Praxis 5511 Practice Test Practice Question
Scenario/Extract:
In the late 1960s, when the space age was brand-new, the specter of interplanetary contagion ran high in the public imagination. In 1969, Michael Crichton published The Andromeda Strain, his novel about an extraterrestrial microbe that drops to earth on a satellite and wipes out an Arizona town. Two months later, when the Apollo 11 crew returned from their triumphant moon landing, NASA spirited the astronauts from their ocean splashdown to a hermetically sealed facility in Houston, where they were isolated... for two weeks before they could receive their full hero's welcome.
-Kevin Carey, from "Martians Might Be
Real. That Makes Mars Exploration Way
More Complicated"
The author discusses the reception of the Apollo 11 crew and The Andromeda Strain in order to emphasize the
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The author highlights the reception of the Apollo 11 crew and The Andromeda Strain to emphasize the heightened fear of dangers posed by space travel. This fear stemmed from both the monumental achievement of landing on the moon and the fictional portrayal of space-related threats in popular culture.
Option A misinterprets the focus; while skepticism exists, the primary emphasis is on fear rather than skepticism. Option B incorrectly suggests a comparison between art and reality, which is not the central theme. Option C, while relevant, does not capture the broader context of public anxiety surrounding technological advancements and their implications for safety.
Unlock All Questions
Subscribe to Premium for full access to all practice questions, detailed rationales, and performance tracking.
Subscribe Now