Polo Match in Progress

 

Class 8th - English : Lesson 5 - Polo – The King of Games (Shafqat Habib)

Prose – Tulip Series | Polo – The King of Games | Prose 5 |English 8th | Tulip Series (Shafqat Habib)

GLOSSARY

• Polo (a sport played on horseback where the player strikes the ball with a mallet)
• Mallet (a tool with a long handle and a head used to hit the ball in the sport of polo)
• Equestrian (related to horseback riding)
• Prowess (skill or ability)
• Princes (a male member of a royal family)
• Warriors (a person who fights in battles)
• Patronised (supported or sponsored)
• Horsed cavalry (a military unit consisting of soldiers on horseback)
• Darius (an ancient Persian king)
• Genghis Khan (a Mongol emperor)
• Alexander the Great (a king of ancient Greece)
• Sultan (a ruler of an Islamic country)
• Qutubud din Aibak (a sultan who built the Qutub Minar in India)
• Mughals (an Islamic dynasty that ruled India from the 16th to the 18th century)
• Rajput (a Hindu warrior caste from northern India)
• Enclaves (an area surrounded by a different territory)
• Gilgit (a region in Pakistan)
• Ladakh (a region in India)
• Manipur (a state in northeastern India)
• Karakoram (a mountain range in Central Asia)
• Himalayan (related to the Himalayas, a mountain range in Asia)
• Baltistan (a region in Pakistan)
• Namgyal (a name of a king in Ladakh)
• Murtse (a garden in Leh, India)
• Chushot (a village close to Leh, India)
• Nauroze (a festival in Ladakh)
• Shagaran (a polo ground in Ladakh)
• Drass (a village in Ladakh)
• Chukkar (a short period of time in a polo match)
• Surna (a traditional musical instrument in Ladakh)
• Daman (a traditional musical instrument in Ladakh)
• Exhibition (a display or performance)
• Tournament (a competition involving multiple teams or players)
• Institutionalise (to make something a permanent part of an organization or society)
• Integral (essential or necessary)
• Ladakh Festival (an annual festival in Ladakh)

WORKING WITH THE TEXT

Q1. Why polo is called the game of kings?

Ans. Polo got its nickname "the game of kings," because it was traditionally played and supported by royalty, with princes and warriors using it as a way to showcase their strength, stamina, and bravery.

Q2. Where did polo originate?

Ans. Polo originated in central Asia and eventually spread to countries such as Japan, China, Tibet, and India.

Q3. What was the status of polo during the Mughal reign?

Ans. During the time of the Mughals, polo was a very popular sport in India, and it was played by kings and nobles. It was considered the national sport until the end of the 16th century and was played in many different areas of the Mughal Empire, as well as in the courts of the Rajput kings.

Q4. In whose reign did polo come to Ladakh and how?

Ans. According to legends, the sport of polo was introduced to Ladakh during the reign of Jamyang Namgyal in the 16th century. This is said to have occurred as a result of his marriage to the princess of Baltistan, Gyal Khatun.

Q5. How is polo played in Ladakh?

Ans. In Ladakh, polo is not just a game, but a cherished cultural tradition. People come out in droves, dressed in their traditional attire, to watch the thrilling matches. The sport requires not only skill and endurance from the players, but also strength from the horses. It is a true test of human and animal abilities.

Q6. How is polo in Ladakh different from the international format?

Ans. In Ladakh, the way polo is played is different from the international format in terms of the number of players and the length of the game. Instead of the usual number of players, there are two teams of six players each. The game lasts for one hour, with a 20-minute break in between. Additionally, music is played during the game as part of the Ladakh festival.

LANGUAGE WORK

Sum up the dialogue in a brief paragraph:

Ans. Polo is called the king of games because, in its early history, it was played by kings only. It originated in Central Asia. It is like hockey on horseback. In this game, two teams with six players each try to score against each other. The players are on horseback and strike the ball with the mallet. The game is divided into halves and the team scoring nine goals wins. It is a dangerous game because the place of the game besides the horses and the mallets make it exciting and dangerous.

GRAMMER WORK

Use the correct prepositions out of the given options:

1. The boy jumped across the fence quickly. (Over / across)

2. The players quarreled among themselves on the playfield. (Among/between)

3. My colleagues stood by me in my hour of grief. (With/by)

4. A dog fell into a ditch. (In / into)

5. We go to bed at 11pm. (At / in)

6. She is leaving for Delhi on 6 March. (To/for)

7. The thieves are behind the bars now. (Behind / before)

8. Urba and Saba are taking meals in plates. (In / from)

9. I cannot part from this book. (With/from)

10. He ran across the field to search the rabbit. (In/across)

Complete the following paragraph by filling in the correct prepositions:

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat. They needed 232 runs to win and were hopeful for victory because they thought the score would be chased down with ease. Their top three batsmen fell at a mere 54 runs which brought the middle order in pressure. The next two batsmen scored 71 runs on 122 balls but they soon lost wickets at important moments. They were forced to lose the match by 30 runs with 6 balls remaining. Australia’s McKay finished with 5 wickets for 28 runs. Their victory against Sri Lanka has put them on the top of the rankings.