Change of Heart Questions & Answers | Class 6 English | CBSE NCERT

(b) — The extract states this directly in the second sentence.

(b) — He felt so good when he won that he never wanted to give up that feeling.

(b) — Losing made Prabhat feel terrible, that is, unhappy and miserable.

marbles

He felt terrible about losing. He thought losing was the worst thing that could happen to anyone, and he simply could not accept defeat.

No, I do not agree. Losing is a normal part of every game, and it teaches us to play better. As the story later shows, enjoying a game matters more than winning it. (Any well-reasoned answer is acceptable.)

(b) — He would take part only when he was sure of winning.

(b) — He avoided any game he might lose, which shows he was afraid of losing.

(c) — 'Sensed' here means that Prabhat knew or felt in advance that he would lose.

False — If Prabhat sensed he would lose a game, he would not play it at all.

Prabhat was really good at badminton. The extract says you could not stop him from playing the games he was really good at.

Yes, I once avoided taking part in a race because I thought I would lose. Now I would take part anyway, because playing and trying are more important than winning. (Any sensible personal answer is acceptable.)

(b) — Surya was a new student in Prabhat's school and an excellent badminton player.

(b) — On the last Friday of the month, the coach conducted friendly matches in the games period.

(c) — 'Conducted' means organised; the coach organised the friendly matches.

keeping score

Both were strong badminton players — Prabhat was very good at badminton and Surya was an excellent badminton player. So it was natural that the two were chosen to play a round against each other.

We can infer that Prabhat was eager to face Surya on the badminton court. Winning clearly mattered a great deal to him, and he took even a friendly match very seriously.

(b) — Surya seemed relaxed, walking about, smiling and cracking jokes about all sorts of things.

(b) — 'Phenomenon' means someone with special qualities; Surya kept winning points while laughing and joking.

(c) — The extract contrasts Prabhat's great seriousness with Surya's relaxed, cheerful attitude.

jokes

Prabhat prepared for the match with great seriousness, while Surya seemed relaxed and did not take things seriously at all. Surya walked about the whole time, smiling and cracking jokes about all sorts of things.

I would prefer Surya's way, because playing with a relaxed and happy mind makes a game enjoyable. Of course, one should also try to do well, as the story teaches. (Any well-reasoned preference is acceptable.)

(c) — Surya was paying so little attention that Prabhat changed the scoreboard and won by cheating.

(b) — Surya said it had been fun and that they should play again some other time.

(b) — 'Made a big thing of' means treated something as very important; Prabhat boasted about his victory.

elsewhere

Surya was paying so little attention to the match because he was busy laughing and joking. For him, the joy of playing mattered far more than the score, so he did not keep track of it.

For Surya, the match was about fun, not about the result. Since he had enjoyed playing the game, losing did not bother him at all. This tells us that he was a true sport who played for the love of the game.

(b) — He had won the game but did not feel as happy as he usually did, because the win was not honest.

(c) — Prabhat found it more surprising that Surya, who had lost, was happily playing basketball the next day.

(b) — 'Hopeless' here means having no skill; Surya could not score a basket for ten minutes.

False — Surya did not feel bad about losing; he was playing basketball happily the next day.

Surya was so hopeless at basketball that he could not score a basket for ten minutes. Yet he enjoyed playing the game, and his happy smile never left his face.

Deep down, Prabhat knew that his victory was not fair. His uneasiness shows that he was honest at heart and could not enjoy a win that he had gained by cheating.

(b) — Surya was great at some things and terrible at others, but what was common was the enjoyment.

(c) — He realised that you did not need a scoreboard, and you did not have to worry about winning or losing; you needed to enjoy the game for its own sake.

(b) — Prabhat observed Surya carefully for some days.

Trying (to do well) — what matters is trying to do well and enjoying every moment of the game.

You do not need a scoreboard to keep a tally of your scores, and you do not have to worry about winning or losing. You only need to enjoy the game for its own sake.

It means that giving your best effort and taking pleasure in every moment of playing are more important than the result. A game becomes truly rewarding when we play it wholeheartedly, win or lose.

(c) — Prabhat had even begun playing hide and seek.

