Note-Making (SAMPLE)

Note-Making (SAMPLE)

1. “The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.” These words have been attributed to the Duke of Wellington. Certainly one does not play games in order to win battles; neither does the  curriculum include them for that reason. But the importance of games in life should not be underestimated, for without them it is harder for a person to be sound in body and mind.

2. For one thing, if a person is to fulfil all the duties that society expects of him, it is important for him to keep healthy. He may be very intelligent, but that has little meaning if he cannot make use of his intelligence, because he is always suffering from bad health. In some ways, the human body is like a machine. If it is not made use of, it starts to work badly. People who are not fit grow weak and become more susceptible to disease. Any form of game is useful, provided it gives the body an opportunity to take regular physical exercise.

3. Secondly, playing — and therefore experiencing winning and losing — encourages the spirit of sportsmanship, thus enabling one to deal with life’s problems in a wise and natural manner. Games teach the truth embodied in the Olympic motto: ‘The important thing in playing is not the winning or the losing, but the participation’ — and, I may add, doing the best one can.

4. We have to remember some other things about playing games, however. First, it is the physical exercise that is important for health, not the games themselves, and there are other ways of getting this. Is not India the home of yoga? It is also possible to be too interested in games. When we think of the Greek ideal expressed in the Latin phrase, ‘mens sana in corpore sano’ (a healthy mind in a healthy body), we should not forget that it is the mind which is mentioned first. And if we let games become the most important thing in our lives, we may be in danger of changing the Olympic motto to ‘the important thing is winning’.

5. Nevertheless, in spite of these dangers, playing games can be a valuable activity, and if we take part in them wisely, we can gain great benefits. (Courtesy: Hornbill, NCERT)

THE IMPORTANCE OF GAMES

1. Imp. of games

                1.1. games are not to win battles

                1.2. helps to keep sound body and mind

2. Benefits of games

                2.1. one plays games to:

                                2.1.1 . discharge social duties

                                2.1.2. make use of one’s intlgnce.

                                2.1.3. keep away from diseases

                2.2. games imp.-if physical excs. is provided

3. Moral benefits

                3.1. increase sportsmanship

                3.2. able to deal life’s prblms. wisely

                3.3. teaches the olympic motto-participation is imp.

                3.4. do the best one can

4. Disadv. & dangers

                4.1. yoga is neglected for games

                4.2. too much interest in games

                4.3. don’t neglect mind for body

                4.4. too much stress on winning

5. verdict

5.1. valuable activity

5.2. great benefits

Key to Abbreviations 1.       imp.       -impotance 2.       intlgnce.- intelligence 3.       excs       -exercise 4.       incr        -increase 5.       prblms.  -problems 6.       Disadv.  - disadvantages 7.       &            - and

SUMMARY

Games are played not to win battles, but to keep sound body and mind. Games are played for various reasons. First, they provide us health to discharge our social duties, to make use of our intelligence, and to keep ourselves away from diseases. Any game is useful if it provides physical exercise. Games inculcate sportsman spirit and thus prepare us deal with life’s problems. Participation in and doing the best of one’s ability is important in games. However, there are other ways to get exercise. Dangers of games include too much indulgence in games and too much stress on winning. Still, playing game is a valuable activity with great benefits.

Prepared by Jineesh Sebastian, KV Coimbatore