Change of Heart | CBSE Class 6 English Notes

Change of Heart: Prabhat and Surya, badminton matches, winning and losing, sporting spirit and changing attitudes.

What is Change of Heart?

Overview of the Story

“Change of Heart” is a story about sportsmanship. It highlights the importance of sportsmanship and fair play. The narrative focuses on the value of enjoying the game regardless of winning or losing.

The title refers to a significant shift in a character's perspective. It describes how a person's internal outlook and approach to competition can transform through observation and experience.

Core Values

The story explores how one should behave during friendly matches. It emphasises that true enjoyment comes from the activity itself rather than just the final result. This is shown through the different ways characters react to success and failure.

Key concepts presented include:

• Maintaining a sporting spirit by being fair and respecting every player.
• The idea that one does not need a tally of marks to find joy in a sport.
• Learning to value trying to do well and enjoying every moment.

Through these elements, the text teaches that a person's attitude towards defeat or victory can change their entire experience of playing. It suggests that the essence of a game lies in the participation and the fun found in the process.

What happens in the story, part by part?

The beginning of the story

Prabhat always wanted to win. He could not bear losing, even at games like marbles, and felt that losing was “the worst thing that could happen to anyone”.

Because he could not accept defeat, he would only participate in games if he was sure of winning. He was particularly good at playing badminton.

A new student named Surya joined the school. Surya was an excellent badminton player who seemed relaxed and enjoyed cracking jokes during the games period.

The badminton match

On the last Friday of the month, the coach organised friendly matches. Prabhat and Surya were chosen to play a round against each other.

Prabhat was responsible for keeping the score. While Surya was looking elsewhere, Prabhat managed to change the scoreboard to win the match.

Prabhat made a big thing of his victory through cheating. However, Surya was not bothered by the loss and said, “It’s been fun. We should play again some other time,”

The turning point

Despite his win, Prabhat could not sleep well that night. He did not feel as happy as he usually did after winning a game.

The next day, Prabhat observed Surya playing basketball. Even though Surya was hopeless at it and could not score for ten minutes, he enjoyed himself.

Prabhat watched Surya for several days. He noticed that Surya enjoyed everything equally, whether he was great at something or terrible at it.

The change of heart

Through his observations, Prabhat realised that one does not need a scoreboard to enjoy a game. One should not worry about winning or losing.

He understood that it is important to enjoy the game for its own sake and to try to do well. This led to a change in himself.

Prabhat began playing hide and seek and started joking while playing badminton. His classmates noticed his new sporting spirit.

Who are the main characters?

Prabhat

Prabhat is a student who always wanted to win. He could not bear losing, even during games like marbles. Because losing felt like the worst thing possible, he would only participate in games when he was certain of victory.

He was particularly good at badminton. During a friendly match, he cheated by changing the scoreboard while his opponent was looking elsewhere. Although he won, he felt unhappy and could not sleep well that night.

His character traits include:

• Competitive: He would not play a game if he sensed he might lose.
• Dishonest: He managed to win his match by changing the scoreboard.
• Observant: He kept a close watch on Surya to understand his behaviour.
• Evolving: He eventually developed a great sporting spirit and began enjoying games like hide and seek.

Surya

Surya is a new student and an excellent badminton player. During the monthly friendly matches, he appeared relaxed and spent his time smiling and cracking jokes. On the court, he was described as a real phenomenon.

Even after losing the match to Prabhat, he remained positive. He told Prabhat, “It’s been fun. We should play again some other time,” showing he did not feel bad about the defeat. He also played basketball despite being hopeless at it.

His character traits include:

• Joyful: He enjoyed every game equally, even when he could not score a basket for ten minutes.
• Easy-going: He did not take things seriously, often laughing and joking.
• Resilient: He showed no signs of being unhappy about losing a match.

How does Prabhat's attitude change?

Initial focus on winning

Prabhat always wanted to win. He could not bear losing, not even at marbles, and thought that losing was “the worst thing that could happen to anyone”.

If he sensed he would lose, he would not play. He would only take part when he was sure of winning, even if the game lasted only a minute.

During a badminton match against Surya, Prabhat managed to win by cheating. He changed the scoreboard while his opponent was looking elsewhere.

Although he made a big thing of his win, he did not feel as happy as he usually did. He could not sleep well that night.

