Thoughts and Notions

HIGH BEGINNER READING PRACTICE

 Thoughts and Notions

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Sumo
Sumo wrestling is a national sport in Japan. Every year there are six tournaments, and
millions of Japanese watch them on television. A tournament is a series of matches.
Sumo is almost as old as the nation of Japan itself. Stories say that there was sumo
wrestling over two thousand (2,000) years ago. History says that there were national sumo
tournaments in the eighth century.
Often, athletes are thin and can move very quickly. It is beautiful to watch them play.
However, sumo wrestlers weigh from 100 to 160 kilos. One famous wrestler weighed 195 kilos.
Sumo wrestlers do not look beautiful, and sumo wrestling is a very slow sport.
Sumo wrestlers start training when they are boys. They exercise to make their bodies
strong. They also eat and eat and eat.
They wrestle in a round ring with a sand floor. A wrestler loses the match if he leaves
the ring. He is also the loser if any part of his body except his feet touches the floor. Each
wrestler tries to push the other down on the floor or out of the ring. Sometimes one wrestler
just steps aside when the other wrestler rushes towards him. Then that wrestler falls down or
falls out of the ring.
Sumo is not very popular in other countries, but the Japanese love it. Even young people
find this traditional sport exciting.

series – one after another

athletes – people who play sports well
except – but
aside – to the side
rushes – hurries
exciting – opposite of boring

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 Thoughts and Notions

A. Vocabulary

Put the right word in the blanks. The sentences are from the text.

series sumo wrestling ring except

steps exercise athletes exciting
touches aside rushes tournaments

1. Sometimes one wrestler just ______________ ______________when the other

wrestler ______________ toward him.
2. A tournament is a ______________ of matches.
3. He is also the loser if any part of his body ______________ his feet ______________
the floor.
4. ______________ ______________is a national sport in Japan.
5. Even young people find this traditional sport ______________.
6. Often ______________ are thin and can move very quickly.
7. Every year there are six ______________, and millions of Japanese watch them on
television.
8. They wrestle in a round ______________ with a sand floor.
9. They ______________ to make their bodies strong.

B. Vocabulary (new context)

Put the right word in the blanks.

athletes wrestle rushed exciting

stepped tournament except exercise
series touch aside ring

1. Sumo is in a round ______________. Thai boxing is in a square one.

2. Only two people box or ______________ at the same time.
3. Stan put his math homework ______________. He said he would do it later.
4. ______________ play basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, and many other kinds of sports.
5. Everyone ______________ Amahl is in class today. She is absent.
6. What number is missing from this ______________? 3, 6, 12, 15
7. The students are organizing a ping pong ______________. Sign up if you want to
play.
8. Marie ______________ from the Student Union to class because she was late.
9. In order elevators you have to push a button to make the elevator go. In new ones
you just ______________ the button.
10. Oscar told me some ______________ news. He won a scholarship.
11. Walking and running are good ______________.
12. John ______________ on a piece of paper that was on the floor.

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 Thoughts and Notions

C. Vocabulary Review

Match the words that are the opposite.

Column A Column B
1. deliver ______________ a. later g. dead
2. captive ______________ b. stand up h. let go
3. straight ______________ c. international i. curved
4. death ______________ d. winner j. smooth
5. brave ______________ e. receive k. afraid
6. loser ______________ f. goal l. life
7. immediately ______________
8. alive ______________
9. kneel ______________
10. national ______________

D. Comprehension

Put a circle around the letter of the best answer.

1. Every year there are ______________ sumo tournaments.

a. 6 c. 160
b. 15 d. 195

2. ______________ says that there were sumo tournaments in the eighth century.
a. A story c. History
b. An athlete d. A wrestler

3. Most athletes are ______________.

a. heavy c. thin
b. overweight d. smooth

4. Sumo wrestlers are ______________.

a. small c. thin
b. overweight d. smooth

5. Sumo is a ______________ sport.

a. fast c. comfortable
b. slow d. efficient

6. Sumo wrestlers ______________ to make their bodies strong.

a. eat c. lose
b. swing d. exercise

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 Thoughts and Notions

7. Each wrestlers tries to push the other ______________.

a. down in the floor c. into the air
b. out of the ring d. A and B

8. The Japanese think that sumo is ______________.

a. exciting c. embarrassing
b. boring d. pleasant

E. Questions

Asterisk (*) means you have to think of the answer. You cannot find it in the text.

1. Where is sumo wrestling popular?

2. What is a tournament?
3. Is sumo an old sport?
4. How are sumo wrestlers different from other athletes?
5. How do sumo wrestlers train?
6. Describe a sumo ring.
7. How does a sumo wrestler lose the match?
8. Is sumo exciting?*
9. Is it good for a person to weigh 160 or 195 kilos?*

F. Main Idea

Which is the main idea of this chapter? Choose one.

1. Sumo wrestling between two overweight men is a popular traditional sport in Japan.
2. The sumo wrestling ring is round and has a sand floor.
3. A sumo match is slow, and the wrestlers are very overweight.

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