(b) — The students said, "Good fun playing with Prabhat, that fellow definitely has a great sporting spirit."

(b) — His sadness at the game ending shows how much he now enjoyed playing for its own sake.

True — The extract says he also started joking while playing badminton.

Prabhat began playing hide and seek and felt sad whenever it was about to end. He also started joking while playing badminton, just as Surya did.

'Sporting spirit' means being fair and respecting every player in a game, playing for enjoyment rather than only for victory. We know Prabhat had developed it because his classmates said it was good fun playing with him and that he had a great sporting spirit.

Prabhat could not bear losing and thought it was the worst thing that could happen to anyone. So, if he sensed that he would lose a game, he simply would not play it and took part only when he was sure of winning.

On the last Friday of the month, the coach conducted friendly matches during the games period. That is why Prabhat waited for it eagerly.

The teams were decided on Monday, and Prabhat and Surya were chosen to play a round against each other. Prabhat was given the responsibility of keeping score for their match.

Surya seemed relaxed and did not take things seriously at all. He walked about the whole time, smiling and cracking jokes about all sorts of things.

Surya was paying so little attention to the match that Prabhat changed the scoreboard while his opponent was looking elsewhere. In this way, Prabhat won the match by cheating.

Surya did not feel bad about losing at all. He simply said, "It's been fun. We should play again some other time."

He had won the game by cheating, so he did not feel as happy as he usually did after a win. He was also puzzled that Surya did not feel bad about losing.

Surya was so hopeless at basketball that he could not score a basket for ten minutes. Yet he enjoyed the game with a happy smile, which shows that he played for the joy of playing, not for the result.

He observed that Surya was great at some things and terrible at others. But what was common to everything was the enjoyment — Surya enjoyed everything equally.

Prabhat realised that to enjoy a game you do not need a scoreboard to keep a tally of your scores. You need to enjoy the game for its own sake, trying to do well and enjoying every moment of it.

Prabhat began playing hide and seek and felt sad whenever the game was about to end. He also started joking while playing badminton, and his classmates began to enjoy playing with him.

The other students said amongst themselves, "Good fun playing with Prabhat, that fellow definitely has a great sporting spirit."

A friendly match is a match played without competition, just for enjoyment. Prabhat, however, treated the friendly match against Surya with great seriousness and was desperate to win it.

Everyone was discussing how well Prabhat had played, and he had actually won the match, so he should have been happy. Instead, he could not sleep because his victory had been gained by cheating.

In the beginning, Prabhat played only to win and avoided every game he might lose. Because of this fear of losing, he could not enjoy games freely.

Surya was an excellent player who was winning points again and again, and Prabhat sensed that he would lose. Since winning mattered so much to him, he cheated by changing the scoreboard in order to win.

The story shows that a win gained by dishonesty brings no happiness. Prabhat's cheated victory left him sleepless and unhappy, proving that real joy comes only from fair play.

Surya played for fun and did not feel bad about losing, while Prabhat played only to win and could not accept defeat. Surya even enjoyed games he was hopeless at, like basketball.

Prabhat had finally learnt to enjoy a game for its own sake. Because he now loved playing so much, he did not want the game to end.

The story teaches us to play every game with a sporting spirit — to try to do well, enjoy every moment of it, and accept winning and losing equally. It also teaches that cheating can never give us real happiness.

Surya is a new student in Prabhat's school and an excellent badminton player. He is cheerful and relaxed — he walks about smiling and cracking jokes, and even on the court he plays laughing and joking. He does not feel bad about losing, and enjoys even games he is hopeless at, such as basketball. His happy smile never leaves his face, because for him the joy of playing matters more than the result.

At the beginning, Prabhat is a boy who always wants to win and cannot accept defeat, not even at marbles. Winning makes him feel so good that he never wants to give up that feeling, while losing makes him feel terrible. If he senses he would lose a game, he simply refuses to play it. He plays only the games he is really good at, like badminton, and takes even friendly matches very seriously.

