A TREASURE TROVE VOLUME- II CLASS 10th ANSWER KEY CH- 9 MY GREATEST OLYMPIC PRIZE • EXTRACT-1 (a) What surprised at the broad jump trials? Ans. Jesse Owens was surprised to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps. He turned out to be a German named Luz Long who was kept under wraps by Hitler. (b) Who was that person who startled Jesse Owens at the trials? What was he told about that person? Ans.A German athlete named Luz Long startled Jesse Owens at the broad jump trials who hit the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps. Jesse Owens was told that Hitler had kept Luz Long under wraps, evidently hoping to win the jump with him. © How would Long’s victory affect Nazis? Ans. Jesse thought that if Luz Long’s won, it would add some new support to the Nazis’ Aryan superiority theory. Nazis believed in the theory of racial hierarchy, identifying Germans as part of Aryan or Nordic master race. (d) Why was Jesse angry at Hitler’s ways? Ans. Jesse was told that Hitler had kept German athlete Luz Long under wraps for this competition who was believed to keep up with Aryan’s superiority theory which made Jesse Owens angry. Jesse did not believe in Hitler’s theory of superiority. Such attitude of Hitler made Jesse angry. (e) What was Jesse Owens determined to do? Ans.When Jesse Owens saw Luz Long who hit the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps, he became very angry.He determined to go out there and show Der Fuhrer ( ) and his master race who was superior and who wasn’t. • EXTRACT-2 (a) What does every coach tell the athletes? Ans. Every coach tells the athletes that an angry athlete is an athlete who will always make mistakes. (b) Why did Jesse Owens fail to qualify for the finals in the first two jumps? Ans.Jesse Owens failed to qualify for the finals in the first two jumps because he committed mistakes. On the first of his three qualifying jumps, he leaped from several inches betond the take-off board for a foul. On the second jump, he fouled even worse. Due to these mistakes he failed to qualify for the finals in the first two jumps. (C) How did he cause himself for not qualifying for the finals in the first two jumps? Ans.Jesse Owens failed to qualify for the finals in the first two jumps which made him feel worst. He asked himself whether he had come 3000 miles for fouls only.He thought that he would make fool of himself if he got foul out of the trials. (d) What did Jesse do in disgust ?Who was the athlete that had easily qualified for the finals in his first attempt? Ans. After failing twice in the jumps in trials, Jesse Owens walked a few yards from the pit and kicked disgustedly at the dirt.Luz Long , the German athlete, was the person who had qualified for the finals in his first attempt. (e) Why was Jesse nervous? How was he trying to hide it? Ans. Jesse was nervous as he was unable to qualify the broad jump trials even after practicing hard for 6 years.He tried to hide his nervousness by asking the question how Luz was. • EXTRACT-3 (a) What did Long tell Jesse that made him feel good? Ans. When Jesse failed to qualify for the finals in his first two attempts out of three, Luz went towards him and made him calm. Jesse felt good when Luz asked him not to bother about anything and told him to just close his eyes and he would qualify. (b) What were Long’s views about Hitler’s , Aryan supremacy theory? Ans. The German athlete Luz Long did not believe in Hitler’s Aryan supremacy theory though he had been schooled in the Nazi Youth movement. (C) Describe Luz Long’s physical appearance. Ans. Luz Long, an inch taller than Jesse Owens had a lean,muscular frame, clear blue eyes,blonde hair and a strikingly handsome,chiseled face. (d) What tip did Long give Jesse that would help him to qualify for the finals? Ans. Luz Long asked Jesse Owens to draw a line a few inches in back of the board and aim at making his take off from there. Luz was sure that if Jesse agreed to him, he would not foul and he was right. Jesse, finally, qualified for the finals by keeping his advice in mind. (e) What removed Jesse Owens’ tension? What did Jesse do to qualify for the finals? Ans. Luz Long’s tip that he should draw a line a few inches in back of the board and aim at making his take- off from there removed Jesse Owens’ tension.The proverb ‘Tomorrow is what counts’ made Jesse feel that he should not give up and try for the third time. Jesse Owens drew a line a full foot in back of the board and proceeded to jump from there.He qualified with almost a foot to spare. • EXTRACT-4 (a) Why did Jesse go to Luz Long’s room? What did they talk about? Ans. Luz Long had told Jesse that he should draw a line a few inches in back of the board and aim at making his take- off from there. This removed Jesse Owens’ tension.Jesse He went to Luz Long’s room in the Olympic village to thank him because it was only because of this suggestion that he had qualified for the broad jump trials. Jesse Owens and Luz Long sat in Luz’s quarters and talked for two hours about track and fields, themselves, the world situation and a dozen other things. (b) What feeling did Jesse carry with him after talking to Long for two hours?What did Long want him to do? Ans.After talking to Long for two hours Jesse knew that a real and true friendship had been formed between the two which was far more precious than the gold medal. Luz long wanted Jesse Owens to do his best