A shift in perspective

Prabhat noticed that Surya did not feel bad about losing. The next day, he saw Surya playing basketball, a game he was hopeless at.

Even though Surya could not score a basket for ten minutes, his happy smile never left his face. He enjoyed the game regardless of the score.

By observing Surya, Prabhat realised that to enjoy a game, one does not need a scoreboard to keep a tally of scores.

He understood that one should not worry about winning or losing, but rather enjoy the game for its own sake.

Prabhat soon experienced a change in himself. He began playing hide and seek and even started joking while playing badminton.

Other students noticed his new sporting spirit, noting that it was good fun playing with him.

What is the contrast between Prabhat and Surya?

Approaches to the Game

Prabhat and Surya demonstrate very different attitudes during their badminton match. While Prabhat prepared for the match with great seriousness, Surya appeared relaxed. He spent his time smiling and cracking jokes about various things.

During the match, Surya was described as a real phenomenon. He won points repeatedly while laughing and joking. In contrast, Prabhat used the opportunity of Surya looking elsewhere to change the scoreboard.

Prabhat's focus was on the result of the game. He would only participate when he was sure of winning. Surya, however, seemed to enjoy the process regardless of the score.

Winning and Losing

The two boys react to the outcome of the match in opposite ways. Prabhat managed to win by cheating, yet he did not feel happy. He found that winning did not provide the usual satisfaction.

Surya's reaction to defeat was unexpected. He did not feel bad about losing and simply said, “It’s been fun. We should play again some other time,” which shows his sporting spirit.

Prabhat observed that Surya could be hopeless at basketball, failing to score for ten minutes. Despite this, Surya's happy smile never left his face because he enjoyed the game.

Through Surya, Prabhat realised that enjoyment does not require a tally of scores. One does not need to worry about winning or losing to have fun. Instead, one should enjoy the game for its own sake.

Why was the win unsatisfying for Prabhat?

A restless night

After the badminton match, Prabhat found that he could not sleep well. Even though he had won the game, he did not feel as happy as he usually did.

This feeling was unexpected because he had previously thought that losing was “the worst thing that could happen to anyone”. He usually felt so good when winning that he never wanted to give up that feeling.

The contrast in reactions

Prabhat was surprised by how Surya did not feel bad about losing. Surya's reaction was very different from what Prabhat expected after a defeat.

The next day, Prabhat observed Surya playing basketball. Although Surya was “hopeless” at it and could not score a basket for ten minutes, he still enjoyed the game.

Surya's “happy smile” never left his face during the activity. This showed that Surya found enjoyment in the game itself, regardless of his skill or the score.

Prabhat realised that to enjoy a game, one does not need a tally of scores. He saw that a player does not have to worry about winning or losing to have fun.

Ultimately, Prabhat understood that what matters is “trying to do well” and enjoying every moment. This realisation helped him understand why his dishonest victory felt so unsatisfying.

What are the themes of this story?

Theme 1: The importance of sporting spirit

The story highlights the value of sporting spirit, which involves being fair and respecting every player in a game. Initially, Prabhat lacks this quality because he cannot bear losing, even at marbles.

He demonstrates a lack of fairness when he manages to win by cheating during his badminton match. He changes the scoreboard while his opponent, Surya, is looking elsewhere.

By the end, Prabhat undergoes a transformation. Other students notice his change, remarking that "that fellow definitely has a great sporting spirit."

Theme 2: Enjoying the game for its own sake

A central message is that one should enjoy the game for its own sake rather than focusing on the result. Surya embodies this through his relaxed and happy attitude.

Even when Surya is hopeless at basketball and cannot score a basket for ten minutes, he continues to play. His happy smile never leaves his face during the activity.

Prabhat eventually realises that to enjoy a game, a person does not need a tally of scores. He learns that one should not worry about winning or losing.

Theme 3: The difference between winning and enjoying the moment

The narrative explores how winning a game does not always result in happiness. Although Prabhat wins the match against Surya, he does not feel as happy as he usually does and cannot sleep well.

He discovers that true enjoyment comes from trying to do well and enjoying every moment. This is contrasted with his previous habit of only playing when he was sure of winning.

Prabhat's change is evident when he begins playing hide and seek. He starts to find joy in the process, even feeling sad when the games come to an end.

