Question

#1—soccer
number of fans: about 3.5 billion
popular mainly in europe, africa, south america, asia
goodoozalll weve arrived at the top of the list. the winner of our first - place trophy is known as soccer in some countries and football or association football in others.
this global game is the most watched, most played, and most geographically widespread sport, reigning supreme in the majority of countries across the world, from brazil to botswana and from mexico to morocco. no other sport has so many professional leagues, and teams attract fans known as ultras. pros like lionel messi, cristiano ronaldo, marta, and mia hamm have become international superstars, while a multitudes of everyday people get a kick out of playing soccer, too.
are you a fan of the five?
were you surprised to see which sports made the top five—and which didnt? readers in the u.s. might expect american football or baseball to lead the list. those are top sports within the country, but they havent won over as many people beyond its borders. meanwhile, the absence of badminton and table tennis might confound some readers in china, where those are favorites.
of course, arguing about sports is almost as popular as watching them, so go ahead and come up with your own criteria and ranking. what are your top five sports?

question 4
which is the closest antonym for the word fervent, as it is used in the article?
a. devoted
b. joyous
c. jealous
d. reserved

Explanation:

First, identify the meaning of "fervent" in the article: it describes fans who are deeply dedicated and enthusiastic about sports teams. Next, analyze the options:

• A. "devoted" is a synonym, not antonym.
• B. "joyous" relates to happiness, not the opposite of dedication.
• C. "jealous" involves resentment, not the opposite.
• D. "reserved" means unemotional, restrained, which is the opposite of the passionate, enthusiastic meaning of "fervent".

Answer:

D. reserved