501 Critical Reading Questions

a. serious.
b. light-hearted.
c. confrontational.
d. dark.
e. romantic.
401.
The word vigorous in line 3 most nearly means
a. languorous.
b. boring.
c. intricate.
d. ancient.
e. strenuous.
402.
According to the criteria given in lines 11–14, all of the following
would be considered a “true” sport EXCEPT
a. cheerleading.
b. skiing.
c. race car driving.
d. horse shoes.
e. gymnastics.
Questions 403–407 are based on the following passage.
The following passage describes the Native American games that were
predecessors to the modern sport of lacrosse.
The roots of the modern-day sport of lacrosse are found in tribal stick
and ball games developed and played by many native North American
tribes dating back as early as the fifteenth century. The Native Amer-
ican names for these games reflected the bellicose nature of those early
contests, many of which went far beyond friendly recreational com-
petition. For example, the Algonquin called their game Baggattaway,
which meant, “they bump hips.” The Cherokee Nation and the Six
Tribes of the Iroquois called their sport Tewaarathon, which translated
into “Little Brother of War.” Rules and style of play differed from
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501
Critical Reading Questions
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tribe to tribe and games could be played by as few as fifteen to as many
as 1,000 men and women at a time. These matches could last for three
days, beginning at dawn each day and ending at sunset. The goals
could be specific trees or rocks, and were a few hundred yards to a few
miles apart. Despite these differences, the sole object of every game
was the same: to score goals by any means necessary. Serious injuries
caused by blows from the heavy wooden sticks used in the games were
not uncommon, and often expected. Not surprisingly, the Native
Americans considered these precursors to today’s lacrosse excellent
battle preparation for young warriors, and games were often used to
settle disputes between tribes without resorting to full-blown warfare.
For the Six Tribes of the Iroquois, certain matches of Tewaarathon
held religious significance, as well. One of the most important gods
the Iroquois worshipped was the Creator, Deganawidah. In Iroquois
legend, the Creator united the Six Tribes into the one nation.
Tewaarathon was played to please the Creator, and the competition was
viewed as a recreation of the Iroquois Creation Story, where super-
natural forces of good and evil battled each other in an epic struggle. 
403.
In line 4, bellicose most closely means