def readScores():
  result = [] # a zero-length array
  # open 8Scores.txt for input
  fileName = "8Scores.txt"
  try:
    fin = open(fileName)
    result = [0 for i in range(8)]
  except:
    print(fileName, "not found")
    return result # end the function NOW

  # read and save the scores
  for i in range(len(result)):
    result[i] = int(fin.readline().strip()) 
  fin.close()
  return result
# readScores ends here

# main program starts here  
... 
score = readScores()