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Deep Water Textbook Questions and Answers
Understanding the text

Question 1.
How does Douglas make clear to the reader the sense of panic that gripped him as he almost drowned ? Describe the details that have made the description vivid.
डगलस उस डर को पाठक के सामने किस प्रकार स्पष्ट करते हैं जब वे लगभग डूब गये थे ? उन बिन्दुओं का उल्लेख करो जो वर्णन को स्पष्ट बनाते हैं
Answer:
Douglas was thrown in deep water. As he was almost drowned, he got horribly terrified. He describes this incident so vividly that it becomes clear to the reader to feel the sense of panic that gripped him. The details of the description are as follows –

(1) The boy who threw him into deep water was ‘a beautiful physical specimen, with legs and arms that showed rippling muscles.’ This description is the beginning of the panic.

(2) The author describes how he was thrown into deep water and how he landed in a sitting position. He was frightened but not out of his wits.

(3) The detailed description of how he struggled to save himself is what may cause panic even to the reader.

(4) The sentence, ‘Even the screams in my throat were frozen’ shows that the description of this horrifying incident is very effective and poignant.

डगलस को गहरे पानी में फेंक दिया गया । जब वह लगभग डूब गये तो वह बुरी तरह डर गये । वह इस घटना को इतने सजीव रूप में बताते हैं कि उन्होंने जिस डर का अनुभव किया था वह पाठक को स्पष्ट हो जाता है। वर्णन के बिन्दु अग्र प्रकार हैं

(1) वह लड़का जिसने उन्हें पानी में फेंका, शारीरिक सौष्ठव का प्रतिदर्श था जिसकी टाँगों और बाँहों पर माँसपेशियाँ लहरा रही थीं । यह वर्णन डर की शुरुआत है ।

(2) लेखक बताता है कि किस तरह उसे फेंका गया और किस तरह वह बैठने की अवस्था में गिरा वह डर गया लेकिन उसने होश नहीं गँवाया।

(3) उसने स्वयं को बचाने के लिए किस तरह संघर्ष किया, इसके विस्तृत वर्णन से पाठक स्वयं भी डर सकता है।

(4) यह वाक्य कि “मेरे गले में चीख भी जम गई” यह दर्शाता है कि इस भयानक घटना का वर्णन बहुत ही प्रभावी और मर्मस्पर्शी है ।

  1. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water ?
    डगलस ने पानी के प्रति अपने भय पर किस प्रकार विजय प्राप्त की ?
    When Douglas grew up, he took the help of an instructor to learn swimming. His training went on from October to April. For three months he was taken across the pool with the help of a rope. As he went under, terror filled him and his legs froze. The instructor taught him to exhale under water and inhale through raised nose. He made him kick his legs to make them relax. Then he asked him to swim. He continued swimming from April to July. Still all terror had not left. He swam two miles across Lake Wentworth and the whole length to the shore and back of Warm Lake. Then he overcame his fear of water.

जब डगलस बड़ा हुआ तो उसने तैराकी सीखने के लिए एक प्रशिक्षक की मदद ली। उनका प्रशिक्षण अक्टूबर से अप्रैल तक चला। तीन महीने तक उसे रस्सी की मदद से पूल के पार ले जाया गया। जैसे ही वह नीचे गया, आतंक ने उसे भर दिया और उसके पैर जम गए। प्रशिक्षक ने उसे पानी के नीचे साँस छोड़ना और उठी हुई नाक से साँस लेना सिखाया। उसने उन्हें आराम देने के लिए अपने पैरों को लात मारी। फिर उसने उसे तैरने के लिए कहा। उन्होंने अप्रैल से जुलाई तक तैराकी जारी रखी। अभी भी सारा आतंक नहीं छोड़ा था। वह वेंटवर्थ झील के पार दो मील और वार्म लेक के किनारे और पीछे की पूरी लंबाई तैरा। फिर उसने पानी के अपने डर पर काबू पा लिया।

