Jeddah Knowledge

International School

English

Online Learning #1

2019 - 2020

Grade 8

Name: ______Section: ______

2019‐2020 | ONLINE LEARNING 11

Section A: Comprehension

Read the passages and answer the questions that follow:

Curse of the Bambino

Baseball is a Superstitious Game

Baseball is famous for its superstitions and superstitious players. Some players name their bats for good luck, others follow strict rituals when they're hitting, still others refuse to shave or change their socks when they're doing well. Perhaps the most celebrated superstition in baseball history is the infamous "" which supposedly plagued the following their sale of the legendary slugger , who was nicknamed "the Bambino."

The Sale of Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth was originally a pitcher on the Boston Red Sox. With Ruth on the team, the Red Sox had enjoyed great success, winning five of the first fifteen titles. In 1920, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the , supposedly, at least in part, to finance the production of a Broadway play. Following the sale of Ruth, the fortunes of the two teams involved in the sale indeed changed drastically. Ruth would be considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time and would become one of the biggest celebrities on the planet. The Yankees would go on to play in 39 World Series, winning 26 of them. During the same time, the Red Sox played in only four World Series and lost all of them.

The Fall of the Red Sox

Over the years, bad luck seemed to plague the Red Sox. For example, in 1986, the Red Sox were one out away from winning the World Series against the New York Mets, when a simple ground ball inexplicably rolled through the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner, which allowed the Mets to rally and win the game. The Mets would win Game 7 and thus the World Series. By this time, many Red Sox fans believed they were cursed and the term "Curse of the Bambino" was popularized in books and in the media. Entire generations of Red Sox fans lived their lives without experiencing the joy of their team winning a World Series. Yankees fans would taunt Red Sox fans by wearing shirt emblazoned with "1918" - the last year in which the Red Sox won a World Series.

The Shocking End of the Curse

Even curses don't last forever. Finally, in 2004, the Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees in the Championship Series and then the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. In the series, the Cardinals built a three games to zero lead. The Red Sox became the first team in baseball history to win a World Series after losing the first three games. Coincidentally, Cardinals batter Edgar Renteria made the last out for the Cardinals. He wore uniform number "3," the same number as Babe Ruth.

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Questions: (7)

1. Which of the following best describes the Red Sox before the team sold Babe Ruth?

A. An average team

B. A very successful team

C. A very unsuccessful team

D. A team that was successful; but that had never won a World Series

2. What does the author mean by the quote below?

“Following the sale of Ruth, the fortunes of the two teams involved in the sale indeed changed drastically.”

A. He meant that both the Red Sox and Yankees would struggle in years to come

B. He meant that the Red Sox would come upon great success and the Yankees would struggle for many years

C. He meant that the Yankees would enjoy great success and the Red Sox would struggle in years to come

D. He meant that the Red Sox would eventually become a superstitious team

3. Which of the following best serves as evidence that since the purchase of Babe Ruth, the New York Yankees benefitted greatly?

A. New York Yankees fans would taunt Boston Red Sox fans with shirts labeled “1918”

B. Babe Ruth was a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox

C. The New York Yankees won 26 World Series

D. The Boston Red Sox failed to win a World Series from 1918‐2004

4. Which of the following is TRUE about the Boston Red Sox?

A. The team won 15 World Series before it sold Babe Ruth

B. The team won its first World Series in 1920

C. The team won a World Series in 2004

D. The team won 26 World Series after it sold Babe Ruth

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5. If an answer to a question is “the Red Sox defeat in the ,” what might the question be?

A. Why did New York Yankees fans taunt Boston Red Sox fans?

B. When did the “Curse of the Bambino” end?

C. Who won the 1986 World Series?

D. What might be used as evidence that the Boston Red Sox was a cursed team?

6. The 2004 Red Sox became the first team to…

A. win a World Series after losing the first three games.

B. to defeat the New York Yankees in a World Series.

C. lose a World Series after winning the first three games.

D. to win an American League Championship and a World Series.

7. Which of the following is NOT a superstition?

A. Refusing to walk under a ladder because you are sure it will result in you having bad luck for several years

B. Making sure your black cat stays indoors during Halloween because you are concerned for its safety C. Tapping home plate three times to make sure you have a successful at‐bat

D. Making sure you don’t step on a sidewalk crack so that no one in your family will break any bones

Cutting Down on Sugary Beverages? Here's What to Drink Instead, According to a New Study

Cutting back on sugary drinks is among the simplest and most impactful ways to benefit your health, study after study has shown. Now, a new paper shows just how much of an impact that easy change can have.

