Everyone knows that kicking a soccer ball causes it to roll across the grass. But what makes this happen? What is required to make the ball move faster? What’s the difference, in other words, between passing the soccer ball to a teammate and shooting for the goal?
Kicking a ball may seem simple, but physicists spent years trying to figure out why objects move the way they do. What they discovered is that kicking a soccer ball requires applying force to the surface of the ball. The greater the force, the faster the ball will go, and the further it will travel. How much force you apply to the ball, that is, will often determine whether you score a goal or not.
The combination of force and distance equals what is called “work.” In this case, we don’t mean the noun form of work, like a job. We are talking about work as a verb, as a form of action. Work can be taking out the trash or cleaning dishes in your house. Furniture movers work by carrying chairs and tables out of one apartment and into another. If the first apartment is on the second floor and the second apartment is on the fourth floor, carrying the furniture into the second apartment will require about twice as much work as the first.
Keep in mind that force and work are not the same things as energy. Energy comes in several forms. But the best way to understand it is as something that creates the ability to do work. When someone says, “I don’t have any energy,” what do they usually mean? Often, they mean they don’t have the strength or motivation to work.
Without energy, it is hard to play soccer or lift furniture. In fact, it may even be difficult to get out of bed. Energy is what allows us to do work. The more energy we have, the more work we can do.
Mathematicians use the following simple equation to define the meaning of work: force x distance = work. The heavier an object is, in other words, the more force it exerts in the form of gravity. Picking an anvil up off the ground requires more energy than picking up a feather. If you’re interested in building muscles, though, keep in mind that lifting heavier things will make you stronger over time. And the stronger you are, the more likely you are to win at soccer.
Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
The tired soccer player does not have any energy left;, he is unable to do any more work.
What word or phrase best completes the sentence?
Maria was too shy to play soccer with the other children, she still loved to watch.
What word or phrase best completes the sentence?
Shelly realizes that Emily is too busy to do the carpool. , she offers to ask someone else to take Emily’s carpool weeks.
Which sport does the passage use to examine physics?
What does the author describe in the passage?
A soccer ball will travel a greater distance the harder it is kicked. What evidence from the text best supports this statement?
What is the difference between passing the ball to a teammate and shooting a goal?
What is this passage mostly about?
Read the following sentences:
“Everyone knows that kicking a soccer ball causes it to roll across the grass. But what makes this happen? What is “required” to make the ball move faster?”
What does required mean?
Why does lifting heavier things build strength?
Maria opened her eyes, yawned, and smiled. It was a bright, sunny morning in June. Maria loved the sunshine, and she loved June. Maria lived in Rome, the capital of Italy. In June, Rome was warm and the roses were in bloom. Maria had just finished the fifth grade. Next year, she would start at a new school and make new friends. But right now she had the entire summer to relax.
She could smell coffee coming from the kitchen. That meant that Maria’s parents were awake already. Maria hopped out of bed and ran down the hallway. “What are we going to do today?” she asked her father.
Maria’s father smiled as he poured her orange juice. “Eat your breakfast, and then we can talk about what we’re going to do today. I thought we might go to the park.”
Maria sat down, shaking with excitement. She hoped they were going to Villa Borghese, the huge park near their house. Villa Borghese had lakes where you could row boats and lots of green hills that were perfect for having picnics on. But the best part of Villa Borghese wasn’t the boats or the picnics. It was the sports. In the summer, the park was full of kids playing sports. Usually Maria was too shy to join in with the other children. But she loved to watch.
Maria and her father played sports together. She liked tennis and riding horses, but her favorite sport was soccer. Maria was the youngest child, with three older brothers. Her first steps were taken on a soccer field, and she had been watching soccer games as long as she could remember. She knew when players should pass and when they should shoot.
“Can we watch soccer today?” Maria asked her father.
He smiled and patted the top of her head. “Get your cleats,” he said. “Today we’re not going to watch. Today we’re going to play.”
Maria and her father drove to the park and walked up to the soccer field. Two teams were playing. Most of the players were Maria’s age, but some were much bigger. Maria reached for her father’s hand. “I don’t know, Papa,” she said. “Some of these kids look big.”
“You can do it,” said her father. “I know you can.”
Maria strapped on her cleats and her gloves. She walked onto the field and found the team’s captain. “Do you guys need a goalie?” Maria asked him hesitantly. The captain looked at Maria and nodded slowly. “Our goalie isn’t here today,” he said. “You can try if you want to.”
Maria walked into the goal and stood between the two posts. The team was now relying on her to defend. Maria had to keep the soccer ball from going into the goal no matter what. She watched as the players kicked the ball down the field. They ran so fast and kicked the ball so hard. It was coming closer and closer to Maria. She watched as the other team passed the ball, back and forth, back and forth. The round sphere was a blur.
“Maria!” she heard her father yell. “You can do it!”
Maria took a deep breath. She started to believe that she could do this. She bent her knees and crouched low to the ground as one of the soccer players approached. Maria saw his right leg reach back to kick. Before she had time to think, she dove to the right. As she hit the ground, Maria felt her hands slam into the ball. She saw the ball bounce away. She had kept it from the goal! Maria heard her father cheer but she kept looking at the field. The ball could come back at any moment.
