Astronomy current events question: supermassive black hole devours star

Astronomy 210L, fall 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!)

Trent J. Perrotto, Lynn Chandler, Francis Reddy, "Researchers Detail How A Distant Black Hole Devoured A Star," August 24, 2011
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/swift/bursts/devoured-star.html

A black hole devouring a star was detected by analyzing __________ recorded by NASA's Swift satellite and the Japanese MAXI instrument aboard the International Space Station.
(A) faint supernova shockwaves.
(B) x-ray and gamma ray flares.
(C) radioactive decays.
(D) a transmission test video.
(E) spacetime disruptions.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 6 students
(B) : 40 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 1 student