Astronomy current events question: giant star cores

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2011
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!)

Michele Johnson, "NASA’s Kepler Mission Helps Reveal the Inner Secrets of Giant Stars for the First Time," March 31, 2011
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/news/giant_stars.html

Observations of giant stars' __________ by the NASA Kepler Space Telescope allows their cores to be studied.
(A) metal absorption lines.
(B) slow, gradual expansion.
(C) surface oscillations.
(D) changing colors.
(E) type II supernova explosions.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 9 students
(B) : 6 students
(C) : 18 students
(D) : 8 students
(E) : 7 students