The Epitome Of Willpower And Courage BOSEM Class 7 English

Chapter Name: The Epitome Of Willpower And Courage
Subject: Modern English
Lesson: 11
Class: 7
Board: Board Of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM/BSEM)
Contents: Chapter Summary, Questions and Answers, Vocabulary

Chapter Summary

The lesson “The Epitome of Will Power and Courage” tells the story of three inspiring women who exemplify the title. These women are Shelly Mann, Wilma Rudolph, and Dawn Fraser. Shelly Mann and Wilma Rudolph were both affected by polio, a disease that can severely limit movement. However, they shattered the myth of polio’s destructive power and became world champions in the Olympics.

Shelly Mann was struck by a severe bout of polio at the age of five. Despite this, she became a swimmer and won a gold medal in the Olympics. Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely and contracted polio at the age of four. She overcame this challenge to become a star sprinter, winning three gold medals in the Olympics.

Dawn Fraser was also a swimmer. While preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, she had an accident. However, the accident did not keep her from training. She won an Olympic gold medal, set an Olympic record, and became the first swimmer to win the same event three times.

These women are classic examples of the epitome of willpower and courage because they refused to accept defeat and continued to push themselves against all odds.

BOSEM solutions for The Epitome of willpower and courage

1. Answer the following questions in a sentence.

Q1. Why did Shelly Mann cry when she won the gold medal at the Olympic Games Of 1956?

Ans: Shelly Mann cried when she won the gold medal at the Olympic Games of 1957 because her persistent hard work had paid Off and she got the gold medal despite her illness.

Q2. What would the people present have thought when they saw Shelly Mann crying after winning the medal?

Ans: The people present would have thought when they saw Shelly Mann crying after winning the medal that her tears were the result of understandable emotion.

Q3. What effect does polio have on the limbs?

Ans: The people with polio have emaciated limbs.

Q4. Why did Shelly Mann start swimming?

Ans: Shelly Mann started swimming as an exercise to restore some strength to the emaciated limbs.

2. Answer the following questions in about 20-25 words each.

Q1. Why did Shelly Mann never dream of an Olympic medal?

Ans: At the age of 5, Shelly Mann had been struck by a severe polio bout and she was barely able to move a muscle in her body. She started swimming as an exercise to gain some strength. That is why she never dreamt of an Olympic medal.

Q2. How did Wilma Rudolph destroy the myth of polio’s destructive power?

Ans: Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely. Wilma lost the use of her leg as she was hit by polio at the age of four. Despite her physical disadvantage, she was an Olympic champion.

Q3. What were the events in which Ewry won gold medals in the Olympics?

Ans: The events in which Ewry won gold medals in the Olympics were the standing high jump, standing long jump and standing triple jump.

3. Answer the following questions in about 50-60 words each.

Q1. How did Wilma Rudolph emerge as a star sprinter?

Ans: When Wilma was Il, her mother saw her running around the basketball court enthusiastically without her orthopaedic shoes. She became good enough on the court to begin playing basketball for her school. One day, an athletic coach who watched her play, convinced her that she had the potential to become a star sprinter. Sure enough, she sprinted her way into the top bracket and within four years joined the American Olympic contingent for the 1955 Olympics.

Q2. What was so remarkable about Don Fraser’s achievement as a swimmer?

Ans: Don Fraser was a swimmer and an Olympic gold medalist. She remained unbeaten for four years. While she was training hard for the Tokyo Olympics, she met an accident. She spent six weeks in plaster cast but her determination was remarkable. The accident would not allow her to keep her away from training. She not only won Olympic gold in the Tokyo Olympics but also set a record and became the first swimmer to win the same event three times.

Q3. How did the three women athletes prove to the world that willpower and courage can beat all odds?

Ans: The three women Shelly Mann, Wilma Rudolph and Dawn Fraser have physical disadvantages. Shelly Mann and Wilma Rudolph were suffering from polio and Dawn Fraser met with an accident before the Olympic event. Despite their difficulties, they were persistent and achieved great success in life. The three women became champions because they refused to accept defeat. These three women were classic examples of the epitome of willpower and courage.

4. Fill in the blanks

1. After the Olympic victory, Shelly Mann recollected how she had cried in ecstasy the day she had managed to lift an arm out of the water.
2. Wilma Rudolph was confined to bed for two years before she learned to walk with the help of braces.
3. One day, her mother found the eleven-year-old Wilma Rudolph running around without her orthopaedic shoes.
4. Dawn Fraser Australia, like Shelley Mann, was also a swimmer.

5. Match the following

Ans:

Vocabulary

1. Find the odd one out.

i. Staff can be used for:
People in an office, sailors on a ship, teachers in a school.

ii. Team can be used for a group of:
Reporters, surgeons, children.

iii. Cast can be used for a group of:
Actors in film, characters in a novel, actors in a play.

iv. Gang can be used for a group of:
Singers, thieves, college students.

v. Band can be used for a group of:
Robbers, musicians, politicians.

Language Work

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the appropriate form of the verbs given in the brackets.

i. The doctors asked Shelley to get into the swimming pool as an exercise. So she practised swimming daily.

ii. The doctor recommended a massage of Wilma’s limp leg. So, her entire family gave her four rubs daily.

iii. In a car accident many years ago, Dawn broke a vertebra in the neck.

iv. Dawn Fraiser was also a woman Olympic star who was a winner many times. she won two gold medals and a silver medal in the 1956 Melbourne Games.

v. Handicapped men and women who were champions in the Olympic Games had faith in what they became.