Astronaut Ice Cream Quiz
Targeted Practice CCSS RI.3 & RI.4 Question Stems
“Who Eats Astronaut Ice Cream?” Comprehension Questions
Refer to Stephanie Loomis Pappas's informational text to answer the 4 questions below.
Name:
Date:
Period:
Read each question carefully and select the best answer based on the passage.
4 ASSESSMENT ITEMS
1. Why did NASA food testers discover that freeze-dried ice cream could not be safely eaten in space?
A. It spoiled rapidly because spacecraft cabins are kept too warm.
B. It crumbled, and floating crumbs could damage computers or get into eyes.
C. It required too much hot water to reconstitute before astronauts could eat it.
D. The vacuum packaging was too heavy to carry on the Apollo 7 rocket.
Paragraph Evidence:
2. According to paragraph 3, what happens inside the cold vacuum chamber during the freeze-drying process?
A. Water inside the food turns instantly to gas and escapes, leaving no ice to melt.
B. Food is baked under high pressure so that the dairy solids turn rock-hard.
C. Liquid nitrogen is sprayed over the food to freeze all ice crystals permanently.
D. Stiff marshmallows are blended into the recipe to absorb excess moisture.
Paragraph Evidence:
3. Based on the passage, why do astronauts use tortillas instead of traditional sliced bread in space?
A. Tortillas fit more easily inside the science experiment freezers on the ISS.
B. Tortillas absorb liquid better when water is added back into space meals.
C. Regular bread creates dangerous floating crumbs, whereas tortillas do not.
D. Bread rises too much and bursts its foil packaging in zero gravity.
Paragraph Evidence:
4. When real ice cream is delivered to the International Space Station, why must astronauts eat it right away?
A. The freezers onboard the space station are designated only for scientific experiments.
B. Real dairy products become toxic when exposed to cosmic radiation.
C. Real ice cream turns into dry powder if kept in zero-G for more than an hour.
D. Mission Control requires all fresh food supplies to be consumed during launch day.
Paragraph Evidence:
Passage: “Who Eats Astronaut Ice Cream?” by Stephanie Loomis Pappas Reading Informational Text Practice
