1 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM Article DETROIT, Michigan (Achieve3000, April 24, 2009). Former National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar Michael Jordan has been called many things: "Air Jordan," "His Airness," and even "the best ever to play the game of basketball." Now Jordan has a new nickname, one that he shares with some of his sport's most celebrated stars: Hall of Famer. Jordan was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009 on April 6. His selection was a slam-dunk after he retired as perhaps the greatest player in history. Jordan is still remembered for his soaring dunks, some of which made him look like he was actually able to fly. His moves on the basketball court perplexed his opponents and inspired his teammates and fans. The six-foot, six-inch point guard helped win one championship at the University of North Carolina and six championships with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. He was a five-time NBA MVP. Jordan finished his 15-year professional basketball career with 32,292 points. That's the third-highest total in league history. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Photo credit: AP Photo Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan, considered by some as the greatest player in history, was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009. Karl Malone scored more total points. Jordan's final career average of 30.12 points per game goes down as the best, just ahead of Wilt Chamberlain's 30.07 points. "[Jordan is] simply the greatest to ever play the game of basketball," said John Paxon, Jordan's former Bulls teammate. "He is the one player [who] each young person in this league should [follow] and aspire to become. His work [habits], drive, skill level, and competitive spirit were unmatched." Part of Jordan's success was due to his ability to take an apparent weakness or failure and channel it into positive energy. At one point, feeling as if he had accomplished all he could in his basketball career, he retired from the NBA to play minor league baseball. When Jordan decided to return to playing hoops, observers commented that he might have lost his edge. This speculation fueled the competitive spirit in Jordan. He soon got back his unofficial title as the best in the NBA. Jordan played one of his most memorable games with the Chicago Bulls in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. Jordan did not appear to be able to play. He had developed a stomach flu the day before. His trainers said he should stay off the court. But even though he had been too weak to even sit up just 24 hours before, he arrived at the important game intending to play. Jordan, who normally dominated on the court, was clearly suffering and displayed little energy. When the Jazz took the lead, however, he summoned his strength and helped his team rally. Jordan scored 38 points that night; the Bulls won the game and ultimately, the championship. Jordan's ability and attitude made him a cherished star. He appeared in commercials, lending his name to a variety of products, including Nike athletic shoes. The ads, as well as his "Air Jordan" nickname, helped stamp him as one of the most recognizable athletes around the world. Reacting to his election to the Hall of Fame, Jordan gave much of the credit for his tremendous

2 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM career to his college coach, Dean Smith. "There's no way you guys would have got a chance to see Michael Jordan play without Dean Smith," Jordan said. He has long credited Smith with teaching him how to play basketball with his brain as well as his body. With Smith's advice, and his own natural ability, Jordan made basketball history. Jordan is scheduled for induction into the Hall of Fame in September. Other new members to the Hall of Fame for 2009 include retired NBA players David Robinson and John Stockton, and coaches Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Dictionary aspire (verb) to hope for or go after something dominate (verb) induction (noun) to have or take a commanding, controlling position the act of making someone a member of a group memorable (adjective) worth remembering; interesting; unusual Activity PAGE 1 1. What is this article mainly about? Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan has been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Michael Jordan scored the third-highest number of points during his NBA career. Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan gives coach Dean Smith credit for his success. Michael Jordan played a memorable championship game with the Chicago Bulls in 1997. 2. Which event in the article must have taken place second?

3 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM Michael Jordan was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Michael Jordan retired from the NBA to play minor league baseball. Michael Jordan helped the University of North Carolina win a championship. Michael Jordan finished his basketball career with 32,292 points. 3. Which is the closest synonym for the word dominated? Prevailed Objected Yielded Mingled 4. Which of these is a statement of opinion? Michael Jordan played minor league baseball in additional to professional basketball. Michael Jordan was a five-time MBA MVP who ultimately scored 32,292 points. Michael Jordan is scheduled for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. Michael Jordan was more fascinating to watch playing basketball than Karl Malone was. 5. Think about the following statement made by Michael Jordan when reacting to his election to the Hall of Fame: "There's no way you guys would have got a chance to see Michael Jordan play without Dean Smith." The author's purpose for including this quote was to. Give an example of how appearing in commercials can make athletes become recognized around the world Point out that Michael Jordan never played a professional game without Dean Smith as his coach Point out that Michael Jordan believes his success as a basketball player was due to more than his own natural talent

