Question

1. which statement identifies the central idea of the text? ri.2

a. from a young age, lloyd was encouraged to pursue sports and other activities uncommon for young girls.
b. soccer is a sport built on teamwork, a skill that lloyd had to develop before being accepted on the women’s national team.
c. lloyd worked hard and overcame many challenges to become one of the top women in soccer.
d. lloyd was a natural athlete and found the journey to succeeding in sports to be easy.

1. how does the author introduce the united states women’s soccer team in the text? ri.3

a. the author portrays the women’s team as impressed by the size of the crowd.
b. the author characterizes the women’s team as working harder than the japanese team.
c. the author describes the women’s team as being able to beat japan only because of lloyd’s talent.
d. the author presents the women’s team as surprising japan with how quickly and easily they scored.

1. read the following sentences from paragraph 4:

“as if three unanswered goals are not enough, the unthinkable happens. in a burst of energy, lloyd steals the ball. she sees that japan’s goalie is out of position. the crowd roars as lloyd launches a high, arcing shot from 55 yards out. the goalkeeper can only stumble backward and swat at the ball as the improbable shot sails over her head and into the net.”
what does the word improbable mean in this context? ri.4
a. fake
b. realistic
c. skillful
d. unbelievable

1. how does paragraph 8 contribute to the development of ideas in the text? ri.5

a. it shows that lloyd’s siblings gave up playing soccer because lloyd was better than them.
b. it shows lloyd’s love of soccer and how willing she was to work hard to get good at it.
c. it emphasizes lloyd’s interest in many types of activities, not just sports.
d. it reveals that lloyd’s parents gave her a lot of freedom as a child.

Explanation:

• Question 1: The central idea of a text about a person's journey in a sport would likely focus on their hard work and overcoming challenges. Option C states that Lloyd worked hard and overcame many challenges to become one of the top women in soccer, which is a comprehensive summary. Option A only mentions early encouragement, Option B focuses on a single aspect (teamwork), and Option D is incorrect as it says the journey was easy (contradicts typical athlete narratives).
• Question 2: Without the full text, but based on common sports - text introductions. If the author is introducing the US women's soccer team in a positive, impressive light. Option D presents the team as surprising Japan with quick and easy scoring (a positive, notable introduction). Option A about being impressed by the crowd is more about the team's reaction to the crowd, Option B comparing work - ethic without context is less likely as an introduction, and Option C over - emphasizes Lloyd's talent (if it's an introduction to the team).
• Question 3: In the context of "the improbable shot sails over her head and into the net", after "the unthinkable happens", "improbable" means something that is hard to believe. "Unbelievable" (Option D) is the closest. "Fake" (Option A) is about authenticity, "realistic" (Option B) is the opposite, and "skillful" (Option C) doesn't capture the sense of surprise.
• Question 4: Paragraphs that contribute to the development of ideas about a person's success in a sport often show their love and work - ethic. Option B shows Lloyd's love of soccer and her willingness to work hard (if the paragraph details her practice, dedication etc.). Option A about siblings giving up is a side - point, Option C is too vague (interest in many activities), and Option D about parents' freedom is not directly related to the development of ideas about her soccer success.

Answer:

1. C. Lloyd worked hard and overcame many challenges to become one of the top women in soccer.
2. D. The author presents the women’s team as surprising Japan with how quickly and easily they scored.
3. D. unbelievable
4. B. It shows Lloyd’s love of soccer and how willing she was to work hard to get good at it.