Astronomy current events question: exoplanet Kepler-37b

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2013
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!)

Adam Mann, "Record-Breaking Exoplanet Is Just Barely Bigger Than the Moon," February 20, 2013
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/02/mercury-sized-exoplanet

NASA's Kepler space telescope discovered Kepler-37b, an exoplanet smaller than Mercury, by observing this planet __________ its star.
(A) escaping from.
(B) gravitationally wobbling.
(C) crossing in front of.
(D) swallowed up by.
(E) slowly melted by.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 46 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 1 student