Change of Heart

Q: Which of the following best describes Surya's attitude towards games?

He enjoyed playing whether he was good or bad at the game. The story says Surya enjoyed everything equally and his happy smile never left his face, even when he was hopeless at basketball.

Q: What does 'sporting spirit' mean in this story?

Following all the rules and respecting every player. Sporting spirit means being fair, following all rules, and respecting all players, not just winning every game.

Q: Fill in the blank: Prabhat would take part in a game only when he was __________ of winning.

sure. The text states that Prabhat would take part only when he was 'sure of winning.'

Q: What does the phrase 'kept a close watch on' mean in the sentence 'Prabhat kept a close watch on Surya for some days'?

Prabhat observed and carefully watched Surya. The phrase 'kept a close watch on' means to observe carefully, which is what Prabhat did to learn from Surya's behavior.

Q: Look at these two sentences: (1) 'He had won the game but he did not feel as happy as he usually did.' (2) 'Everyone was discussing their game and how Prabhat had played so well.' Which action happened FIRST?

Prabhat won the game. The word 'had' shows that winning happened first (past perfect tense), and then the unhappy feeling came after.

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Chapter Notes

Overview

This chapter is about a boy named Prabhat who always wanted to win and could not bear losing. He cheated in a badminton match against a new student, Surya, but later felt unhappy and began to observe Surya's joyful attitude towards playing. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that true sporting spirit means enjoying the game for its own sake, not just winning or losing.

Key Concepts (13)

defeat

Loss; the state of being beaten in a game or competition.

e.g. When our school cricket team lost the final match, they had to accept defeat gracefully.

terrible

Unhappy; causing great distress or discomfort.

e.g. Ravi felt terrible when he missed the winning goal in the football match.

on the contrary

Just the opposite; used to introduce a statement that contradicts what has just been said.

e.g. Some students think studying is boring; on the contrary, it can be fun if you understand the subject.

sensed

Had known or felt something without being told.

e.g. The bowler sensed that the batsman was nervous and bowled a fast ball.

significant

Important; having a special meaning or importance.

e.g. The last Friday of every month was significant because the coach conducted friendly matches.

conducted

Organised; arranged and carried out.

e.g. Our teacher conducted a quiz competition in the class last week.

phenomenon

Someone who has special qualities or abilities; an extraordinary person or thing.

e.g. Surya was a real phenomenon on the badminton court — he won points again and again.

kept a close watch on

Observed carefully over a period of time.

e.g. The coach kept a close watch on the new player to see his skills.

hopeless

Having no skill in something; unable to do something well.

e.g. My younger brother is hopeless at chess — he loses every game, but he still enjoys playing.

friendly matches

Matches played without competition, just for fun and practice.

e.g. In our school, friendly matches are held every Friday where students play without worrying about winning.

opponent

Someone who you compete with in a game or contest.

e.g. In the badminton match, Surya was Prabhat's opponent.

tally of marks

Record of points in a game or match.

e.g. The scorekeeper maintained a tally of marks on the scoreboard during the match.

sporting spirit

Being fair and respecting each player in a game; following all the rules and accepting both victory and defeat gracefully.

e.g. Even though our team lost, we shook hands with the winners — that is sporting spirit.

How It Works

Prabhat's initial attitude towards winning and losing

Prabhat always wanted to win and could not accept defeat.
He felt very good when he won and terrible when he lost.
If he sensed he would lose a game, he would not play it.
He only played games he was sure of winning, like badminton.

💡 Students often forget that Prabhat avoided playing games he might lose — he did not just feel bad after losing, he avoided losing altogether.

Prabhat's cheating in the badminton match

Prabhat and Surya were chosen to play a friendly match on the last Friday.
Prabhat was given the responsibility of keeping score.
Surya was relaxed, laughing and joking, but played very well.
Surya was paying little attention to the match.
Prabhat changed the scoreboard while Surya was looking elsewhere.
Prabhat won the match by cheating.

💡 The key point is that Prabhat cheated because he was afraid of losing, not because Surya was a bad player.

