text: First off, the author tells what Venus is like. He states that Venus is often referred to as Earth's "twin". This is because Venus and Earth are close in size, density, and at some points in orbit are the closest planets in the solar system. It is also believed that at one point, Venus was a lot like Earth is now. "The Challenge of Exploring Venus" states, "Astronomers are fascinated by Venus because it may well once have been the most Earth-like planet in our soloar system.". The article goes on to say Venus most likely had large oceans that supported life, and the planet has things like craters, valleys, and mountains that we also have here on Earth. The author including these details helps get the point across that Venus is a lot like Earth, and with the little research been done already, we've found so much. This helps readers understand that the longer Venus is studied, the more we will learn about it.