The spacecraft OSIRIS-REx brieﬂy made contact with the asteroid 101955 Bennu in 2020. NASA scientist Daniella
DellaGiustina reports that despite facing the unexpected obstacle of a surface mostly covered in boulders, OSIRIS-REx
successfully ______ a sample of the surface, gathering pieces of it to bring back to Earth.
attached
collected
followed
replaced
Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s contact
with the asteroid 101955 Bennu. In this context, “collected” means acquired and took away. The text indicates that although
the boulders on the asteroid’s surface caused some unforeseen problems, OSIRIS-REx was able to gather a sample to return
to Earth. This context suggests that OSIRIS-REx successfully collected a sample of 101955 Bennu.
Choice A is incorrect because in this context “attached” means connected or aﬃxed. The text indicates that OSIRIS-REx
gathered pieces of 101955 Bennu to bring to Earth; it doesn’t suggest that the spacecraft attached anything to the asteroid.
Choice C is incorrect because in this context “followed” means tracked or traveled behind and the text discusses OSIRIS-
REx’s brief encounter with 101955 Bennu during which the spacecraft gathered a sample to bring to Earth. The text doesn’t
suggest that the spacecraft tracked the sample, and it’s not clear what it would mean for the spacecraft to travel behind the
sample it collected. Choice D is incorrect because in this context “replaced” means put back or returned. The text indicates
that OSIRIS-REx gathered pieces of 101955 Bennu to bring to Earth but doesn’t suggest that anything was returned to the
asteroid.