English: Class 6 — Chapter 4: Sports and Wellness

Prabhat is a highly competitive boy who is obsessed with winning and cannot tolerate losing, even in simple games like marbles. He avoids playing any game unless he is absolutely certain of victory. However, he is genuinely good at badminton.

A new student named Surya, who is an exceptional badminton player, joins the school. During the monthly friendly matches organized by the coach, Prabhat and Surya are scheduled to play against each other, and Prabhat is made the scorekeeper. While Prabhat prepares with intense seriousness, Surya remains completely relaxed, joking and smiling.

During the match, Surya plays brilliantly but pays so little attention to the score that Prabhat secretly changes the scoreboard to cheat his way to victory. Although Prabhat wins and celebrates, he is plagued by guilt and cannot sleep. He is surprised to see that Surya is not upset about losing and happily plays basketball the next day, despite being unskilled at it.

By observing Surya, Prabhat realizes that the true purpose of playing games is enjoyment and self-improvement, not scoreboards or winning. He undergoes a profound change of heart, starts playing games like hide-and-seek for fun, and earns the respect of his peers for his newfound sporting spirit.

• Prabhat: Initially self-centered, insecure about losing, and willing to cheat to maintain his winning streak. He is reflective enough to feel guilty about his actions and undergoes positive character development.
• Surya: Joyful, highly skilled yet humble, plays for the sheer love of the game, and embodies true sportsmanship. He serves as a role model for Prabhat.

• defeat: Loss in a game or contest.
• on the contrary: Just the opposite of what has been stated.
• terrible: Extremely unhappy or uncomfortable.
• sensed: Had known or felt intuitively.
• significant: Important or noteworthy.
• conducted: Organised and carried out.
• phenomenon: Someone or something with remarkable or special qualities.
• hopeless: Having absolutely no skill in a particular activity.
• kept a close watch on: Observed someone or something very carefully.

By Georgia Heard

Evenings,
we play ball
next to the creek
in our neighbour’s field.

We run so fast
I
can’t
even
catch
my
breath.

When blue dark turns to black,
cold grass aches our feet,
trees creep close—
game’s over.
Night wins!

• Theme of Play: The poem captures the pure, unadulterated joy of children playing outdoors until the very last moment of daylight.
• Visual Structure: The vertical arrangement of the words "I can't even catch my breath" visually represents the physical sensation of panting and breathlessness.
• Personification:
  • "trees creep close": Gives trees the human quality of moving closer as darkness falls and shadows lengthen.
  • "Night wins!": Personifies night as an opponent in a game who ultimately ends the play, making it the "winner".

Yoga is an ancient physical, mental, and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means "to join" or "to unite," symbolizing the unity of mind and body, thought and action, and harmony between humans and nature.

The ancient sage Patanjali systematized these traditions in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, describing yoga as a means to quiet the mind and free it from all distractions.

• Asanas (Postures): Help stretch and strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, endurance, and balance, improving overall physical fitness.
• Breathing & Meditation: Calm the mind, reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep quality, and enhance concentration.
• Immune & Heart Health: Boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, and improves blood circulation.
• Weight Management: Aids in weight loss by burning calories and maintaining overall health.

Some words have spelling variations depending on whether they are used as a noun or a verb:

• Practice (Noun): The actual application or exercise of a skill.
  Example: "It is important to have a regular practice of stretching."
• Practise (Verb): To perform or exercise repeatedly to improve.
  Example: "I practise Yoga every day."
• Advice (Noun) vs. Advise (Verb):
  Noun: "She gave me good advice."
  Verb: "The doctor advised him to rest."

The Past Perfect Tense is used to refer to an action that was completed before another action in the past (the "older" past action).

• Structure: Had + Past Participle of the verb.
• Example: "Prabhat had finished his homework before going to the badminton match." (Action 1: finishing homework [Past Perfect]; Action 2: going to the match [Simple Past]).