Warming Up!
Chit-Chat
1. Discuss in your class.
Indian women who have made it to International Levels in sports and games.
Discuss the following points about each of them.
(a) Name of the sportsperson.
P. V. Sindhu
(b) Sport or Game
Badminton
(c) Level reached
She had a career high world ranking of No. 2 in the year 2017.
(d) Outstanding achievements.
She is the first Indian woman to win the Badminton World Championship in 2019
She is the first Indian woman to win silver medal in Badminton in the Olympics in 2016.
She won the silver medal in the 2018 Asian Games.
She won the silver medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
(e) Awards/Prizes/Titles
Arjuna Award 2013
Padma Shree 2015
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2016
Padma Bhushan 2020
1. Fill in the table.
1)
Name of Sport/Game: Boxing
Place where played: Ring
Individual or Team Event: Individual
Sports Equipment: Boxing gloves
2)
Name of Sport/Game: Cricket
Place where played: Cricket Stadium
Individual or Team Event: Team
Sports Equipment: Cricket Bat, Ball, Gloves, Pads, Stumps
3)
Name of Sport/Game: Football
Place where played: Football ground
Individual or Team Event: Team
Sports Equipment: Football
4)
Name of Sport/Game: Hockey
Place where played: Hockey Field
Individual or Team Event: Team
Sports Equipment: Hockey Sticks, Hockey Ball
5)
Name of Sport/Game: Tennis
Place where played: Tennis Court
Individual or Team Event: Individual
Sports Equipment: Tennis Racket, Tennis Ball
6)
Name of Sport/Game: Badminton
Place where played: Badminton Court
Individual or Team Event: Individual
Sports Equipment: Badminton Racquet, Shuttlecock
2. Complete the Interview with an imaginary Captain of Ladies Cricket Team of your Town/City/State.
Interview
Interviewer : J Prasad (J. P.)
Captain : Vijetha Bhide (V. B.)
J. P. : Good Morning. We are simply privileged and delighted to have the presence of the Captain of our State Women’s Cricket Team, which won the final of the Inter State series in Mumbai, last week.
Hello Vijetha, welcome to our show.
V. B. : Thank you for inviting me.
(Now continue the interview adding about 4 to 5 Questions/Answers and conclude it with a farewell message.)
J. P. : This is the first time your team has won the Inter State series in India. What does this victory mean to you and your team?
V. B. : It definitely means a lot. We have worked really hard all through the year. The entire team has put in a lot of effort and it is great that all the effort has resulted in us becoming champions.
J. P. : Did the team have any special practice or routine to work for the Inter State series?
V. B. : Well we just focused on the basics and made sure our foundations were strong. We did have a few strategy meetings but overall the practice has been similar to what we have done before.
J. P. : As the captain, what was your approach to each game? How did you motivate your team members?
V. B. : My approach was quite simple. I wanted to ensure we were always calm and remembered our training. The girls did not need much motivation as they are all professionals. I just reminded them of our goals and made sure they knew how talented they were. I knew if we maintained our focus we would win eventually.
J. P. : Was there any point during the tournament where you thought things were slipping away and not going to plan?
V. B. : There were a couple of moments but it passed quite quickly. I feel we did really well as a team to always maintain the intensity and have a never give up attitude.
J. P. : So what is next for your team and for you personally?
V. B. : For my team, I believe now we need to build on our victory and keep up the momentum. We cant take it easy if we are to remain the best team in the country. As for me personally, I would like to continue with my current form and maybe even look at playing for India in the near future.
J. P. : Thank you so much Vijetha for talking to us. It was a real pleasure having you here and I wish you all the best for your future.
V. B. : Thanks and it was nice talking to you as well. Bye
From the Chapter Pages
Questions and Answers on Mary Kom
What was Mary Kom’s exceptional achievement?
Ans: Mary Kom’s exceptional achievement was that she was a five times World Boxing Champion and the only boxer to win a medal in every one of the six world championships. In the 2012 Olympics, she became the first Indian woman boxer to qualify and win a bronze medal in the 51 kg flyweight category of Boxing.
How did Kom’s parents make a living?
Ans: Mary Kom’s parents were tenant farmers who worked in jhum fields in rural Manipur. That is how they made their living.
What has added to Kom’s greatness as a boxing champion?
