JUPITER – DESTROYER OF COMETS - READING & COMPREHENSION

Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. It’s the fifth planet from the Sun. Its diameter is 11
times that of the Earth, and its mass is 300 times as great. It is so big that all the other planets could fit
inside it at the same time and there would still be room left over. The planet is named after the king of
the Roman gods. Jupiter is a giant ball of gases, mostly the elements are hydrogen and helium and it
doesn’t have a solid surface. Helium is the gas that makes balloons float in air, and hydrogen is one part
of water. The core of the planet is probably made of a hot dense liquid, like a thick soup. Jupiter has a
very strong gravitational pull and it is sometimes been called Destroyer of Comets because of its ability
to pull in and destroy comets and other space debris, such as rocks and ice.
Jupiter isn’t a welcoming place. It is extremely hot. It is thousands of times hotter than the hottest
place on Earth. Also, swirling storms rage on Jupiter’s surface almost all the time. The biggest storm is
called the Great Red Spot, which has wind speeds of up to 400 miles per hour. It has been raging for
hundreds of years and it is almost twice as wide as the Earth! The colourful clouds on Jupiter flow in
opposite directions and so this gives the planet its distinctive stripes. The clouds are shades of whites,
oranges, yellows, creams, reds and browns, all caused by the chemical make-up of each area.
Jupiter has more than 60 moons. Some of them are much bigger than Earth’s Moon. One is even bigger
than the planet Mercury! Others are tiny, only a few miles across.

1) GENERAL QUESTIONS:
Answer the following questions according to the text:

1-How big is Jupiter?

2-How did the planet get its name?
3-What is Jupiter composed of?
4-According to the passage, what’s the core of the planet like?
5-Can Jupiter support life? Justify.
6-How many moons does Jupiter have?
7- Why do you think that Jupiter is called Destroyer of Comets?
2) TRUE – FALSE – NO INFORMATION GIVEN -

Decide whether the following statements are True - Then correct the false ones.
-
1- Some of Jupiter’s moons are much bigger than Earth.
2- The planet got its name from a Greek God.
3- Massive swirling storms are common on Jupiter.
5- The main gases on Jupiter are Hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
6- Jupiter has nearly 60 moons.
7- Some of Jupiter’s moons are very small.
8- The planet is 11 times wider than Venus.
9- The next mission to Jupiter is scheduled for April, 2025.
10- The Great Red Spot has been active for many years.
11- The surface of Jupiter is a hard crust.
12- Jupiter’s gravity is powerful.
13- Jupiter is still growing in size.
14- All the planets in our Solar system could be accommodated inside Jupiter.
15- The colourful clouds are caused by chemicals.
16- In 1969, Jupiter destroyed a large comet.
17- The core of the planet is like a warm dense soup.
18 – The wind speeds on Jupiter exceed 400 miles per hour.
19 – Mercury is one of Jupiter’s moons.
20 – A manned mission to Jupiter has already been planned.

3) Match these words to synonyms in the Text

– LARGER – CENTRE - WIDTH – VARIATIONS – LIKELY – CENTURIES – MASSIVE – ACCOMMODATE – TWO - TUG

WORKSHEET CREATED BY MARK PALLISTER – ONLINE NATIVE ENGLISH TUTOR

markpallister1@yahoo.co.uk