Sports Rules: True or False?
Explore familiar sports rules and a few surprising details, from soccer and tennis to swimming and baseball.
Preview
Questions with solutions-
1. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
In soccer, a player who is not the goalkeeper may deliberately catch the ball during normal play.
- True
- False
Show solution
- False
Only the goalkeeper may deliberately handle the ball during normal play, and only inside their own penalty area.
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2. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
A successful free throw in basketball is worth one point.
- True
- False
Show solution
- True
Shots made during normal play are worth two or three points, depending on where the player shoots from.
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3. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
During a tennis rally, a ball that lands on a boundary line of the correct playing area is in.
- True
- False
Show solution
- True
The lines are part of the area they mark. The ball does not need to land fully inside the line.
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4. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
Under standard six-player indoor volleyball rules, a team has up to three touches to return the ball, not counting a block.
- True
- False
Show solution
- True
Teams often use these touches for a pass, a set, and an attacking hit.
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5. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
In rugby union, players may pass the ball forward with their hands.
- True
- False
Show solution
- False
A pass must go sideways or backward. Players can move the ball forward by carrying or kicking it.
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6. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
Under standard badminton rules, a serve must land in the service area straight ahead, rather than diagonally across the net.
- True
- False
Show solution
- False
The serve goes diagonally across the net. The server's score determines whether they serve from the right or left side.
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7. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
Under international swimming rules, swimmers must use the front crawl in an individual freestyle race.
- True
- False
Think about what the name "freestyle" suggests.
Show solution
- False
Freestyle allows different swimming styles. Front crawl is popular because it is usually the fastest.
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8. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
In cricket, a batter hits the ball. It bounces once and rolls across the boundary. This is worth six runs.
- True
- False
Show solution
- False
This is worth four runs (called a four). A six requires the ball to reach the boundary without touching the ground first.
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9. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
Under standard team handball rules, a player holding the ball may take up to three steps without dribbling.
- True
- False
Show solution
- True
After using those steps, the player can pass, shoot, or begin bouncing the ball to keep moving.
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10. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
Under standard table tennis rules, a serve must bounce first on the server's side and then on the opponent's side.
- True
- False
Show solution
- True
After the serve, players return the ball straight to the opponent's side, without a bounce on their own side.
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11. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
A basketball player stops dribbling and holds the ball with both hands, then immediately starts dribbling again. This is allowed under standard basketball rules.
- True
- False
Show solution
- False
Starting a new dribble like this is called a double dribble. After stopping, the player can pass or shoot.
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12. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
Under standard tennis rules, a serve touches the net but lands in the correct service box. The server loses the point.
- True
- False
Show solution
- False
This is called a let. The server takes the serve again, and it does not count as a fault.
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13. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
From a soccer throw-in, the ball enters the other team's goal without touching another player. Under standard soccer rules, the goal counts.
- True
- False
A throw-in and a kick do not follow exactly the same scoring rules.
Show solution
- False
A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. In this situation, the other team gets a goal kick.
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14. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
A volleyball player uses their foot to keep the ball from landing on the court. Using a foot is allowed under standard six-player indoor rules.
- True
- False
Show solution
- True
The ball may touch any part of the body. Even a foot or a knee can keep a rally going.
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15. Escolhe a resposta correta.
Is this true or false?
Under Major League Baseball rules, a batter with two strikes takes a full swing and hits a foul ball. The ball lands without being caught. The batter can keep batting.
- True
- False
Show solution
- True
An ordinary uncaught foul ball cannot be the third strike. However, a foul ball caught before it touches the ground puts the batter out.