Question 3.
Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience ?
एक प्रौढ़ व्यक्ति के रूप में डगलस अपने बचपन के भय और उसे जीतने के अनुभव को क्यों सुनाता है ? इस अनुभव से वह कौन-सा व्यापक अर्थ निकालता है ?
Or
Why did Douglas have fear of water ? How did he overcome it ?
डगलस को पानी से डर क्यों लगता था ? इस डर पर उसने विजय किस प्रकार पाई ?
Or
Describe how Douglas tried to save himself from drowning. (Model paper 2021)
डगलस ने अपने आपको डूबने से कैसे बचाया?
Answer:
Douglas was a young boy. He went to a swimming pool to learn how to swim. One day he was thrown into deep water by a strong boy. He narrowly escaped death. After this incident, he got scared of water. He also had a fascination for lakes and brooks. So he decided to overcome his fear of water. The most important observation that the author has made is that death itself is not as fearful as the fear of it. His clear message is that we should be courageous and never allow fear to deter us from doing things that we love to do.

डगलस एक छोटा लड़का था । वह तरणताल पर तैरना सीखने जाता था । एक दिन एक हट्टे-कट्टे लड़के द्वारा उस गहरे पानी में फेंक दिया गया। वह मौत से बाल-बाल बचा। इस घटना के बाद, उसे पानी से डर लगने लगा । उसका झीलों और झरनों के प्रति भी आकर्षण था । अतः उसने पानी से अपने डर पर विजय प्राप्त करने . का निश्चय किया । सर्वाधिक महत्त्वपूर्ण निरीक्षण जो लेखक ने किया है, वह यह है कि मृत्यु स्वयं उतनी भयावह नहीं है जितना भयावह मृत्यु का भय है । उसका स्पष्ट संदेश यह है कि हमको साहसी बनना चाहिए और भय के कारण उन कामों को करने से नहीं रुकना चाहिए जो हम करना चाहते हैं ।

Think as you read (Page 27)

Question 1.
What is the “misadventure” that William Douglas speaks about ?
विलियम डगलस कौन-सी दुर्घटना की बात करते हैं ?
Answer:
Douglas goes to the swimming pool when no one else is there. He sits there waiting for someone to come. A stoutly built boy comes there and throws him into deep water. This is the misadventure Douglas speaks about in which he narrowly escapes death.

डगलस उस समय तरणताल पर पहुँचता है जब वहाँ कोई नहीं है । वह वहाँ किसी के आने की प्रतीक्षा करते हुए बैठ जाता है । एक हट्टा-कट्टा लड़का वहाँ आता है और उसे गहरे पानी में फेंक देता है । यही वह दुर्घटना है जिसकी डगलस चर्चा करते हैं और जिसमें वे मृत्यु से बाल-बाल बचते हैं ।

Question 2.
What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool ? What plans did he make to come to the surface ?
डगलस ने डर और भावनाओं की कौन-सी श्रृंखला अनुभव की जब उसे ताल में फेंका गया ? सतह पर आने के लिए उसने क्या योजनाएँ बनाईं ?
Answer:
When Douglas was thrown into the pool, he got frightened but he was not out of his wits. On his way down; he planned that when his feet hit the bottom, he would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and swim to the edge of the pool.

जब डगलस को तालाब में फेंका गया तो वह डर गया किन्तु उसके दिमाग ने काम करना बन्द नहीं किया । नीचे जाते-जाते उसने योजना बनाई कि जब उसके पैर तल से टकरायेंगे तो वह एक जोरदार छलाँग लगायेगा, सतह पर आयेगा, पानी के तल पर लेट जायेगा और तैरकर तालाब के किनारे पर पहुँच जायेगा।

Question 3.
How did this experience affect him ?
इस अनुभव ने उसे किस तरह प्रभावित किया ?
Answer:
This experience had an ending effect on Douglas. Fear kept haunting his heart. Even the slightest exertion would upset him. He felt sick to his stomach. He never went back to the pool. He was scared of water and avoided it.

इस अनुभव का प्रभाव डगलस पर लम्बे समय तक रहा। भय उसके दिल पर छाया रहता था । थोड़ी-सी भी थकान से वह घबरा जाता था । उसे अपने पेट में तकलीफ महसूस होती थी । वह फिर कभी वापिस तालाब पर नहीं गया । वह पानी से डरता था और उससे बचता था।

Think as you read (Page 29)

Question 1.
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water ?
डगलस ने पानी के अपने भय पर विजय पाने का निश्चय क्यों किया ?
Answer:
Douglas had had a terrible experience which had developed in him a fear of water. He was determined to get over his fear of water because it ruined his fishing trips and deprived him of the joy of boating and swimming.

