Class 9th English Chapter-7 Nine Gold Medal

E. Let’s Understand The Poem:
Read the poem silently and answer the following questions.

Q1. What is this poem about?
Ans: This poem is about an inspiring event of race in which nine differently-abled athletes took part in a “Special Olympic” event.

Q2. Who came from all over the country?
Ans: Nine differently abled athletes came from all over the country.

Q3.Why did they come there?
Ans: The nine athletes came to take part in a Special Olympic event. They came to run for gold, silver, and bronze medals.

Q4. Who is usually awarded the three medals – gold, silver, and bronze?
Ans: Three athletes, who are placed in first, second, and third positions in an athletic event, are usually awarded the gold, silver, and bronze medals respectively.

Q5. What was the event for which they had come?
Ans: The athletes had come to take part in a hundred-yard race in a “Special Olympic” event.

Q6. What had they done before they came down to these games?
Ans: The athletes had undertaken many weeks and months of training before they came down to these games.

Q7. What did the spectators do around the old field ?
Ans: The spectators gathered around the old field and cheered the winners.

Q8. Why did they gather around the old field ?
Ans: The spectators gathered around the old field to cheer on all the young athletes and enjoy the game.

Q9. Why did their excitement grow high?
Ans: The excitement grew high because the final event of the day was approaching.

Q10.What were all lined up? For whom?
Ans: The blocks were all lined up for the athletes who would use them.

Q11.What was the event? (second line, third stanza)
Ans: The event was that, the athletes were to run the hundred-yard dash.

Q12.How many athletes were there ?
Ans: There were nine athletes in the competition.

Q13.Which word (in the third line, third stanza) says that the athletes had taken firm decision to win a medal?
Ans: The word “resolved” in the third line, the third stanza says that the athletes had taken a firm decision to win a medal.

Q14.Where were those nine athletes?
Ans: Those nine athletes were in back of the starting line.

Q15.What were they poised for ?
Ans: The athletes were poised for the sound of the gun.

Q16.Why was the pistol exploded?
Ans: The pistol exploded to give a signal to start running.

Q17.What did the runners do?
Ans: When the pistol exploded, the runners charged ahead.

Q18.Who among the nine runners was unable to run?
Ans: The youngest among the nine athletes was unable to run.

Q19.Why was he unable to run?
Ans: The youngest among the nine athletes lost his balance and stumbled in the middle. He fell down and was unable to run.

Q20.Where did he fall?
Ans: The young athlete fell to the asphalt.

Q21.Why did he fall?
Ans: He fell down as he stumbled and lost his balance.

Q22.Who does ‘he’ in the fifth stanza stand for?
Ans: In the fifth stanza, he refers to the smallest athlete.

Q23.Why did the boy cry out in frustration and anguish?
Ans: The boy cried out in frustration and anguish as he was unable to get up and run. All his dreams and efforts were spoiled in a moment.

Q24.What dashed in the dirt? What makes the poet say so?
Ans: All his dreams for the medals were dashed in the dirt. Because all his dreams and efforts came to an end. So the poet says all the hopes of the boy are dashed in the dirt.

Q25.What did the other runners do?
Ans: The other runners didn’t push ahead. They stopped running and turned back to help the young athlete.

Q26.How do you feel about their stopping here? Should athletes do like this?
Ans: The athletes stopped running and turned back to help the young athlete stand on his feet. It conveys a message that humanity and fellow feeling is better than winning a race. It was a rare incident. Generally, athletes don’t do like this. But they should do this.

Q27.Who does ‘him’ stand for in the sixth stanza?
Ans: The word ‘him’ in the sixth stanza stands for the young athlete.

Q28.What had they done for the boy to complete the race?
Ans: The other athletes stopped running and returned back to help the boy. They helped the boy stand on his feet and walked hand in hand to finish the race together.

Q29.Why did they go back to him?
Ans: All other athletes went back to help him stand on his feet.

Q30.What did they do first?
Ans: They returned to help their fellow athlete. They made him stand on his feet first.

Q31.What did they do next?
Ans: Then all the athletes walked hand-in-hand to complete the race.

Q32.What happened to the hundred-yard dash?
Ans: The hundred-yard dash was reduced to a walk.

Q33.What did they carry with them?
Ans: They carried a banner with them.

Q34.What did the banner say?
Ans: The banner said that it was “Special Olympics”.

Q35.What did the race end with?

Ans: The race ended with a walk hand-in-hand and all nine athletes became the winner of the event.

Q36.How did they come to the finish line?
Ans: All the athletes walked hand-in-hand to come to the finish line.

Q37.What do you mean by “a standing ovation”?
Ans: Here “a standing ovation” means the popular appreciation for the masterly performance the athletes had done.

Q38.How were their faces then? Were they all happy? Why?
Ans: Their faces were beaming then. They all won gold medals. They all were happy for the sympathy and love they showed to the young athlete.

Q39.What do you learn from such type of help of the athletes?
Ans: We learn that humanity, love, affection, fellow feeling, and cooperation are high above personal achievements.

F. Let’s Appreciate The Poem:

Q1. What message does the poet convey in “Nine Gold Medals”?
Ans: The poet conveys the message that humanity, love, affection, fellow feeling, and cooperation are better than any sort of competition or personal achievements.

Q2. What is important – winning a medal or helping a fellow brother in trouble?

