Demosthenes Summary Class 5 English Gul Mohar

Summary

In the story of Demosthenes, a boy who lived a long time ago in a city called Athens, we learn about his journey to becoming a great speaker. When Demosthenes first tried to speak in public, his voice was weak, and his words were not clear. People even laughed at him, which made him sad. Demosthenes wanted to change this, so he decided to become a powerful speaker.

Demosthenes had a tough time because his father, who was rich, passed away when he was just seven years old. The people who were supposed to take care of his money didn't do a good job, and he didn't have enough money for a good education. This made him angry. He heard about great speakers in Athens and wanted to be like them.

One day, he listened to a famous speaker named Callistratus. This inspired Demosthenes, and he decided to become an orator, someone who speaks to make people think and agree with them. When he was eighteen, he spoke in a court of law to get back the money his guardians took from him. At first, people didn't take him seriously, but he kept trying and won the case, though there wasn't much money left to recover.

Even though he faced failure in his first public address, an old man and his friend Satyrus encouraged him not to give up. Satyrus, who was an actor, helped Demosthenes understand the importance of not just speaking but also acting out his speeches. Demosthenes practiced hard, even shouting his speeches at the seashore with pebbles in his mouth to make his words clear.

He learned to use expression, gestures, and actions to make his speeches interesting. This made a huge difference, and Demosthenes became a great speaker. The story teaches us about not giving up, working hard, and finding creative ways to overcome challenges.

List of Difficult Words with Meanings

• Orator: A person who is skilled at public speaking.
• Guardians: People responsible for taking care of someone or something, like money or property.
• Jeer: To mock or make fun of someone with unkind words.
• Despair: A feeling of sadness or loss of hope.
• Dull: Lacking interest or excitement, not lively.
• Flair: A natural talent or ability.
• Drama: The art of performing stories with emotions and actions.
• Shy: Being nervous or uncomfortable around others, not confident.
• Stammer: To speak with involuntary pauses or repetitions.
• Assembly: A gathering of people for a particular purpose, like a meeting.