NCERT Class 11 Health and Physical Education Health and Physical Education: Chapter 11 — Adventure Sports
This chapter introduces adventure sports as extraordinary activities pursued for excitement, enthusiasm, and nature exploration. It classifies adventure sports into three main categories: water, land, and air sports, providing examples for each. The chapter focuses on paragliding and surfing as exciting classical adventure sports. It details the historical development of paragliding, its classification, the pilot's sitting position in a harness suspended below a fabric wing, and mentions the first official Paragliding World Championship held in 1989. Understanding these sports helps students appreciate diverse physical activities and their benefits.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE / NCERT |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 11 |
| Subject | Health and Physical Education |
| Book | Health and Physical Education |
| Chapter | Chapter 11 — Adventure Sports |
| Language | English |
| PDF type | NCERT Textbook |
| Session | CBSE 2026 |
| Reading time | 3 minutes |
| Word count | 444 |
Learning outcomes
- Define adventure sports and their purpose.
- Classify adventure sports into water, land, and air categories.
- Understand the historical development and classification of paragliding.
- Describe the basic mechanics and flight of a paraglider.
- Recognize the significance of adventure sports in physical education.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Extraordinary | very unusual or remarkable. |
| Enthusiasm | intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval. |
| Curiosity | a strong desire to know or learn something. |
| Robust | strong and healthy; vigorous. |
| Recreational | done for enjoyment. |
| Engine less | without an engine. |
| Decisive | having or showing the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively. |
| Gliding | the sport of flying a glider. |
| Harness | a set of straps that secure a person or thing. |
| Altitude | the height of something above a given level, especially sea level. |
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Practice questions
- What are adventure sports? Answer: Adventure sports are extraordinary activities performed by individuals seeking excitement, enthusiasm, and a desire to explore nature.
- Name the three main classifications of adventure sports. Answer: The three main classifications are adventure water sports, adventure land sports, and adventure air sports.
- What is paragliding? Answer: Paragliding is a recreational and competitive adventure sport for flying paragliders, which is an engine-less sport.
- Who invented advanced governable gliding parachutes? Answer: Domina C. Jalbert invented advanced governable gliding parachutes in 1954.
- How is a paraglider pilot positioned during flight? Answer: The paraglider pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing.
Practice MCQs
Q1. Adventure sports are performed by individuals seeking:
Explanation: The text states that adventure sports are performed by individuals in search of excitement, enthusiasm, and the desire to explore nature.
Q2. Which of the following is NOT a main category of adventure sports mentioned?
Explanation: The chapter explicitly lists water, land, and air sports as the three main categories of adventure sports.
Q3. Paragliding is described as:
Explanation: The text clearly states that paragliding is an engine-less or motor-free sport.
Q4. Who is credited with inventing advanced governable gliding parachutes in 1954?
Explanation: According to the historical development section, Domina C. Jalbert invented advanced governable gliding parachutes in 1954.
Q5. A paraglider pilot sits in a:
Explanation: The text describes the sitting position as the paraglider (pilot) sitting in a harness, suspended below a fabric wing.
Q6. The first official Paragliding World Championship was held in:
Explanation: The chapter mentions that the first official Paragliding World Championship was held in Austria in 1989.
Frequently asked questions
What is the primary motivation for participating in adventure sports?
The primary motivation is the search for excitement, extra enthusiasm, and the desire to explore nature out of curiosity.
Can you give examples of adventure water sports?
Examples of adventure water sports include rafting and surfing.
What is the main characteristic of paragliding as a sport?
Paragliding is characterized as an engine-less or motor-free sport that requires courage and decisiveness.
What is a 'sail wing' in the context of paragliding history?
A 'sail wing' was developed by David Barish in 1965 for slope-soaring as a summer activity for ski resorts.
How does a paraglider gain height during flight?
Pilots can gain height by skillfully exploiting sources of lift, often climbing to altitudes of a few thousand meters.
When and where was the first official Paragliding World Championship held?
The first official Paragliding World Championship was held in Austria in 1989.
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NCERT Class 11 Health and Physical Education — Health and Physical Education — Chapter 11 — Adventure Sports. Verified by NCERT Help Editorial Team. Reviewed on 29 Jul 2026. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.