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March Madness and the illusion of control (Level A1) — Wilson basketball on rack

March Madness and the illusion of controlCEFR A1

17 Mar 2026

Adapted from Michigan State, Futurity CC BY 4.0

Photo by Todd Greene, Unsplash

Level A1 – Beginner
2 min
78 words
  • March Madness is a big college basketball event.
  • Many people fill out a bracket every year.
  • People pick winners and possible tournament upsets.
  • They feel smart when their picks match winners.
  • But luck often changes the final results quickly.
  • One game or one injury can change everything.
  • Some people believe they control the outcome.
  • Most brackets fail because of chance in games.
  • Bracket contests attract casual and serious fans.
  • The game results can surprise everyone on any day.

Difficult words

  • bracketa sheet where people pick game winners
    brackets
  • upseta surprising win by a weaker team
    upsets
  • injuryharm or damage to a player
  • chancesomething that happens by luck, not by plan
  • casualnot very serious or not very involved
  • outcomethe final result of a game or event

Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.

Discussion questions

  • Do you ever fill out a bracket?
  • Do you like watching college basketball?
  • Have you ever seen a surprising upset in a game?

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