Think and Reflect

Class 6 English · Chapter 11: The Winner · NCERT Poorvi section pp. 116–118

Learn

Meanings of key lines: "next to the creek" = beside a small stream. "I can't even catch my breath" = the child has run so hard they are breathless. "When blue dark turns to black" = the evening sky darkens into night. "Trees creep close" = in the dark, trees are hard to see and seem nearer.

Summary: the children play ball in the evening in the neighbour's field. They run so fast they run out of breath. They keep playing until the blue sky turns black and the trees are hard to see. Their feet ache on the cold grass. Finally they stop playing and go home, because it is night.

Is the speaker alone? No: "we play" and "our feet" show a group of friends. Why is the grass cold? After sunset, the ground loses the day's warmth. Why does Night win? Because the time for play has ended.

The pattern on the page: printing "I can't even catch my breath" one word per line makes us read slowly, word by word, as if gasping, so the shape of the poem helps us feel the breathlessness.

Explore: what does each line mean?

1. Match each line to its meaning.

Remember

• The poem's lines show evening turning to night and the children tiring.
• The shape of the lines (one word per line) helps us feel breathless.

Quick check

How do we know the speaker is not alone?

1. The poem says "we" and "our"
2. The poem names ten friends
3. There is a picture
4. We can't tell

Think about it

What signs tell you it's time to stop playing and go home in the evening?

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.