Football Writing-

Questions:

Question 1. (A)

Question 2. (B)

Question 3. (A)

Question 4. (A)

Essay:

CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) is a progressive degenerative disease found in most football
players. CTE is developed when a person suffers from repeated blows to the head. Repeated brain trauma
causes progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of a protein called tau. Injuries
to the section of nerve cells that send nerve impulses stop working. These changes in the brain can begin
even after a person is done playing football. CTE affects the brain by causing memory loss, confusion,
impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, parkinsonism, and progressive
dementia. One of the more significant problems that CTE can cause is suicide. According to PBS
Newshour "Terry Long, David Duerson, and Adrian Robinson are three examples of NFL players whose
suicides were linked to CTE." The repeated blows to the head cause the brain smashing itself against the
skull, which damages the brain. The frontal lobe controls actions, and when the frontal lobe is damaged, it
causes inappropriate reactions. These socially inappropriate actions may cause consequences which can
lead to depression, which then can cause a person to commit suicide. This shows why most football
players end up committing suicide.

A study shows that the longer a person plays football, there is a higher risk of them getting CTE. PBS
Newshour states, "Overall, 87 percent — or 177 players — had CTE... higher — 99 percent — for
former NFL players...mild signs of CTE had played for 13 years...severe CTE had careers lasting an
average of 15.8 years." CTE has so far only been diagnosable through the post-mortem examination of the
brain of a person that is suspected of having CTE. If the death rate of football players keeps up, the NFL
is scared that their might not be as many people who are willing to play football. In the movie League of
Denial that if at least 10% of mothers think that football is dangerous that might be the end of the NFL.
Football is not the only sport that causes CTE. For example, soccer, ice hockey, rugby, boxing, wrestling,
basketball, field hockey, cheerleading, volleyball, and lacrosse could all also lead to CTE.