1.(viii) List one way in which playing a sport reduces the risk of falling.
1.(viii) List one way in which playing a sport reduces the risk of falling.
Official answer
Playing sports such as basketball, soccer, tennis and baseball engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously and helps build lean muscle. This challenges and improves a person's balance, and it is this improved balance that reduces the risk of falling. (Naming improved balance, or the muscle-building/coordination behind it, is acceptable.)
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark: identifying the correct mechanism from Paragraph 5 (improved/challenged balance, or building lean muscle / engaging multiple muscle groups / better coordination).
- 2.1 mark: correctly linking that mechanism to the reduced risk of falling in a complete sentence.
- 3.A circular answer that merely repeats 'reduces fall risk' without a mechanism scores at most 1 mark.
Hint
Find the sentence in Paragraph 5 that mentions balance — sport 'challenges the balance,' and better balance means fewer falls.
Quick oral answer
Sports engage multiple muscle groups and build lean muscle, which challenges and improves balance; better balance is what reduces a person's risk of falling.
Common mistakes
- 1.Giving a circular answer that just repeats 'it reduces fall risk' without explaining how (improved balance/muscle strength).
- 2.Pulling the answer from Paragraph 1's 'refines coordination' when the question is specifically about the fall-risk sentence in Paragraph 5.
- 3.Listing several unrelated benefits instead of the one way asked for, wasting time in a 2-mark question.
Analysis and explanation
A 2-mark question on Paragraph 5 that requires stating the MECHANISM behind reduced fall risk, not just repeating the phrase.
Concept
- Team sports (basketball, soccer, tennis, baseball) engage multiple muscle groups at once and build lean muscle.
- Paragraph 5: "They challenge the balance, reduce fall risk and test the limits of endurance."
Key points to include
- Name the mechanism: improved/challenged balance, stronger muscles, or better coordination.
- Connect that mechanism explicitly to reduced fall risk.
Common mistakes
- A circular answer ("sports reduce falling because they reduce fall risk") scores at most 1 mark — it restates the question instead of answering it.
- Confusing this with the sleep/heart benefits described in Paragraph 4.
Real-world link
- Balance-based activity is prescribed for the elderly precisely because stronger stabilising muscles and better proprioception prevent falls.
Interesting facts
Balance-challenging sports like tennis and basketball train proprioception — the body's sense of its position in space — which is a leading protective factor against falls in older age.
The passage's claim aligns with WHO guidance recommending balance and strength activities at least twice a week to prevent falls among adults over 65.
Question details
Q8 of 53 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 10
- Subject
- English (Communicative)
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section A
- Marks
- 2
- Type
- Short Answer
- Chapter
- Reading Comprehension
- Topic
- Passage 1, Paragraph 5
- Bloom's level
- understand
- Syllabus topic
- Section A: Reading Skills — Factual/Descriptive Passage (Benefits of Playing Sports): Balance and fall-risk reduction
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
Spotted a mistake or something unclear?
Tell us and we will fix it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just write 'sports reduce fall risk'?
No. That merely repeats the question. You must state the reason — improved balance, stronger muscles or better coordination — to earn full marks.
Which sports does the passage mention here?
Paragraph 5 names basketball, soccer, football, tennis and baseball, which engage multiple muscle groups and build lean muscle while challenging balance.