Grammar Notes

Read the text. Then choose the correct answer for each question below (23-25)
The seemingly simple question of “what defines a sport?” has been the fodder for argument and conversation for years, among professional and armchair athletes alike. There seems to be no doubt that vigorous and highly competitive activities such as baseball, football, and soccer are truly “sports,” but when the subject of other activities such as darts, chess, and shuffleboard is broached we find ourselves at the heart of a controversy.
If say, billiards, is not a sport, then what exactly is it? Those who would dispute it to be a sport would respond that it is a simple leisure activity. They would go on to claim a true sport first and foremost requires some form of physical exertion. More to the point, if a player does not break a sweat, what he or she plays is not a sport. Beyond that, more important criteria would be the need for decent hand-eye coordination, and the ever- present possibility of sustaining injury. Billiards only fits one of those specifications (hand-eye coordination), so according to the doubters, it is not a real sport.
To help resolve this dispute, the first text to consult would have to be the dictionary. According to one dictionary, a sport is defined as “a diversion” or a “recreation.” Assuming one strictly adheres to the simple guidelines laid out in that definition, it would seem that almost any activity that provides enjoyment could be classified as a sport. And if, according to the dictionary, watching a sport on television is a sport itself, I guess that would make a couch potato an athlete. Play ball!

23. 
    The author’s tone in this passage could be described as
    

1. 
   serious
   
2. 
   light-hearted
   
3. 
   confrontational
   
4. 
   dark
   

24. 
    The word vigorous in line 5 most nearly means
    

1. 
   languorous
   
2. 
   boring.
   
3. 
   intricate.
   
4. 
   strenuous.
   

25. 
    According to the criteria given in lines 14-23, all of the following would be considered a “true” sport EXCEPT
    

1. 
   cheerleading.
   
2. 
   skiing.
   
3. 
   race car driving.
   
4. 
   horseshoes