The progress of astronomy has always been closely associated with the development GMAT Reading Comprehension

Reading Passage Question

The progress of astronomy has always been closely associated with the development and application of mechanical processes and skill. Before the seventeenth century, the size of the planets could not be measured, the satellites of the planets except the Earth’s moon were unknown, the phases of Mercury and Venus were merely conjectured, and accurate positions of the sun, moon, and planets among the stars, and of the stars among themselves, were impossible all because there were no telescopes. More than a half century elapsed after the invention of the telescope before Picard combined it with a graduated circle in such a way that the measurement of angles was greatly improved. Then arose the necessity for accurate time. Although Galileo had learned the principles governing the pendulum, astronomy had to wait for the mechanical genius of Huygens before a satisfactory clock was invented around 1657.

Nearly all the large reflecting telescopes ever built were constructed by astronomers who possessed great facility in practical mechanics. The rapid and significant advances in nearly all departments of astronomy in the past century would not have been possible except through the skill and patience of glassmakers, opticians, and engineers. The principles of spectrum analysis as formulated by Kirchho allowed for the discovery of the elements composing every heavenly body. The deftness of Wollaston showed that light could not be analyzed unless it first passed through a very narrow slit. Even in our modern day the power of the telescope and spectroscope has been vastly extended by the optical skill and mechanical dexterity of individuals such as Rowland, Hastings and Brashear, all Americans.

An observatory site should have a fairly unobstructed horizon, as much freedom from cloud as possible, good foundations for the instruments, and a very steady atmosphere. To understand the necessity of a steady atmosphere, look at some distant outdoor object through a window on a hot summer day. The object appears blurry and wavering. Similarly, currents of warm air continually rise from the earth to upper regions of the atmosphere, and colder air comes down and rushes underneath. Although these atmospheric movements are often invisible to the eye, their effect is plainly visible in the telescope as a blurry distortion. In order for an ideally-designed telescope to perform perfectly, it must be located in a perfect atmosphere. Otherwise its full power cannot be employed. All hindrances of atmosphere are most advantageously avoided in arid or desert regions of the globe, at elevations of 3000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. Higher mountains have as yet been only partially investigated, and it is not known whether difficulties of occupying them permanently would more than counterbalance the gain which greater elevation would afford.

“The progress of astronomy has always been closely associated with the development and application of mechanical processes and skill.” - is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 4 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension is designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare for the exam with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

1. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about the telescope?

1. Knowledge about the satellites of the planets was limited to a large extent because of the lack of the knowledge gained from the use of telescopes.
2. A telescope at 10,000 feet in the mountains could work better than a telescope at 5,000 feet in the desert.
3. A climate with frequent variations in the weather would make a telescope potentially less accurate than a climate with monotonous weather.
4. Picard incorporated the graduated circle into the telescope around 1640.
5. A desert such as the Sahara would be an ideal location for a telescope due to its lack of extreme atmospheric movement.

2. The primary purpose of this passage is to

1. detail the advancement of a specific scientific field
2. recontextualize the reader’s understanding of what it takes to develop a successful telescope
3. explore the early contributions made in the field of astronomy, and some of the mechanical processes that contributed to that development
4. advocate for more research into telescope placement and development
5. describe inventions that helped astronomy and the ideal use of the telescope.

3. Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?

1. To describe the most progressive phase in the history of astronomy.
2. To overview how astronomy has developed in the past 400 years.
3. To emphasize the value of specific inventions in the advancement of a certain scientific field.
4. To discuss some early contributors to the field of astronomy.
5. To explain how far astronomy has come in a relatively short period of time.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that

1. without telescopes, accurate readings of the positions of celestial bodies are currently impossible.
2. even the most superlatively designed telescope possibly functions below its full ability at 2000 feet above sea level.
3. almost all the great telescopes were built by astronomers who possessed excellent knowledge of practical mechanics.
4. the atmospheric movements that cause blurry distortion in a telescope can never be detected by the naked eye.
5. a telescope requires an observatory site in order to function.

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