Prabhat's change of heart after winning by cheating

Prabhat could not sleep well that night even though he had won.
He did not feel as happy as he usually did after winning.
He was surprised that Surya did not feel bad about losing.
He saw Surya playing basketball the next day, even though Surya was hopeless at it.
Surya enjoyed playing despite being terrible at the game.
Prabhat kept a close watch on Surya for several days.
Prabhat realised that to enjoy a game, you do not need a scoreboard or worry about winning or losing.
Prabhat began to change — he started playing hide and seek and joking while playing badminton.
Other students noticed that Prabhat had developed a great sporting spirit.

💡 The most important thing is that Prabhat's change happened because he observed Surya's joyful attitude, not because someone told him to change.

Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes

⚠ Confusing 'friendly matches' with competitive matches

✗ Friendly matches are matches played to win a trophy.

→ The chapter clearly defines friendly matches as matches played without competition, just for fun and practice.

✓ Friendly matches are matches played without competition, where the focus is on enjoyment and practice, not on winning a trophy.

⚠ Thinking Prabhat felt happy after cheating

✗ Prabhat felt very happy after winning the match by cheating.

→ The chapter states that Prabhat could not sleep well that night and did not feel as happy as he usually did after winning.

✓ Prabhat did not feel happy after winning by cheating; he felt disturbed and could not sleep well.

⚠ Confusing 'opponent' with 'partner'

✗ An opponent is someone you want to be a partner with.

→ The chapter defines opponent as someone you compete with, not someone you partner with.

✓ An opponent is someone who you compete with in a game or match.

⚠ Thinking Surya was sad about losing

✗ Surya felt bad about losing the badminton match.

→ The chapter clearly says Surya did not feel bad about losing; he said 'It's been fun' and wanted to play again.

✓ Surya did not feel bad about losing; he enjoyed the game and was happy to play again.

⚠ Mistaking 'tally of marks' for final marks on a report card

✗ Tally of marks means the final marks on a report card.

→ The chapter defines tally of marks as a record of points in a game or match, not academic marks.

✓ Tally of marks is the record of points scored in a game or match, like the score on a scoreboard.

Compare & Contrast

Approach to winning and losing

Prabhat's attitude at the beginning

Surya's attitude throughout

Prabhat could not bear losing and only played games he was sure to win; Surya enjoyed playing regardless of winning or losing, even when he was hopeless at a game.

Emotional response to winning

Prabhat's feeling after winning by cheating

Prabhat's usual feeling after winning

Usually Prabhat felt very good when he won, but after cheating he did not feel happy and could not sleep well — he felt disturbed and guilty.

Exam Focus

Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Very Short Answer (1 mark), 1 Short Answer (3 marks), 1 Long Answer (5 marks)

Most asked: Meaning and importance of sporting spirit · Prabhat's change of heart and what caused it · Difference between Prabhat's and Surya's attitudes · Definition of key terms: friendly matches, opponent, tally of marks, sporting spirit

Don't skip: Explain how Prabhat's attitude towards games changed by the end of the story.; Why is sporting spirit important in games and life?; Compare and contrast Prabhat's and Surya's attitudes towards playing games.

One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)

Prabhat could not bear losing and only played games he was sure to win.
Surya was an excellent badminton player who enjoyed the game and did not care about winning or losing.
Prabhat cheated by changing the scoreboard while Surya was looking elsewhere.
After winning by cheating, Prabhat could not sleep well and did not feel happy.
Surya did not feel bad about losing and wanted to play again.
Surya played basketball even though he was hopeless at it, and enjoyed it.
Prabhat kept a close watch on Surya and realised that enjoyment matters more than winning.
Prabhat learned that you do not need a scoreboard to enjoy a game.
Prabhat started playing hide and seek and joking while playing badminton.
Other students said Prabhat had a great sporting spirit after his change.
Friendly matches are played without competition, just for fun.
An opponent is someone you compete with in a game.
Tally of marks is the record of points in a game or match.
Sporting spirit means being fair and respecting each player in a game.
The title 'Change of Heart' is suitable because Prabhat changed from a win-at-all-costs attitude to enjoying the game for its own sake.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. What was Prabhat's biggest weakness at the beginning of the story?

A. He was not good at badminton
B. He could not accept losing and only played games he was sure of winning ✓
C. He did not like making friends at school
D. He was afraid of meeting new students

Answer: B — The story clearly states that Prabhat only played games he was sure of winning and felt terrible when he lost.

