My Greatest Olympic Prize 

Glossary

Nationalistic Expressing strong identification with ones own nation

Startled Feeling or showing sudden shock

Reassure Doing something to remove the doubts or fear

Supremacy The state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power or status

To ebb out Flow back or Recede

Nazis Members of Hitler’s German Nationalist Socialist Party

Der Fuhrer German for ‘the leader’, (This was Hitler’s title)

Take-off board Place at which the feet leave the ground

A German Twist A German speech accent

24 carrot friendship The truest and purest friendship (24 carrot gold is pure gold)

epitome A typical representation of the ideal

 

Objective Type Questions

 

Q1. When and where were the Olympic Games held in Germany?

A1. In 1936 in Berlin.

 

Q2. Who was Jesse Owens?

A2. He was a short distance runner and an Olympic champion.

 

Q3. Who encouraged Jesse Owens?

A3. Luz Long.

 

Q4. Who insisted that his performers were Members of a master race?

A4. Adolf Hitler.

 

Q5. Who is the founder of the modern Olympic Games?

A5. Pierre de Coubertin.

 

Q6. Whom had Hitler kept hidden away in the Olympic games of 1936?

A6. Luz Long.

 

Q7. Why was Jesse Owens startled in the trials?

A7. He was startled to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leap.

 

Q8. What mistake did Jesse Owens make in the trials?

A8. He jumped from several inchers beyond the takeoff board for a no jump. On the second jump, he was even worse.

 

Q9. In which event, Jesse Owens was expected to be a winner?

A9. Long Jump.

 

Q10. What expression did Luz Long use for the truest and purest friendship?

A10. 24-carrot friendship.

 

Multiple Choice Questions (Page 61-63 of text book)

 

Q1. Which of the following shows Hitler’s belief in the ‘master race’ theory?

(a) He organized the Olympic Games in Germany.

(b) He repeatedly said that the Germans were superior to all other races.

(c) He hoped that the German athletes would win all the events at all Olympics

Ans (b)

 

Q2. What made Owens determined to beat Long in the Long Jump?

(a) Long was Hitler’s surprise packet for the Olympic.

(b) If he lost to Long, the Nazis would feel even more proud about their own race.

(c) He was the holder of the world record, and did not want to be beaten by Long.

Ans (b)

 

Q3. He really looked the part, though (paragraph 13). What does that mean?

(a) Long was tall, fair and handsome, like a typical Aryan.

(b) Long believed he was a real Aryan.

(c) Long was playing the role of an Aryan.

Ans (c)

 

Q4. What do you think was Jesse Owens’s greatest Olympic prize?

(a) The gold medal he won in the long jump.

(b) The win he scored over Luz Long.

(c) The true friendship he formed with Long.

Ans (c)

 

Q5. How do you know Owens and Long became good friends after the trials?

(a) Owens went all the way of Long’s room to thank him for his advice.

(b) They chatted for two hours that night.

(c) It did not matter to either which of them won the finals.

Ans (c)

 

Q6. Owens was angry and therefore

(a) Failed to qualify for the finals.

(b) Made a fool of himself.

(c) Leaped from beyond the jumping board.

(d) Failed to qualify in the first two trial jumps.

Ans (d)

 

Q7. Long spoke to Owens during the trials:

(a) To make friends with him.

(b) To find out what was troubling Owens.

(c) To tell him that he himself had easily qualified.

(d) To show him that he could speak English well.

Ans (a)

 

Q 8. In paragraph 14, Long tells Owens, ‘Tomorrow is what counts.’ This means

(a) Long was sure that Owens would win the final next day.

(b) Long was sure that Owens would qualify for the finals.

(c) Long wanted Owens to qualify somehow for the finals.

(d) Long felt that their performance the next day was what mattered

Ans (d)

 

Q9. Long was the epitome of Pierre de Coubertin’s ideal because

(a) He did not mind losing to Owens.

(b) He fought well though he did not win.

(c) He was not really interested in winning.

(d) He was more interested in taking part than in winning.

Ans (d)

 

Short Answers Type Questions

Q1. What was Jesse Owens real greatest Olympic prize?

A1. Owens had trained and disciplined himself for 6 years with the aim of winning one or two gold medals in the Olympic Games of 1936. Owens felt disgusted when he made mistakes at the time of his first two of the three qualifying jumps. He was surprised to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps. He was a German named Luz Long. But Long was very kind and friendly he helped and encouraged Owens and Owens qualified. Owens held Long in high esteem: He regarded him as the epitome of the motto of the modern Olympic Games. He considered his true friendship with Long his greatest Olympic prize.

 

Q2. Who was Pierre de Coubertin?

A2. Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the Modern Olympic Games. The motto in Pierre de Coubertin mind was –’The important thing in the Olympic Games as well as in life is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”

 

Q3. What mistakes did Owens make as an angry athlete?

A3. Owens was angry at Hitler’s Aryan superiority theory. So he determined to compete with Long and show to Hitler and his master race who was superior and who was inferior. In anger, he made mistakes at the time of the long-jump trials. In first of his three qualifying jumps; he leaped from several inches beyond the take-off board for a no jump. On the second jump, he was even worse.

 

Q4. Why was Owens in for a surprise?

A4. At the time of the long jump trials, Owens was in for a surprise. He was surprised to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps. He was a German named Luz Long. Owens was told that Hitler had kept him hidden away evidently hoping that he would win the jump.

 

Q5. Why did Long approach Owens during the trials?

A5. Owens felt disgusted when he made mistakes at the time of his first two of the three qualifying jumps. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulders. Long had approached Owens in a friendly way Owens tried to hide his nervousness. But Long was keen to know what was troubling him. He wanted to help Owens. He helped and encouraged Owens and Owens qualified.

About the Author – Jesse Owens

Full name James Cleveland Owens

Nationality American

Born September 12, 1913 Oakville, Alabama, U.S.

Died March 31, 1980 (aged 66) Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

Achievement He was an American track and field athlete and 4 time gold medalist in the 1936 Olympic Games.

 

Summary

• Jesse Owens was a great short-distance runner and an Olympic champion. Here he tells of a personal experience at the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin. About that time, Hitler was preaching to the Germans his theory of ‘a master race.’ (i.e. that the Germans were superior to all other people’s). Adolf Hitler

• Owens had trained, sweated and disciplined himself for 6 years with the aim of one or two gold medals in the Olympic Games of 1936. But he was surprised to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps. He was a German named

Luz Long. Owens was told that Hitler had kept him hidden away evidently hoping that he would win the jump.

• Owens felt disgusted when he had made mistakes at the time of his first two of the three qualifying jumps. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Long had approached Owens in a friendly way. He helped and encouraged Owens and Owens qualified. Owens walked over to Long’s room that night to thank him for help and encouragement given to him at the time of trials.

 

• If Long had not helped him, he could not have taken part in the finals the next day.

Owens realised that Luz was the Epitome of what Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, must have had in mind when he said, “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.

• Owens was obliged to Long. Long was a true sportsman. Owens and Long had formed a real friendship. The next day at the stadium. He wanted Owens to do his best, even if it meant long’s defeat. Owens qualified and held long in high esteem. He considered his true friendship with long his greatest Olympic Prize