Nine Gold Medals Class 9 NCERT Solutions

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Nine Gold Medals Class 9 NCERT Solutions provide accurate, simple, and well-explained answers to all the questions from the NCERT Kaveri English textbook. These solutions help students understand the poem’s central message of kindness, empathy, teamwork, and true sportsmanship.

Nine Gold Medals Class 9 NCERT Solutions

Reflect and Respond

I. Work in pairs. Discuss the difference between Olympics, Special Olympics, and Paralympics.

Answer:

II. Work in pairs to match the words ‘empathy’, ‘sympathy’, and ‘compassion’ to the sentences given in the table below.

Answer:

• Sympathy = feeling sorry.
• Empathy = understanding feelings.
• Compassion = helping with kindness.

III. Work in pairs. List the words you associate with ‘empathy’. Share your responses with your classmates and teacher.

Answer: Words we can connect with empathy are: understanding, caring, kindness, support, sharing, listening, patience, and love. These words show that empathy is about putting yourself in another person’s place and feeling what they feel.

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:

• dashed in the dirt → destroyed (ii)
  It means something was broken or ruined.
• stumbled → step awkwardly, lose balance and almost fall (iv)
  It means tripping or almost falling.
• staggered → walk or move with difficulty (i)
  It means walking unsteadily.
• anguish → extreme pain or suffering (v)
  It shows very deep sadness or hurt.
• asphalt → a hard black substance used to make roads and paths (iii)
  It is the material on which roads are made.

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.

Answer: Stanza 2 → Spectators cheered participants and waited for the final race.

2. All runners dashed ahead as soon as they heard the gun shot; suddenly, one of the athletes tripped and fell on the ground.

Answer: Stanza 4 → All runners started quickly after the gunshot, but one athlete fell.

3. The race finished with nine athletes holding hands and winning the well-deserved gold medals; their smiles, and spectators standing up to applaud, conveyed everything.

Answer: Stanza 8 → The race ended with nine athletes holding hands, winning gold together.

4. Participants got ready at the starting line and nine determined athletes waited for the sound of the gun.

Answer: Stanza 3 → Athletes stood ready at the starting line, waiting for the signal.

5. Athletes from various parts of the country had gone through months of training; had big dreams of winning a medal.

Answer: Stanza 1 → Athletes trained for months and dreamed of winning medals.

6. The eight athletes stopped to help the young fallen athlete stand up, forgetting that they were competing.

Answer: Stanza 6 → Eight athletes stopped to help the fallen runner stand up.

7. Nine athletes held the banner and walked hand in hand; this gesture represented the ethos of Special Olympics.

Answer: Stanza 7 → Nine athletes walked hand in hand, showing the spirit of Special Olympics.

8. The young athlete felt his dreams were shattered and cried in pain and disappointment, but something unique happened.

Answer: Stanza 5 → The young athlete cried in pain, but something special happened next.

III. Let us appreciate the poem.

1. Two examples of alliteration from the poem are (i) __ and (ii) ___.

Answer:

• (i) “spectators gathered”
• (ii) “stumbled and staggered”

2. Give three examples of visual imagery from the poem.
(i) __
(ii) ___
(iii) ___

Answer:

• (i) Athletes lined up at the starting line.
• (ii) The smallest runner falling on the track.
• (iii) Nine athletes holding hands at the finish line.

3. Give an example of auditory imagery from the poem. (i) _____

Answer: (i) The sound of the pistol exploding.

4. How does the use of imagery make the poem more appealing?

Answer: Imagery makes the poem more appealing because it helps us see and hear the race clearly. It creates strong pictures and feelings in the reader’s mind.

5. How does the poet’s tone change from the beginning to the end of the poem?

Answer: At the beginning, the tone is excited and competitive. By the end, it becomes warm, emotional, and inspiring.

6. What is the overall mood created by the poem?

Answer: The mood is hopeful and uplifting. It shows unity, kindness, and joy.

7. What is the message being conveyed by the poem?

Answer: The poem teaches that helping others is more important than winning. True victory is in compassion, teamwork, and humanity.

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

(ii) Mention one character trait common to all the eight other runners.
(iii) What is the tone of the poet in these lines?
(iv) How might the young athlete have felt on being helped by the others?
(v) Would you consider this incident as a turning point in the poem? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Answer:

• “The eight other runners pulled up on their heels…”
• The phrase pulled up on their heels means the runners stopped running. (Option B)
• A common character trait of the eight runners is kindness. They cared more about helping than winning.
• The tone of the poet here is sympathetic and inspiring.
• The young athlete must have felt grateful and happy when others helped him.
• Yes, this is a turning point because the race changed from competition to compassion.

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?
(ii) Why do you think all the nine contestants were given gold medals?
(iii) Complete the sentence appropriately. The holding of hands signifies a feeling of _________.
(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
(v) Explain the last line of the extract.