What are the key quotations?

These quotations illustrate Prabhat's journey from an inability to accept defeat to a new understanding of the importance of enjoying a game.

losing was the worst thing that could happen

Speaker: the narrator. Context: Prabhat could not bear losing even at marbles. This thought shows how terrible he felt when he did not win a game.

Surya was a real phenomenon.

Speaker: the narrator. Context: During the friendly badminton match, Surya won points repeatedly while laughing and joking. He displayed special qualities during the game.

It’s been fun. We should play again

Speaker: Surya. Context: Surya said these words after Prabhat won the match by cheating. He did not feel bad about losing the game.

you did not need a scoreboard

Speaker: the narrator. Context: Prabhat observed Surya playing basketball despite being hopeless at it. He realised that enjoying a game does not require a tally of scores.

enjoy the game for its own sake.

Speaker: the narrator. Context: Prabhat understood that one should not worry about winning or losing. He learned that trying to do well and enjoying every moment matters.

What language and grammar are covered?

Vocabulary and Word Formation

The activities introduce several new words and their meanings. Students can learn to recognise specific terms used to describe events and people in the story.

One exercise focuses on word formation. It requires finding as many words as possible using consecutive letters from a larger word without changing their order.

For the word BADMINTON, examples include bad, admin, mint, in, and ton. The word ON is also possible.

Verbs and Tenses

The lessons cover identifying verbs within sentences. This helps in understanding the actions being described in the text.

Another focus is the past perfect form of verbs. This tense is used to refer to the first action or the old action in a sequence.

The exercises provide practice for several verb forms. For example, the past perfect of finish is had finished, and the past perfect of win is had won.

Other verbs to practice include play, meet, and practise. Using these correctly helps in distinguishing between different actions in the past.

What are the comprehension questions?

Questions about Prabhat and the match

• Does Prabhat accept losing easily? No, he could not bear losing, even at marbles. He thought that losing was the worst thing that could happen to anyone.
• What was special about the last Friday of the month? This was the day the coach organised friendly matches during the games period.
• Who was responsible for the score? Prabhat was given the responsibility of keeping score for the match between himself and Surya.
• Did Prabhat want to play another match with Surya? Probably not. Prabhat played only when he was sure of winning, and he had beaten Surya, the better player, only by changing the scoreboard, so a fair rematch could mean losing.

Questions about Surya and the change in Prabhat

• How did Surya feel about playing? Surya enjoyed playing for its own sake. Even when he was hopeless at basketball and could not score a basket for ten minutes, his happy smile never left his face.
• What did Prabhat observe about Surya? Prabhat saw that Surya enjoyed everything equally, whether he was great at something or hopeless at it.
• How did Surya react to losing the badminton match? Surya did not feel bad about losing. He simply said, “It’s been fun. We should play again some other time,” which showed his sporting spirit.
• How did Prabhat's behaviour change? He began playing hide and seek and started joking while playing badminton. He realised that one needs to enjoy the game for its own sake.

What are the activities to do?

Listening and Speaking Activities

The listening task involves hearing an announcement regarding upcoming Friday matches. Students must identify the pair chosen for chess and note details about the kho-kho match.

Specific details to find include the number of matches, the sports' notice board information, and the sponsor for refreshments. One must also identify the scorekeeper for chess and the referee for kho-kho.

The speaking exercise focuses on using magic words such as please, thank you, and sorry. Students work in pairs to practice these words in different social situations.

Situations include requesting to join a team, thanking someone for help, or apologising for rude behaviour or mistakes. This helps students learn to express gratitude and handle errors properly.

Writing and Exploring Tasks

The writing activity asks students to complete a diary entry from Prabhat's perspective. They use specific phrases to describe his feelings after he won the match through cheating.

The entry covers his observation of Surya, his decision to change the scoreboard, and his lack of happiness. It reflects on why he felt disturbed by the experience.

The exploring section provides bio-sketches of Indian sportspersons like Deepika Kumari and Neeraj Chopra. Students can learn about their training and achievements, such as Deepika Kumari's gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Neeraj Chopra's Olympic gold in javelin throw.

There is also an invitation to use a provided link to discover more about various Arjuna Awardees. This encourages further research into the lives of successful athletes.