4 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM Give an example of how childhood experiences can help athletes become professional players in the NBA 6. Which of these is most important to include in a summary of this article? Retired NBA players David Robinson and John Stockton are among those who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009 on April 6. When Michael Jordan decided to return to basketball after playing minor league baseball, observers thought that he might have lost his edge. In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals, Michael Jordan played even though he was suffering from a stomach flu. 7. The article states: [Jordan] appeared in commercials, lending his name to a variety of products, including Nike athletic shoes. The ads, as well as his "Air Jordan" nickname, helped stamp him as one of the most recognizable athletes around the world. Read the sentences above and think about the article. Which would be the closest synonym for the word recognizable? Misunderstood Sizable Identifiable Cloaked 8. The news article says all of the following except. Jordan's final career average of 30.12 points per game goes down as the best, just ahead of Wilt Chamberlain's 30.07 points. Jordan didn't let weakness or failure get in the way of his success, because he channeled them into positive energy. Jordan never would have considered playing basketball without encouragement from his college coach.

5 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM Jordan's incredible skill on the basketball court was an inspiration to his teammates and his fans. Poll Now that you have read the article, indicate whether you agree or disagree with this statement. Which do you think is Michael Jordan's greatest achievement? He helped his team win six NBA championships. He was named MVP five times. He appeared in many ads, including those for Nike shoes. Thought Question Choose four words that you would use to describe Michael Jordan. Provide details from the article to explain why you chose each word. Which of these characteristics do you think was most important for Michael Jordan's success? Why? Type your answer in the text box below. Poll Results Before Reading After Reading HOW YOU VOTED

6 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM He helped his team win six NBA championships. He was named MVP five times. He appeared in many ads, including those for Nike shoes. He helped his team win six NBA championships. He was named MVP five times. He appeared in many ads, including those for Nike shoes. NATIONAL RESULTS He helped his team win six NBA championships. He was named MVP five times. He appeared in many ads, including those for Nike shoes. 33% 33% 33% He helped his team win six NBA championships. He was named MVP five times. He appeared in many ads, including those for Nike shoes. 62% 22% 16% Math PAGE 1 1. In 1997, Michael Jordan scored 38 points in an important basketball game. His team won the game by a score of 90 to 88. What percentage of his team's points did Jordan score? Round to the nearest percent. 38% 42% 50% 52%

7 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM Stretch Article DETROIT, Michigan (Achieve3000, April 24, 2009). Former National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar Michael Jordan has been called many things: "Air Jordan," "His Airness," and even "the best ever to play the game of basketball." Now Jordan has a new nickname, one that he shares with the vanguard of his sport: Hall of Famer. Jordan was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009 on April 6. His selection was a slam-dunk after he retired as perhaps the greatest player in history. Jordan is still remembered for his soaring dunks, some of which made him look like he was actually able to fly. His moves on the basketball court confounded his opponents and inspired his teammates and legions of fans. The six-foot, six-inch point guard helped win one championship with the Tar Heels at the University of North Carolina and six championships with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. He was a five-time NBA MVP, who finished a 15-year career with the Bulls and the Washington Wizards with 32,292 points, the third-highest total in Photo credit: AP Photo Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan, considered by some as the greatest player in history, was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009. league history, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. Jordan's final career average of 30.12 points per game goes down as the best, just ahead of Wilt Chamberlain's 30.07 points. "[Jordan is] simply the greatest to ever play the game of basketball," said John Paxon, Jordan's former Bulls teammate. "He is the one player [who] each young person in this league should [follow] and aspire to become. His work ethic, drive, skill level, and competitive spirit were unmatched." Part of Jordan's success was due to his ability to take an apparent weakness or failure and channel it into positive energy. At one point, feeling as if he had accomplished all he could in his basketball career, he retired from the NBA to play minor league baseball and face all the challenges that came with a new sport. When Jordan decided to return to playing hoops, observers preemptively commented that his time away from the court may have cost him his edge. This speculation fueled the competitive spirit in Jordan, who soon reclaimed his unofficial title as the best in the NBA. Jordan played one of his most memorable games with the Chicago Bulls in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. It was Game 5 of the finals, and with each team having won two finals games, the outcome on this night was critical. Jordan did not appear to be up to the challenge, however having developed a stomach flu on the previous day, he was advised by trainers to stay off the court. But although he had been too weak to even sit up just 24 hours before, he nonetheless arrived at the important game intending to play. Jordan, who normally dominated on the court, was clearly suffering and displayed little energy. When the Jazz took the lead, however, he summoned his strength and helped his team rally. Jordan scored 38 points that night, helping the Bulls win the game and ultimately, the championship. Jordan's ability and attitude made him a cherished star. He appeared in commercials, lending his