Maria’s team was running with the ball down the field. Her team’s captain dribbled the ball and shot it perfectly into the corner of the other team’s goal. The other goalie wasn’t as quick as Maria, and the ball sailed past his hands. Throughout the rest of the game, the other team still wasn’t able to score.
Maria jumped up and down. They had won! Her new teammates came over to congratulate her. “Good job,” said the captain. “What’s your name, goalie?”
“Maria,” she said.
“Well, Maria,” he said, “do you want to play with us again next week?”
Maria nodded. She had never felt so happy.
What sport does Maria love the most?
How does Maria feel about playing with older kids initially?
The climax of a story is the most exciting or intense part of the story. What is the climax of "Soccer in the Park"?
Soccer is a big part of Maria’s life. What sentence from the story best supports this statement?
What is the main idea of this story?
Read the sentences and answer the question.
"Two teams were playing. Most of the players were Maria’s age, but some were much bigger. Maria reached for her father’s hand. 'I don’t know, Papa,' she said. 'Some of these kids look big.'
"'You can do it,' said her father. 'I know you can.'
"Maria strapped on her cleats and her gloves. She walked onto the field and found the team’s captain. 'Do you guys need a goalie?' Maria asked him hesitantly."
What does the word “hesitantly” mean as used in this text?
Who encouraged Maria to play goalie?
Every Wednesday, Michaela had soccer practice after school. She was dropped off at home in a carpool organized by her soccer coach’s wife. On her mom’s third week to drive, Michaela sat on the curb of the parking lot with the three other girls in her carpool for almost forty-five minutes before her mom arrived. Michaela’s teammates were playing a memory game, but Michaela sat off to the side, staring in the direction her mom was supposed to arrive, wishing for the blue minivan to appear in the near distance.
“You sure you don’t want to play?” Beth asked Michaela.
“No, it’s okay,” Michaela said. “I’m just going to wait.” She didn’t want to be mad at her mom, but she couldn’t help it: she was sure that the reason her mom was so late was because of Michaela’s younger twin brothers Zack and Steve. It was a hot day, and Michaela’s shin guards were itchy. She wanted to take her shoes and the thick socks off, but it was probably going to smell very bad.
A few minutes later, the blue minivan finally appeared.
“She’s here!” Michaela said, jumping up. The girls all stood up and brushed off the bottoms of their jerseys, which were a bit dusty from sitting for so long on the curb.
The car turned into the parking lot and came to a stop in front of the four girls. As expected, when the doors swung open, Zack and Steve were crying hysterically in their two booster seats.
“Hi everyone!” Michaela’s mom Emily said. “Really sorry I’m late. Also, sorry, ladies, you have to squish in the back. Michaela, come on up front with me.”
Michaela slunk into the front seat and slid down low until her forehead was almost at the seat belt.
“Everybody set?” Emily called over the twins, who were shouting “McDonald’s, McDonald’s, McDonald’s!”
“Just ignore these little guys!” She pressed the button to close the minivan’s doors. As they were closing, there was a tap on Michaela’s closed window. It was the coach’s wife.
Emily lowered the window. “Hi, Shelly, how are you?”
“Emily, how are you? Michaela did so well today in practice,” Shelly said.
“Thanks, we’re really proud of our little athlete,” Emily said, patting Michaela’s knee.
“Yes, she’s such a sweetheart. Anyway, listen—I hate to bring this up, but this is the third time in a row that you’ve been late for carpool.”
The twins were now crying and screaming… Michaela couldn’t tell if it was because they were hungry or full. There were no empty cartons of french fries, so Michaela assumed it was because they were hungry.
“Oh, is that right?” Emily asked.
“Yes, I’m afraid it is.” Shelly had short blonde hair and a round face, and when she was disappointed (like when a parent forgot cut-up oranges for the girls to eat at games during half-time), the corners of her mouth hung down.
“I really wouldn’t mind waiting with the girls until you arrived if I didn’t have to be at home to cook dinner,” Shelly said.
Emily sighed. “I’m so sorry, Shelly. I promise this won’t happen again.”
“That’s all right,” Shelly said with an understanding smile. “I know you have two small twin boys to take care of! That must be tough. If it’s all right with you, I would be happy to ask one of the other parents to take over your carpool weeks.”
Emily looked relieved. “That would be wonderful,” she said. “I really appreciate it.” She pointed her chin at Michaela’s little brothers: “Five is a hard age!” The boys began to scream louder, as if they’d understood what she had said and wanted to prove her right.
The minivan reversed into the street, and Shelley waved them off. Michaela’s anger had disappeared. She’d realized something: it wasn’t easy being a mom!
Why was Michaela sitting on the curb?
How did Michaela feel while waiting?
What did Michaela realize at the end?
At the beginning of the story, Michaela and the other girls in her carpool are waiting for Michaela’s mom to arrive. How long do they wait?
Read the following sentences.
"She didn’t want to be mad at her mom, but she couldn’t help it. She was sure that the reason her mom was so late was because of Michaela’s younger twin brothers Zack and Steve."
What can be concluded about Michaela's mom based on this evidence?
Read the sentences and answer the question.
"Michaela’s anger had disappeared. She’d realized something: it wasn’t easy being a mom!"
What does the word “disappeared” mean as used in this text?
What were Michaela's twin brothers crying about?