1. Which of the following ideas is discussed in both Neil deGrasse Tyson’s “Death by Black Hole” and in Billy Collins’s “Man Listening to Disc”?

A. what is present in the center of the universe
B. humanity’s place in relation to the larger universe
C. the universe as a source of inspiration
D. the complexity and beauty of the universe

2. Which excerpt from Billy Collins’s “Man Listening to Disc” best supports the idea that the speaker uses the music to isolate himself from others?

A. as if he were right beside me
on this clear day in March,
the pavement sparkling with sunlight

B. In fact, I would say
my delight at being suffused
with phrases from his saxophone—
some like honey, some like vinegar—

C. And I bow deeply to Thelonious Monk
for figuring out a way
to motorize—or whatever—his huge piano
so he could be with us today.

D. The music is loud yet so confidential
I cannot help feeling even more
like the center of the universe

Both "Death by a Black Hole" and "Man Listening to Disc" discuss humanity's place in relation to the larger universe. However, the authors reach very different conclusions. While Tyson concludes that humans are insignificant in relation to the universe, Billy Collins puts humanity at the center of the universe.

In these lines, Collins shows how the speaker uses the music to isolate himself from others. He tells us that the music is loud, yet it is only for him. No one else can hear it, and no one participates in this private activity. He feels like the center of the universe because there is no one around. This shows that the speaker uses music to isolate himself from others.