Lesson -7
The Race
All the students of the Government Middle School have assembled on the playground. The Annual Sports Day is being celebrated in the school. The 200 metre race is about to start. There are six girls standing in a row at the starting line. All the girls except Mina are tall, strong and well-built. But Mina is thin and short. The other girls told her that she had no chance of winning.
'I can run', said Mina, 'and I will.'

The games teacher gives the signal and the race begins. Five girls are ahead but Mina is last.
Shobha is trying to run very fast but she suddenly loses her balance and falls down. She is out of the race.
Now Rani is leading. She is very happy. She leaves behind all the other girls but in her joy she slows down. Meanwhile other girls try to take the lead. Now Rani is way behind.
Look! Lata is leading, she is running quite steadily. Her friends are clapping and cheering her. The ground is a bit slippery. Lata ignores this and is about to fall down. After a few moments she regains her strength and starts running again. Now she is well behind the others.
Until now Neerja was way behind but now she tries hard and takes the lead. She is curious about the other two runners. So she looks back and this gives others a chance to go ahead.
Mala now gets the chance to lead. She is strong and well-built. She is confident of winning the race. So she begins to run carelessly. Look at Mina. She was running slowly but steadily. Now she is trying hard and is moving fast. She puts in all her strength. There she is! Mina is the winner of the race. The whole crowd cheers her. What a pleasant surprise! the Head mistress congratulates her. Mina is very happy. Today she has proved that even a short and thin girl can do wonders. She is awarded the trophy. Congratulations Mina! See how self-confidence finally leads you to success!


1.  Read and learn
1.  Mala says, "I want to be a doctor. ( Direct Speech )
" Mala says that she wants to be a doctor.  ( Indirect Speech )
2.  Mina says, "I want to be an engineer.  ( Direct Speech )
" Mina says that she wants to be an engineer. ( Indirect Speech )

3.  Gautam says, "I want to be a lawyer.  ( Direct Speech )
" Gautam says that he wants to be a lawyer. ( Indirect Speech )

4.  Ravi says, "I want to be a teacher.  ( Direct Speech )
" Ravi says that he wants to be a teacher. ( Indirect Speech )

2.  Word power

Rearrange the letters to spell the names of games:

IndoorOutdoor
hessc - chesssnnite - t
oldu - ltoolfalb - f
atble snnite - tkeycho - h
aracm - ctrickec - c
mintnadab - biddabka - k

Ans. -
IndoorOutdoor
hessc - chesssnnite - tennis
oldu - ludotoolfalb - football
atble snnite - table tenniskeycho - hockey
aracm - caramtrickec - cricket
mintnadab - badmintaniddabka - kabaddi

3.  Comprehension questions
1)  Read the story carefully. There are six girls in the race. Arrange their names in the sequence in which they appear in the story.
[ Mala, Rani, Neerja, Shobha,  Meena, Lata ]
 Ans. – Meena, Shobha, Rani, Lata, Neerja, Mala. All the six girls appear in the story in the above mentioned sequence.

2)  Write whether the following statements are true or false:
1.  Meena is tall, strong and well-built.  ( false )
2.  Rani loses her balance and falls down. ( false )
3.  Neerja looks back and loses her lead. ( true )
4.  Mala runs carelessly.  ( true )
5.  The whole crowd cheers Mala. ( false )

3)  Answer these questions:
Q.1. Why have the students of the Government Middle School assembled on the playground?
Ans. - They have assembled to celebrate the Annual Sports Day.

Q.2.  What event is about to begin?
Ans. - The 200 metre reac is about to begin.

Q.3.  How many girls are taking part in the race?
Ans. - There are six girls taking part in the race.

Q.4.  Why do girls feel that Mina would not win?
Ans. - Meena was thin and short, therefore girls felt that Meena would not win.

Q.5.  Who gives the signal to start the race?
Ans. - The games teacher gave the signal to start the race.

Q.6.  How does Mina run all through the race?
Ans. - Meena ran slowly but steadily.

Q.7.  What do you think helped Mina?
Ans. - Meena's self confidence helped her to get success.


4.  Grammar in use
1)  Read the following sentences:
Mala says, "I want to be a doctor".  ( Direct Speech )
Mala says that she wants to be a doctor. ( Indirect Speech )

Now rewrite the following sentences as above.
1.  Mina says, " I want to be an engineer." ( Direct Speech )
Mina says that she wants to be an engineer. ( Indirect Speech )

2.  Gautam says, " I want to be a lawyer." ( Direct Speech )
Gautam says that he wants to be a lawyer. ( Indirect Speech )

3.  Ravi says, " I want to be a teacher." ( Direct Speech )
Ravi says that he wants to be a teacher. ( Indirect Speech )

4.  Arif says, " I want to be a pilot." ( Direct Speech )
Arif says that he wants to be a pilot. ( Indirect Speech )

5.  Radha says, " I want to be an inspector." ( Direct Speech )
Radha says that she wants to be an inspector.  ( Indirect Speech )

2)  At the end of the race a newspaper reporter asked Meena a number of questions. Using the information, write a paragraph in reported speech:
Meena - " I get up early in the morning." ( Direct Speech )
         -  " I run 4 kilometers every day." ( Direct Speech )
         -  " I have milk and parathas after the exercise." ( Direct Speech )
         -  " I go to school at 11.00 o'clock." ( Direct Speech )
         -  " I am there till 5.00 o'clock." ( Direct Speech )
Example :   1. Meena says that she gets up early in the morning. ( Indirect Speech )
2.       Meena says that she run 4 kilometers every day. ( Indirect Speech )
3.       Meena says that she has milk and parathas after the exercise. ( Indirect Speech )
4.       Meena says that she goes to school at 11.00 o'clock. ( Indirect Speech )
5.       Meena says that she is there till 5.00 o'clock. ( Indirect Speech )

5.  Let's talk
Work with your partner and ask the following questions to know which game he/she plays.
1.  Which game do you play?
Ans. -

2.  Is it an indoor game or outdoor game?
Ans. - It is an outdoor game.

3.  Do you use a net in this game?
Ans. - No, I do not use a net in this game.

4.  Do you use a bat in this game?
Ans. - Yes, I use a bat in this game.

5.  Do you use a stick in this game?
Ans. -  No, I don't

6.  How many players take part in this game?
Ans. - Yes, it is.

6.  Let's write
Look at the pictures. Use the clues given under the pictures and write 4-5 short sentences:

Clues -
1.       Mona trailing behind
2.       clapping
3.       about to start
4.       Sona leading
Start like this -
1.       The race is about to start.
2.       Now Sona is leading.
3.       Mona is training behind the other.
4.       Her friends are clapping and cheering her.

7.     Let's do it
Class VI has decided to go on a picnic this Wednesday. Ram, Meena, Maya and Ravi are absent today. Send them a message including the following information:
a)  The place of the picnic
b)  The date and the day
c)  The fee amount
d)  The meeting point
e)  The eating and playing materials [ Hint : Ram,
We are going on a picnic.
Date / Day : ___________________
Place of picnic : ________________
Meeting point : _________________
Materials to bring : ______________
Do come.
Bye.
Amit. ]

Ans. –

Dear Ram/Meena,
We are going on a picnic.
Date/Day -24.5.2005/Wednesday
Fee : Rs. 50
Place of picnic - Rala-Mandal
Meeting point - School ground, at 9. A.M.
Material to bring - Cricket bat and ball and your lunch box Please do come.
Your
Amit