Maharashtra Board Class 5 English Chapter 27 The Legend of Marathon Solutions

English Balbharati Std 5 Digest Chapter 27 The Legend Of Marathon Textbook Questions And Answers

Question 1. Show the major events in the story of Pheidippides on a 'time-line'.
Answer:
In simple words: To create a timeline, list the main events in the order they happened, from beginning to end, showing how the story progressed.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for a timeline, identify the key actions and their sequence. Use bullet points or a numbered list to clearly present each event in chronological order.

• Persians get ready to attack Athens.
• Messenger Pheidippides sent to seek help from Sparta but Spartans unwilling.
• Battle between Persians and Athenians begin.
• Athenians emerge victorious.
• Before the news of victory reaches Athens, Persians plan to take over Athens.
• Athenian Generals plan to defend Athens by letting Athenians know of the victory.
• Pheidippides entrusted responsibility.
• Braving all odds, an exhausted Pheidippides completes the journey.
• Delivers the message but collapses due to exertion and loses his life.
• Marathon included in the Olympic Games – (the games which were stated in Greece) in honour of Pheidippides.

Activities

1. Prepare and present a short speech on the following.

Question 1. An inspiring incident in the life of a great leader.
Answer: Do it yourself. This activity encourages personal reflection and public speaking skills.
In simple words: This question asks you to think about a great leader and share an inspiring story from their life in a speech.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to 'Do it yourself', focus on understanding the core task. For a speech, consider structure (introduction, body, conclusion) and engaging content.

Question 2. How I accomplished a difficult task.
Answer: Do it yourself. Reflect on a personal challenge and how you overcame it.
In simple words: You need to write or speak about a time you faced a tough problem and how you managed to solve it.

🎯 Exam Tip: For personal experience questions, choose an incident that clearly demonstrates problem-solving and perseverance. Use descriptive language to make your story engaging.

2. Write a short essay on the following.

Question 1. My favourite sports event.
Answer: My favourite sports event. This essay requires you to describe your chosen event, explaining why it's special to you.
In simple words: You should write an essay about a sports event you really enjoy, explaining what it is and why you like it so much.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing an essay on a personal topic, include details about the event, your feelings, and why it resonates with you. Structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Question 2. What I would like to do for my country.
Answer: What I would like to do for my country
Everyone loves his motherland and likes to serve it. But very few people know how best they can do so. I have various choices before me. If I want more exciting work, I may join the Army, the Air Force of the Navy. By doing so I shall strengthen the defense of the country. I may thus get a chance to lay down my life for the sake of the country. No service can be greater than the sacrifice of my life for the protection of our freedom. A place among the immortals is assured into those who die for the defense of the country. It is a noble aspiration to serve one's nation with dedication. Less glorious, but not less important is the service to the country done by a teacher or control or a farmer or a worker. Every man in his station of life can serve his country doing his duty to the best of his ability. So whatever be my occupation in life. I can serve my country by doing my duty well. However, I am only a student at present. How can I serve my country best as a student? I can serve my country in
In simple words: Serving your country means doing your best, whether by joining the military, working hard in your job, or, as a student, by studying diligently and being a good citizen.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing about serving your country, remember to include both direct contributions (like defense) and indirect contributions (like performing your daily duties responsibly). Always consider how you can contribute at your current stage of life.

English Balbharati Std 5 Answers Chapter 27 The Legend Of Marathon Additional Important Questions And Answers

Answer In One Sentence:

Question 1. Who were getting ready to attack the city – state of Athens?
Answer: The army of Persia, which was a mighty kingdom, was planning to attack the city – state of Athens. This powerful empire sought to expand its territory.
In simple words: The Persian army, from a very strong kingdom, was preparing to attack Athens.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about who was attacking, clearly state the name of the attacking force and their origin if provided in the text.

Question 2. Why did the Athenians decide to send a special messenger to the neighbouring Kingdom of Sparta?
Answer: The Athenian soldiers decided to send a special messenger as they needed help from other Greek Kingdoms to fight the Persians. They understood the importance of alliances in warfare.
In simple words: Athens sent a messenger to Sparta because they needed help from other Greek kingdoms to fight against the Persians.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always explain the 'why' clearly by stating the reason or purpose behind the action described in the question.

