Question

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:
12)
Which describes the main conflict the speaker must face?
A) The speaker loves sports but he is not good at playing them.
B) The speaker dreams of being a writer but has writer’s block.
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.
13)
Based on evidence from the poem, the author MIGHT consider sportswriters to be
A) very lazy.
B) fiendishly clever.
C) somewhat laughable.
D) unpleasant to be around.
14)
What is the BEST evidence that the author would make a good sportswriter?
A) the poem's admiring attitude toward athletes
B) the fact that she has failed at almost every sport
C) the poem itself, which is a funny description of sports
D) the fact that she has loved sports since she was very young

Answer 1

The main conflict in the poem is the speaker's love for sports despite not being skilled at playing them, leading to the realization that writing about sports could be an ideal profession. There is no clear answer from the poem on the author's view of sportswriters, but it suggests a positive regard. The author's long-standing love for sports is the strongest evidence that they might succeed as a sportswriter.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main conflict the speaker faces in the poem Sports Dream by Lindsay Rock is described accurately by option A: The speaker loves sports but is not good at playing them. This is evident in the various attempts at sports the speaker makes, all of which end in some form of failure or mishap. Despite the love for sports, the speaker's aptitude does not match their enthusiasm, leading to the conclusion that writing about sports might be a more fitting pathway.

When considering what the author might think of sports writers, there is no direct indication that the author views them as lazy, clever, laughable, or unpleasant. However, based on the positive resolution of becoming a sports writer to combine love for sports with writing skills, it is implied that the author holds sports writers in high regard. Therefore, an appropriate selection for this answer might be outside of the provided options, possibly seeing them as insightful or passionate about sports.

The best evidence suggesting that the author would make a good sportswriter is option D: the fact that she has loved sports since she was very young. This lifelong passion for sports, combined with the ability to articulate experiences humorously and engagingly through poetry, implies a depth of knowledge and love for sports that would benefit a sportswriter.