ielts Matching information The Solar System

 Passage: The Solar System

A. The Solar System consists of the Sun and all the objects bound to it by gravity. This includes eight planets, their moons, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids.

B. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and has a very thin atmosphere. Venus, the second planet, is similar in size to Earth but has a thick, toxic atmosphere that traps heat, making it the hottest planet. Earth, the third planet, has liquid water on its surface and supports a wide range of life forms. Mars, the fourth planet, has a thin atmosphere and is known as the Red Planet because of its iron oxide-rich soil.

C. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and has a strong magnetic field. It is a gas giant, primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, and has more than 75 moons. Saturn is famous for its extensive ring system, also made mostly of ice and rock. Uranus is a blue-green gas giant that rotates on its side, while Neptune, the farthest planet, has the strongest winds in the Solar System.

D. Comets are icy bodies that release gas and dust, forming bright tails when they approach the Sun. Asteroids are rocky bodies, mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and meteoroids are smaller rocky or metallic objects that can enter Earth’s atmosphere, producing meteors.

Questions: Matching Information

Match each statement (1–8) with the paragraph (A–D) in which the information is found.

1.      Mars is called the Red Planet because of the color of its soil.

2.      Comets form bright tails when approaching the Sun.

3.      Venus has a thick atmosphere that makes it hotter than Mercury.

4.      Jupiter is mainly made of hydrogen and helium.

5.      Meteoroids can create meteors when entering Earth’s atmosphere.

6.      Mercury has a very thin atmosphere.

7.      Saturn is known for its rings composed of ice and rock.

8.      Uranus rotates on its side.

Paragraphs:

• A: The inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
• B: The gas giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
• C: Comets
• D: Asteroids and meteoroids

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Answers:

1.      A – Mars is described in the inner planets paragraph.

2.      C – Comets and their tails are explained in the comet paragraph.

3.      A – Venus is mentioned in the inner planets paragraph.

4.      B – Jupiter is described in the gas giants paragraph.

5.      D – Meteoroids are mentioned in the asteroids/meteoroids paragraph.

6.      A – Mercury is described in the inner planets paragraph.

7.      B – Saturn and its rings are in the gas giants paragraph.

8.      B – Uranus’s unusual rotation is described in the gas giants paragraph.