Question
Naming Pluto
When "Planet X" was discovered in 1930, astronomers began debating what to call it. An eleven-year-old girl named Venetia Burney suggested the name "Pluto" to her grandfather, who passed the idea along to a friend who was a professor of astronomy. The professor, in turn, immediately forwarded the suggestion to scientists at the Lowell Observatory, where the planet had been discovered. The astronomers appreciated the fact that Pluto was the ancient Romans' name for the god of the underworld, making it a fitting moniker for such a cold and distant celestial body. In addition, its first two letters matched the initials of Percival Lowell, the astronomer who first proposed the existence of Planet X. The matter was eventually put to a vote, with Pluto the hands-down winner.
What is the main, or central, idea of the passage? (Remember to use the RACE writing technique; if you don't know what that is, there is a Live Lesson recording on the course message board.)
When "Planet X" was discovered in 1930, astronomers began debating what to call it. An eleven-year-old girl named Venetia Burney suggested the name "Pluto" to her grandfather, who passed the idea along to a friend who was a professor of astronomy. The professor, in turn, immediately forwarded the suggestion to scientists at the Lowell Observatory, where the planet had been discovered. The astronomers appreciated the fact that Pluto was the ancient Romans' name for the god of the underworld, making it a fitting moniker for such a cold and distant celestial body. In addition, its first two letters matched the initials of Percival Lowell, the astronomer who first proposed the existence of Planet X. The matter was eventually put to a vote, with Pluto the hands-down winner.
What is the main, or central, idea of the passage? (Remember to use the RACE writing technique; if you don't know what that is, there is a Live Lesson recording on the course message board.)
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The main idea of the passage is that the name "Pluto," suggested by an eleven-year-old girl named Venetia Burney, was chosen to represent the newly discovered planet due to its connections to ancient mythology and its alignment with the initials of the astronomer Percival Lowell. This name not only highlights the planet’s cold and distant characteristics but also honors its discoverer.
In RACE format:
- **Restate the question:** The central idea of the passage is about how the name "Pluto" was chosen for the planet.
- **Answer the question:** The name was suggested by an eleven-year-old girl, Venetia Burney, and was appreciated by astronomers for its mythological significance and its connection to Percival Lowell's initials.
- **Cite evidence:** The passage explains that "Pluto" was the name of the Roman god of the underworld, making it a fitting name for a cold, distant planet. It also notes that the first two letters of "Pluto" matched the initials of Percival Lowell, who proposed the existence of Planet X.
- **Explain:** This connection to mythology and its homage to Lowell contributed to its popularity and the subsequent decision to officially adopt the name “Pluto” after a vote among astronomers.
In RACE format:
- **Restate the question:** The central idea of the passage is about how the name "Pluto" was chosen for the planet.
- **Answer the question:** The name was suggested by an eleven-year-old girl, Venetia Burney, and was appreciated by astronomers for its mythological significance and its connection to Percival Lowell's initials.
- **Cite evidence:** The passage explains that "Pluto" was the name of the Roman god of the underworld, making it a fitting name for a cold, distant planet. It also notes that the first two letters of "Pluto" matched the initials of Percival Lowell, who proposed the existence of Planet X.
- **Explain:** This connection to mythology and its homage to Lowell contributed to its popularity and the subsequent decision to officially adopt the name “Pluto” after a vote among astronomers.