Over a period of four years, swapping just one soda or juice for an unsweetened choice—such as water, coffee or tea—every day could slash your risk of type 2 diabetes

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by up to 10%, according to a study published in the journal Diabetes Care. In addition, increasing sugary drink consumption by more than half a serving per day over a four‐ year period was subsequently associated with a 16% higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study used dietary data provided by almost 160,000 women participating in versions of the Nurses’ Health Study, as well as almost 35,000 men participating in the Health Professionals’ Follow‐Up Study. Participants completed dietary surveys every four years for up to 26 years, and provided researchers with information about their overall health and lifestyle, including whether they had developed type 2 diabetes. Researchers then monitored changes in beverage consumption, weight and overall health.

Over time, drinking more sweet beverages was associated with a higher chance of both gaining weight and developing type 2 diabetes. Neither finding is particularly surprising, since drinks like soda are high in calories and sugar that can lead to weight gain, which is a primary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. But the study suggests sugary drinks are related to type 2 diabetes risk independent of weight gain. Changes in body weight accounted for only about 28% of the relationship between sweet beverage consumption and diabetes risk, according to the paper, which suggests other factors are at work. One theory, the authors write, is that sugary drinks can lead to fat accumulation on the liver, which may disrupt insulin activity.

Findings around fruit juice and artificially‐sweetened drinks such as diet soda—both of which are often seen as healthier options than soda—may be more surprising. The researchers found that drinking even 100% fruit juice was associated with a higher risk of diabetes, and wrote in the paper that it should be treated more like soda than like whole fruit, which is more nutritious than juice since it contains fibre.

Drinking even an extra half‐serving of artificially sweetened beverages each day was also associated with an 18% higher risk of diabetes over time—even higher than the risk 2019‐2020 |ONLINE LEARNING 511111

associated with sugary drinks. In addition, swapping a sugary drink for a diet drink didn’t appear to substantially alter diabetes risk, according to the study. But study co‐author Jean‐Philippe Drouin‐Chartier, a postdoctoral nutrition fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, stresses that the association between artificially sweetened drinks and diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean diet drinks are just as bad as sugary drinks, since some people with existing medical problems may switch to diet versions for perceived health benefits.

Like any observational study, the paper could not prove cause and effect—it looked only at patterns related to health and dietary choices. But given the substantial amount of evidence suggesting that sugary drinks are bad for your health, the paper only strengthens that conclusion.

1. Explain what is meant by the phrase “cutting down” or “cutting back” in the context of the article. (2) ______

2. How many people, according to the article, participated in the study? (1)

______

3. What three things did the researchers monitor with regards to the participants? (3) ______

4. Read the extract below and answer the question that follows:

Neither finding is particularly surprising, since drinks like soda are high in calories and sugar

that can lead to weight gain, which is a primary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.

Define the word primary, as it is used in the extract. (2)

______

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5. What essential item does 100% fruit juice lack that whole fruit contains? (1)

______

6. What is the main point that the article is attempting to make? Refer to the text in answering

your question. (3)

______

7. True or false?

The paper could prove cause and effect—it looked at patterns related to health and

dietary choices. ______

Total: 20

Section B: Grammar

State whether the following sentences are fragments, run‐ons, or complete sentences.

1. Despite waking up before my alarm went off. (1)

______

2. I like to drive my car, but I do not like to wash it. (1)

______

3. Bilal moved to a new class yesterday and he really likes the homeroom teacher. (1)

______

4. I find it difficult to understand his lessons, when I speak to him alone, I understand him perfectly. (1)

______

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5. The one in the blue jacket. (1)

______

6. One of the best ways to improve your English. Is to read more books. (1)

______

7. It has been a long time since I have been to the mall, I am excited to go. (1)

______

8. Although he has studied really hard, he is still worried about the exam. (1)

______

9. Even though you are my best friend. (1)

______

10. Meet me after school, I want to go get a coffee too. (1)

______

[10]

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