Prabhat and Surya are both fine badminton players, but their attitudes are opposites. Prabhat prepares for matches with great seriousness and believes losing is the worst thing that can happen to anyone; he even cheats to avoid it. Surya, on the other hand, is relaxed and playful, laughs and jokes through the match, and does not mind losing at all. Prabhat needs a win to be happy, whereas Surya enjoys every game equally, whether he is great at it or hopeless at it.

Surya never tells Prabhat how to think or behave. Instead, Prabhat watches Surya playing basketball badly yet happily, and then keeps a close watch on him for some days. He sees that Surya is great at some things and terrible at others, but the enjoyment is common to everything. Through this observation, Prabhat realises that a game should be enjoyed for its own sake, and this realisation changes him.

The title is suitable because the story is about a real change of heart in Prabhat. At first, he can only think of winning, cheats at a friendly match, and cannot accept defeat. But after observing Surya, his feelings change — he begins to enjoy games, plays hide and seek, jokes while playing badminton, and earns the praise of his classmates for his sporting spirit. The change happens inside his heart, not because anyone scolded him, but because he learns from Surya's example.

The central theme of the story is the true meaning of playing a game. It tells us that what matters is trying to do well and enjoying every moment of a game, not the tally on the scoreboard. It also shows that losing gracefully is part of a healthy sporting spirit, and that a victory won by cheating brings no happiness. True enjoyment comes from playing wholeheartedly, whatever the result.

No, Prabhat's approach was not healthy. His fear of losing kept him away from games he might not win, so he missed the fun of playing many games. His desire to win was so strong that he cheated in the friendly match against Surya, which left him feeling unhappy and sleepless. An approach that needs a win — or even cheating — to feel good can never give the real joy of playing.

Sporting spirit means being fair and respecting every player in a game. It is important because it lets us enjoy a game for its own sake, whether we win or lose, just as Surya does. It keeps us honest, because a player with sporting spirit would rather lose fairly than win by cheating. It also makes us pleasant companions, as the other students found Prabhat good fun to play with after his change. In life, this same spirit helps us accept successes and failures calmly.

Prabhat's conscience was the first step in his change. The night he won by cheating, he could not sleep well, because he did not feel as happy as he usually did after a win. Something inside him knew the victory was not fair. This inner discomfort made him watch Surya closely, think about what real enjoyment means, and finally give up his fear of losing.

On the night of the match, Prabhat is uneasy and sleepless — his cheated win gives him no happiness. Over the next few days he observes Surya, who enjoys every game equally, whether he is skilled at it or hopeless. Prabhat realises that a game does not need a scoreboard or a worry about winning; it needs to be enjoyed for its own sake. Slowly he changes — he plays hide and seek, feels sad when it ends, and jokes while playing badminton. By the end, his classmates praise his great sporting spirit.

Prabhat is a schoolboy who, at the start of the story, is a prisoner of his own desire to win. His parents, teachers and friends say he does not know how to accept defeat — he cannot bear losing, not even at marbles. Winning makes him feel so good that he never wants to give up that feeling, and losing makes him feel terrible. He plays a game only when he is sure of winning, and avoids any game he might lose, though nobody can stop him from playing games he is really good at, like badminton. When the excellent player Surya joins the school, Prabhat waits for the last Friday of the month, when the coach conducts friendly matches. During the match against Surya, he changes the scoreboard while his opponent is looking elsewhere and wins by cheating. Yet that very night he cannot sleep well, for the dishonest win gives him no joy. This shows that beneath his desire to win lies an honest heart. After observing Surya's cheerful enjoyment of every game, Prabhat truly changes — he plays hide and seek, jokes while playing badminton, and wins his classmates' praise for his great sporting spirit.

Surya is the new student who transforms Prabhat without ever advising him. He is an excellent badminton player, but he carries his skill lightly. Before the friendly match, while Prabhat prepares with great seriousness, Surya seems relaxed, walking about, smiling and cracking jokes about all sorts of things. On the court, he is a real phenomenon — winning points again and again while laughing and joking all the time. He pays so little attention to the score that he does not even notice Prabhat's cheating. When he loses, he is not upset; he simply says, "It's been fun. We should play again some other time." The next day he plays basketball, a game he is hopeless at, and cannot score a basket for ten minutes, yet his happy smile never leaves his face. Surya's greatest quality is that he enjoys everything equally — he is great at some things and terrible at others, but the enjoyment is always there. Through his example, he silently teaches Prabhat the real meaning of a game.

