English

Chapter 9: Nine Gold Medals Textbook Solutions

NIOS Class 10 English Chapter 9 Question Answer

INTEXT QUESTIONS 9.1

1. Complete the statement using the correct alternative.

The event which is being described in the poem is the ____________ event of the day.

a. first
b. last
c. second

Ans: b. The event which is being described in the poem is the last event of the day.

2. Find words that are opposite in meaning to each other from stanza 2.

Ans: Old and young, men and women.

3. Answer the following questions in a sentence each.

a. What do the words ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and ‘bronze’ stand for in the poem?

Ans: The words ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and ‘bronze’ stand for medals in the poem.

b. Were the contestants well prepared for the event? Pick the line that illustrates this.

Ans: The phrase ‘many weeks and months of training’ tells us that the contestants were well prepared for the event.

4. What efforts, other than training, are required to prepare oneself for a sports event?

Hints are given in the picture below.

Ans: One must try to eat healthy, nutritious food, get enough exercise, have clean living conditions and get adequate rest.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 9.2

1. Read the statements given below and write T for true or F for false.

a. The hundred-yard dash was a long jump event.

Ans: False

b. The athletes were a little nervous.

Ans: False

c. The athletes ran before the signal was given.

Ans: False

d. One of the athletes could not run.

Ans: True

2. The word ‘exploded’ is used for the firing of the pistol. What does the phrase ‘so did the runners’ in line 2 of stanza 4 mean?

Ans: The phrase ‘so did the runners’ means that the runners ran forward immediately.

3. How were the dreams of one of the contestants ‘dashed in the dirt’?

Ans: The dreams of one of the contestants were ‘dashed in the dirt’ when he fell on the black tarred road and could not take part in the race. This finished his chances of winning the race—something he had been looking forward to for a long time.

4. Notice how the words ‘stumbled and staggered’ in line 3 of stanza 4 go together. Find

a similar pair of words in stanza 5.

Ans: The pair of words is ‘frustration and anguish’ in line 1 of stanza 5.

5. Complete the following statement using the correct option from those given below.

The line ‘the same goes for what next occurred’ creates …………….

a. understanding

b. confusion

c. suspense

Ans: c. suspense. The line ‘the same goes for what next occurred’ creates suspense.

6. Suppose you were the contestant who fell down at the beginning of the race. What would you have done ? Discuss with your friends and write in a few sentences.

Ans: Possible answers

try to stand up and continue the race
stand up and put in extra effort to make up for lost time
get up and leave the tracks, thinking that the race is lost
wait for someone to come and help

INTEXT QUESTIONS 9.3

1. Explain the following phrases in a sentence or two.

a. pulled up on their heels

Ans: The phrase ‘pulled up on their heels’ means that the other eight contestants stopped running.

b. brought the young boy to his feet

Ans: The phrase ‘brought the young boy to his feet’ means that the other eight contestants helped the boy who had fallen to stand up on his feet.

2. Explain in your own words the meaning of the line ‘the hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk’.

Ans: The phrase ‘the hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk’ describes the moment when the other eight contestants help their friend, who had fallen, to stand up on his feet. Since the boy was unable to run, the others decided not to run either. All nine contestants walk hand-in-hand to the finish line. In other words, the contestants walked the distance of a hundred yards (which was to be run) at the speed of the contestant who had fallen.

3. How would the nine contestants have felt when they all reached the finish line together? Which words indicate this? Do you think they were happy because they had won the gold medal? Why?

Ans: The contestants must have felt happy and united when they reached the finish line still ‘holding hands’. The words ‘nine beaming faces’ tell us how happy they were. The contestants get a ‘standing ovation’, which would have made them feel proud of what they had done.

The contestants were happy not simply because they had won the gold medal. They were proud of being a united group who stood by each other, understood each other’s problems and helped each other even at the cost of winning a gold medal. For this group of contestants, it was more important to empathise with and help each other than to win an individual prize.

4. How did the spectators react to this gesture of the eight contestants?

Ans: The spectators gave a ‘standing ovation’ to the contestants, which means they stood up and clapped and cheered for them. Each of the contestants was rewarded with a gold medal.

TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. Complete the statements using the correct option from those given.

(i) The poem describes a

a. school Sports Day with participants from different schools

b. national sports event for women

c. national sports event for the differently-abled

Ans: c. national sports event for the differently-abled.

(ii) The contestants of the race received a standing ovation because

a. they are challenged in various ways and not used to sports

b. they thought it more important to help than to get a medal

c. they don’t like competition and don’t care about winning

Ans: b. they thought it more important to help than to get a medal

2. Who won the race and how? Explain in about 50 words.

Ans: All nine contestants won the race as they all reached the finish line together. One of them had fallen down at the start of the race. Instead of running to get their positions, they turned back and went to his help. Then they completed the race together.

They were given the gold medal because they showed the true spirit of sportsmanship by helping the smallest among them at the risk of losing the race.

3. Do you think the title of the poem is justified? How?

Ans: Yes, ‘Nine Gold Medals’ is an appropriate title as all nine contestants deserved the medal. The smallest one, for not giving up, and the others for being helpful and caring.

4. What is the central idea of the poem?

Ans: The poet wants to convey that sharing and caring are as important as winning and achieving.

5. Have you ever witnessed any event in ‘Special Olympics’ in real life or on television? Describe it briefly.

Ans: It is a sports programme for those who are differently-abled. Each one aims to participate and win in whatever he/she can do best.

6. Can you think of any other act of selflessness? Describe it.

Ans: Description of any experience of a person helping another without thinking of one’s own interest.

7. What have you learnt from the poem?

Ans: There are moments in our lives when we keep our own interests aside and help our friends who may be in a difficult situation. The value of cooperation is greater than the spirit of competition.

8. Which is the turning point in the poem?

Ans: When the pistol was fired, one contestant fell while the rest ran forward. Normally, the race would finish with three of them getting the first, second and third positions. But something else happened. All of them stopped and turned back to help their fellow-contestant. This was the turning point of the poem.