Q2. Which of the following best describes Surya's attitude towards games?

A. He only played games he could win easily
B. He cheated to get higher scores
C. He enjoyed playing whether he was good or bad at the game ✓
D. He did not like playing any games at all

Answer: C — The story says Surya enjoyed everything equally and his happy smile never left his face, even when he was hopeless at basketball.

Q3. What does 'sporting spirit' mean in this story?

A. Playing many different sports every day
B. Following all the rules and respecting every player ✓
C. Winning every match you play
D. Playing only serious competitive games

Answer: B — Sporting spirit means being fair, following all rules, and respecting all players, not just winning every game.

Q4. Why did Prabhat feel unhappy even after winning the badminton match?

A. Because he lost some points during the match
B. Because he was tired from playing
C. Because he had cheated to win and saw Surya was not upset about losing ✓
D. Because the coach was angry with him

Answer: C — Prabhat cheated, but winning that way did not make him happy, and he realized Surya's happiness did not depend on winning.

Q5. Fill in the blank: Prabhat would take part in a game only when he was __________ of winning.

A. afraid
B. sure ✓
C. hopeful
D. doubtful

Answer: B — The text states that Prabhat would take part only when he was 'sure of winning.'

Q6. What change did Prabhat notice in himself after observing Surya?

A. He became angry at all games
B. He stopped playing completely
C. He started joking while playing and felt sad when games ended ✓
D. He refused to play with anyone

Answer: C — The story says Prabhat began playing hide and seek, felt sad when it ended, started joking while playing badminton, and developed sporting spirit.

Q7. What does the phrase 'kept a close watch on' mean in the sentence 'Prabhat kept a close watch on Surya for some days'?

A. Prabhat was angry at Surya
B. Prabhat observed and carefully watched Surya ✓
C. Prabhat was guarding Surya from danger
D. Prabhat was following Surya everywhere without Surya knowing

Answer: B — The phrase 'kept a close watch on' means to observe carefully, which is what Prabhat did to learn from Surya's behavior.

Q8. Based on the story, which statement is TRUE?

A. Surya felt very sad after losing the badminton match to Prabhat
B. Prabhat cheated and felt very happy and satisfied after winning
C. Surya played well at basketball and scored many baskets
D. Prabhat eventually understood that joy comes from playing fairly, not from winning ✓

Answer: D — Prabhat's realization that enjoying the game for its own sake is more important than winning is the main message of the story.

Q9. Look at these two sentences: (1) 'He had won the game but he did not feel as happy as he usually did.' (2) 'Everyone was discussing their game and how Prabhat had played so well.' Which action happened FIRST?

A. Prabhat felt unhappy
B. Everyone discussed the game
C. Prabhat won the game ✓
D. Prabhat played well

Answer: C — The word 'had' shows that winning happened first (past perfect tense), and then the unhappy feeling came after.

Q10. The title of the story is 'Change of Heart.' This title is best explained by which statement?

A. Prabhat's heart became physically stronger from playing sports
B. Prabhat changed from caring only about winning to enjoying games fairly and happily ✓
C. Surya changed Prabhat's heart by beating him in badminton
D. Prabhat decided to study instead of playing games

Answer: B — The title 'Change of Heart' refers to Prabhat's complete change in attitude from only wanting to win to enjoying games and respecting all players.

Flashcards

What was Prabhat's main problem at the beginning?

Prabhat could not accept defeat and only wanted to win, even at small games like marbles.

Who was the new student that joined Prabhat's school?

Surya, an excellent badminton player, joined Prabhat's school.

What did Prabhat do during the badminton match to win?

Prabhat cheated by changing the scoreboard while Surya was not looking at it.

How did Surya react after losing the badminton match?

Surya did not feel bad at all; he just said it was fun and wanted to play again.

What did Prabhat observe about Surya's playing style?

Surya enjoyed everything equally, whether he was good or bad at the game, and his happy smile never left his face.

What important lesson did Prabhat learn from watching Surya?

Prabhat learned that enjoying a game for its own sake is more important than keeping score or worrying about winning or losing.

Define 'sporting spirit' in simple words.

Sporting spirit means following all the rules in a game, being fair, and respecting every player.

How did Prabhat change after his observations of Surya?

