Part II
Maria Sharapova
Thinking about the Text
Working in small groups of 4–5 students, go back over the two passages on Santosh Yadav and Maria
Sharapova and complete the table given below with relevant phrases or sentences.
Points of Comparison/Contrast Santosh Yadav Maria Sharapova
1. Their humble beginning
2. Their parents’ approach
3. Their will power and strong desire to succeed
4. Evidence of their mental toughness
5. Their patriotism
Points of Santosh Yadav Maria Sharapova
Comparison/Contrast
1. Their humble beginning She was born in the small village of Joniyawas “My father was working as
of Rewari District in Haryana. much as he could to keep my
tennis training going.”
2. Their parents’ approach But, in line with the prevailing custom in the “My father was working as
family, Santosh had to make do with the local much as he could to keep my
village school. tennis training going.”
3. Their will power and “And I was supposed to be in Uttarkashi on “When you come from
strong desire to succeed the twenty-first. So, I did not go back home; nothing and you have
instead, I headed straight for the training.” nothing, then it makes you
very hungry and
determined…”
4. Evidence of their Equipped with an iron will, physical “Instead of letting that
mental toughness endurance and an amazing mental depress me, I became more
toughness, she proved herself repeatedly. quietly determined and
mentally tough.”
5. Their patriotism “Then I unfurled the Indian tricolour and held “My blood is totally Russian.
it aloft on the roof of the world. The feeling is I will play the Olympics for
indescribable. The Indian flag was flying on Russia if they want me.”
top of the world. It was truly a spiritual
moment. I felt proud as an Indian.”
I. Identify the two parts in the sentences below by underlining the part that gives us the information
in brackets, as shown above.
1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. (Contrasts her dress
with that of others)
2. She left home and got herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. (Tells us what happened after the first
action.)
3. She decided to fight the system when the right moment arrived. (Tells us when she was going to
fight the system.)
4. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the
United States. (Tells us when Maria was sent to the U.S.)
Answer:
1. Where other girls wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. (Contrasts her dress
with that of others)
II. Now rewrite the pairs of sentences given below as one sentence.
1. Grandfather told me about the old days. All books were printed on paper then.
2. What do you do after you finish the book? Perhaps you just throw it away.
3. He gave the little girl an apple. He took the computer apart.
4. You have nothing. That makes you very determined.
5. I never thought of quitting. I knew what I wanted.
Answer:
1. Grandfather told me about the old days when all books were printed on paper.
2. After you finish the book, perhaps you just throw it away.
3. He gave the little girl an apple and took the computer apart.
4. When you have nothing, that makes you very determined.
5. I never thought of quitting as I knew what I wanted.