Question 3. Who was sent as a special messenger to Athens?
Answer: Pheidippides was sent as a special messenger to Athens. He was chosen for his speed and endurance.
In simple words: Pheidippides was the special messenger sent to Athens.

🎯 Exam Tip: For questions asking 'who', provide the specific name of the person or group mentioned in the text.

Question 4. Why did the people of Sparta refuse to join the battle?
Answer: The people of Sparta were busy with some ceremonies and so they did not want to join the battle immediately. Their religious obligations took precedence over military action at that moment.
In simple words: The Spartans were busy with religious ceremonies, so they didn't want to fight right away.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about reasons for refusal, always mention the specific cause or obstacle clearly.

Answer Briefly.

Question 1. Write in short about the battle between the Athenians and the Persians.
Answer: The Athenians decided to launch a surprise attack on the Persians. The Athenian soldiers penetrated the Persian forces like speeding arrows. Taken aback, the Persians too showered arrows on the Athenian soldiers. But their arrows fell off the helmets and strong armours of the Athenian soldiers. The familiarity of the Athenians to their sea shore and the fact that Persians were on a new terrain too helped the Athenians. Lots of soldiers died, many were injured, while some got lost in the marshy area. The battle was over when the Athenians successfully drove back every single remaining Persian soldier back to the ships anchored in the sea. This decisive victory at Marathon showcased the strategic brilliance and resilience of the Athenian forces.
In simple words: The Athenians surprised the Persians, fighting bravely and using their knowledge of the land. They pushed the Persians back to their ships, winning the battle.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing a battle, focus on key actions, strategies, and the outcome to provide a concise summary.

Question 2. What was the plan that the Persians formed to take over Athens?
Answer: The entire army of Athens had rushed to the sea-shore with only the aged people, women and children left in the city. Taking advantage of this, the Persians decided to take the sea route. The Athenian army had no ships and they would take a very long time to travel back to Athens on foot with their heavy armour and weapons. Seeing the Persians, the defenceless people in the city would think that Athens had lost the battle and it would thus become easy for the Persians to take over the city. This cunning plan aimed to exploit Athens' vulnerability while its main army was away.
In simple words: The Persians planned to attack Athens by sea when the Athenian army was away at the shore. They hoped the remaining people would think Athens had lost, making it easy to capture the city.

🎯 Exam Tip: When explaining a plan, clearly state the objective, the method, and the expected outcome.

Complete The Web Diagram:

• [Node 1]
• [Node 2]
• [Node 3]
• [Node 4]

Qualities Displayed By Pheidippides

• Endurance
• Determination
• Bravery
• Patriotism
• Selflessness
• Service
• Love and Devotion

Match The Meanings:

Question 1.

🎯 Exam Tip: When matching meanings, read both columns carefully. If unsure, try to use the word in a sentence to see which option fits best. Look for keywords that connect the words.

From Words.

Question 1. Give one word for :
1. A high steep rock face especially seen at the edge of the sea
2. The route of a journey from where we start to its end
3. Keep in memory by a celebration or memorial
Answer:
1. cliff
2. course
3. commemorate
In simple words: These are specific words that describe the given definitions, helping to concisely name geographical features, travel paths, and acts of remembrance.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for one-word answers, ensure your word perfectly matches the definition provided, focusing on precision and context.

Language Study

Question 1. Give the noun forms of:
1. mighty
2. compared
3. brave
4. strong
Answer:
1. might
2. comparison
3. bravery
4. strength
In simple words: Noun forms are words that name a person, place, thing, or idea. Here, we convert adjectives (like 'mighty') and verbs (like 'compared') into their corresponding noun forms.

🎯 Exam Tip: To find the noun form, think about the 'thing' or 'quality' related to the given word. For example, 'brave' describes someone, and 'bravery' is the quality they possess.

