Reading test practice: How small is the universe?

kabobfest.com

BBC News article explains about the scientific process to find evidence to support different theories about the universe.

In this article Andy Parker is Professor of High Energy Physics at Cambridge University and a founder of the ATLAS experiment for the Large Hadron Collider, explains about the problem of finding small 'things' in the universe.

Read and answer the questions below:

Write True, False or Not Given for the following questions

1. Achilles in Zeno's paradox is able to travel anywhere. 
2. He decides to take an infinitely number of small steps to reach his goal. 
3. Physicists have a problem with accepting infinitely small points. 
4. The idea of the atoms with the shape of a ball came from the ancient Greeks.
5. JJ Thomson managed to spilt the atomic nucleusin 1932. 

6. What does the writer mean by 'Russian Dolls'?

a.       Electrons

b.      Different sizes of atoms and particles

c.       Ever smaller discoveries particles within particles

                                    

7.  According to Newton’s ‘inverse-square’ Law, Gravity:

a.       Gets weaker the closer you are to an object

b.      Gets stronger the closer you are to an object

c.       Increases if your object is heavier

8. The Heisenburg Uncertainty Principle states that

a.       All particles are fuzzy

b.      We don’t want to know where anything is

c.       The location of a particle is uncertain

9. Fill the spaces below with one word from the text. 

Theoretical physicists don’t believe that particles are …………….., but are tiny "strings", like bits of ………………….
The name of the concept is ……………Theory. Physicists have found these ‘strings’ have a ……… length, but an infinitely small………….. This solves the problem, since you can never be at the same distance from all of the string.
Strings can ………….. in 11 different ways. This is important because it explains the strange fundamental particles which we see as different …………. from a cosmic violin.

                       

 10. Read the last paragraph of the text; Which summary sentence below best describes the writers intention?

A.    Scientists should not be imaginative, otherwise they will discover nothing

B.     Scientific method, critical thinking and experimentation allow us to make incredible discoveries.

C.     Science has shown us we are only slightly evolved cavemen, and have a lot to discover.

D.    We already have all the answers to the questions about the universe in our experiments

You can also watch the programme on this topic: 

Horizon: How Small is the Universe? is on BBC Two at 21:00 on Monday 3 September. Or catch up afterwards via iPlayer (UK only) at the above link.

Also, another programme to watch:
Engineering Giants The world's most enormous machines are stripped down and torn apart to discover their hidden secrets and to reveal out how each one has changed our world in its own unique way. On BBC iPlayer from 4th Sept 2012.