डगलस को एक भयानक अनुभव हुआ था जिसने उसके अन्दर पानी के प्रति भय उत्पन्न कर दिया था । उसने अपने पानी के भय पर विजय पाने का निश्चय किया क्योंकि यह भय उसकी मछली पकड़ने की यात्राओं को बर्बाद कर देता था तथा उसे नौकायन तथा तैरने के आनन्द से वंचित कर देता था ।

Question 2.
How did the instructor “build a swimmer” out of Douglas ?
प्रशिक्षक ने डगलस को “एक तैराक” किस प्रकार बनाया ?
Answer:
Douglas was scared of water. The instructor had to put in extra effort to make him a complete swimmer. The instructor used a rope and pulley to train Douglas. He held on to the end of the rope and made Douglas go back and forth across the pool over and over again. Whenever the instructor relaxed his hold on the rope, the author would get extremely frightened. The terror of water began to get diminished within three months. That is how the instructor made Douglas a swimmer.

डगलस को पानी से डर लगता था । प्रशिक्षक को उसे पूरा तैराक बनाने के लिए अतिरिक्त मेहनत करनी पड़ी । प्रशिक्षक ने डगलस को प्रशिक्षण देने के लिए घिरनी और रस्सी का प्रयोग किया । वह रस्सी का छोर पकड़ लेता था और डगलस से बार-बार तालाब को पार करवाता था । जब कभी प्रशिक्षक रस्सी ढीली छोड़ता तो लेखक बुरी तरह डर जाता था । तीन महीने के अन्दर पानी का डर कम होने लगा । इस तरह प्रशिक्षक ने डगलस को एक तैराक बना दिया ।

Question 3.
How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror ?
डगलस ने किस तरह अपने पुराने डर पर जीत हासिल की?
Answer:
The author had learnt how to swim. But he wanted to make sure that he had conquered his old terror. He decided to overcome his fear of water. So he went to Lake Went worth in New Hampshire, dived off a dock at Triggs Islands and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island.

When he was in the middle of the lake, he got a little frightened. The next day he stripped, dived into the Warm Lake, and swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy and Gilbert Peak returned the echo. Thus Douglas conquered his old terror.

लेखक तैरना सीख चुका था । परन्तु वह आश्वस्त होना चाहता था कि उसका पुराना डर समाप्त हो चुका था। उसने अपने पानी के डर पर विजय पाने का निश्चय किया । अतः वह New Hampshire में Wentworth झील पर गया, Triggs टापू से छलांग लगाई और Stamp Act टापू पर झील में दो मील तैरा ।

अगली सुबह उसने कपड़े उतारे, Warm झील में छलांग लगाई और दूसरे किनारे तक तैर कर गया और वापिस आया । वह खुशी से चिल्लाया और Gilbert Peak (पहाड़ की चोटी का नाम) ने प्रतिध्वनि लौटाई । इस तरह डगलस ने अपने पुराने भय से मुक्ति पाई।

Talking about the text

Question 1.
“All we have to fear is fear itself”. Have you ever had a fear that you have now overcome ? Share your experience with your partner.
“हमें सिर्फ भय से ही भयभीत होना है।” क्या आपने कभी कोई डर महसूस किया है जिस पर अब विजय प्राप्त कर ली हो ? अपने दोस्तों के साथ अपना अनुभव बाँटिए।
Answer:
When I was a child, I was extremely afraid of darkness. Even a moment without light would make me cry with fear. Once I was alone at home at about 9:00 p.m. Suddenly there was a power cut. I started to cry out of fear in that sheer darkness.

But there was nobody around to listen to my shrieks. As I came out of the initial panic, my mind started to work. I knew there was nobody to help me. Groping in the dark, I walked to the kitchen. There I groped for the match-box and found it. I lit a candle and waited for my mother to be back home. Since that day, I have never felt scared of darkness. I have overcome my fear.

