Astronomy current events question: elephant face on Mars

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2012
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!)

Alan Boyle, "See the Elephant Face on Mars," April 7, 2012
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/07/11064275-see-the-elephant-face-on-mars?lite

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recently obtained images of an elephant face on Mars, which:
(A) appeared to be a human face in earlier images.
(B) was created by ancient lava flows.
(C) turned out to be an April's Fools joke.
(D) became visible after the end of the martian winter.
(E) is caused by slow-growing lichen or algae.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 38 students
(C) : 4 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 0 students