Reading Comprehension
To win the NBA Championship, the Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in Round 1 of the playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers 4-0 in Round 2 of the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Championship, and finally, the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the Finals.
What team did the Knicks beat after the Hawks and the 76ers?
The Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Knicks beat both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks 4-0. Pull out your brooms, because this is called a __________________.
Sweep
At 7'1" tall, the Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren is an absolute skyscraper.
What type of figurative language is this?
a) Simile
b) Metaphor
c) Personification
d) Alliteration
b) Metaphor
The sentence compares Chet Holmgren to a skyscraper WITHOUT using "like" or "as."
Your 5-year-old little brother is a huge Las Vegas Golden Knights fan. He is really disappointed that they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final. Which statement is something you would NOT say to help him feel better?
a) You'll get over it.
b) The Golden Knights are really good, they will probably have another shot next year!
c) You can't always win, but you should be proud of how far your team came.
d) There is always next year.
a) You'll get over it.
This does not show that you care about your brother's feelings. Your statement should be comforting and show you care.
The Stanley Cup is also the only trophy in professional sports on which the names of the team members are engraved when they win it. Every 12-13 years, the Stanley Cup runs out of room for new names. When this happens, one band of names is removed and replaced with a blank band for new names.
Why doesn't the Stanley Cup keep getting taller as more teams win it?
A band of names is removed and replaced when the cup runs out of room to engrave more names.
The Carolina Hurricanes' win is a great _________________, considering they had not won the Stanley Cup in 20 years.
What vocabulary words fits in the blank?
a) consecutive
b) advance
c) triumph
c) triumph
A triumph is a win or a victory
Mitch Marner scored a hat trick in the Stanley Cup Finals, which means he scored 3 goals in the same game. Which idiom might be used to describe his performance?
a) He is on fire
b) He is going to hit the sack
c) He has a chip on his shoulder
d) He is barking up the wrong tree
a) He is on fire
This means that someone is doing really at something. They might be on a "hot streak" of good performance.
Victor Wembanyama walked off the court after the Spurs' finals loss instead of shaking hands or congratulating the Knicks. What is a coping skill he could have used to put his disappointment and anger aside and have better sportsmanship in that moment?
(Taking deep breaths, counting to 10)
The NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals each begin with 8 teams from the Eastern Conference and 8 teams from the Western Conference.
How many teams do each of the finals start with?
16 teams.
8 from Eastern Conference, 8 from Western Conference.
The New York Islanders once won the Stanley Cup for four consecutive years. Which group of years represents this?
a) 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995
b) 1957, 1967, 1977, 1987
c) 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983
d) 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006
c) 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983
Consecutive means in a row, without any breaks.
The other options do not show four consecutive years.
"I'm on the edge of my seat."
"This game is a heart-stopper."
Which situation might be described using the idioms above?
a) The Knicks beating the Spurs 107-106 in game 4 of the NBA finals
b) The Mets winning 9-1 against the Cincinnati Reds
c) The Las Vegas Golden Knights being up 4-0 against the Hurricanes in game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final
a) The Knicks beating the Spurs 107-106 in game 4 of the NBA finals
"edge of my seat" and "heart-stopper" are idioms used to describe situations that are really tense, like a very close game.
You play second base for your baseball team. Your team played a really close game today, but lost. However, you hit a triple and made a really good save at second base.
What are you emotions you may be feeling?
a) Angry and miserable
b) Happy but calm
c) Disappointed but proud
d) Ecstatic and energetic
c) Disappointed but proud
You are probably disappointed that your team lost, but proud of yourself for playing well.
Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour won a Stanley Cup as both a coach and a player. He was the Captain of the Hurricanes when they last won the Stanley Cup in 2006!
What was special about Rod Brind'Amour's Stanley Cup win?
He won as both a coach and a player.
Which score shows a shutout?
a) 6-0
b) 7-5
c) 3-10
d) 1-1
a) 6-0
A shutout is when one team loses without scoring any points.
Which idiom describes how the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama may have felt the day after losing the championship to the Knicks?
a) On cloud 9
b) Butterflies in his stomach
c) Feeling blue
d) On top of the world
c) Feeling blue
This is an idiom that means to feel sad or down
After winning the NBA Championship, Jalen Brunson said:
"My confidence comes from my work ethic. All I can think of is all the hours in the summer, every summer since I ever can remember making this a reality. I'd just be alone in the gym."
What did he mean by this statement?
a) His team is the best
b) He knew he worked really hard to get to where he is now, so he never lost faith in himself
c) He was very nervous before the game and wondering if he was going to win
d) He is a good player because he is naturally talented
b) He knew he worked really hard to get to where he is now, so he never lost faith in himself
Talking about "work ethic," "all the hours in the summer" and being "alone in the gym" are context clues that show that Jalen feels he worked very hard to achieve this victory, and was confident in himself.
The U.S. Open is one of the four major tournaments in golf: The Masters, The PGA Championship, the British Open, and the U.S. Open.
How many majors are there in golf?
Four.
If the Oklahoma City Thunder had beaten the San Antonio Spurs, they would have advanced to the NBA Finals.
Is the word advanced used correctly in this sentence?
Yes.
To advance means to move forward.
During the U.S. Open, a golfer hits a long, beautiful shot high in the sky. The announcer says, "that ball is going to the moon!"
What type of figurative language is this?
a) Personification
b) Simile
c) Hyperbole
d) Metaphor
c) Hyperbole
A hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club was the first American golf club to allow women to play from the very first day that it opened in 1893. What can we infer about women at that time?
a) Women were allowed to do everything that men were
b) A lot of golf clubs were for women only
c) Women were not always allowed to play at golf clubs at that time because they did not have as many rights as men
d) Women were the best golfers in 1893
c) Women were not always allowed to play at golf clubs at that time because they did not have as many rights as men
Shinnecock Hills was the FIRST golf club to allow women to play from the day that it opened. This is a context clue that tells us most other golf clubs did not allow women to play at that time in history.