Reading comprehension worksheet about the history of soccer with questions for students.

Let's solve each question based on the passage provided in the image. Here is the passage for reference:

> The most popular sport in the world is soccer. In most European and Latin American countries, it is the national sport. A game similar to soccer was probably played in China as early as 400 B.C. The Romans also played a game similar to soccer around the year 200 A.D. Around the year 1150, children in London played a game similar to soccer. During the 1800s, many English school children played soccer. As the game developed, many rules were being added or changed. One of the problems with the game was that each school played by their own rules and they also interpreted rules differently from other teams. The first official rules of soccer were established in 1848. This happened when school representatives met at Trinity College in Cambridge, England. By the late 1800s, the game had begun to spread throughout the world. By 1900, official soccer associations had been established in Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. In 1904, an international soccer association was founded. The first World Cup soccer championship was played in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay. The World Cup is now held every four years. The popularity of soccer will probably continue to thrive and grow as it has certainly stood the test of time thus far.

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Question 1: What is the purpose of this passage?

A. to trace the history of the game of soccer
B. to tell how rules were developed
C. to convince the reader that soccer is the best sport ever

✔ Correct Answer: A. to trace the history of the game of soccer

Explanation:
The passage goes through the development of soccer from ancient times (China, Rome) to modern-day events like the World Cup. It discusses when and where the game was played, how rules evolved, and how it spread globally. While it mentions rule development (option B), that’s only one part of the passage. Option C is not supported — the passage doesn’t argue that soccer is the "best" sport. Therefore, the main purpose is to trace the history of soccer.

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Question 2: Around what year did children in London begin to play soccer?

✔ Answer: Around the year 1150

Explanation:
The passage clearly states: *"Around the year 1150, children in London played a game similar to soccer."* So, the answer is 1150.

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Question 3: Why were official soccer rules established in 1848?

✔ Answer: Because each school played by its own rules and interpreted them differently, causing confusion.

Explanation:
The passage says: *"One of the problems with the game was that each school played by their own rules and they also interpreted rules differently from other teams."* This inconsistency led to the need for standardized rules. That’s why representatives met in 1848 to establish the first official rules.

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Question 4: Which countries had established official soccer associations by 1900?

✔ Answer: Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland

Explanation:
The passage states: *"By 1900, official soccer associations had been established in Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland."* These six countries are explicitly listed.

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Question 5: Where and when was the first World Cup soccer championship played?

✔ Answer: In 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay

Explanation:
The passage says: *"The first World Cup soccer championship was played in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay."* This directly answers both the location and the year.

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✔ Final Answers Summary:

1. A – to trace the history of the game of soccer
2. Around the year 1150
3. Because schools used different rules and interpretations, leading to confusion
4. Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland
5. In 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay

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