in the finals even if that meant Jesse’s winning. (C) How did long fare in the went? What did long congratulate Jesse for? Ans. Jesse Owens broke his own past record that is of 26 feet in running broad jump. Jesse Owens, in the finals ,set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5 5/16 inches.At the instant,Luz went towards him and congratulated him with a firm handshake with true sportsman spirit. (d) How did Hitler react when Long congratulated Jesse by shaking hands with him? Ans. Hitler glared at them from the stands not a hundred yards away when Long congratulated Jesse by shaking hands with him. (e) What do you understand about Luz Long after his handshake with Jesse Owens? Ans. After a firm handshake between Luz Long and Jesse Owens on Jesse’s achievement of gold medal,we becoem to know that Luz long was a noble, true and genuine friend of Jesse who without feeling a pang of jealousy congratulated Jesse Owens. He gave a genuine smile at Jesse’s victory. He was an epitome of goodness. • EXTRACT-5 (a) Did Owens tell Long what was troubling him?If not, why? Ans. Jesse Owens did not tell Luz Long what was troubling him because he did not want to show his nervousness and tension to anyone which he was feeling after committing two fouls in the trials of running broad jump. (b) How did Owens manage to qualify for the finals with a foot to spare? Ans. Jesse Owens drew a line a full foot in back of the board and proceeded to jump from there.He qualified with almost a foot to spare. (c) How did Luz respond to Jesse’s winning the gold? Ans. Jesse Owens broke his own past record that is of 26 feet in running broad jump. Jesse Owens, in the finals ,set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5 5/16 inches.At the instant,Luz went towards him and congratulated him with a firm handshake with true sportsman spirit. (d) Why did Hitler glare at Luz Long and Jesse Owens? Ans.Adolf Hitler believed in Aryan superiority theory, according to which Luz Long, the German athlete was supposed to win the running broad jump finals.When Jesse Owens won the finals,Luz Long went towards him and congratulated him by shaking hands. It made Hitler glare at both of them from stands as Jesse had broken the Aryan Supremacy theory. (e)What,according to Coubertin, is the true spirit of Olympics? Ans. According to Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern , “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part.The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.” SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (UNSOLVED) SET-I 1. (a) Who is the narrator of the story ‘My Greatest Olympic Prize’? What do you think of him? Ans.Jesse Owens is the narrator of the story “My Greatest Olympic Prize”.He is an American negro athlete who set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5-5/16 in Berlin in the summer of 1936. He talks of his great friendhsip with a German athlete named Luz Long during these games. It was Luz Long who provided Jesse owens with right kind of approach to his game. Jesse Owens made mistakes in his qualifying jumps and was feeling very desperate. Luz Long gave him a few tips which enabled Jesse Owens to correct himself and win the gold medal. He describes his friendship with Luz Long as a “24 carat friendship.” (b) What was Hitler’s ”master race” theory and how did it affect Jesse Owens' participation in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin ? Ans. Hitler was the Nazi ruler of who held extremist opinions on many issues of his times. He childishly believed in the concept of Aryan superiority. He thought that the people of Germany could outdo all others in sports as well as other fields. Therefore nationalistic feelings were at an all-time high during the Berlin Olympic games which were held just before the beginning of World War II. Jesse owens who was an American negro felt angry when he came to know about Hitler’ s fanatical views. He wanted to prove to Hitler and his ”master race” who was superior and who wasn’t. Jesse Owens’ anger affected his performance so much that he found it difficult to qualify for the competition. (c) What were Jesse Owens’ ambitions as a sportsman ? Ans. Jessa Owens had great expectations from the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. He had trained, sweated and disciplined himself for six years in order to win some medals for the United States. He particularly wanted to win a gold medal in the running broad jump event. While studying at the Ohio State University, he had set the world record of 25 feet 8-1/4 inches in this event. Therefore, everyone in his country expected him to win this event at the Olympics quite efffortlessly. However, Jesse Owens was in for a surprise. When the time came for the broad jump trials, he was amazed to see a tall German boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet during the practice session. This German boy was Luz Long. Jesse Owens came to know that Hitler had purposely kept Luz Long in a low profile so that he could spring a surprise on other participants in the games. This is what made Jesse Owens nervous about his own hopes. Secondly, Hitler’ s theory of Aryan superiority also annoyed and angered Owens. It is often said that an angry athlete is an athlete who will make mistakes. All this dampened the spirit of Jesse Owens. • SET –II 2.