Quiz Wild Card Tiki Barber

Wild Card Quiz – Test Your Knowledge of the Hidden Valley Eagles’ Season

Quiz Questions

Instructions: Answer each question based on the book Wild Card by Tiki Barber, Ronde Barber, and Paul Mantell. Some questions are multiple choice; others are short answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet. The answer key follows the quiz.

Plot and Sequence (Questions 1–8)

  1. How does the Hidden Valley Eagles win the game in Chapter One?
    Short answer.

  2. Why is Adam Costa placed on academic probation in Chapter Two?
    A. He skipped practice to study
    B. His grades fell below the school’s minimum
    C. He argued with Coach Wheeler
    D. He missed a field goal

  3. After Adam is ruled ineligible, who becomes the emergency kicker?
    A. Ronde Barber
    B. Cody Hansen
    C. Tiki Barber
    D. Paco Rivera

  4. What do Tiki and Ronde organize to try to reinstate Adam?
    A. A student walkout
    B. A petition with 393 signatures
    C. A meeting with the school board
    D. A letter-writing campaign

  5. In the must-win game against the Blue Ridge Bears (Chapter Six), what prevents the Eagles from winning?
    Short answer.

  6. What strategy does Coach Wheeler secretly agree to use with Tiki in Chapter Eight?
    A. Onside kicks
    B. A fake punt hand signal
    C. Going for it on fourth down every time
    D. Using two quarterbacks

  7. Which two teams must lose for the Eagles to make the playoffs in Chapter Eleven?
    Short answer.

  8. How does the regular season finale against the North Side Rockets end?
    A. A last-second touchdown
    B. A field goal by Adam Costa as time expires
    C. A defensive safety
    D. Overtime victory

Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)

  1. Why does Tiki feel humiliated after his first game as kicker (Chapter Four)?
    Short answer.

  2. What motivates Ronde to suggest a petition for Adam?
    A. He wants to impress his mother
    B. He is inspired by their mother’s community activism
    C. He hopes to become team captain
    D. He wants to delay practice

  3. Why does Adam isolate himself after failing his retests?
    A. He is angry at the team
    B. He feels ashamed and does not want to burden his friends
    C. His parents grounded him
    D. He decides to quit football

  4. What drives Tiki to tutor Adam in biology using football analogies?
    A. Coach Wheeler’s order
    B. His own desire to avoid practice
    C. Seeing Adam’s despair and wanting to help
    D. A bet with Joey Gallagher

  5. Why does Coach Wheeler avoid field goals and opt for two‑point conversions in Chapter Eight?
    Short answer.

Theme and Symbol (Questions 14–17)

  1. What does the chocolate turkey‑shaped football cake symbolize?
    A. The end of the season
    B. Family support and playing proud
    C. The team’s victory meal
    D. A holiday celebration

  2. The snow in Chapter Eleven serves primarily as:
    A. A weather report
    B. A symbol of unexpected hardship that equalizes competition
    C. A reason to cancel practice
    D. A metaphor for Adam’s grades

  3. Which of the following best captures a central theme of the book?
    A. Individual talent wins games
    B. Success comes from teamwork and supporting each other
    C. Coaches always know best
    D. Academic rules are unfair

  4. How does the author use the phrase “play proud” throughout the story?
    Short answer.

Synthesis (Questions 18–20)

  1. Compare Tiki’s role as a kicker in the Bears game to his role as a runner in the Badgers game. What does this contrast reveal about his growth?
    Short answer.

  2. If you were in Adam Costa’s position, how would you have handled the pressure of needing to pass a makeup test while knowing your team depends on you? Use evidence from the book to support your answer.
    Short answer.

  3. Explain how the title Wild Card relates to both the team’s playoff chances and a character’s personal journey.
    Short answer.

Answer Key

  1. The Eagles win 31‑30 on a last‑second field goal by Adam Costa.
    Explanation: In Chapter One, after Ronde’s pass‑interference penalty puts the Eagles behind, they drive down the field and Adam kicks a field goal as time expires.

  2. B
    Explanation: Chapter Two reveals that Adam’s grades have fallen below the school’s minimum requirement for athletic participation.

  3. C
    Explanation: In Chapter Four, Tiki reluctantly tries out for kicker and is chosen after Adam is ruled ineligible.

  4. B
    Explanation: Ronde suggests a petition modeled on his mother’s activist efforts; they gather 393 signatures in two days (Chapter Five).

  5. Tiki misses a 24‑yard field goal as time expires, causing the Eagles to lose 14‑13.
    Explanation: Chapter Six describes Tiki’s desperation after a screen pass only reaches the 7‑yard line, then his missed field goal ends the game.

  6. B
    Explanation: In Chapter Eight, Coach Wheeler agrees to signal a fake punt with a hand sign, allowing Tiki to run for a first down instead of kicking.

  7. The Martinsville Colts and the Blue Ridge Bears.
    Explanation: In Chapter Eleven, Ronde and Tiki figure that if both of those teams lose and the Eagles win, they clinch a playoff berth.

  8. B
    Explanation: In Chapter Twelve, with the score 8‑7 and under two minutes left, Adam Costa kicks a 37‑yard field goal as time expires to win 10‑8.

  9. He performed poorly: missed a block, punted only seven yards, and failed an extra point (Chapter Four).
    Explanation: Tiki feels exposed and embarrassed because his efforts did not meet the team’s needs.

  10. B
    Explanation: Ronde is inspired by their mother’s success in stopping a polluting factory through activism (Chapter Five).

  11. B
    Explanation: In Chapter Seven, Adam has been avoiding his friends because he feels ashamed of failing the retests and does not want to disappoint them.

  12. C
    Explanation: In Chapter Ten, after a restless night, Tiki sees Adam’s low confidence and uses football comparisons to help Adam learn cell parts.

  13. To protect Tiki from the pressure of field‑goal attempts after his recent misses.
    Explanation: Coach Wheeler privately tells Tiki they will go for two‑point conversions and use the fake punt to avoid kicking situations (Chapter Eight).

  14. B
    Explanation: In Chapter Thirteen, Mrs. Barber presents the cake inscribed “Play Proud, Eagles!” to celebrate the team’s resilience and family support.

  15. B
    Explanation: The snow makes conditions slippery, causing key opponents to lose, and it levels the playing field for the Eagles’ finale.

  16. B
    Explanation: Throughout the story, characters learn that helping one another—through tutoring, petitions, and encouragement—leads to collective success.

  17. It acts as a motto for integrity, effort, and pride regardless of the outcome.
    Explanation: Mrs. Barber repeats “play proud” to remind the twins to give their best while staying true to their values.

  18. In the Bears game, Tiki fails as a kicker due to anxiety; in the Badgers game, he succeeds as a runner and gains confidence. This shows his growth from fearing responsibility to embracing it.
    Explanation: The contrast highlights how Tiki learns to channel pressure into determined effort rather than paralysis.

  19. Answers will vary. A strong response might mention that Adam eventually accepts help from Tiki and Ronde (Chapters Ten–Eleven), uses creative tutoring, and focuses on one subject at a time. Supporting evidence includes his improvement in math and biology after the football‑analogy sessions.

  20. The team needs a wild‑card scenario—multiple losses by other teams—to enter the playoffs. For Adam, his academic eligibility is unpredictable. Both the team and Adam overcome long odds through perseverance and support.
    Explanation: The title captures the idea that success often depends on unplanned events and second chances.

Ready for more? Visit the Wild Card study guide for chapter summaries, or browse the questions and answers for deeper discussion. The ending explained page breaks down the finale.