Read the excerpt from Neil deGrasse Tyson’s “Death by Black Hole.” If you stumbled upon a black hole and found yourself falling feet-first toward its center, then as you got closer, the black hole’s force of gravity would grow astronomically. Curiously, you would not feel this force at all because, like anything in free fall, you are weightless. What you do feel, however, is something far more sinister. While you fall, the black hole’s force of gravity at your two feet, they being closer to the black hole’s center, accelerates them faster than does the weaker force of gravity at your head. Read the excerpt from Billy Collins’s “Man Listening to Disc.” the only true point of view, is full of the hope that he, the hub of the cosmos with his hair blown sideways, will eventually make it all the way downtown. Which choice best describes the differing views Tyson and Collins present of humanity?
Answer
A
Tyson suggests that people have no control of their lives in a dangerous world, while Collins reminds people to take control and be focused.
B
Tyson describes a sinister universe where men are eaten by black holes, while Collins describes a cosmos full of hope for a better future.
C
Tyson writes about a scientific fact of life, while Collins writes about an emotionally charged event in his life.
D
Tyson presents humans as powerless against the forces of nature, while Collins presents an individual creating his own destiny.
Explanation
Tyson explains that gravity pulls the falling person’s feet faster than their head, making the person subject to forces beyond their control. Collins, by contrast, portrays a person who sees himself as “the hub of the cosmos” and hopes to reach downtown, suggesting personal agency and direction. Thus, Tyson presents humans as powerless against nature, while Collins presents an individual creating his own destiny.
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