Class 5 :: English Literature :: The Wizard of Hockey
The Wizard of Hockey
1. Create a timeline in your notebook in the manner shown below and fill it with the information you have gathered from the story:
1905 = Dhyan Chand was born.
1922 = He joined the Indian Army.
1926 = He played his first match.
1928 = He participated in Amsterdam Olympic.
1932 = He participated in Los Angeles Olympic.
1936 = He participated in Berlin Olympics.
1956 = He retired from Army.
1979 = He died in Delhi.
2002 = Dhyan Chand Award for Life Time Achievement in sports and games was introduced.
Reference to Context:
2."Young Dhyan did not show any special interest in sports, though he loved wrestling. In fact, his hockey career had quite an ordinary beginning."
a) Which sport did Dhyan enjoy when he was young?
= Dhyan enjoyed wrestling when he was young.
b) Why is the beginning of Dhyan Chand's hockey career describe as ordinary?
= The beginning of Dhyan Chand's hockey career is described as ordinary as he and other youngsters used to cut a leaf of a dead pulm each and pull off the fronds like a curve at its end, this palm leaf's stem would become a hockey stick and they would play with a ball made from old rags.
c) Who first encouraged Dhyan Chand to play hockey seriously?
= Subedar Major Bhole Tiwari first encouraged Dhyan Chand to play hockey seriously.
3."When he played at the Berlin Olympics, a German newspaper carried a banner headline: 'The Olympic complex now has a magic show too'."
a) How long did Dhyan Chand's hockey career last? At how many Olympic games did his team win a gold medal?
= Dhyan Chand's hockey career lasted for 22 years.
His team won gold medals at three Olympic games.
b) What nickname did Dhyan Chand earn at Berlin?
= Dhyan Chand earned the nickname 'hockey wizard' at Berlin.
c) Why did the newspaper announce that there was a magic show at the Olympic complex?
= The newspaper announced that there was a magic show at the Olympic complex because Dhyan Chand had magical stick work and amazing ball control that left fellow players and spectators awestruck.
Read, Reflect and Write:
4. Why did Dhyan Chand's schooling suffer?
= Dhyan Chand's schooling suffered because of his father's transferable job.
5. What did Dhyan Chand's opponents think when they first saw his skill with the hockey stick?
= His opponents thought there was some mischief at work. The Dutch broke his stick to check if there was a magnet inside; the Japanese thought there was glue on it.
6. After reading this chapter, what do you think are the essential qualities that a good sports person must have?
= First of all a good sportsperson should be dedicated to his sports in which he is engaged. He should give equal opportunity to his fellow players. He should be down to earth. He should never boast or show off his talent.