NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Kaveri Poem 5 Nine Gold Medals

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Kaveri Poem 5 Nine Gold Medals

Word-Meaning of Class 9 Poem 5 Nine Gold Medals

Summary of Class 9 Kaveri Poem 5 Nine Gold Medals

Important Questions for Class 9 Poem 5 Nine Gold Medals

Pages 158-160 Check Your Understanding

I. Work in pairs. Match the words and phrases in Column 1 with their meanings in Column 2. You may read the poem again and infer the contextual meaning. Check your answers with the teacher.

Answer:

II. Identify the gist of each stanza. Write the number of the stanza in the boxes given.

1. Spectators cheered participants of different events and waited enthusiastically for the final event to start. [ ]
2. All runners dashed ahead as soon as they heard the gunshot; suddenly, one of the athletes tripped and fell on the ground. [ ]
3. The race finished with nine athletes holding hands and winning the well-deserved gold medals; their smiles and the spectators standing up to applaud conveyed everything. [ ]
4. Participants got ready at the starting line, and nine determined athletes waited for the sound of the gun. [ ]
5. Athletes from various parts of the country had gone through months of training and had big dreams of winning a medal. [ ]
6. The eight athletes stopped to help the young fallen athlete stand up, forgetting that they were competing. [ ]
7. Nine athletes held the banner and walked hand in hand; this gesture represented the ethos of Special Olympics. [ ]
8. The young athlete felt his dreams were shattered and cried in pain and disappointment, but something unique happened. [ ]

Answer:

1. Spectators cheered participants of different events and waited enthusiastically for the final event to start. [2]
2. All runners dashed ahead as soon as they heard the gunshot; suddenly, one of the athletes tripped and fell on the ground. [4]
3. The race finished with nine athletes holding hands and winning the well-deserved gold medals; their smiles and the spectators standing up to applaud conveyed everything. [8]
4. Participants got ready at the starting line, and nine determined athletes waited for the sound of the gun. [3]
5. Athletes from various parts of the country had gone through months of training and had big dreams of winning a medal. [1]
6. The eight athletes stopped to help the young fallen athlete stand up, forgetting that they were competing. [6]
7. Nine athletes held the banner and walked hand in hand; this gesture represented the ethos of Special Olympics. [7]
8. The young athlete felt his dreams were shattered and cried in pain and disappointment, but something unique happened. [5]

III. Let us appreciate the poem.

Question 1.
Two examples of alliteration from the poem are (i) _________ and (ii) _________ .
Answer:
(i) dashed in the dirt
(ii) stumbled and staggered

Question 2.
Give three examples of visual imagery from the poem.
(i) _________. (ii) _________. (iii) _________.
Answer:
(i) The blocks were all lined up
(ii) Nine beaming faces
(iii) Standing ovation

Question 3.
Give an example of auditory imagery from the poem.
(i) _________ .
Answer:
(i) The pistol exploded

Question 4.
How does the use of imagery make the poem more appealing?
Answer:
Imagery makes the poem vivid and lively. It helps readers clearly imagine the race, the fall, the help given by the runners, and the final walk to the finish line, making the emotions stronger and the poem more engaging.

Question 5.
How does the poet’s tone change from the beginning to the end of the poem?
Answer:
The poet’s tone begins as excited and competitive, describing the athletes preparing for the race. It then becomes tense and emotional when one runner falls. By the end, the tone turns inspiring and uplifting as the athletes show teamwork and compassion.

Question 6.
What is the overall mood created by the poem?
Answer:
The poem creates a heartwarming and inspirational mood. It begins with tense anticipation, shifts to sorrow when the runner falls, and concludes with a sense of profound joy and triumph. This celebrates the beauty of human empathy over competition.

Question 7.
What is the message being conveyed by the poem?
Answer:
The poem teaches that sportsmanship, kindness, and collective compassion are more important than winning an individual race.

Pages 160-162 Critical Reflection

I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. The eight other runners pulled up on their heels.
The ones who had trained for so long to compete.
One by one, they all turned round and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.
(i) Select the correct option to complete the sentence.
The phrase ‘pulled up on their heels’ means that the runners _________ .
A. moved aside
B. stopped running
C. tried to run faster
D. jumped ahead
Answer:
B. stopped running

(ii) Mention one character trait common to all the eight other runners.
Answer:
The character trait common to all eight runners is compassion.

(iii) What is the tone of the poet in these lines?
Answer:
The tone of the poet in these lines is admiring and emotional. The poet appreciates the runners for their kindness and humanity.

(iv) How might the young athlete have felt on being helped by the others?
Answer:
The young athlete might have felt grateful, relieved, and encouraged when the others helped him.

(v) Would you consider this incident as a turning point in the poem? If yes, why? If no, why not?
Answer:
Yes, this is the turning point because the individual race stops and becomes a collective walk of solidarity.

2. 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.

(i) How did the nine contestants feel when they reached the finishing line together?
Answer:
The nine contestants felt happy, proud, and united when they reached the finishing line together. They felt satisfied because they showed kindness and teamwork instead of competing selfishly.

(ii) Why do you think all the nine contestants were given gold medals?
Answer:
All nine contestants were awarded gold medals because they each displayed extraordinary sportsmanship and human compassion. By prioritising the fallen athlete over their own chance to win, they all symbolised the true spirit of the games.

(iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The holding of hands signifies a feeling of _________ .
Answer:
solidarity, unity, and brotherhood.

(iv) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
The spectators giving a ‘standing ovation’ indicates that they were _________ .
A. amazed
B. speechless
C. distracted
D. thoughtful
Answer:
A. amazed

(v) Explain the last line of the extract.
Answer:
The last line means that the athletes’ joyful faces and the spectators’ applause expressed emotions so powerful that words could not fully describe them. Their actions spoke louder than anything the poet could say.

II. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Describe how the setting established in the first two stanzas of the poem creates a vivid atmosphere for the events that follow.
Answer:
The first two stanzas describe athletes gathering from across the country and spectators filling the old field with excitement. This builds a lively, anticipatory atmosphere, setting the stage for the dramatic and emotional race that follows.

Question 2.
How do you think the youngest athlete might have felt when he fell?
Answer:
When the youngest athlete fell, he must have felt shocked, embarrassed, and deeply disappointed.
After months of training, his dreams seemed shattered in a moment. He may have felt helpless and frustrated, thinking he had lost his chance to win and prove himself.

Question 3.
Why were the athletes eager to begin the race?
Answer:
The athletes were eager because the race represented the result of their long preparation, dedication, and dreams of winning a medal. It was their opportunity to prove their abilities and achieve personal success.

Question 4.
What does the transformation of the hundred-yard dash to a walk symbolise?
Answer:
It symbolises unity, compassion, and shared victory. Instead of focusing on speed and competition, the athletes chose togetherness and humanity, showing that helping one another was more important than winning.

Question 5.
How might the poem be different if the focus was solely on individual achievement rather than collective support?
Answer:
If the focus were only on individual achievement, the poem would end with one winner and others losing. It would lose the emotional power of solidarity and would highlight competition rather than kindness.

Question 6.
How does the poet’s use of language and tone enhance the reader’s engagement with the poem?
Answer:
The poet uses simple and clear language, which makes the poem easy to understand and emotionally touching. The tone shifts from excitement to sadness and finally to admiration. This change keeps the reader interested and helps them feel the emotions of the athletes more deeply.

Question 7.
What might be the poet’s purpose of writing this poem?
Answer:
The poet likely wrote this poem to promote values such as kindness, cooperation, and inclusion. It reminds readers that true victory lies in supporting others and that humanity is more important than personal success.

Pages 162-163 Vocabulary in Context

I. The phrase ‘standing ovation’ is an example of an adjective-noun collocation. Identify two other similar examples from the poem.
Collocation is a pair or group of words that habitually appear together.
Answer:
Two other collocations from the poem are:
1. “Beaming faces”
This is a common pairing that conveys people smiling brightly with joy.

2. “Gold medals”
Another common collocation, often used in the context of sports and competitions.
It highlights the reward and recognition given to winners, but here symbolically shared by all nine runners.

II. Complete the table given below by writing four nouns in Column 2 that collocate with the adjectives in Column 1. One example has been done for you. You may take the help of a dictionary.

Answer:

III. Choose the correct adjectives from those given in the box for the underlined words given in the sentences below. Ensure you do not use the same adjective twice.

1. The littlest athlete was moving at a steady pace.
2. The eight athletes had a smiling attitude.
3. When the athlete fell, he gave a huge cry of pain.
4. The spectators saw a terrible difference in the athletes who had only come to compete.
5. The gaudy crowd cheered the runners enthusiastically.

Answer:

1. youngest
2. positive
3. loud
4. significant
5. noisy

Pages 163-164 Listen and Respond

I. You will listen to a radio talk about Patrick Gomes, a coach of special athletes. As you listen, write true or false for the statements given. (Transcript for teacher on page 268)

1. Patrick Gomes began his career in sports with track events.
Answer:
True (Reason: Patrick Gomes began his career with track events in 1991.)

2. Patrick Gomes has been coaching special athletes for 10 years.
Answer:
False (Reason: Patrick Gomes has been coaching for over 15 years, not 10 years.)

3. Patrick Gomes does all the household work himself.
Answer:
True (Reason: Mentioned in the transcript.)

II. You will listen to the radio talk once again. As you listen, choose the correct option for each question.

Question 1.
When the speaker uses the phrase ‘push your boundaries’, he wants listeners to _________ .
(i) challenge themselves
(ii) meet new people
(iii) be open-minded
Answer:
(i) challenge themselves

Question 2.
Patrick Gomes is a _________ at present.
(i) special athlete
(ii) coach of special athletes
(iii) value education teacher
Answer:
(ii) coach of special athletes

Question 3.
Special Olympic Games held at Connecticut was $a$ _________ for Patrick Gomes.
(i) motivational year
(ii) turning point
(iii) gradual change
Answer:
(ii) turning point

Question 4.
As a special athlete, Patrick Gomes mostly participated in _________ .
(i) track events
(ii) jogging
(iii) football
Answer:
(iii) football

Question 5.
Patrick Gomes believes that sports is essential because it encourages _________ along with fitness.
(i) a positive outlook
(ii) a peaceful mind
(iii) an active life
Answer:
(i) a positive outlook

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