Prabhat started joking while playing, began enjoying hide and seek, and other students said he now had a great sporting spirit.

Why did Prabhat not sleep well the night after winning by cheating?

Even though Prabhat won, he did not feel as happy as usual because he had cheated, and he saw how Surya was not upset about losing.

What does the title 'Change of Heart' mean in this story?

It means Prabhat's feelings and attitude about winning, losing, and playing games completely changed from being selfish to being joyful and fair.

Important Board Questions

Why would Prabhat not play a game if he sensed he would lose it? [1 mark]

Look at the first paragraph — Prabhat's feelings about winning and losing. He felt terrible when losing and wanted the feeling of winning always.

Write True or False and give one reason: Surya felt very sad after losing the badminton match to Prabhat. [2 marks]

Check what Surya said immediately after the match and what Prabhat observed about Surya's behavior the next day. His smile and enjoyment show his real feelings.

Explain in 2-3 sentences how Prabhat's observation of Surya helped him learn an important lesson about playing games. Give one example from the story. [3 marks]

Focus on what Prabhat observed about Surya (enjoying games whether good or bad, always smiling). Use the basketball example or the overall lesson about joy in playing itself.

The story 'Change of Heart' teaches us that winning is not everything. Explain this statement in detail with reference to the story. How did Prabhat's understanding change? What did he learn from Surya that made him a better person? (Write 120-150 words) [5 marks]

Mention: Prabhat's initial problem (only wanted wins), what he did (cheated), why he felt empty (cheating did not bring real happiness), what he observed in Surya (joy in playing itself), and final change (sporting spirit, enjoying games, respect from others). Connect to the idea that happiness comes from fair play and effort, not just victory.

Match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B: Column A | Column B 1. Opponent | (i) Unhappy, having no skill 2. Hopeless | (ii) Person you compete against 3. Sensed | (iii) Had known or felt Choose the correct matching: [2 marks]

Check the vocabulary words given in the story. Opponent means someone you compete against. Hopeless means having no skill at something. Sensed means to have felt or known.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Change of Heart

Q1. Assertion (A):

Prabhat cheated in the badminton match with Surya because he was afraid of losing.

Reason (R):

Prabhat always wanted to win and could not bear losing, even at marbles.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, and the reason correctly explains the assertion. Prabhat's nature of not being able to accept defeat motivated him to cheat to avoid losing.

Q2. Assertion (A):

After winning by cheating, Prabhat felt happier than usual.

Reason (R):

Surya did not feel bad about losing the match.

Answer: D — A is false but R is true — The assertion is false because the story says 'he did not feel as happy as he usually did.' The reason is true but doesn't support the false assertion anyway.

Q3. Assertion (A):

Sporting spirit means being fair, respecting other players, and enjoying games regardless of winning or losing.

Reason (R):

Surya enjoyed playing basketball even though he was hopeless at it and couldn't score for ten minutes.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, and Surya's example perfectly demonstrates what sporting spirit means—enjoying the game and trying to do well, not just focusing on winning.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Change of Heart

Case Study:

Arjun and his friend Ravi play cricket in the school playground every afternoon. Arjun only agrees to play if he thinks he will win or hit the most sixes. When Ravi suggested playing a casual match for fun, Arjun refused because he knew Ravi was a better player. Ravi, however, plays cricket, football, and badminton regularly. He sometimes wins and sometimes loses, but he always smiles and enjoys every moment on the field. One day, Ravi asked Arjun to just try playing without worrying about winning. Arjun noticed how happy Ravi stayed while playing badly at football. This made Arjun think differently.

Q1. Why did Arjun refuse to play the casual cricket match with Ravi?

A. He was tired of playing
B. He knew Ravi was a better player and feared he would lose ✓
C. He didn't have time
D. The playground was closed

Answer: B

Q2. What does Ravi's behavior teach us about enjoying games?

A. You must always win to enjoy games
B. You should only play games you're good at
C. You can enjoy games by playing fairly and having fun, whether you win or lose ✓
D. Games are only for competitive people

Answer: C

Q3. How was Arjun's attitude similar to Prabhat's in the story 'Change of Heart'?

A. Both always played sports regularly
B. Both only participated when they were sure of winning ✓
C. Both were very skilled at all games
D. Both helped their friends improve

Answer: B

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