8 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM name to a variety of products, including Nike athletic shoes. The ads, as well as his "Air Jordan" nickname, helped stamp him as one of the most recognizable athletes around the world. Reacting to his election to the Hall of Fame, Jordan gave much of the credit for his tremendous career to his college coach, Dean Smith. "There's no way you guys would have got a chance to see Michael Jordan play without Dean Smith," said Jordan, who has long acknowledged Smith for teaching him how to play basketball with his brain as well as his body. With Smith's advice, and his own natural ability, Jordan made basketball history. Jordan is scheduled for induction into the Hall of Fame in September 2009, along with retired NBA players David Robinson and John Stockton, and coaches Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Dictionary confound (verb) to perplex or puzzle preemptively (adverb) done in a way to prevent or predict an event or action by someone else vanguard (noun) work ethic (noun) the forefront in any movement, field, or activity a moral dedication to the value of hard work Stretch Activity PAGE 1 1. What is this article mainly about? Even though he had the flu, Michael Jordan was able to score 38 points to help his team win a game toward the 1997 NBA championship. High-scoring and high-flying Michael Jordan has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA championship winner and five-time most valuable player Michael Jordan is esteemed by his Chicago Bulls teammates.

9 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM Michael Jordan's career average of points per game was the highest ever, just above Wilt Chamberlain's record. 2. Which event had not yet taken place when this article was written? Michael Jordan had retired from the NBA to play minor league baseball. Michael Jordan had finished his basketball career, scoring the third-highest number of points in league history. Michael Jordan had helped win six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan had been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. 3. Which is the closest synonym for the word confound? Mystify Repulse Entice Liberate 4. Which of these is a statement of opinion? Michael Jordan and four other people are scheduled for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2009. Michael Jordan made a foolish decision when he took time off from basketball to play baseball. Michael Jordan was a five-time MBA MVP who finished a 15-year career with 32,292 points. Michael Jordan endorsed several different products in advertisements and let companies use his name. 5. Think about the following statement from the article: Jordan, who normally dominated on the court, was clearly suffering and displayed little energy. When the Jazz took the lead, however, he summoned his strength and helped his team rally. Jordan scored 38 points that night, helping the Bulls win the game and ultimately, the championship. The author's purpose for including this passage was to.

10 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM Give an example of how Michael Jordan took negatives in his life and channeled them into positive energy Give an example of how Michael Jordan's incredible physical talent was often hindered due to illness Explain the strategy used by the Chicago Bulls in 1997 that led them to win the NBA championship Explain how Michael Jordan's ability to score points made him the perfect spokesperson for Nike athletic shoes 6. Which of these is most important to include in a summary of this article? Two other retired NBA players and two coaches are among those who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2009 on April 6. When Michael Jordan decided to return to basketball after playing minor league baseball, observers thought that he might have lost his edge. In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals, Michael Jordan scored 38 points in a rally that helped the Chicago Bulls win the game. 7. The article states: Jordan is scheduled for induction into the Hall of Fame in September 2009, along with retired NBA players David Robinson and John Stockton, and coaches Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer. Read the sentence above and think about the article. Which would be the closest antonym for the word induction? Replication Deportment Advancement Projection 8. The news article says all of the following except. The only weakness that Michael Jordan experienced during his professional basketball career was

11 of 11 08/02/2012 08:56 PM his inability to overcome a poor performance. The many commercials that Michael Jordan starred in helped stamp him as one of the most recognizable athletes around the world. Jordan is still remembered for his soaring dunks, some of which made him look like he was actually able to fly. Jordan's final career average of 30.12 points per game goes down as the best, just ahead of Wilt Chamberlain's 30.07 points.