A child will not feel comfortable doing sports at the playing field on a cold winter’s day.But school sports help     1    (child) in their academic studies in years to come.    2    (research) said other activities such as music or religious activities were not as     3    (benefit) for attention as taking part in a game lesson.The difference in academic ability was noticeable even at age ten,with those     4     had taken part in sports since the start of junior school faring     5    (well) than those who hadn’t. 

The Canadian study looked at children aged six and then ten.Professor Linda Pagani said:“We worked with information     6    (provide) by parents and teachers to compare kindergarteners’ activities with their classroom activities as they grew     7    .By the time they reached the fourth grade,kids who played structured sports were     8    (clear) better at following instructions and     9    (remain) focused in the classroom.There is something special to the sporting environment—perhaps the sense of belonging to a team or a special group with a common goal—that appears to help kids understand     10     importance of respecting the rules and honouring responsibilities.”