planet, the American astronomer James L. Elliot discovered the presence of five rings encircling the equator of Uranus. Four more rings were discovered in January 1986 during the exploratory flight of Voyager 22. In addition to its rings, Uranus has 15 satellites ('moons'), the last 10 discovered by Voyager 2 on the same flight; all revolve about its equator and move with the planet in an east-west direction. The two largest moons, Titania and Oberon, were discovered by Herschel in 1787. The next two, Umbriel and Ariel, were found in 1851 by the British astronomer William Lassell. Miranda, thought before 1986 to be the innermost moon, was discovered in 1948 by the American astronomer Gerard Peter Kuiper.

 

Glossary:
  'OCcultation': in astronomy, when one object passes in front of another and hides the second from view, especially, for example, when the moon comes between an observer and a star or planet.

'Voyager 2': an unmanned spacecraft sent on a voyage past Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter in 1986; during which it sent back information about these planets to scientists on earth.

 
Questions 27-31

Complete the table below. Write a date for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 27-31 on your answer sheet.

 

Event                                                                     

 Date

 

Example

William Herschel was born

Answer

1738

Herschel began investigating astronomy

(27)………….

Discovery of the planet Uranus

(28)………….

Discovery of the moons Titania and  Oberon

(29)………….

First discovery of Uranus' rings

(30)………….

Discovery of the last 10 moons of Uranus

(31)………….


Questions 32-36
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer of the Reading Passage?
In boxes 32-36 on your answer sheet write

YES              if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO               if the statement contradicts the writer
NOT GIVEN  if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Example                                                       Answer
Herschel was multi-talented                             YES

32   It is improbable that there is a planet hidden behind the sun.
33   Herschel knew immediately that he had found a new planet.
34   Herschel collaborated with other astronomers of his time.
35   Herschel's newly-discovered object was considered to be too far from the sun to be a comet.
36   Herschel's discovery was the most important find of the last three hundred years.
 

Questions 37-40
Complete each of the following statements (Questions 37-40) with a name from the Reading Passage.
Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.


The suggested names of the new planet started with ........ (37) ........, then ........ (38) ......., before finally settling on Uranus. The first five rings around Uranus were discovered by ........ (39) ......... From 1948 until 1986, the moon ........ (40)........ was believed to be the moon closest to the surface of Uranus.

 

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.12 (30 Votes)

X
The first phrase/line: 'Someone once put forward an attractive though UNLIKELY theory'. Therefore, it is 'Yes' because it is improbable for the theory to be true.
Tin
I am a bit confused about question # 33, 34 and 36. Can you clear my confusion?
Aniket SIngh
I also think the answer should be NO since the entire first paragraph is meant to convey the fact that there is a possibility of a planet that can always hide behind the sun.
Alex
To easy to be true in the exam.
Burakgenc
Herschel wanted to call it Georgium Sidus. You can find this easily.
Agoy
Yuri said :
I disagree with the answer to the question 32 but I had answered 'Not Given' as the writer only ponders about whether there could be a planet hidden in opposite orbit than that of Earth's, but does not say whether this is probable or not. I interpreted it as more of an "what if" statement only.
Someone once put forward an attractive though unlikely theory. Unlikely there means probable.

Sanjeev
Check out 5th paragraph."Herschel wanted to call it georgium sidus (Star of George) in honour of his royal patron King George III of Great Britain."
American Vespucci
100%.
Ali
I also have my doubt about the answer. Maybe answer was written incorrectly.
Phuong
In Q. 37, I don't find where the word "georgium sidus" did.
Stefano Calì
I believe it is 'YES' because it was considered far (as it was moving slowly) and comets are not visible when too far from the Sun ("only visible in the immediate vicinity of the Sun"). So it's either a comet but moving fast (which is not the case) or something else moving slowly, therefore the latter one is right.
Benazir
Congratulations !!!
Benazir
Wow! That is great! Sincere congratulations on this splendid achievement,Yur i.
Arvin
Could anyone please tell me why the answer of 35 is true? Its' not about how far from the sun!!! Waiting for your answer. Thanks.
Yuri Wergrzn
That seems logical. Basically, by saying that the theory he's about to explain - that there's a planet hidden behind the sun - is unlikely he believes that this is improbable. A bit hard to catch, but I get it now.Oh, also, I just got my IELTS academic result, 8.0 :)
Stefano
I made the same mistake, putting NG. But I suggest it is YES, as stated in the very first sentence: "attractive though unlikely theory". Then he explains the theory the adj. "unlikely" is referring to... What do you think?
Yuri
I disagree with the answer to the question 32 but I had answered 'Not Given' as the writer only ponders about whether there could be a planet hidden in opposite orbit than that of Earth's, but does not say whether this is probable or not. I interpreted it as more of an "what if" statement only.
Bikash Tiwari
It clearly mentions the late date, so it is 1781.
Bikash Tiwari
Hello, Mentor, I am a little bit confused about Question number 32. This point is the opposite part of the Earth's orbit, which is always hidden by the Sun. Could there be another planet there, essentially similar to our own, but always invisible? It may be 'No' I think. Could you clear me?
Bikash Tiwari
I am still a little bit confused about Q#32's answer which is 'true'. Can you clarify?
Moi
I don't think so because it is said in the passage that it is the "latter". That means the answer is '1781'.
Alonica
What if I answered 1780-81 for Q.28? Is that correct?
Bernabe
Thank you for the reading passage and answers. That was really helpful.