Question 2. Adjective forms of:
1. reach
Answer:
In simple words: Adjective forms describe a noun. For example, 'reachable' describes something that can be reached.

🎯 Exam Tip: When converting to adjective forms, consider suffixes like -able, -ful, -y, -ous, or -ic that often create descriptive words.

Question 1. Complete the table:
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: When completing tables of degrees of comparison, remember the common patterns like adding '-er' and '-est', and be aware of irregular forms or words that use 'more' and 'most'.

Do As Directed:

Question 1.
Answer:
1. Persia was a mighty kingdom. (Pick out the adjective)
    The adjective is: mighty. This word describes the noun "kingdom".
2. They were getting ready to attack the state of Athens. (Underline the compound word)
    There is no clear

Question 3. They did not want to join the battle immediately. (State the part of speech of the Underlined word and state its kind)
Answer: The underlined word 'immediately' is an Adverb. It describes how or when the action of joining the battle was to take place.
In simple words: 'Immediately' tells us how the action was done, so it's an Adverb.

🎯 Exam Tip: To identify an adverb, look for words that describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often ending in '-ly', and answer questions like how, when, where, or to what extent.

Question 4. They had a strong cavalry and skilled archers. (Pick out the conjunction)
Answer: The conjunction in the sentence is 'and'. This word connects the two parts of the sentence, showing they possessed both cavalry and archers.
In simple words: 'And' connects two ideas or things in a sentence, making it a conjunction.

🎯 Exam Tip: Conjunctions like 'and', 'but', 'or' are used to link words, phrases, or clauses. Identifying them helps understand sentence structure.

Question 5. The Persians were new to the terrain. (Forma wh-question to get the underlined words as the answer)
Answer: The wh-question to get 'The Persians' as the answer is: Who were new to the terrain? This question directly asks for the subject of the sentence.
In simple words: To find out who was new to the terrain, you ask "Who were new to the terrain?".

🎯 Exam Tip: When forming a 'wh-question' for the subject, use 'Who' for people and 'What' for things or ideas.

Question 6. Only the aged people, women and children were left in the city. (Pick out the Noun)
Answer: The nouns in the sentence are: people, women, children, city. These words name persons and places.
In simple words: Nouns are words for people, places, or things, like 'people', 'women', 'children', and 'city' in this sentence.

🎯 Exam Tip: Nouns are naming words. To find them, look for words that represent a person, place, thing, or idea.

Question 7. Marathons are arranged in many countries. (Separate the subject and predicate)
Answer: The subject is 'Marathons', and the predicate is 'are arranged in many countries'. The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, while the predicate tells us what the subject does or is.
In simple words: 'Marathons' is the subject because it's what the sentence is about, and 'are arranged in many countries' is the predicate because it tells us what happens to marathons.

🎯 Exam Tip: The subject usually comes before the verb and performs the action, while the predicate includes the verb and all information about the subject's action or state.

Question 8. Joy to you! (State the kind of sentence)
Answer: The kind of sentence is an Exclamatory sentence. It expresses strong emotion or excitement.
In simple words: This sentence shows strong feeling and ends with an exclamation mark, so it's an exclamatory sentence.

🎯 Exam Tip: Exclamatory sentences always end with an exclamation mark (!) and convey strong emotions like joy, surprise, or anger.

Reading Skills, Vocabulary And Grammar

Question 1. Who said this to whom: We won! Our army will be here soon. The above words were said by
Answer: Pheidippides to Athenians. This message brought great relief and joy to the people waiting.
In simple words: Pheidippides told the Athenians that they had won the battle and their army was coming.

🎯 Exam Tip: For passage-based questions, always refer back to the text to accurately identify who said what to whom, ensuring your answer is precise.

Question 2. What does the extract tell us?
Answer: The extract tells us of the efforts taken by Pheidippides to reach Athens to deliver the message of their victory thereby saving Athens from being taken over by the Persians. This heroic act ensured the safety and freedom of his city.
In simple words: The story shows how hard Pheidippides worked to run to Athens with the news of victory, which saved the city from the Persians.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about the main idea of an extract, identify the central event and its significance or outcome.

