Hi Everyone!! This article will share The Prayer for Sportsman Questions & Answers.
This poem is written by Berton Braley. In my previous posts, I have shared the questions & answers of The Cherry Tree, I Have a Change and Rajam and Mani so, you can check these posts as well.
The Prayer for Sportsman Questions & Answers
Word Galaxy
- Strife – conflict
- Strive – to try hard to achieve something
- Code – (here) rules
- Ungrudging – willing; with no complaints
- Snarl – growl; an angry expression
- Sneer – a disrespectful look or comment
- Sniveling – complaining noisily; whining
- Laurel – honour and praise for an achievement
- Bestowed – presented; given
- Fray – a competition
- Craven – a cowardly person
Question 1: Who is praying? Mention any two things that are asked for in the prayer.
Answer: The poet as a sportsman is praying. A fair field and an equal chance are two things that are asked for the prayer.
Question 2: What ‘code’ does the poet refer to? What impression do you get of the poet as a sportsperson?
Answer: The poet refers to the ‘code’ of the game that is being played by the sportsman. This shows that the poet as a sportsman is fair and unbiased.
Question 3: Mention the things that the poet prays he will not have.
Answer: The things that the poet prays he will not have are:
he will not cherish a snarl or a sneer, or play any snivelling part.
Question 4: What is ‘laurel’? Give the literal as well as the figurative meaning.
Answer: ‘Laurel’, in the literal sense, means the awards, medals or trophies received by the sportsman.
The figurative meaning of ‘laurel’ is the praise and honour that one receives on an achievement.
Question 5: What does the poet wish to be granted? How?
Answer: The poet wishes to be granted with the ability to conquer and win over the opponent by proving his worth in the fray.
Question 6: When does the poet wish to stand by the road with a smile?
Answer: The poet wishes to stand by the road with a smile as the winners go by.
Question 7: How does the poet wish to lose?
Answer: The poet wishes to lose like a regular man and not like a craven.
Question 8: What does the poet wish for each time he loses?
Answer: Each time he loses, the poet wishes to take off his hat to the winners who strode to splendid victory and cheer them as they go by.
Question 9: Read the lines and answer the following questions:
And Lord, may my shouts be ungrudging and clear,
A tribute that comes from the heart,
And let me not cherish a snarl or a sneer
Or play any sniveling part;
(a) What kind of ‘shouts’ are being referred to in the above lines?
Answer: In the above lines, the kind of ‘shouts’ that are being referred to are ungrudging and clear.
(b) What is a ‘tribute’? To whom does the poet wish to pay a tribute?
Answer: A ‘tribute’ is a gift or an act that is intended to show dedication, admiration or respect.
The speaker wishes to pay tribute to the winners.
(c) What is the meaning of ‘snivelling’? Should a sportsperson snivel? Why or why not?
Answer: The word ‘snivelling’ means complaining in a way that people think is annoying.
No, a sportsperson should not snivel because winning and losing are part of every game. He should rather learn from the mistakes he had made earlier and do his best every time he plays.
Question 10: Read the lines and answer the following questions:
Let me say, ‘There they ride, on whom laurel’s bestowed
Since they played the game better than I.’
Let me stand with a smile by the side of the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.
(a) For whom does the poet wish to take off his hat?
Answer: The poet wishes to take off his hat to the warriors who strode to splendid victory.
(b) What is the significance of taking off the hat?
Answer: Taking off the hat is a sign of showing respect and appreciation.
(c) What does the poet wish to be taught?
Answer: The poet wishes to be taught to stand by the side of the road and cheer the winners as they go by.
So, these were The Prayer for Sportsman Questions & Answers.