जब मैं छोटा था, मुझे अंधेरे से बहुत अधिक डर लगता था । एक क्षण के लिए भी प्रकाश न रहने पर मैं डर से चीखने-चिल्लाने लगता था। एक बार मैं शाम लगभग 9 बजे घर में अकेला था। अचानक बिजली चली गई। । उस घोर अंधेरे में मैं डरकर चीखने लगा । लेकिन वहाँ आसपास मेरी चीखें सुनने वाला कोई नहीं था ।

जैसे ही मैं अपनी प्रारम्भिक घबराहट व डर की स्थिति से बाहर आया, मेरे दिमाग ने काम करना शुरू कर दिया । अंधेरे में टटोलता हुआ मैं रसोईघर की ओर बढ़ा । वहाँ मैंने टटोलकर माचिस ढूँढ ली । मैंने एक मोमबत्ती जलाई और माँ के घर वापिस आने की प्रतीक्षा करने लगा। उस दिन से, मुझे कभी अंधेरे से डर नहीं लगा है । मैंने अपने डर पर विजय प्राप्त कर ली है।

Question 2.
Find and narrate other stories about conquest of fear and what people have said about courage. For example, you can recall Nelson Mandela’s struggle for freedom, his perseverance to achieve his mission, to liberate the oppressed from the oppressor as depicted in his autobiography. The story ‘We’re Not Afraid To Die’, which you have read in Class XI, is an apt example of how courage and optimism helped a family survive under the direst stress.

भय पर विजय के बारे में तथा साहस के बारे में लोगों ने क्या कहा है, अन्य कहानियाँ ढूँढ़ो और सुनाओ। उदाहरण के लिए आप नेल्सन मण्डेला की आत्मकथा में वर्णित स्वतन्त्रता के लिए संघर्ष, लक्ष्य प्राप्ति के लिए उनके धैर्य तथा अत्याचारी से अत्याचारग्रस्त को छुड़ाने को याद कर सकते हो । कक्षा XI में पढ़ी गई कहानी ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die’ इस बात का उपयुक्त उदाहरण है कि किस तरह साहस व आशावाद ने एक परिवार को घोर विपत्ति में से बचाया
Answer:
Courage and optimism are the key words in life. It is always optimism that sustains life. This is an incident that occured when I was in class X. My right hand was fractured and my exams were at hand. I didn’t know what to do and how to take the final exam. Everybody encouraged me to practise writing with left hand. I took it to be a good idea.

I practised with my left hand. Everybody helped me. After a few days I was able to write with my left hand. I took the exam and got first division. My optimism, perseverance and hard work made my problem disappear. This incident is a good example that those with strong will never bow down to difficulties, and the problems only make them stronger.

साहस और आशावाद जीवन में दो प्रमुख शब्द हैं । आशावाद ही हमेशा जीवन को कायम रखता है। यह घटना उस समय की है जब मैं कक्षा X में था । मेरा दायाँ हाथ टूट गया था और मेरी परीक्षा नज़दीक थी। मैं नहीं जानता था कि क्या किया जाये व आखिरी परीक्षा किस प्रकार से दी जाये । प्रत्येक ने मुझे बाँयें हाथ से लिखने का अभ्यास करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया । मुझे यह एक अच्छा विचार लगा । मैंने अपने बाँये हाथ से अभ्यास किया ।

सभी ने मेरी सहायता की । कुछ दिनों बाद मैं अपने बाँयें हाथ से लिख पाया । मैंने परीक्षा दी व प्रथम श्रेणी प्राप्त की । मेरे आशावाद व धैर्यपूर्वक कठोर परिश्रम से मेरी समस्या गायब हो गई । यह घटना एक अच्छा उदाहरण है कि दृढ़ इच्छाशक्ति वाले लोग कभी कठिनाइयों के आगे नहीं झुकते हैं और समस्याएँ उन्हें अधिक शक्तिशाली ही बनाती हैं ।

Thinking about language

If someone else had narrated Douglas’s experience, how would it have differed from this account ? Write out a sample paragraph or paragraphs from this text from the point of view of a third person or observer to find out which style of narration would you consider to be more effective ? Why?