Glossary

• Defeat: A loss in a game or contest, which Prabhat found difficult to accept even when playing marbles.
• Sensed: Had known, used to describe how Prabhat would avoid games if he knew he might lose.
• Significant: Important, referring to the last Friday of the month when the coach organised friendly matches.
• Conducted: Organised, describing how the coach managed the friendly matches during the games period.
• Terrible: Unhappy, describing the feeling Prabhat experienced when he suffered a loss.
• On the contrary: Just the opposite, used to show that losing made Prabhat feel bad instead of good.
• Phenomenon: Someone who has special qualities, describing Surya's impressive performance at the badminton court.
• Opponent: Someone who you compete with, referring to Surya when Prabhat played against him in badminton.
• Tally of marks: A record of points in a game or match, which Prabhat realised was not necessary for enjoyment.
• Sporting spirit: Being fair and respecting each player in a game, a quality the students noticed in Prabhat.
• Hopeless: Having no skill in something, describing how Surya played basketball without scoring a basket for ten minutes.
• Kept a close watch on: Observed, used when Prabhat watched Surya for some days to understand his attitude towards games.

Common errors and misconceptions

• Misconception: Prabhat was a very good player at all types of games. Correct: Prabhat was really good at badminton, but he could not bear losing even at simple games like marbles.
• Misconception: Surya was a serious and focused player during the friendly matches. Correct: Surya seemed relaxed, smiling and cracking jokes about all sorts of things while playing.
• Misconception: Prabhat won the badminton match fairly through his skill. Correct: Prabhat managed to win by cheating, changing the scoreboard while Surya was looking elsewhere.
• Misconception: Surya felt unhappy and bad because he lost the badminton match. Correct: Surya did not feel bad about losing and even said, “It’s been fun. We should play again some other time.”
• Misconception: Prabhat felt very happy and slept well after winning the match. Correct: Prabhat could not sleep well that night because he did not feel as happy as he usually did.
• Misconception: Surya only enjoyed games that he was very good at playing. Correct: Surya enjoyed everything equally, including basketball, even though he was so hopeless at it that he could not score for ten minutes.
• Misconception: Prabhat's change of heart meant he stopped playing games entirely. Correct: Prabhat began playing hide and seek and started joking while playing badminton, showing a great sporting spirit.

Exam-style questions with model answers

Q1. Prabhat would take part in games only when he was sure of winning, even if the game lasted only for a minute. Why did he behave this way? [2 marks]

1. Prabhat always wanted to win and could not bear losing, not even at marbles.
2. He felt so good when he won that he never wanted to give up that feeling, whereas losing made him feel terrible.

Q2. During the friendly matches, Surya was a real phenomenon, winning points again and again while laughing and joking. How did Prabhat manage to win the badminton match against him? [2 marks]

1. Prabhat managed to change the scoreboard while his opponent, Surya, was looking elsewhere.
2. By doing this, Prabhat managed to win the game by cheating.

Q3. After the match, Prabhat could not sleep well because he had won but did not feel as happy as usual, while Surya did not feel bad about losing. What did Prabhat observe about Surya's attitude towards games in the following days? [3 marks]

1. Prabhat saw Surya playing basketball the next day, and even though he was hopeless and could not score a basket for ten minutes, he enjoyed the game.
2. Prabhat observed that Surya was great at some things and terrible at others, but he enjoyed everything equally.
3. Prabhat realised that to enjoy a game, one does not need a scoreboard to keep a tally of scores or worry about winning or losing.

Q4. Prabhat would take part in games only when he was sure of winning, even if the game lasted only for a minute. Based on this, describe Prabhat's initial attitude towards losing. [3 marks]

1. Prabhat could not bear losing and thought that losing was the worst thing that could happen to anyone.
2. He felt so good when he won that he never wanted to give up that feeling.
3. If he sensed that he would lose a game, he would not play it at all.

Q5. Prabhat eventually underwent a change in himself, starting to play hide and seek and joking while playing badminton. Explain the specific changes in his behaviour and what his fellow students said about him. [4 marks]

1. Prabhat began playing hide and seek and felt sad whenever the game was about to end.
2. He also started joking while he was playing badminton.
3. These changes showed that he was no longer just focused on winning or losing.
4. The other students remarked that he definitely has a great sporting spirit, which means being fair and respecting each player in a game.

