Evergreen Publication solutions for English - Treasure Trove a Collection of ICSE Short Stories and Poems Class 9 and 10 chapter 1.1 - Nine Gold Medals [Latest edition]

The athletes had come from all over the country
To run for the gold, for the silver and bronze
Many weeks and months of training
All coming down to these games.
The spectators gathered around the old field
To cheer on all the young women and men
The final event of the day was approaching
Excitement grew high to begin.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Explain with reference to context.

The athletes had come from all over the country
To run for the gold, for the silver and bronze
Many weeks and months of training
All coming down to these games.
The spectators gathered around the old field
To cheer on all the young women and men
The final event of the day was approaching
Excitement grew high to begin.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

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

The athletes had come from all over the country
To run for the gold, for the silver and bronze
Many weeks and months of training
All coming down to these games.
The spectators gathered around the old field
To cheer on all the young women and men
The final event of the day was approaching
Excitement grew high to begin.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

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

The athletes had come from all over the country
To run for the gold, for the silver and bronze
Many weeks and months of training
All coming down to these games.
The spectators gathered around the old field
To cheer on all the young women and men
The final event of the day was approaching
Excitement grew high to begin.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

What event is being referred to?

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them
The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run
These were nine resolved athletes in  back of the starting line
Poised for the sound of the gun.
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners all charging ahead
But the smallest among them,he stumbled and staggered
And fell to the asphalt instead.
He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish
His dreams ands his efforts all dashed in the dirt
But as sure I'm standing here telling this story
The same goes for what next occurred.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Explain with reference to context.

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them
The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run
These were nine resolved athletes in  back of the starting line
Poised for the sound of the gun.
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners all charging ahead
But the smallest among them,he stumbled and staggered
And fell to the asphalt instead.
He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish
His dreams ands his efforts all dashed in the dirt
But as sure I'm standing here telling this story
The same goes for what next occurred.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

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?

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them
The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run
These were nine resolved athletes in  back of the starting line
Poised for the sound of the gun.
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners all charging ahead
But the smallest among them,he stumbled and staggered
And fell to the asphalt instead.
He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish
His dreams ands his efforts all dashed in the dirt
But as sure I'm standing here telling this story
The same goes for what next occurred.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Who do you think are the competitors? How do you know which is the event mentioned?

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them
The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run
These were nine resolved athletes in  back of the starting line
Poised for the sound of the gun.
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners all charging ahead
But the smallest among them,he stumbled and staggered
And fell to the asphalt instead.
He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish
His dreams ands his efforts all dashed in the dirt
But as sure I'm standing here telling this story
The same goes for what next occurred.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

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

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them
The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run
These were nine resolved athletes in  back of the starting line
Poised for the sound of the gun.
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners all charging ahead
But the smallest among them,he stumbled and staggered
And fell to the asphalt instead.
He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish
His dreams ands his efforts all dashed in the dirt
But as sure I'm standing here telling this story
The same goes for what next occurred.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

How many competitors were there for the events?

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them
The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run
These were nine resolved athletes in  back of the starting line
Poised for the sound of the gun.
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners all charging ahead
But the smallest among them,he stumbled and staggered
And fell to the asphalt instead.
He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish
His dreams ands his efforts all dashed in the dirt
But as sure I'm standing here telling this story
The same goes for what next occurred.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

What happened when the gun was fired?

The blocks were all lined up for those who would use them
The hundred-yard dash and the race to be run
These were nine resolved athletes in  back of the starting line
Poised for the sound of the gun.
The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners all charging ahead
But the smallest among them,he stumbled and staggered
And fell to the asphalt instead.
He gave out a cry in frustration and anguish
His dreams ands his efforts all dashed in the dirt
But as sure I'm standing here telling this story
The same goes for what next occurred.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Did all hope to win? How do you know? Why did the eight runners pull up on their heels?

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to complete
one by one they all turned around and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)
Could not have been more on the mark.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Explain with reference to context.

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to complete
one by one they all turned around and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)
Could not have been more on the mark.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Who gave standing ovation? Why?

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to complete
one by one they all turned around and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)
Could not have been more on the mark.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Explain the following phrases in a sentence or two.
(a) Pulled up on their heels
(b) Brought the young boy to his feet.

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to complete
one by one they all turned around and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)
Could not have been more on the mark.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

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

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to complete
one by one they all turned around and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)
Could not have been more on the mark.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

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?

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to complete
one by one they all turned around and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)
Could not have been more on the mark.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

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

What message is conveyed in the poem?

In how many ways was this Olympic special? Explain?

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

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

What is the central idea of the poem?

Which is the turning point in the poem?

What lesson is learnt from the poem?

What event is referred to in the poem?

What kind of atheletes were they?

Who won the race as described in the end.

How did the last event turn out to be special?

What human value is displayed by the action of the eight contestants?

What is the theme of the poem? How is it conveyed?