The story teaches us several lasting values. First, it teaches honesty: Prabhat wins the badminton match by changing the scoreboard while Surya is looking elsewhere, but the text tells us he 'managed to win by cheating', and the victory gives him a sleepless, unhappy night. A win without fairness brings no joy. Second, it teaches us to accept defeat gracefully — Surya does not feel bad about losing and cheerfully says, "It's been fun. We should play again some other time." Third, it teaches the value of enjoying an activity for its own sake: Surya plays basketball, a game he is hopeless at, yet enjoys it, because 'his happy smile never left his face'. Finally, it teaches sporting spirit, which the classmates recognise in the changed Prabhat: "Good fun playing with Prabhat, that fellow definitely has a great sporting spirit." Together these values show that trying to do well and enjoying every moment matter more than the result.

The whole story is built around this single idea. At the beginning, Prabhat believes that winning is the only thing — losing, to him, is 'the worst thing that could happen to anyone'. This belief makes him avoid games he might lose and play only the games he is really good at. It even pushes him to cheat in the friendly match against Surya. But the story then quietly proves him wrong. Prabhat wins the match, yet he cannot sleep well that night because his victory is dishonest and hollow. Meanwhile Surya, the loser, is entirely happy and is playing basketball the very next day, laughing at his own failure to score a basket. When Prabhat observes Surya over several days, he realises that enjoying a game does not need a scoreboard, nor worry about winning or losing — it needs only the willingness to try to do well and enjoy every moment. The story's message is clear: a game played with joy is always a richer experience than a match won at any cost.

Prabhat's lesson — to try to do well and enjoy every moment rather than worry only about results — is very useful in school life. For example, if I avoid participating in a music competition because I fear losing, I will miss the fun of singing and the chance to improve; instead, like Surya, I can take part, do my best, and enjoy the experience. In class tests, worrying only about marks can make me nervous and unhappy even when I do well, just as Prabhat's cheated win gave him no happiness. But if I study honestly and take pleasure in learning, every day becomes satisfying. In team games on the playground, I can be fair and respect every player, so that my companions say it is good fun playing with me. If I lose a race or a quiz, I can accept it gracefully and plan to do better next time. In short, Prabhat's change of heart teaches me to play, study and work with honesty and enjoyment, and to treat winning and losing as equal teachers.

The change in Prabhat begins the night after the friendly match. Although everyone praises how well he played, he cannot sleep, for his cheated victory does not make him happy. The next day he sees Surya playing basketball — a game Surya is hopeless at, unable to score a basket for ten minutes — and yet Surya enjoys it, with a happy smile that never leaves his face. Curious, Prabhat keeps a close watch on Surya for some days. He discovers that Surya is great at some things and terrible at others, but what is common to everything is the enjoyment. From this, Prabhat realises that to enjoy a game you do not need a scoreboard to keep a tally of your scores, and you do not have to worry about winning or losing. The change soon shows in his actions: he begins playing hide and seek and feels sad whenever it is about to end, and he starts joking while playing badminton, just like Surya. Finally, his classmates notice the transformation and say that Prabhat definitely has a great sporting spirit. Thus, a silent observation slowly turns a boy who could not bear losing into a boy who plays for the love of the game.

If Surya had seen Prabhat changing the scoreboard, I think he would have reacted with the same cheerful calm that he shows throughout the story. He would most likely have smiled and joked about it, perhaps saying something like, "That's a clever way to win a point, friend!" — because Surya never takes things seriously and loves cracking jokes. He would not have complained to the coach or made Prabhat feel small, since even a real defeat 'did not matter to Surya'. He might gently have told Prabhat that they were playing only a friendly match and that he was enjoying the game anyway. This kind behaviour, coming from a boy who enjoys everything equally, would probably have shaken Prabhat more than any scolding. Prabhat, who was already honest at heart, would have felt ashamed and admitted his mistake on the spot. In this way, the change of heart that took days in the original story might have begun right there on the badminton court, with Surya's laughter teaching Prabhat the true spirit of the game.