Ans: Mary Kom’s greatness was reinforced by the way she apologized to the whole nation for not being able to win the Gold. This was after she won the silver medal in the 48 kg weight category at AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in United States in the year 2001.
What failed to pressurize Mary Kom during the Olympics?
Ans: The fact that Mary Kom was the only female representative from India in boxing failed to pressurize her during the Olympics.
What can help Indian Sportsmen win more Olympic Medals?
Ans: Indian sportsmen can win more Olympic medals if more corporates come in and sponsor players so that the players don’t have any financial pressure and can just focus on their games.
How did Mary Kom increase her weight?
Ans: Mary Kom increased her weight by eating the right kind of healthy food rather than bad saturated fats. With proper nutrition, she gained 3 kgs so that she could compete in the 51kg event instead of the 48kg event at the Olympics.
What did OGQ do for Mary Kom?
Ans: OGQ really played an important part in Mary Kom’s success. They helped her out whenever she needed something. They took care of everything, which helped Mary Kom focus on her boxing and kept her stress-free.
What is Mary Kom more proud of – being a boxer or a mother?
Ans: Mary Kom is more proud of being a mother as she feel that is the best thing that has ever happened to her.
English Workshop
1. Choose the correct alternatives.
(a) What kind of text is it?
Ans: Interview
(b) Which State does Mary Kom belong to?
Ans: Manipur
(c) Who inspired Mary Kom and other youngsters in Manipur to choose boxing as a career?
Ans: Dingko Singh
(d) What did Mary Kom prefer being called?
Ans: Super Mom
2. Go through the text again and find out the name of cities and their importance in Mary Kom’s Life. One is given for you.
(a) Kangthei – Mary Kom’s birth place.
(b) Pune – Where Mary Kom trained for Olympics.
(c) West Bengal – Where Mark Kom started her career.
(d) United States – Where she made her international debut and won her first silver medal in 48kg category.
3. You will find some short forms in the text. Go to library or search the internet to find their full forms. Discuss with your partner. One is given for you.
(a) OGQ – Olympic Gold Quest
(b) IBN – Indian Broadcasting Network
(c) MTV – Music Television
(d) YPA – Young Players Association
(e) AIBA – Amateur International Boxing Association
(f) CNN – Cable News Network
4. Write the Factfile of Mary Kom, in your notebook.
(a) Full name : Mary Mangte Kom
(b) Native of : Kangthei, Manipur
(c) Early life and interests : Her early life was spent in helping her parents with farm related chores, going to school and learning athletics. She had interest in both athletics and boxing.
(d) Special sport taken up : Boxing
(e) Inspired by : Dingko Singh, a fellow Manipuri who won gold medal at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.
(f) Coach : Charles Atkinson
(g) Early achievements : In the year 2000, she started her career with victory in the Manipur State Women’s Boxing Championship and the regional championship in West Bengal.
In the year 2001, made her international debut at the first AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in United States, winning a silver medal in the 48 kg weight category.
(h) International Achievements : She is a five times World Boxing Champion.
The only boxer to win a medal in every one of the six world championships.
Won bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics in the 51 kg flyweight category of boxing.
(i) Her passion : To help India become a strong country in women’s boxing.
(j) Future plans : Coaching Indian women in boxing.
5. Glance through the text and find the special qualities of Mary Kom. Complete the web by putting different qualities of Mary Kom in the boxes.
Ans:
Qualities of Mary Kom
• Humble
• Hardworking
• Confident
• Intelligent
• Determined
• Inspirational
6. ‘Super Mom’ refers to an excellent mother. Give three reasons why ‘super’ has been added to the word ‘mom’ as in the title.
Ans:
1) Even though Mary Kom is a five times World Boxing Champion, a bronze medallist in Olympics for India and the country’s most successful women’s boxer, she still feels being a mom is the best thing that happened to her. Mary Kom’s love and dedication for a children makes her a super mom.
2) Mark Kom ensures she cooks and does all the household jobs for her children even after training so hard for her boxing championships.
3) Mary Kom wants her children to follow their own dreams. She just loves being a mom and would rather be called as super mom than super boxer.
7. Answer in your own words.
(a) What makes the writer call Mary Kom ‘a legend’?
Ans: The writer calls Mary Kom ‘a legend’ due to several reasons.
The writer feels Mary Kom is a legend due to her incredible qualities and an idol for all the sportswomen to look up to.
