My Greatest Olympic Prize

 

My Greatest Olympic Prize

Extract I

i) The games mentioned in the above extract are the Olympic Games which were held in Berlin at 1936. The author who is Jesse Owens wasn’t too worried about them.

ii) The nationalistic feelings were high during these games because of Hitler’s childish theory of Aryan-Superiority according to which Aryans were the master race and superior than any other race.

iii) The speaker expected to win a gold medal in long jump. He expected to win a gold medal because he trained himself and practised hard for six years to win a medal at the Olympics.

iv) The speaker saw a tall boy, who was a German athelete named Luz Long. Owens was told that Hitler had kept him under wraps. According to speaker if Luz Long won, it would add some new support to Nazi’s Aryan-Supiririty theory.

v)   Owens trained himself and practised hard for six years in order to succeed in the competition (Olympics).



Extract II

i) The speaker of above lines is Jesse Owens. Feeling of hatred and anger for german athlete occupied Owens’ mind due to which he did not performed well. He thought that if Luz Long won than it would add some new support to Aryan-Superiority theory. So he became angry as he wanted to prove Hitler wrong.

ii)  a) Being Angry.
     b) Political title given to Adolf Hitler.

iii) Speaker was determined to go out in the field where long jump trails were held . He intended to prove Hitler’s Aryan-Superiority theory wrong.

iv) The speaker’s performance at the trials was faulty. Feeling of hatred and anger for german athlete occupied Owens’ mind due to which he did not performed well. He thought that if Luz Long won than it would add some new support to Aryan-Superiority theory. So he became angry as he wanted to prove Hitler wrong.

v)    Nazis believed in the theory of racial hierarchy, identifying Germans as a part of Aryan on Nordic master race. They belived that Germans are superiorior than any other race in the world.



Extract III

i)    Feeling of hatred and anger for german athlete Luz Long occupied Owens’ mind due to which he fouled on his first two attempts. He thought that if Luz Long won than it would add some new support to Aryan-Superiority theory. He became angry as he wanted to prove Hitler wrong and fouled in his first to attempts and ended up fouling in his first two attempts.

ii)    The speaker walked few yards from the pit and kicked disguestly at the dirt.  Luz Long who was a German athelete affered him a firm handshake and comforted him and gave him a friendy advice which vanished Owens anger.

iii) Luz Long, who comforted and guided the speaker, was a tall and strinkigly handsome, chiseled face boy with blue eyes and blonde hairs. He had a lean muscular frame. His accent was german.

iv) It was said by Luz Long who was a german athelete. He said the above lines in order to comfort Jesse Owens.

v)  Luz advised Owens to play safe and jump a few inches before the usual take-off spot. Yes, the advice proved to be succesful as Owens qualified for finals.



Extract IV

i) Owens fouled on his first two attempts and was completely tensed at the thought of not being able to qualify for the final round, if he would give a similar performance in the third attempt. The humble and friendly advice of Luz Long released his tension.

ii) Jesse walked over to Luz Long’s room in the Olympic village to thank him. He sat togeher with Luz and talked for two hours.

iii)  Yes , I agree that if it hadn’t been for Luz Long , Owens probably wouldn’t have qualified for the finals. Luz Long was the man who encouraged Owens when he was undergoing frustration and mental agony. Luz helped him qualify for the finals by giving him valuable tips.

iv) In the finals, Luz broke his own past record. In doing so he pushed Jesse to a peak performance. Jesse won a gold medal and Olympic record of 26 feet 5-5/16 inches.

v) Luz Long was a true sportsman. Fair play and love of Games was more important for him than winning. Hence he wanted Owens to do his best even if that meant his own defeat.



Extract V


i) Carat is a term used to measure the gold content or purity. 24 caract gold is also called pure gold, i.e. gold without traces of any other metal. Therefore 24-caract friendship signifies the true and pure friendship Owens felt for Luz Long, which was free of traces of hate , anger and malice.

ii) [Answer according to your understanding]

iii) As soon as Owens won, Luz Long congratulated him heartily. He was not disappointed for himself but happy for Owens. Despite the fact that Hitler glared at them, Luz did not hesitate and shook his hand hard.

iv) According to Coubertin the important thing in Olympic Games is not winning but taking part and the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.

v) The pure friendship of German athelete Luz Long is considered as the greatest Olympic prize.

Though Jesse won four gold medals in the Berlin Olympics 1936, Luz Long was the man who encouraged Jesse when he was undergoing frustration and mental agony. Luz helped him qualify for the finals by giving him valuable tips. They shared their thoughts and became good friends. And what was most striking, Luz Long showed genuine happiness when Jesse won the gold medal. Luz Long was an epitome of the true sportsmanship and true friendship. That is why Jesse felt that Luz’s friendship was the greatest Olympic prize he had won