अगर कोई अन्य व्यक्ति डगलस के अनुभव का वर्णन करता तो विवरण इससे किस प्रकार भिन्न होता? यह जानने के लिए कि वर्णन की कौन-सी शैली ज्यादा प्रभावशाली है और क्यों, इस पाठ से दर्शक या अन्य व्यक्ति की हैसियत से एक नमूने का paragraph या paragraphs लिखिये ।
Answer:
A sample paragraph from the point of view of a third person is as follows:
He flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked. He tried to bring his legs up, but they hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid. A great force was pulling him under. He screamed, but only the water heard him. He had started on the long journey to the bottom of the pool.

This paragraph is originally written in the first person. If a third person had narrated the incident, he would have described it in the third person. In that case, the narration would have been in indirect from and less effective. The above description on the other hand, is vivid and picture like. The.first person narration, therefore seems more effective to me.

किसी अन्य व्यक्ति के दृष्टिकोण से उदाहरण हेतु एक अनुच्छेद निम्न प्रकार है : उसने पानी की सतह पर हाथ-पैर मारे, पानी निगल गया और उसका गला अवरुद्ध हो गया । उसने अपनी टाँगों को ऊपर लाने की कोशिश की, लेकिन वे मानो किसी निर्जीव भार की भाँति, लकवाग्रस्त व कठोर सी लटकी रहीं ।

एक बड़ी शक्ति उसे नीचे की ओर खींच रही थी । वह चीखा, लेकिन केवल पानी ने उसकी आवाज सुनी । वह तालाब की तली की ओर अपनी लम्बी यात्रा शुरू कर चुका था । यह अनुच्छेद मूल रूप से प्रथम पुरुष में लिखा गया है । किसी अन्य व्यक्ति के द्वारा इस घटना के वर्णन की दशा में यह वर्णन अन्य पुरुष में होता । उस स्थिति में, वर्णन अप्रत्यक्ष रूप में और कम प्रभावोत्पादक होता । दूसरी ओर, उपर्युक्त वर्णन जीवंत व चित्रात्मक है । इसलिए प्रथम पुरुष में वर्णन मुझे अधिक प्रभावोत्पादक लगता है

Writing:

Doing well in any activity, for example- a sport, music, dance or painting, riding a motorcycle or a car, involves a great deal of struggle. Most of us are very nervous to begin with until gradually we overcome our fears and perform well. Write an essay recounting such an experience. Try to recollect minute details of what caused the fear, your feelings, the encouragement you got from others or the criticism.

कोई भी क्रियाकलाप, उदाहरण के लिए एक खेल, संगीत, नृत्य या चित्रकारी, एक मोटर साइकिल या कार को चलाने आदि को अच्छी तरह से करने में काफी संघर्ष करना पड़ता है । हममें से अधिकांश काफी घबराये हुए होते हैं जब तक धीरे-धीरे अपने भय पर काबू पाकर अच्छी प्रकार से उस कार्य को नहीं करने लगते हैं। किसी ऐसे अनुभव का वर्णन करते हुए एक निबंध लिखिए । उन सूक्ष्म बातों को भी याद कीजिए जिनमें भय पैदा हुआ तथा आपकी अनुभूति कैसी रही, दूसरों से कैसा प्रोत्साहन या आलोचना मिली।

You could begin with the last sentence of the essay you have just read— “At last I felt released-free to walk the trails and climb the beaks and to brush aside fear.”
Answer:
As I completed eighteen, I decided to learn how to drive a car. My maternal uncle hired for me a motor-driving trainer. I had learnt how to drive a car. One day, we were invited in the neighbourhood for dinner. My elder brother drove out the car but I insisted on driving the car. My father also supported me. So I was at the steering wheel. The moment I began driving, several persons appeared on the road going from one side to the other.

I got confused and forgot to use brakes. My car hit a motorcycle which was standing nearby. I got out of the car. My brother and father reconciled the bike owner. I was at home and felt utterly terrified. I got scared of driving. But my maternal uncle told me that I had got to learn how to drive a car. So I began all over again. This time I was determined to be a perfect driver. I practised for three months and my fear gradually disappeared.

