Fly Like An Eagle
by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk
Read the clues related to swimming and complete the crossword.
Making Connections
Quick Answers
1. Choose the correct answer.
a. Angie was nervous because
i. she was diving from a three-metre platform for the first time. [ ]
ii. she was diving from a ten-metre platform for the first time. [✓]
iii. she was diving from a fifteen-metre platform for the first time. [ ]
b. Coach Hansen told Angie to go home because
i. he felt she wouldn't be able to dive. [ ]
ii. he knew she wouldn't want to quit. [✓]
iii. he felt she did not need more practice. [ ]
c. Angie was able to dive because
i. she managed to overcome her fear. [✓]
ii. she closed her eyes. [ ]
iii. her coach forced her to do so. [ ]
2. The theme of a story is the message that it conveys. A story can have more than one theme and themes can often be hidden. From the list of themes given below, choose the one that you think is the message of 'Fly Like an Eagle'.
Overcoming the fear of failure. [ ]
Overcoming the fear of being rejected. [ ]
Overcoming the fear of the unknown. [✓]
Overcoming the fear of hurting someone. [ ]
Overcoming the fear of change. [ ]
Overcoming the fear of being alone. [ ]
Reference to context
3. " ' Let us talk about what it is you are afraid of', Coach Hansen's voice went on."
a. What was the first thing that Coach Hansen suggested Angie was afraid of?
= The first thing that Coach Hansen suggested Angie was afraid of was landing wrong.
b. Coach Hansen felt that the first suggestion wasn't true. Why?
= Coach Hansen felt that the first suggestion wasn't true because she had done that before from the three-metre platform and from the edge of the pool when she first began to dive.
c. What did he suggest next as the reason for Angie's fear?
= Next he suggested the fear of getting the wind knocked out of her as the reason for Angie's fear.
4. " 'So he is going to use that old trick on me', Angie thought."
a. What was the 'trick'?
= The 'trick' was of reminding her about all her plans for the championship and Olympics.
b. Why do you think Coach Hansen was using 'that old trick' on Angie? Did it work?
= I think Coach Hansen was using 'that old trick' on Angie because that might inspire and encourage her to dive from the ten-metre platform.
'That old trick' did not work. Instead she walked back on the platform and looked down the steps, as if she was longing to use them.
c. What did Angie compare 'that old trick' with?
= Angie compared 'that old trick' with a trainer throwing fish to seals.
5. " 'That wasn't bad, Angie', Coach Hansen said as she came out of the water."
a. What was Coach Hansen commenting on?
= Coach Hansen was commenting on the dive of Angie from the ten-metre platform for the first time.
b. What was the tone in which the coach spoke?
= The tone in which the coach spoke was mixed with happiness and dissatisfaction.
c. What did he ask Angie to do next?
= He asked Angie to go back and try the diving again.
Read, reflect and write
6. What were Angie's fear in the story?
= Angie's fear were the fears of the unknown. She was not new in diving. She did it before and did it well from the three-metre platform and from the edge of the pool when she first began to dive. Coach Hansen suggested her if she was afraid of landing wrong or of getting the wind knocked out of her. But she shook her head no. Angie was not sure about the reason of her fear.
7. In your opinion, was Coach Hansen a good coach? Support your answer with examples from the story.
= In my opinion, Coach Hansen was definitely a good coach. He was present there in the auditorium to support and inspire Angie for her first dive from the ten-metre platform. Then Angie was hesitating to dive from the edge of the platform.
Then Coach Hansen cheered her up and asked her the probable reasons for her fear. He also reminded her about her plans for the championship and the Olympics. Ultimately Angie dived and the coach was happy for that. He wanted her to make it better and she did the same.
8. We often find ourselves in a situation similar to Angie's. What values and qualities do we need to inculcate in order to achieve our goals?
= We often find ourselves in a situation similar to Angie's. We need to inculcate patience, perseverance, and have to be industrious to get over this types of situations. We have to figure out the reasons of our problems and work on it.
9. The story is called 'Fly Like an Eagle'. Do you think this is a suitable title? Give reasons to support your answer.
= Yes, I think this is a suitable title. Eagle flies in the sky with swift speed and uncontrollable grace. It has its own vigour to reach its destination. Here in the story Angie let her fall like an eagle flawlessly from the platform.
Then she felt her body begin to come down, and her mind took total control. She brought her arms over her head, and kept her body and legs straight as she entered the water, causing hardly a ripple. This is the climax of the story. So the author has aptly used this as the title of the story.
About the author :
Elizabeth Van Steenwyk (b. 1928) is the author of over sixty-five children's books. The story 'Fly Like an Eagle' feature in the book 'fly an Eagle and Other Stories', a collection of seven short stories about girls competing in tennis, figure skating, basketball, rodeo competition and diving. It talks about their courage, dedication and the challenges they face.