Another reason being her humbleness especially when she apologized to the entire nation for not being able to win the Gold medal at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in the United States. This is even after she won a silver medal which was the best ever achievement by a women’s boxer in India.
(b) What prime quality did Mary Kom display during her first attempt in Olympic Games? What was her bad luck?
Ans: Mark Kom displayed extreme confidence in her abilities after becoming the first Indian woman boxer to qualify for the 51kg flyweight category in Boxing in the Olympics.
She had to face multiple bad luck. First after her coach Charles Atkinson was not allowed to accompany her to the Olympics. Second was when she lost in the semi-finals due to dodgy decisions by the judges.
(c) What does Mary Kom suggest, for India to win more Olympic Gold Medals?
Ans: In order for India to win more Olympic Gold Medals, Mark Kom suggests that more corporates should come in and sponsor players so that the players don’t have any financial pressure and can just focus on their games.
8. Fill in the flow chart after rearranging the facts below in their proper order, as per the text.
(a) Mary Kom made her first appearance at international level.
(b) She sparred with male boxers in Pune.
(c) Mary Kom won the Manipur State’s Women’s boxing championship.
(d) She won a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.
(e) Mary Kom decided to take up boxing.
Ans:
1) Mary Kom decided to take up boxing.
2) Mary Kom won the Manipur State’s Women’s boxing championship.
3) Mary Kom made her first appearance at international level.
4) She sparred with male boxers in Pune.
5) She won a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.
9. Make sentences of your own using the following words.
(a) debut
1) She made her debut in international cricket at the age of 19.
2) My debut match was exciting but disappointing as I lost.
(b) elation
1) Asha felt a sense of elation when the team was about to win the tournament.
2) Nothing can compare to the elation I experienced at the birth of my daughter.
(c) sponsor
1) Raj found a sponsor for his squash tournament.
2) Most players need a sponsor if they want to train for international championships.
(d) reinforced
1) My sense of wellbeing was reinforced once I started practicing yoga.
2) The entire team’s confidence was reinforced after winning two consecutive matches.
(e) humble surroundings
1) Maya had always lived with humble surroundings at her village.
2) Humble surroundings often help us stay down to earth.
10. Find antonyms of the following words from the text.
(a) Arrogant – Humble
(b) Finally – Initially
(c) Disqualify – Qualify
(d) Diffident – Confident
11. Imagine that you are Captain of your team. A famous cricketer is going to visit your school. You are assigned the task to conduct an interview of that famous cricketer. Frame a set of 10 questions that you will ask the cricketer. Take help of the points given below.
(a) Early life
(b) Interest in this field
(c) Inspiration
(d) Coaching and guidance
(e) Achievement/Records
(f) Future plans
(g) Advice to youngsters
Ans:
1) Did you always want to become a cricketer or were there any other interests as well during your younger days?
2) How did your interest grow in cricket over the years?
3) Who were your main inspiration from both the cricketing world and outside it?
4) What kind of guidance did you receive when you first started playing cricket?
5) Who was that one coach you would give credit to shape your cricket career?
6) Considering all the tournaments you have won, which one was most satisfying for you?
7) What personal records do you wish to have in your cricket career?
8) What is the next big thing in your career that you are looking forward to?
9) What are your future plans once you are retired from cricket?
10) What advice would you give young aspiring cricketers who look up to you as an inspiration?
12. Write a short paragraph describing the life and work of Mary Kom. Take help of the points given below.
(a) Early life
(b) Training
(c) Achievements
(d) Future plans
Ans:
Mary Kom was born into humble surroundings in Kangthei village in the state of Manipur. Both her parents were tenant farmers who worked in jhum fields. Being poor, Mary Kom’s early life was spent mainly in helping her parents with farm related chores. She did go to school and also practiced athletics in the beginning. Once she took up boxing thanks to being inspired by Dingko Singh, she trained very hard and was able to start her career in 2000 with victory in the Manipur State Women’s Boxing Championship. She went on to have an illustrious career becoming world boxing champion five times. She also won the bronze for India in the 2012 Olympics, becoming the first Indian women’s boxer to achieve this feat. She holds the record for winning a medal in each of the six World Boxing Championships. Mary Kom is rightly seen as a legend of Indian sports and in the future, she wants to help out in development of women’s boxing in India by coaching or other means.