(a) What was the bitter reaction of Jesse Owens after failing to qualify in the first and second of his jumps during the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936 ? Ans. Jesse Owens, an American negro athlete participating in the Olympic Games in 1936, had a depressing experience. He had been training, sweating and disciplining himself for six years with the Olympic medals in mind. He had already set a world record of 26 feet 8-1/4inches while still at the University. And yet he made a ”foul” in the first of his three qualifying jumps in the Berlin Games trials. He had leapt from several inches beyond the take-off board, which was a foul. On the second jump, he fouled even worse. The bitter thought in his mind was ”Did I come 3000 miles for this ?” He thought that he was making a fool of himself. (b) How did Luz Long, the German athlete, relieve Jesse Owens’ tension and helped him qualifying for the Olympic Games ? Ans. After making two ’four’ attempts in the qualifying jumps, Jesse Owens, the American athlete, had gone desperate. If he made a ’foul’ even in the third attempt, he would be out of the Olympic Games and would have to retum home, drawing a blank. So he was kicking disgustedly at the dirt. He didn’t know how to cool himself down. It was in this frustrated condition that Luz Long, the German athlete, came to him and offered a helping hand.Addressing Jesse Owens, he said, ”Something must be eating you.” Actually Jesse Owens was upset over Hitler’s statement regarding the German' athletes who were members of a ”master race,” according to him. Jesse Owens’ anger over such statements spoilt his performance during the qualifying events. Though a German, Luz Long reassured Jesse Owens by telling him that even he didn’t believe in such statements. He also gave him a few tips to better his performance. (c) What was the tip given by Luz Long to Jesse Owens with which the latter could qualify for the Olympic Games in Berlin in the year 1936 ? Ans. Though Jesse Owens, the U.S. athlete, had trained, sweated and disciplined himself with the Olympic Games in mind, he fumbled a lot in the initial trials. Actually he was angered over some racial comments of Hitler regarding the superiority of the German athletes who, according to him, belonged to the’ Aryan race. An angry athlete is liable to commit mistakes. That is why he leaped from several inches beyond the takeoff board for a foul. On the second jump, he fouled even worse. Now, it was his last chance. It was a ’do or die’ situation for him. It was here that Luz Long, a German rival, came to him and tried to cool him down. He knew that something was ”eating” Jesse Owens. So he told him not to think about what Hitler was saying. He should only concentrate on the game. He advised him to draw a line a few inches in the back of the board and take off from there. This was sure to minimise the chance of a ”foul”. This good tip enabled Jesse Owens to qualify for the Olympic Games with a good margin. SET-III (a) Comment on the title of the lesson’My Greatest Olympic Prize’ written by Jesse Owens. Ans. The title of the lesson ‘My Greatest Olympic Prize' is appropriate. Jesse Owens, the American Negro athlete who participated in the 1936 Olympic Games, held at Berlin, narrates his own experience. He narrates that at that time Hitler believed in the Aryan Superiority theory. He thought that his German athletes belonged to a master‘s race and they would perform better than the other participants in the 1936 Olympics. Jesse Owens took six years of painful practice,purposely to break the theory of Hitler. He relates that Luz Long, a tall German long jumper,trained by Hitler, was his opponent player. He did not believe in Hitler's theory. Both participated in the running broad jump event. Jesse Owens won the gold medal. ‘ But Luz Long, who was a true sportsman, did not feel jealous of him. Rather. he " congratulated him by shaking hand with him. Thus Jesse Owens broke the theory of Hitler by winning the gold medal at the Olympics. (b) What lesson do we learn from the example of Luz Long,the great German athlete? Ans. Luz Long did not win but he was a good example of Olympic spirit. Through the example of Luz Long,we learn that true spirit of Olympic is not winning but taking part.The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well. (c) What, according to Coubertin, is the true spirit of the Olympic? Illustrate from the chapter ‘My Great Olympic Prize.‘ Ans. Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of modern Olympics said the following remarkable words, “The imponant thing in the Olympic games is not winning but'taking part, the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.” These words stand true in case of Luz Long, the famous German athlete Luz Long displayed remarkable quality of sportsmanship when he helped Owens come out of his helpless situation. Luz was also an excellent athlete. He could easily ignore Owens and win the Olympic medal. But he chose to help Owens instead. He participated in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and lost. But in a way, he won as a good human being. He believed that his participation also means a win for him. He fought his way to winning but could not win but for Luz himself, his battle was his victory. He even went up to Owens and shook hands with him on the latter’s victory. He did not care for Hitler’s preasence too. Hence, even if he lost the game, he won a lot of other things.