Question 3. What was the distance which Pheidippides had to cover?
Answer: Pheidippides had to cover a distance of more than forty kilometres. This was a remarkable feat of endurance for anyone.
In simple words: Pheidippides had to run over forty kilometers.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to specific details like distances or numbers mentioned in the text, as they are often direct answer points.

Question 4. Pick out a line to prove that Pheidippides was determined to reach Athens.
Answer: He just ran and ran.
In simple words: The phrase "He just ran and ran" shows his strong will to keep going.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked to "pick out a line," quote the exact sentence from the text that best supports the statement.

Question 5. What happened in the end?
Answer: In the end, Pheidippides collapsed after delivering the message, never to rise again. He had laid down his life in the service of Athens, becoming a true hero.
In simple words: Pheidippides died right after delivering the message, having given his life for Athens.

🎯 Exam Tip: For questions about the outcome, describe the final events and their immediate consequences for the character.

Question 6. Make sentences.
(a) Heart began to beat faster:
(b) To lay down one's life
Answer:
(a) As the teacher started announcing the results my heart began to beat faster.
(b)We should be ready to lay down our life for our country
In simple words: (a) My heart beat faster when the teacher announced results, showing excitement or nervousness. (b) To lay down one's life means to sacrifice oneself for a cause, like for one's country.

🎯 Exam Tip: When making sentences, ensure they are grammatically correct, clearly convey the meaning of the phrase, and are relevant to common experiences.

Question 7. Are you inspired by Pheidippides? Justify your answer.

The Legend Of Marathon Summary In English

Summary

The legend of Marathon is an inspiring story of a young man of twenty-two, Pheidippides. There was a battle between the Persians and the Athenians but the former refused to accept defeat. They saw that the entire army of Athens was far away from their city with only aged people, women and children back home at Athens. The Persians made a plan to take the sea route and reach and capture Athens before Athenians returned to the city to celebrate.

Luckily the Athenian Generals, being good strategists could foresee this situation. The message about their victory delivered before the Persians reached Athens. Pheidippides, the fastest runner who could travel faster than the Persian ships was entrusted the responsibility. A true patriot, he accepted it happily. That he had already completed a run of more than two hundred kilometres, just the day before, when he had been to the neighbouring kingdom of Sparta did not deter him from the task given to him.

He did his best; braving all odds and difficulties he tirelessly kept running. He was weak with hunger and thirst, his heart was beating faster but he continued the mission of reaching the city. He informed the people of Athens that they had won and that their army would be there soon. But Alas! After doing the duty assigned to him he collapsed. He had sacrificed his life in service to Athens, thus setting an example of selflessness and courage, patriotism and devotion to one's motherland.

His willingness to do anything for his state and his historic run from Marathon to Athens is unforgettable. The sporting event of the Marathon which we witness in Olympic Games was started in Greece in the memory of this great young man Pheidippides.

Meanings
1. mighty (adj) – very strong and powerful.
2. city-state (n) – an independent state consisting of a city and its dependent territories
3. messenger (n) – the one who communicates a spoken or written message
4. ceremonies (n) – an occasion which is grand and includes rituals.
5. response (n) – answer.
6. launch (v) – start.
7. penetrated (u) – pierced.
8. cavalry (n) – troops of soldiers with armour
9. archers (n) – one who shoots with bow and arrow
10. terrain (n) – land.
11. anchored (v) – a ship held firmly in a particular place by a heavy device attached to the ship by a rope, chain or cable.
12. devised (v) – planned.
13. armour (n) – a protective covering made of metal used in battle fields.
14. strategists (n) – experts who plan and direct the war operation.
15. boost (u) – increase.
16. morale (n) – confidence.
17. delivered (v) – handed over.
18. mission (n) – an important task.
19. historic (adj) – relating to ancient past.
20. commemorate (v) – keep in memory by a celebration or memorial.
21. marathon (n) – a sporting event first introduced in Olympic games started in Greece.