Document 6447956

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Reading Comprehension - Story 1
Directions: Read the story below very carefully and then answer the questions that follow.
Wings on His Feet
If you know about the flying slam dunk, then you know about Michael Jordan. Jordan flew into
basketball history in 1984. That’s the year the Chicago Bulls chose him to join their team. The rest is
history.
At six fee six inches, Jordan could jump higher than players half a foot taller. He could wiggle and
waggle around in the air. He could toss off shots that left other players shaking their heads. How did he
do it? Jordan once said he sometimes felt like he had little wings on his feet. His success on the court
didn’t come from magic wings, though. It came from practice.
Michael grew up in a middle-class family in Wilmington, North Carolina. His parents taught all of
their children to work hard. They told them not to waste their talent. Maybe that’s why Michael and his
brother, Larry, played so hard on their grass basketball court. They both wanted to be the best. Day
after day, Michael and Larry pounded it out on the backyard court.
Michael tried out a lot of sports before he settled on basketball. He tried football, track, and
baseball. He thought he was too short and skinny to play basketball. Even though he was small, Michael
became one of the best players on this ninth-grade basketball team. He was quick and driven by a will
to win. One of this friends said, “If it was a game of Horse and you beat him, you would have to play
another game until he won. You didn’t go home until he had won.”
Michael could hardly believe it when he didn’t make the varsity basketball team his sophomore
year. He was upset, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he worked even harder. He became the star player on
the junior varsity team. He scored up to 40 points in the game. Varsity players came to the games to
check out his moves. The next year he made the varsity team.
By the time he started playing on the varsity team, Michael had grown four inches. He decided
to focus on basketball. He never let up on himself. He pushed his teammates to work as hard as he did.
He also became a good student. He hoped to go to college when he finished high school.
After high school, Michael went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Even he was
surprised when he was chosen to start as a shooting guard. His first season was a great success. He
even made the winning shot at the national championship game. He left college before his last year to
play for the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was afraid he’d be a flop. However, his hard work
and will to win launched him right to the top.
During the 13 years that Jordan played with the Chicago Bulls, he was named the NBA Most
Valuable Player five times. He earned the NBA record for highest career scoring average. He demanded
the best of himself and other team members. With Jordan in the lead, the Bulls won six national
championships. In 1996, he was named one of the greatest North American athletes of the 20 th century.
Will there ever be a player better than Jordan? Jordan once said that somewhere out there is
another kid who won’t be afraid, a kid who will work hard and build on the example of those who have
gone before. Maybe that kid will grow little wings on his feet and fly off to fame, just like Michael
Jordan!
Questions
Make sure you have read the story completely before answering the questions.
1.
What important values did Michael
Jordan’s parents teach him when he was
young?
6.
(A) to work hard and not waste his talent
(B) to make as much money as possible
(C) to become a doctor or lawyer
(D) to speak out against crime
2.
If you scan this article to find something,
this means you
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
3.
write down everything about it.
reread the whole thing
quickly look through the article
just reread the first paragraph
What did Michael Jordan do when he
didn’t make the varsity team as a
sophomore?
(A) he almost gave up
(B) he thought that it was unfair
(C) he worked even harder
(D) he went to a different school
7.
What award did Michael Jordan get five
times?
(A) highest scorer
(B) greatest player
(C) most valuable player
(D) richest player
This story is mostly about
(A) Michael Jordan’s NBA
championships
(B) how to play basketball well
(C) how Michael became a great player
(D) Michael Jordan’s hometown
4.
In the story, when it stated Michael had
a will to win, it meant
(A) he was determined
(B) he was unsure of himself
(C) he didn’t have to try very hard
(D) he wanted to give up
5.
From reading the article, you can tell
that Michael Jordan
(A) hating losing
(B) cared only about himself
(C) never had to practice very much
(D) didn’t really enjoy playing
basketball.
RMW * Comprehension Practice * 2003