Grade 7 Reading Comprehension Worksheets - Free Printable

Problem Description:

The image provided is a reading comprehension passage about the "History of Soccer." The task likely involves answering questions based on the information presented in the passage. Since no specific questions are provided, I will summarize the key points from the passage and explain how to approach such a task.

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Key Points from the Passage:

1. Origins of Soccer:
- The oldest soccer-like sport was played over 2,000 years ago in ancient Chinese, Greek, and Roman cultures.
- A rock sometimes served as the ball, and in some instances, a "ball" was made from an animal hide stuffed with hair.

2. Modern Soccer:
- Soccer in its current form evolved from 19th-century England.
- Immigrants brought soccer to the United States.

3. Standardization in England:
- England's first football association was created in 1863, marking the beginning of standardized rules.
- One of the key rules established was that the ball could not be carried by hand, which officially separated soccer from rugby.

4. Industrialization and Popularity:
- Increasing industrialization made soccer more popular.
- Public school teams initially dominated, but workplace-based teams emerged in the 1900s.
- Talented players were paid, and workplace team matches turned soccer into a revenue-generating spectator sport.

5. Professional Leagues:
- The first professional league was the English Football League.
- Semi-professional leagues were introduced in Germany in 1949.
- The first professional German division began in 1963/64.
- The first American soccer leagues used the term "football" but switched to "soccer" in the late 1910s and early 1920s to avoid confusion with American football.

6. Soccer in the U.S.:
- The first U.S. professional soccer leagues formed in 1967: the United Soccer Association and the National Professional Soccer League.
- These leagues merged to create the North American Soccer League in 1968.
- Major League Soccer (MLS) was established in 1996.

7. Global Growth:
- Soccer's popularity continued to increase in the United States.
- The U.S. hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

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Approach to Solving Reading Comprehension Questions:

If you were given specific questions related to this passage, here’s how you would solve them:

#### Step 1: Read the Passage Carefully
- Understand the main ideas and details presented in the text.
- Pay attention to key dates, names, and events mentioned.

#### Step 2: Identify the Question Type
- Factual Questions: These ask for specific details from the passage (e.g., "When was the first professional soccer league established in England?").
- Inference Questions: These require you to draw conclusions based on the information provided (e.g., "Why did soccer become more popular during industrialization?").
- Vocabulary Questions: These may ask about the meaning of specific words in context (e.g., "What does 'industrialization' mean in this passage?").

#### Step 3: Use Context Clues
- For inference or vocabulary questions, use surrounding sentences to understand the meaning or implication.

#### Step 4: Answer the Questions
- Ensure your answers are supported by evidence from the passage.
- Be concise and precise.

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Example Questions and Answers:

1. Question: When was the first professional soccer league established in England?
- Answer: The first professional soccer league in England was the English Football League, established in 1863.

2. Question: Why did soccer become more popular during industrialization?
- Answer: During industrialization, people had more leisure time, and public school teams and workplace-based teams emerged, making soccer more accessible and popular.

3. Question: What is the difference between "football" and "soccer" in the context of the passage?
- Answer: In the U.S., the term "football" originally referred to both soccer and American football. To avoid confusion, Americans adopted the term "soccer" in the late 1910s and early 1920s.

4. Question: When was Major League Soccer (MLS) established?
- Answer: Major League Soccer (MLS) was established in 1996.

5. Question: What event marked the increasing popularity of soccer in the U.S.?
- Answer: The U.S. hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup marked the increasing popularity of soccer in the U.S.

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Final Answer:

If you provide specific questions, I can tailor the answers accordingly. Based on the passage, the key takeaway is that soccer has a rich history dating back thousands of years, with significant developments in England leading to its global popularity today.

Boxed Final Answer:
\boxed{\text{See detailed explanation above for how to approach and answer questions based on the passage.}}