Astronomy current events question: Spirit incommunicado

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2010
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

John Antczak, Associated Press, "Hayabusa Hits the Homestretch," March 30, 2010
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100401/ap_on_sc/us_sci_mars_rover

According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Mars rover Spirit failed to make a scheduled communication because it:
(A) is covered by dry ice (carbon dioxide) snow drifts.
(B) shut down for safety during a marsquake.
(C) is still processing a software upgrade.
(D) was drilling a hole into the core of a meteorite.
(E) does not generate enough power from its dust-covered solar panels.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 4 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 0 students
(E) : 27 students