Q6. During a friendly badminton match, Prabhat managed to change the scoreboard while his opponent, Surya, was looking elsewhere, and he managed to win by cheating. How did Surya's reaction to the loss and his behaviour the next day differ from Prabhat's? [5 marks]

1. Surya did not feel bad about losing and told Prabhat, “It’s been fun. We should play again some other time,”
2. The next day, Surya played basketball even though he was so hopeless at it that he could not score a basket for ten minutes.
3. While Prabhat felt unhappy and could not sleep well after his win, Surya's happy smile never left his face while playing.
4. Surya seemed to enjoy playing the game regardless of his skill level or the outcome.
5. Prabhat realised that Surya enjoyed everything equally, whether he was great at something or terrible at it.

Q7. Prabhat observed Surya for some days and realised that to enjoy a game, one did not need a scoreboard to keep a tally of scores. What was the central theme of Prabhat's change of heart? [5 marks]

1. Prabhat realised that to enjoy a game, you did not need to worry about winning or losing.
2. He understood that you needed to enjoy the game for its own sake.
3. The observation taught him that what matters is trying to do well and enjoying every moment of it.
4. This change in himself led him to start joking while playing badminton and playing games like hide and seek.
5. His new attitude was recognised by other students who said he had a great sporting spirit, which means being fair and respecting each player in a game.

Q8. In the text, the term 'sporting spirit' is defined as being fair and respecting each player in a game. Using the events of the story, explain how Prabhat's behaviour changed from the beginning to the end regarding this spirit. [6 marks]

1. At the beginning, Prabhat lacked sporting spirit because he could not bear losing and would not play unless he was sure of winning.
2. He showed a lack of fairness when he managed to change the scoreboard while Surya was looking elsewhere to win the match.
3. After winning by cheating, he did not feel as happy as he usually did and could not sleep well that night.
4. Through observing Surya, he realised that one should not worry about a tally of scores or winning and losing.
5. He began to change by playing hide and seek and feeling sad whenever the game was about to end.
6. By the end, he started joking while playing badminton, leading others to say he definitely has a great sporting spirit.

Key takeaways

• Prabhat struggled to accept defeat and felt that losing was the worst thing that could happen to anyone, which prevented him from enjoying games.
• To avoid the feeling of losing, Prabhat would only participate in games when he was certain of winning, even if the match lasted one minute.
• A new student named Surya joined the school and proved to be an excellent badminton player who appeared relaxed and enjoyed himself during matches.
• During a friendly badminton match, Prabhat cheated by changing the scoreboard while Surya was looking elsewhere to ensure that he won the game.
• Despite winning through cheating, Prabhat could not sleep well because he did not feel as happy as he usually did after a victory.
• Prabhat observed that Surya enjoyed playing basketball even though he was hopeless at it and could not score a basket for ten minutes.
• Through observing Surya, Prabhat realised that enjoying a game for its own sake is more important than worrying about a tally of scores.
• Prabhat experienced a change in himself by starting to enjoy games like hide and seek and showing a great sporting spirit while playing.

Test yourself

How did Prabhat typically react to the prospect of losing a game?

If Prabhat sensed he would lose, he would not play the game at all, choosing to participate only when he was sure of winning.

What was significant about the last Friday of the month at Prabhat's school?

The last Friday of the month was significant because the coach organised friendly matches during the games period.

How did Surya behave before and during his badminton match against Prabhat?

Surya seemed relaxed, smiling and cracking jokes, and he remained a phenomenon at the court by winning points while laughing and joking.

In what way did Prabhat cheat during his match against Surya?

Prabhat managed to win by changing the scoreboard while his opponent, Surya, was looking elsewhere.

Why was Prabhat's feeling after winning the match unusual?

Although he had won the game, Prabhat did not feel as happy as he usually did and he could not sleep well that night.

What did Prabhat observe about Surya's performance in basketball?

Surya was hopeless at basketball and could not score a basket for ten minutes, yet he played with a happy smile and enjoyed it.

What important lesson did Prabhat learn from watching Surya?

He realised that to enjoy a game, one does not need a scoreboard or to worry about winning or losing, but should enjoy it for its own sake.

What changes did Prabhat show after his change of heart?

He began playing hide and seek, felt sad when it ended, and started joking while playing badminton, showing a great sporting spirit.