My Greatest Olympic Prize | Question-Answer | Invitation to English 1 | +2 2nd Year | CHSE Odisha

 My Greatest Olympic Prize

By Jesse Owens

Text Book Question and Answer 

Unit-1

1. Why were nationalistic feelings running high during the 1936 Summer  Olympics in Berlin? 

Ans: Nationalistic feelings were running high during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin because Adolf Hitler, the propagator of Aryan superiority theory, childishly remarked that his performers would bag all the gold medals defeating the poorer races. 

2. "I wasn't too worried about all this". What does 'this' refer to - Hitler's beliefs or winning a gold medal ? 

Ans: "I wasn't too worried about all this." Here 'this' refers to 'Hitler's beliefs. 

3. Why wasn't Owens worried ? 

Ans: Owens was not worried because he had trained, sweated and disciplined himself for six years with the Games in mind. He had already set the world record 26 feet inches. 

4. Why did everyone expect Owens to win the long jump easily? 

Ans: Everyone expected that Owens would win the long jump easily because he had already set the world record of 26 feet 8', inches. 

5. What was the surprise that awaited Jesse Owens in Berlin? 

Ans: In Berlin, a great surprise was waiting for Jesse Owens. He saw a German athlete, Luz Long, who was to take part in a long jump event. He could hit 26 feet on his practice jump.

6. What did he learn from people about Luz Long? 

Ans: From people he learnt that Hitler had kept him under wraps, evidently hoping he would win the jump. 

7. Do you think Nazi's Aryan superiority theory meant that Germans were superior to Negroes ? How did Owens feel about it, angry or bothered? 

Ans: Yes, the Nazis, Aryan superiority theory meant that Germans were superior to Negroes.Owens felt angry about it. 

8. What made Owens determined to be at Luz Long? 

Ans: Jesse Owens strongly opposed Hitler's master race theory. He was of the view that talent should be honoured. So he wanted to beat Luz Long to shatter Hitler's theory. 

Unit-2

1. What does a coach say about an angry athlete? 

Ans: A coach says that an angry athlete always commits mistakes and fails achieve success due to lack of concentration. 

2. What were the results of the first two qualifying jumps for Owens? 

Ans: In the first two qualifying jumps, Owens was disqualified. He failed to hit the target. 

3. Why did Owens kick the pit? 

Ans: Owens failed to qualify in two qualifying chances. It made him depressed, disguised and he kicked the pit out of utter harassment. 

4. Who offered Owens a firm handshake ? Was he friendly or hostile? 

Ans: Luz Long offered Owens a firm handshake. He was friendly to Owens. 

5. Why did Long speak to Owens during the trials ? Did he mean to make friendship with Owens or to find out what was troubling him? 

Ans: Long spoke to Owens during the trials because he wanted to make friendship with him. A friend in need is a friend indeed. 

6. "He really looked the part"- what does this mean ? Does it mean Long was trying to play the part of an Aryan or he looked as if he belonged to a superior race ? 

Ans: "He really looked the part'. It means, Luz Long looked as if he belonged to superior race for his strikingly handsome appearance. 

7. How did Luz Long help Jesse Owens in qualifying for the final jumps? 

Ans: Luz Long advised Jesse Owens to draw a line behind the take off board and to jump from there in order to avoid a foul. Jesse followed his advice and qualified. 

8. "Tomorrow is what counts."What did Long mean by this ? Does he mean that Owens would win the next day or their performance the next day would matter much ? 

Ans: "Tomorrow is what counts. "This says, today's performance is only is trial for qualifying. It will bring no medal. Tomorrow's game will be final and will decide the fate. 

9. Did Owens qualify for the final jump ? How did he do that? 

Answer. Jesse Owens qualified for the final jump. He drew a line a full foot behind the board and jumped from there. He qualified with almost a foot to spare.

Unit-3

1. When did Owens and Long realise that they had become friends? 

Ans: Jesse Owens qualified in the trials because of Luz Long's inspiration. So he went to his room to offer thanks. They talked for two hours on various issues. When he stood up to leave, he realised that they had become genuine friends. 