13. ‘What Men Can Do, Women can do better’
Divide your class in 2 groups. Let one group offer points ‘For the topic’ and the other, ‘Against the topic.’ Note down the points in your notebooks, expand the points in two separate paragraphs of about 15 to 20 lines each. Suggest suitable titles for each.
Ans:
Group 1: For the topic
Title: Beginning of the Women’s Era
Points
• Women play many roles in society.
• Abilities and skills are second to none.
• Have the capacity to think in a calm and composed manner.
• Are perfect allrounders.
Women play a central role in our society. They are mothers, sisters, friend, wife, homemakers, bread earners and a whole lot more. Without the various roles women play in society, our way of life would collapse. Women have shown that they are not only good at everything, they excel in all things that they try. Both abilities as well as skills of women are second to none. Some would argue that they are indeed better than their male counterparts. Whether it is at home or at work, women have shown exceptional skills. Women have made great strides in every field from corporate jobs to entrepreneurship, sports, astronomy, education etc. Today, women have gone ahead of men in almost every aspect of society. Even in education, girl students have been consistently outscoring the boys.
The best part about women is that they are not only well skilled, they have the ability to think in a calm and composed manner. This is one of the key aspects that make them go ahead in the gender race. At the end of the day, talent, skills and abilities do not mean anything if you cannot think and utilize your brains appropriately. Thanks to the ability to remain calm and not be aggressive all the time, women can assess a situation and then take appropriate actions. This makes them the best at what they do. The amount of roles women play on a daily basis whether at work or in the family, show that they are perfect allrounders. They can run an office as efficiently as running a house. They are the heart of any family or organization and hence the saying ‘what men can do, women can do better’ holds true.
Group 2: Against the topic
Title: Gender Equality Means True Equality
Points
• We should not give in to gender bias in any way.
• Have the same abilities.
• Male roles have been expanding.
• Can multitask just as well as anyone else.
It is true that women have made great strides over the past several decades and have proven that they are second to none. However, to say now that they are better than men means we are once again giving in to gender bias. We should learn from the past and know that the two genders need to work together and are as good as each other. We cannot go from one extreme to another where we start thinking women are better than men. We must uphold the notion of gender equality and it means true equality between the sexes. The truth is that men and women have similar abilities. Whenever a chance has been given, both men and women have been able to excel at the job at hand. Men have more than shown in the past that their abilities are second to none.
The most important thing here is as we progress and understand humanity a bit better with each passing year, male roles have been expanding as well. Men have now shown that they are not just suppose to be protectors and bread earners. They can run a household just as well as women. Men now take their roles as sons, brothers, fathers, friends, husbands quite seriously. Men have emotionally evolved as well and today, most men are not afraid to show their emotion. The love and care they feel for their family is just the same as the women. As they have been given a chance to prove themselves, men have shown they can multitask as good as anyone else. They can manage offices as well as homes and they would do anything to protect their entire family from harm. In today’s world, set gender roles have started to diminish and humanity has realized that both the sexes are ultimately the same. We need to work together to make society and our world a better place. Ultimately men and women have similar abilities, emotions, capabilities and if we can achieve genuine gender equality, our lives will improve as a whole.
Language Study
1. Underline the Subordinate Clauses and state their kind.
Direct answers given below:
(a) Enough has been said about this great warrior, who conquered the world.
Subordinate Adjective Clause
(b) The male boxers kindly practised with me, whenever I required them.
Subordinate Adverb Clause
(c) I think that more people should take up sports as a full – time career.
Subordinate Noun Clause
(d) Do you think nutrition is a neglected area in Indian Sports?
Subordinate Noun Clause
(e) That’s the best thing, that has happened to me.
Subordinate Adjective Clause
(f) India managed just 6 medals in 2012 Olympics even though we are a nation of 1.3 billion people.
Subordinate Adverb Clause
2. (A) Pick out from the text the VERB forms of
(a) qualification – qualify
(b) negligence – neglected
(c) company – accompany
(d) decisions – decide
(e) practice – practise
(f) birth – born
(B) Pick out the NOUN forms of
(a) represent – representative
(b) change – change
(c) prepare – preparation
(d) achieve – achievement
(e) aware – awareness
(f) succeed – success
(C) Pick out the ADJECTIVE forms of
(a) favour – favourite
(b) proportion – proportionate
(c) finance – financial
(d) nutrition – nutritional
(e) female – feminine
(f) addition – additional
