Astronomy current events question: KIC 8462852 transit signature explanation

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2015
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!)

George Dvorsky, "That So-Called Alien Megastructure Could Just Be a Distorted Star" (October 27, 2015)
gizmodo.com/that-so-called-alien-megastructure-could-just-be-a-dist-1738979646

The flickering light from the sun-like star KIC 8462852 ("Kepler 11") may be simply explained by a star with a __________ and planets crossing in front of it.
(A) black hole companion.
(B) brown dwarf companion.
(C) dark matter ring.
(D) rapid, tilted rotation axis.
(E) pulsar beams.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 4 students
(D) : 21 students
(E) : 4 students