Class 9 English: Reading Comprehension — Chapter Test 1

The real race

Arun had always been afraid of the water. When his school announced a swimming competition, he decided to stay away. His friend Neha, however, refused to let him give up so easily. Every evening for a month, she took him to the community pool and taught him one small thing at a time: first how to float, then how to kick, and finally how to breathe while moving his arms. On the day of the competition, Arun did not win a medal. He finished fifth out of six swimmers. Yet when he climbed out of the pool, his classmates cheered louder for him than for anyone else. They knew how far he had come. Arun smiled and thanked Neha, saying that the real race had been against his own fear, and he had already won it.

The real race

Arun had always been afraid of the water. When his school announced a swimming competition, he decided to stay away. His friend Neha, however, refused to let him give up so easily. Every evening for a month, she took him to the community pool and taught him one small thing at a time: first how to float, then how to kick, and finally how to breathe while moving his arms. On the day of the competition, Arun did not win a medal. He finished fifth out of six swimmers. Yet when he climbed out of the pool, his classmates cheered louder for him than for anyone else. They knew how far he had come. Arun smiled and thanked Neha, saying that the real race had been against his own fear, and he had already won it.

The real race

Arun had always been afraid of the water. When his school announced a swimming competition, he decided to stay away. His friend Neha, however, refused to let him give up so easily. Every evening for a month, she took him to the community pool and taught him one small thing at a time: first how to float, then how to kick, and finally how to breathe while moving his arms. On the day of the competition, Arun did not win a medal. He finished fifth out of six swimmers. Yet when he climbed out of the pool, his classmates cheered louder for him than for anyone else. They knew how far he had come. Arun smiled and thanked Neha, saying that the real race had been against his own fear, and he had already won it.

The real race

Arun had always been afraid of the water. When his school announced a swimming competition, he decided to stay away. His friend Neha, however, refused to let him give up so easily. Every evening for a month, she took him to the community pool and taught him one small thing at a time: first how to float, then how to kick, and finally how to breathe while moving his arms. On the day of the competition, Arun did not win a medal. He finished fifth out of six swimmers. Yet when he climbed out of the pool, his classmates cheered louder for him than for anyone else. They knew how far he had come. Arun smiled and thanked Neha, saying that the real race had been against his own fear, and he had already won it.

The real race

Arun had always been afraid of the water. When his school announced a swimming competition, he decided to stay away. His friend Neha, however, refused to let him give up so easily. Every evening for a month, she took him to the community pool and taught him one small thing at a time: first how to float, then how to kick, and finally how to breathe while moving his arms. On the day of the competition, Arun did not win a medal. He finished fifth out of six swimmers. Yet when he climbed out of the pool, his classmates cheered louder for him than for anyone else. They knew how far he had come. Arun smiled and thanked Neha, saying that the real race had been against his own fear, and he had already won it.