27. The Legend of Marathon
Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade Five English.
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- The large Persian army lands near Marathon to attack Athens.
- Pheidippides runs to Sparta (nearly 100 km) to ask for help, but the Spartans refuse to join the battle immediately.
- Pheidippides runs back to Athens with the sad news.
- The Athenian army fights bravely and defeats the Persians at Marathon.
- The Persians plan to attack the defenceless city of Athens by taking a shorter sea-route.
- Pheidippides runs back to Athens, taking a shorter, difficult mountain route, to warn the city before the Persians arrive.
- He reaches Athens, delivers the message of victory, and collapses, laying down his life for his state.
(1) Prepare and present a short speech on the following:
• An inspiring incident in the life of a great leader.
Respected teachers and dear friends,
Today I want to share an inspiring incident from the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Once, while travelling in South Africa, Gandhiji was thrown out of a first-class train compartment simply because of his skin colour. Instead of returning to India in fear, he decided to stay back and fight against this injustice. This single incident changed his life and sparked the beginning of Satyagraha, leading to India's freedom struggle. It teaches us that we must stand up bravely against what is wrong.
Thank you.
• How I accomplished a difficult task.
Respected teachers and dear friends,
I would like to share how I accomplished the difficult task of learning to ride a bicycle. Initially, I kept losing my balance and falling down. My knees were bruised, and I felt like giving up. But my father encouraged me and told me that every fall is a lesson. I started practising every evening with patience and determination. Finally, after two weeks of hard work, I balanced myself and rode perfectly without any help. I learned that practice and never giving up always lead to success.
Thank you.
(2) Write a short essay on the following:
• My favourite sports event.
My Favourite Sports Event: The Marathon
My favourite sports event is the Marathon. It is a long-distance running race covering exactly 42.195 kilometres. The word 'marathon' is not just a race; it is a true test of human patience, stamina, and willpower.
I love this event because it tells the historic story of the great runner Pheidippides, who ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to deliver the message of victory. Today, people from all walks of life—young and old—participate in marathons around the world, not just to win, but to challenge themselves and complete the race. Watching thousands of people running together is very inspiring and fills me with energy.
• What I would like to do for my country.
What I would like to do for my country
India is my motherland, and I love it very much. I want to grow up and serve my country by becoming a dedicated and honest teacher. Education is the foundation of any great nation. I want to teach children in remote villages who do not have access to good schools.
Besides this, I want to actively participate in cleanliness drives and plant trees to protect our environment. A country is only as strong as its citizens. By educating the youth and taking care of nature, I wish to make my country a stronger, cleaner, and better place for everyone.
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