Chapter 1.1 - Don't Give Up!
In this poem, the poet encourages us not to give up. She says that if we have tried to achieve something but have not succeeded, we should not stop to cry. All great and good things have been done just by keeping on trying patiently.
She first gives us an example of young birds. The birds fall when they are learning to fly, but their wings grow stronger, and the next time they try to fly, they can keep up a little longer than before. The strong oak has been bent by many stormy winds but has risen again and grown taller, stronger, and prouder. The poet warns us that no one will value us if we win when we do something that is easy. The test that shows our strength is the one where we don’t give up but gain victory after defeat.
give up : Here, it means lose heart and stop trying.
sturdy : strong
has known many a blast : has survived many blows of stormy winds
loftier : taller and stronger
you beat : here, it means ‘you win’
POINTERS
1. Have you ever given up on something good? Share your story with your friend.
Ans: I was a very good cricketer. But on a couple of occasions, I got the feeling that my team failed due to my poor performance. I stopped pursuing the game, but today I regret my decision. I realized very late that ‘a quitter never wins, and a winner never quits’.
or
Yes, I did give up on something good when I was in class IV. I was selected to take part in a singing contest. However, I was afraid to go up on stage and perform in front of the crowd. Therefore, I asked my music teacher to withdraw my name from the competition, giving up on my dream of winning the singing contest.
2. Your friend fell down learning to ride a bicycle, and now has given it up altogether. What do you think will be the poet’s advice? Write it down.
Ans: The poet will advise my friend not to give up learning to ride a bicycle but to keep trying patiently till he or she learns to ride it perfectly.