Question

Review the image and excerpt from "As Debris Piles Up, Americans Are Skeptical Enough Will Be Done to Limit Space Junk.”

A view of Earth from space showing the many objects in geosynchronous orbit around Earth.

Only 13% of Americans, however, have a great deal of confidence that space companies will sufficiently address the debris problem, while 51% have not too much or no confidence, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Yet, the same survey finds that, among the 7% of the public that is highly attentive to space news—those who say they have heard "a lot” about NASA in the past year and "a lot” about private space companies—some 37% have a great deal of confidence that private companies will minimize space debris.

Private companies might, in fact, profit from the growing need to eliminate existing space junk from Earth’s orbit. One recent business study estimates that the global market for monitoring and removing debris will generate $2.9 billion in revenue by 2022.

Before reading the article, Moke skimmed the title and photograph. Moke predicted that the author would show that Americans have no confidence in private companies’ interest in minimizing space junk. Now that Moke has read the article, which statement best revises the prediction?

Half of Americans have little to no confidence that private companies will reduce space junk.
Only 37 percent of Americans believe that private companies will reduce space junk.
More-informed Americans are 7 percent less confident that private companies will reduce space junk.
Only 7 percent of Americans believe that private companies will reduce space junk.

Answer 1

"Half of Americans have little to no confidence that private companies will reduce space junk."

Explanation: the article says 51% of Americans have "not too much" or "no" confidence that space companies will address the debris problem, which matches the revised prediction.