Sports Dream
Lindsay Rock

1 For as long as I remember
Becoming an athlete was my dream—
To score a point, to win a game,
To be a member of a team.

5 I pursued the game of baseball;
Took a line drive to the knee.
I pitched the ball with all my might,
The hitter fired it back at me.

9 Thought that I’d attempt some golf;
Positioned my ball upon a tee,
Swung my club to give it a whack!
It appeared to laugh at me.

13 Attended football tryouts;
Heard the players discuss a “sack.”
I wasn’t aware of what that was
‘Til they knocked me flat upon my back.

17 Attempted to play volleyball;
A player sprang up for a spike.
That ball bolted by so fast
It was like a lightning strike.

21 Tried out for gymnastics
To learn tumbles, twists, and flips,
But all I had to demonstrate
Were stumbles, sprains, and trips.

25 When it comes to playing sports
I’m like a fish upon the land.
No bats, no balls, no mitts for me,
Just slip a pen into my hand.

29 I might not be an athlete—
Nor challenger or fighter—
But I can merge the things I love
If I become a sports writer.

Read the passage on the left to answer the following questions:

1)
What is the BEST evidence that the author would make a good sportswriter?
A) the poem's admiring attitude toward athletes
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B) the fact that she has failed at almost every sport
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C) the poem itself, which is a funny description of sports
D) the fact that she has loved sports since she was very young
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2)
Which describes the main conflict the speaker must face?
A) The speaker loves sports but he is not good at playing them.
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B) The speaker dreams of being a writer but has writer’s block.
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C) The speaker fears that he will get hurt while playing sports.
D) The speaker wants to try out for sports but he is not allowed to do it.
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3)
In lines 25 and 26, what is implied by the sentence When it comes to playing sports / I’m like a fish upon the land?
A) The only sport I'm good at is fishing.
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B) I play sports as well as fish can swim.
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C) I'm not comfortable on the playing field.
D) I would enjoy learning to play a water sport.
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4)
In line 11 the word whack is an example of
A) alliteration.
B) hyperbole.
C) onomatopoeia.
D) personification.