Answer:

• “That’s how the race ended, with nine gold medals…”
• The nine contestants felt joyful and proud when they finished together.
• All nine were given gold medals because they showed team spirit and humanity, which was greater than winning alone.
• The holding of hands signifies a feeling of unity.
• The spectators giving a standing ovation indicates they were amazed. (Option A)
• The last line means that actions speak louder than words. Their smiles and unity expressed more than any speech could.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. Describe how the setting established in the first two stanzas of the poem create a vivid atmosphere for the events that follow.

Answer: The first two stanzas show athletes from all over the country and spectators waiting with excitement. This creates a lively and energetic atmosphere, making the reader feel the importance of the race.

2. How do you think the youngest athlete might have felt when he fell?

Answer: The youngest athlete must have felt sad, disappointed, and hopeless when he fell. His dreams seemed broken, and he cried in pain.

3. Why were the athletes eager to begin the race?

Answer: The athletes were eager because they had trained for months and wanted to win medals. Their hard work and dreams made them excited to start.

4. What does the transformation of the hundred-yard dash to a walk symbolise?

Answer: The change from running to walking symbolises unity, compassion, and humanity. It shows that helping others is more important than winning.

5. How might the poem be different if the focus was solely on individual achievement rather than collective support?

Answer: If the poem focused only on individual achievement, it would be about competition and medals. It would lose the message of kindness and teamwork.

6. How does the poet’s use of language and tone enhance the reader’s engagement with the poem?

Answer: The poet uses simple words, strong images, and a shift in tone from excitement to inspiration. This keeps the reader engaged and emotional.

7. What might be the poet’s purpose of writing this poem?

Answer: The poet’s purpose is to show that true victory lies in compassion and collective support. The poem teaches that humanity is greater than competition.

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 adjective–noun collocations are:

• standing ovation
• gold medals

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. _________

Answer: youngest

2. The eight athletes had a smiling attitude. _________

Answer: positive

3. When the athlete fell, he gave a huge cry of pain. _________

Answer: loud

4. The spectators saw a terrible difference in the athletes who had only come to compete. _________

Answer: significant

5. The gaudy crowd cheered the runners enthusiastically. _________

Answer: noisy

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

2. Patrick Gomes has been coaching special athletes for 10 years.

Answer: True

3. Patrick Gomes does all the household work himself.

Answer: False

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

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

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

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

Answer: (i) track events

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

Speaking Activity

I. Work in pairs. Take turns to express your points of view regarding Special Olympics.
Use the key points given below to develop the conversation.

Key points:

• Importance of Special Olympics (promotes inclusion)
• Impact of Special Olympics on sportspersons with special abilities
• How to create awareness regarding Special Olympics

Use the sentence starters given in the table below when you speak.

Answer:

• Student A: What is your opinion on the Special Olympics?
  Student B: Personally, I believe that the Special Olympics are very important because they promote inclusion. They give athletes with special abilities a chance to shine.
• Student A: How do you feel about the impact of Special Olympics on sportspersons with special abilities?
  Student B: I hold the opinion that these events build confidence. They help athletes feel proud of their skills and motivate them to work harder.
• Student A: In your view, is awareness about Special Olympics necessary?
  Student B: It’s my belief that awareness is very important. From my perspective, schools and media should talk more about these events so that society respects and supports such athletes.
• Student A: What is your take on how we can create awareness?
  Student B: I have a strong feeling that organising talks, assemblies, and campaigns in schools can spread awareness. Do you think that this will make people more supportive?
• Student A: Yes, I agree. Personally, I believe that awareness will change attitudes and make society more inclusive.

Writing Task

I. Work in pairs to write three creative slogans on Special Olympics.

One example of a slogan on Special Olympics has been given below.

Special Olympics: Igniting a Universe of Potential

Present your slogans in a creative manner and share with your classmates and teacher.

Steps to write a slogan

• Understand the theme on which you want to write a slogan.
• Brainstorm ideas and use them to create the slogan.
• Keep it brief and simple.
• It should not be more than eight to ten words.
• Make the slogan catchy.

Answer: The three creative slogans on Special Olympics are:

• Special Olympics: Strength in Unity
• Special Olympics: Ability Beyond Disability
• Special Olympics: Together We Win

Now, create a poster based on the inspiration you have drawn from the poem. Present your poster to the class and display it on the classroom board.

Steps to design a poster

• Include all vital information.
• Write down the ideas.
• Remember to place the slogan you created.
• Use top, bottom, and sides of the poster for other important information.
• Include some illustrations, a call for action, if needed.
• Colour and decorate your poster.
• Present your poster as a box item.

Answer:

Sports Club
NOTICE

Date: 05 August 2026

Special Olympics Poster

• Special Olympics: Strength in Unity
• Special Olympics: Ability Beyond Disability
• Special Olympics: Together We Win

Join us in celebrating inclusion, courage, and teamwork.

Let’s cheer for athletes who inspire the world!

(Signature)
Sports Captain

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