Question

these explorations are small in the scope of national resources, but they are incalculably valuable in satisfying our most deep - seated needs to understand our world and our place in it.
from michael watkins, “continued support of space exploration is a must if america is to succeed.” ©2015 by the university of texas at austin.
passage 2
people are hugely fascinated by space exploration—nearly every week brings new spectacular findings. where does this fascination come from and what contribution can space research make to research on earth?
i’m convinced that this fascination with what is new is in our genes. humankind has always been interested in what lies beyond the horizon and has always wanted to get to the bottom of things. this urge to explore literally extends beyond our earthly horizon. in space, there are an infinite number of things to discover—and these in turn allow conclusions to be drawn about the evolution of our own planet. this approach is comparable to many areas of research where, ultimately, we are trying to properly understand the processes and mechanisms that determine our lives and our environment. but space research is not always just about the ability to directly transform spectacular findings into new products. space travel pushes the boundaries of what is technically feasible, thus driving innovation. and there is also a social element to the equation: viewing our planet from space shows that there is actually enough room on earth for all human beings. in a way, then, space travel also contributes to international understanding.
from “space exploration drives innovation.” ©2015 by federal ministry of education and research.
question
in passage 1, the author anticipates which of the following objections to continued space exploration?
the space program is expensive to maintain.
public support for space exploration is limited to young people.
international competition in space exploration has decreased.
past missions have not yielded scientific discoveries.

Explanation:

In Passage 1, the author mentions that space explorations are small in the scope of national resources. This implies that a possible objection to continued space exploration could be its high - cost maintenance. There is no mention of public support being limited to young people, decreased international competition, or past missions not yielding scientific discoveries.

Answer:

A. The space program is expensive to maintain.