Ans: Helping a fellow brother in trouble is more important than winning a medal.

Q3. What is necessary for a person – to understand the emotions of others or to become self–centered ?
Ans: Understanding the emotions of others is necessary for a person to become self-centered.

Q4. Explain – “He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish His dreams and efforts all dashed in the dirt.”
Ans: The smallest athlete stumbled and lost his balance and fell to the ground. He cried in frustration and anguish as all his dreams and efforts were spoiled in a moment.

Q5. What do you mean by “nine beaming faces said more than these words ever will”?
Ans: The nine athletes walked hand-in-hand to the finishing point and all were winners of the race. They were each awarded a gold medal for their empathy for each other. Their special deed justified the name ‘Special Olympic’ event. Their beaming faces told about the importance of humanity, brotherhood, and fellow feeling in this modem world.

G. Let’s Do The Activities:

Q1.Let’s recite the poem :

· The teacher divides the class into five groups.

· S/he read aloud the poem two times with proper word stress and intonation.

· S/he read the poem aloud line by line and students repeat after him/her.

· Students read the. first line and the teacher reads aloud the second line and so on till the whole poem is complete.

· Each group reads a stanza and the rest of the groups repeat after them and so on.

· Finally, each group reads a stanza and other groups listen to them.

· The teacher invites some students to recite the poem individually.

Q2.Let’s match the stanza with their themes.
Match column ‘A’ with column ‘B’. ‘A’ contains the stanza numbers and ‘B’ contains the themes. Write the stanza numbers in the last column. One is done for you.

Stanza Numbers	Themes of the stanzas
1	nine resolved athletes at the back of the starting line – ready for the event
2	athletes from all over the country – to run for the medals – attended long trainings
3	pistol exploded – signal given – running ahead – the smallest one lost control – fell down
4	spectators gathered – cheer – final event – highly excited	2
5	the other runners – came back – helped him stand
6	nine runners – joined hands – walked instead of running – banner – Special Olympic
7	end of the race – nine gold medals – faces – looked happy
8	cried in frustration and terrible pain – thought his dream shattered

Ans:

Stanza Numbers	Themes of the stanzas
1	nine resolved athletes at the back of the starting line – ready for the event	3
2	athletes from all over the country – to run for the medals – attended long trainings	1
3	pistol exploded – signal given – running ahead – the smallest one lost control – fell down	4
4	spectators gathered – cheer – final event – highly excited	2
5	the other runners – came back – helped him stand	6
6	nine runners – joined hands – walked instead of running – banner – Special Olympic	7
7	end of the race – nine gold medals – faces – looked happy	8
8	cried in frustration and terrible pain – thought his dream shattered	5

Q3. Let’s arrange the jumbled sentences to get the summary of the poem. The first and the last sentences are already in order. Write the number of the sentence in the box provided for each. Nine athletes came from all over the country to take part in a running race. [ 1 ]

· The pistol exploded to signal a start.

· All of them were running ahead.

· They had already received training before coming there.

· But the youngest of them lost control and fell down.

· The blocks were all lined up for the running race and they were in the back of the starting line.

· Being frustrated, he cried in severe pain.

· They all joined hands and walked together to the end line holding a banner.

· The other runners, instead of running, came to him and helped him stand.

· They were all happy to help the youngest runner and all were awarded gold medals. [ 10 ]

Answer:

· Nine athletes came from all over the country to take part in a running race. [ 1 ]

· The pistol exploded to signal a start. [ 4 ]

· All of them were running ahead. [ 5 ]

· They had already received training before coming there. [ 2 ]

· But the youngest of them lost control and fell down. [ 6 ]

· The blocks were all lined up for the running race and they were in the back of the starting line. [ 3 ]

· Being frustrated, he cried in severe pain. [ 7 ]

· They all joined hands and walked together to the end line holding a banner. [9]

· The other runners, instead of running, came to him and helped him stand. [ 8 ]

· They were all happy to help the youngest runner and all were awarded gold medals. [ 10 ]

H. Let’s Write:
Write a paragraph for each stanza of the poem. Go through the above matching activity before you begin to write. One paragraph is written to help you.

Ans:

1.The poem “Nine Gold Medals’ has eight stanzas. The first stanza is about how athletes from all over the country came to take part in a running race. They had to run for medals. There were three kinds of medals – gold, silver, and bronze. They had attended long training before this event.

2.The second stanza is about how the spectators gathered around the old field to cheer the athletes. The final event of the day was approaching and excitement grew high.

3.The third stanza is about how nine resolved athletes stood at the back of the starting line. They were ready to run.

4.The fourth stanza is about how the pistol exploded giving the signal to run. All the athletes ran ahead, but the smallest one stumbled and lost balance, and fell down.

5.The fifth stanza is about how the smallest athlete cried in frustration and pain. His dream of winning a medal shattered in a moment.

6.The sixth stanza is about how all nine runners came back to help the smallest runner. They helped the boy to stand on his feet.

7.The seventh stanza is about how the nine athletes joined hands and walked instead of running to finish the race. They carry the banner of ‘Special Olympic7 with them.

8.The eighth stanza is about how the race ended. All were winners and awarded a gold medal each. Their faces were beaming and they were happy.

Class 9th English Chapter-7 Nine Gold Medal Question Answer

RATINGS

Out of 1 ratings.

Other Chapters

Suggested