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Why do some scientists argue it’s worth thinking about the sun’s eventual “death” now, even though it’s billions of years away?

• Because humans may be able to build technologies to extend its life

• Because long-term thinking helps in developing planetary survival strategies

• Because the sun could explode within decades

• Because its energy is already running out rapidly

What defines an igneous rock?

• A rock formed from layers of compressed sediment

• A rock created from cooled and solidified magma or lava

• A rock composed only of fossilized shells

• A rock altered through chemical weathering

The catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE is historically significant because:

• It destroyed Pompeii and preserved artifacts in volcanic ash

• It was the first eruption observed by astronauts

• It ended the Punic Wars in Rome

• It released hydrogen gas into the atmosphere for months

What makes Lake Nyos (1986) an unusual volcanic-related disaster?

• It erupted lava without an explosion

• A massive release of CO₂ suffocated nearby villages

• It was triggered by human mining activity

• It created the largest tsunami in recorded history

Why do dormant volcanoes sometimes “wake up”?

• Cooling magma causes expansion of surrounding rock

• New influxes of magma and gas pressure build up over time

• Earthquakes push dormant craters into eruption

• They are triggered by solar flares

What role can human activity play in volcanic eruptions?

• Humans can directly trigger eruptions through explosions in the magma chamber

• Mining and drilling may destabilize geological structures, but natural causes dominate

• Airplane flights can ignite magma gases

• Human activity has no possible connection to volcanism

The Punic Wars were fought between which two powers?

• Athens and Sparta

• Rome and Carthage

• England and France

• Mongols and China

What was unusual about the Hundred Years’ War?

• It lasted 100 years without interruption

• It actually lasted 116 years with periods of truce and quiet

• It was fought entirely at sea

• It ended with the defeat of the Mongols

The Wars of the Roses in England primarily concerned:

• Religious control of the papacy

• Dynastic struggle between rival branches of the royal family

• Trade wars over silk routes

• Peasant uprisings after volcanic famine

Which best describes the Mongol Invasions?

• A. A series of limited regional raids only in Central Asia

• B. Conquests spanning Asia and Europe, reshaping entire societies

• C. Primarily naval battles in the Indian Ocean

• D. An alliance between Mongols and Europeans against China