2. Who was Coubertin? What was his ideal? 

Ans: Coubertin was the founder of the modern Olympic Games. His ideal was that the important thing in the Olympic games is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well. 

3. Why has Lug Long been called the fine example of Coubertin's ideal? 

Ans: Coubertin, the founder of modern Olympic games, viewed that taking part in Olympics was more important than winning. Luz Long believed in the same principle. Jesse Owens was his rival. His victory means Loz Long's defeat. Yet he encouraged him to qualify in the trials and made friendship with him. So he was called the true example of Coubertin. 

4. What do you think was the greatest Olympic prize for Jesse Owens - the gold medal he won in long jump or the friendship he formed with Luz Long? 

Ans: The greatest Olympic prize for Jesse Owens was the friendship of Luz Long rather than the gold medal. 

Additional Question and Answer

1. What do you mean by Aryan-superiority theory?

Ans: The Aryan superiority-theory of the Nazis meant that the Germans athletes were superior to all other athletes and they would be able to bag all the gold medals.

2. Who was kept under wraps and why?

Ans: Luz long, a renowned Nazi long jumper was the top secret of Hitler because he wanted to startle the world community in Berlin long jump event through the splendid perfomance made by him.

3. What did Owens feel about Aryan-superiority theory?

Ans: Jesse Owens learnt from the people that Hitler had kept the name of Luz long top secret because he was pretty sure that Luz would astound the world community in the long jump event in Berlin through his amazing perfomance.

4. How did Owens feel about Aryan superiority theory?

Ans: Jesse Owens, being a Negro was not keen on Hitler's Aryan-superiority theory. He got furious about Hitler's declarations and his ways.

5. Who was Luz Long and what did he do with Owens?

Ans: Luz Long, the Nazi long jumper after coming out successful in qualifying jumps offered Jesse Owens a firm handshake. From the text, it is clear that he did not have any evil intention, rather he was friendly and positive wishing to help Owens how to qualify for the final event in his last attempt.

6. What enables an athlete to take part in the final event?

Ans: All the athletes who came from various countries are not directly allowed to take part in the final event but participate in the trial event to take part in final event.

7. How did Luz help Jesse Owens?

Ans: Luz Long convinced Jesse Owens not to be worried. In order to eliminate his fault, Long instructed Owens to draw a light line just a few inches before the cut-off line and target the take off from there, so that he would be able to qualify for his finals.

8. What made Owens and Long realize that they had become friends?

Ans: Jesse Owens realised that he couldn't qualify for the final event without the friendly advice of Luz Long. In the same night he visited Long's room in the Olympic village in order to show his immense gratitude to him. Both of them went on discussing for about a couple of hours on various subjects. At the time of departure, both of them realised that a sort of real friendship had been kindled between them.

9. What made Jesse Owens walk over to meet Luz Long in Olympic village?

Ans: Owens thought if Long had not been there and given precious instruction, his taking part in the final event would have been shattered. So, he met Luz Long in his room in the Olympic village to show his immense gratitude to him.

10. What did Jesse Owens feel when he bade long good bye in his room in the Olympic village?

Ans: When Jesse Owens left Luz Long's room in the Olympic village after a long discussion except games, he felt that he had established a pure and perfect friendship with him.

11. What was Owens feeling for Luz Long in his victory?

Ans: During the moment of victory, Jesse Owens felt if all the gold of his medal is melted, the liquid gold will fail to plate the 24 carat friendship he made with luz Long.

12. How has Jesse Owens presented his friendship with Luz Long?

Ans: Jesse Owens says that his friendship with Luz Long is the rarest of rare. He held his friendship with Luz Long to be pure and perfect. It was more precious and superior to the gold medal, he had won beating Luz long.

13. What made Hitler glare at both athletes from the stands?

Ans: Hitler was dead sure of the victory of Luz Long. So, he could not stomach the victory of a person inferior to an athlete of his master race. Moreover, he didn't like the way Luz Long behaved with Jesse Owens. So, he glared at both the athletes from the stands.

14. What happened in the final event?

Ans: In the final event, it was found that Luz Long, the German athlete broke all his previous records but he was beaten by Jesse Owens, the American athlete.