Face Your Fears: Choking Under Pressure ...

The author includes the information in paragraph 4 most likely to —

• show how anyone can overcome choking in sports

• explain how nerves can affect athletic performance

• show that many athletes have experience with choking

• make readers feel they are not alone in their troubles

Read the dictionary entry below for the word dwell.

dwell \dwel\ v 1. to stay somewhere permanently 2. to live in a continued state 3. to linger over in
thought 4. to be motionless during operation

Which definition best matches the meaning of dwell as it is used in paragraph 6?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

What is the most likely reason the author included paragraph 6 in the section “Find Your Focus”?

• To describe the impact of choking

• To define what it means to choke

• To explain what makes athletes choke

• To give different methods to avoid choking

The Latin word minimus, meaning “smallest,” helps the reader understand that minimize in paragraph
11 means to —

• not think about at all

• think about tiny objects

• place less emphasis on

• reveal the narrowness of

Which statement about stress does this article best support?

• One should avoid stress at all costs because it will lead to choking.

• Stress is a natural response to athletic competition and cannot be avoided.

• An athlete who is confident in his or her ability is not likely to experience stress.

• If one can keep stress at bay, he or she can concentrate better and is more likely to win.

Which sentence from the selection makes a statement that the author cannot verify?

• Her upset victory (she went from fifth to first after three dives) stunned competitors and fans.

• It took her several meets to get over the experience, which sports psychologists say is not unusual.

• On the bike she thinks about her pedal technique, and while running she visualizes balloons pulling up her legs to
  make her feel light.

• Your friends and teammates will still accept you even when you don’t perform up to expectations—theirs or yours.

Which two key ideas are developed by the details in the selection?

• Confidence is difficult to develop, so it’s better to focus on technique.

• Perseverance and hard work are the keys to athletic success.

• The key to avoiding choking is to relax and focus on the event.

• Every athlete chokes at some point, so it’s nothing to be afraid of.

• It is important to learn from bad experiences and not to take a competition too seriously.

Which two are effective methods for avoiding choking during an athletic competition?

• Concentrate on your opponents.

• Concentrate on the outcome.

• Visualize yourself doing well.

• Have confidence in your ability.

• Focus on both the positive and negative.

Describe the effect that the title of this selection has on the information included. Support your
answer with evidence from the selection.

How does the author support the claim that focusing on their performance can help athletes avoid choking? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.