|| Jai Sri Gurudev||

BGS WORLD SCHOOL 2023-24

Mahalakshmipuram , Bengaluru- 86

Grade : X Date: 25/10/23

Subject: English-II
Poem.no.5 : Nine Gold Medals
I.Glossary:
1. Spectators - (here) people watching especially an event or sports without taking part.
2. Block – the two starting blocks on the ground that runners push their feet against at the
beginning of a race.
3. Resolved – determined.
4.Poised – ready.
5.Pistol – (here) a starting pistol used to signal the start of a race.
6. Stumbled – (here) hit his foot against something when he began to run and almost fell.
7. Staggered –lost balance.
8. Asphalt – black tarred road.
9.Anguish – pain and disappointment.
10. Dashed – destroyed.

II. Read the extract given below and answer the following questions:
1. The athletes had come all over the country
To run for the gold , for the silver and bronze
Many weeks and months of training
That was so large, smooth and round.
All building up to the games
All around the field spectators were gathered
Cheering on all the young women and men
Then final event of the day was approaching
The last race about to begun.
a. Explain with reference to context.
Ans:The poem sends the message that sports are not only about medals but also about
learning the values of co-operation, sharing ,competing and complementing. In this poem
‘Nine Gold Medals’, the poet David Roth has presented the idea of empathy and how human
values are as important as the spirit of competition. The poem presents the situation of a race
where the contestants leave aside their desire to win the medal to help a smaller and weaker
contestant.They all go hand in hand with the finishing line.
 || Jai Sri Gurudev||

Athletes from all over the world train hard to participate in this event .Winning a medal in
the Olympics is the ultimate goal of every athlete of the world. However , the setting or the
scene of this poem is that of ‘Special Olympics’. In these Olympics differently abled people,
who have some problem in a particular part of the body,participate in various sports events.
The contestants put in a lot of preparation and practice . Everyone hopes to win a medal. They
cheer and encourage the contestants.
b. What do the words ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and ‘bronze’ stand for in the poem? What event
is being referred to ?
Ans: The ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and ‘bronze’ stand for the medals which are given to the first
position holder, second position holder and the third position holder. The event referred to is
the special Olympics, in which the contestants are differently abled people, who have some
problem in a particular part of the body. In this event, the people with some disability compete
to win a medal of gold, silver or bronze according to their finishing position.
c. Which final event is referred to in the extract? What was the mood of the spectators
here?
Ans: The final event of the day of ‘Special Olympics’, which was the last race, consisting of
a hundred metres was about to begin. The Spectators, who were sitting all around the field
were in a enthusiastic and excited mood. They all cheered for all the young participants of
that race.
2. The loud speakers called out the names of the runners
The one hundred meters the race to be run
And nine hundred athletes stood there determined
And poised for the sound of the gun
The signal wad given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners on hearing the sound
But the youngest among them stumbled and staggered
And he fell on his knees to the ground.
a.Explain with reference to context
Ans: Of all the events in Olympics, the hundred metre race is the most prestigious. The athlete
,who wins it, is remembered as the fastest man in the world. So, for the Special Olympics
mentioned in the poem this is the final event, hence the most prestigious. The hundred yard
race is about to begin. The athletes take position at the starting blocks.They begin to run
immediately after starting the pistol is fired. However,one of them is unable to run and falls
on the track. The action has begun and already one episode has taken place. The eight
contestants were strong and ran forward, while the ninth, the youngest, falls down.
a. How were the dreams of one of the contestants ‘dashed in the dirt’? Did all hope to
win? How do you know?
 || Jai Sri Gurudev||

Ans:The ninth ,who is the smallest, falls down. He cries out with the pain of disappointment.
He has trained hard but does not get the opportunity to show his talent. All his dreams of
winning the medal are broken and destroyed. They all took off and charged ahead when gun
was fired. So I think they all had a hope of winning.
b. Who stood on the starting line? In what state of mind were they and what stopped
the race after it had taken off ?
Ans: The nine athletes, that had participated in this event , stood on the starting line. They all
had a determined state of mind, as they waited for the pistol shot to fire as a starting signal.
The event of the falling of the weaker and the youngest contestant , on the track stopped the
race after it had taken off, since all the other eight participants stopped as well and returned
to help him.
3. He gave out a cry of frustration and anguish
His dreams and his efforts dashed in the dirt
But as sure as I’m standing here telling the story
Now it is a strange one, but here’s what occured
The eight other athletes stopped in their tracks
The ones who had trained for so long to compete
One by one they turned round and came back to help him.
And lifted the lad to his feet.
a. Explain with reference to context.
Ans: When the remaining eight contestants saw him fall , they, instead of continuing the race,
came to the help their fellow contestant. All the athletes had dreamt of winning the medal.
However, they readily forgot their dream and came forward to help the boy to his feet.
b.What was the reaction of the other contestants in the race? Why did they come to the
help of the fallen athlete?
Ans: As soon as the other participants in the race, saw that one of the athletes has fallen on
the track, they immediately stopped and rushed to his help. They came to the help of the fallen
athlete, by turning back, as a result of the emotions of empathy and human values which
surged in their hearts at that moment.
c. What human value is displayed by their actions ?What was their surprise move?
Ans: The human value of empathy and true sportsmanship is displayed by their actions as
they all did not fear their loss and they helped that fallen athlete ,to get up on his feet and
complete the race.Their surprise move was to stop in their tracks, turn around, come to the
aid of the fallen athlete and then finish the race all together, with the fallen athlete along with
him, supporting him hand -in-hand with each other.
4. Then all nine runners joined hands and continued
 || Jai Sri Gurudev||

The one hundred metres reduced to a walk

And the banner above that said "Special Olympics"
Could not have been nearer the mark
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And the banner above and nine smiling faces
Said more than these words ever will
Said more than these words ever will
a. Explain with reference to context.
Ans: All the nine contestants walked hand-in-hand to the finish line.The audience was moved
by the exemplary behaviour of the contestants that they stood up and clapped. There were
now nine winners ,instead of one and each was given a gold medal. All the contestants
displayed empathy turning the Special Olympics into a really 'special' one. Empathy is the
capacity to understand another person's experience from his point of view. Empathy is the
ability to 'put oneself in another's shoes'. That is exactly what the eight contestants had done.
One look at the fallen contestant had forced them to think 'what would I have felt if I had
fallen?' and they knew exactly what they had to do. By awarding gold medals to all nine
contestants, the authorities honoured their display of empathy, helpful nature and human
values.
b. Explain in your own words the meaning of the line 'the hundred - yard dash down
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 down, to stand up on his feet.
Since the boy was unable to run, the others decided not to run either. All the nine contestants
walked hand- in - hand to the finish line. In other words , the contestants walked the distance
of the hundred yards at the speed of the contestant who had fallen down.
c. How did the race in the Special Olympics become special indeed?
Ans: The Special Olympics referred to in David Roth's poem 'Nine Gold Medals' became
special for a great display of human compassion and co-operation by eight differently abled
runners who stopped and came back to rescue one fellow athlete who fell down to the ground
during a race. Then they finished the race by walking and holding hands together. To mark
that special incident and as a recognition of their sportsman spirit, all the nine runners were
awarded a gold medal each, making it nine gold medals in a single event.