Reading for the Real World 2 Second Edition – Test Bank

Vice or Virtue
The virtues of extreme sports have been much extolled, but the downside has also been discussed at length. (a) Extreme sports have been credited for encouraging participants to set goals and work hard to achieve them. While this may be true, critics of extreme sports claim it is irresponsible to advocate that young people---the majority of extreme sport participants---participate in something that is inherently dangerous.
Young people tend to believe that they are invincible. Injury or death seems like things that could never touch them, when in fact, they might be staring them right in the face. (b) But it can be argued that sports in and of themselves are dangerous endeavors. Injuries suffered from playing sports such as ice hockey, rugby, and American football are common and well-documented. The benefit that sports of any kind bring to individuals outweighs the risk, which is why sports have always been a part of our lives and always will be.
Critics also argue that because extreme sports are usually individual rather than team sports, young people no longer acquire the valuable lessons that conventional team sports can teach. For example, bungee jumping is a solitary activity. (c) One does not learn how to work as part of a team, a skill that is invaluable to all areas of civic and professional life.
In addition, many believe that since the boundaries and rules in extreme sports are always shifting, young people do not learn to play by the rules in life. (d) Extreme sports proponents, however, argue that in the real world, nothing advances or changes for the better unless someone “pushes the envelope.” For better or for worse, extreme sports are here to stay. (e) They will continue to evolve and change, and they will continue to be the focus of lively debate.

1. Which of the following could also be the title of the passage?

 The Solitary Athlete

 The End of Traditional Sports

 How We Can End Extreme Sports

 The Pros and Cons of Extreme Sports

 Extreme Sports Lead to Extreme Injuries
2. Choose the sentence that best shows a negative impact of extreme sports.

 (a)

 (b)

 (c)

 (d)

 (e)