जैसे ही मैं 18 वर्ष की हुई, मैंने कार चलाना सीखने का निश्चय किया । मेरे मामा जी ने मेरे लिए एक प्रशिक्षक लगा दिया था । मैं कार चलाना सीख चुकी थी । एक दिन पड़ोस में ही हमको खाने पर बुलाया गया । मेरे बड़े भाई ने गाड़ी बाहर निकाली परन्तु मैंने कार चलाने की जिद की । मेरे पिताजी ने भी मेरा साथ दिया । इस तरह मैं स्टीअरिंग व्हील पर बैठ गई । जैसे ही मैंने गाड़ी चलाना शुरू किया, इधर-उधर जाते कई लोग सड़क पर दिखाई देने लगे ।

मैं भ्रमित हो गई और ब्रेक लगाना भूल गई । मेरी कार पास में खड़ी एक मोटर साइकिल से टकरा गई । मैं कार से बाहर आ गई । मेरे भाई और पिताजी ने बाइक के मालिक को समझा-बुझाकर शान्त कराया । मैं घर पर थी और बहुत डर रही थी । मुझे गाड़ी चलाने से डर लगने लगा । परन्तु मेरे मामा जी ने कहा कि मुझे कार चलाना तो सीखना ही है । अतः मैंने फिर से शुरू किया । इस बार मैंने अच्छा ड्राइवर बनने का निश्चय कर लिया । मैंने तीन माह तक अभ्यास किया और धीरे-धीरे मेरा भय दूर हो गया ।

Question 2.
Write a short letter to someone you know about your having learnt to do something new.
आपने कुछ नया सीखा है इसके विषय में बताने के लिए अपने किसी परिचित के लिए एक संक्षिप्त पत्र लिखिये ।
Answer:
4-B 135
J. N. Vyas Colony
Bikaner
July 11, 20_ _
Dear Shweta
A few months ago, I saw my teacher draw a horse on the black-board. The picture was so beautifully drawn that I instantly decided to learn how to draw such a beautiful horse. I requested my teacher to draw the same horse on a sheet of paper. He happily drew for me a beautiful horse on the paper.

When I shared my ambition to my friend, he told me that even my hand-writing was not good enough and that I could not draw such a beautiful picture. But I was determined.

I always kept that paper in my pocket and kept drawing the horse over and over again. Almost after two weeks, I was able to draw equally beautifully. Now I hope to be a good painter. Convey my best regards to elders and love to Jyoti and Neha.
Sincerely yours
Chando

RBSE Class 12 English Deep Water Important Questions and Answers
Short Answer Type Questions

Answer the following questions in about 20-25 words :

Question 1.
Why was the Y.M.C.A. pool safe?
ताल सुरक्षित क्यों था ?
Answer:
The Y.M.C.A. pool was safe as it was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end; and nine feet deep at the other one. Y.M.C.A.
ताल सुरक्षित था चूँकि उथले किनारे पर यह केवल दो या तीन फीट गहरा था और दूसरी तरफ नौ फीट गहरा था ।

Question 2.
How did the narrator have an aversion to water ?
वर्णनकर्ता को पानी से अरुचि किस प्रकार हो गई ?
Answer:
When his father took him to beach, the waves knocked the narrator down and swept over him. He got frightened and had an aversion to water.

जब लेखक के पिता उसे लेकर समुद्र किनारे गये, वहाँ लहरों ने उसे गिरा दिया और उसके ऊपर से बह निकलीं। वह डर गया और उसे पानी से अरुचि हो गई ।

Question 3.
How did the author start learning swimming ?
लेखक ने तैरना सीखना किस तरह शुरू किया ?
Answer:
The author paddled with his water wings. He would watch other boys and tried to learn swimming by imitating them.

लेखक अपने जल पंख चलाता रहता था । वह दूसरे लड़कों को देखता रहता था और उनकी नकल करके तैरना सीखता रहता था ।

Question 4.
What happened when the author was tossed into deep water?
जब लेखक को गहरे पानी में फेंक दिया गया तो क्या हुआ ?
Answer:
When the author was tossed into deep water, he landed in a sitting position. He swallowed water, and went at once to the bottom. He was frightened.

जब लेखक को गहरे पानी में फेंक दिया गया, वह बैठी हई स्थिति में गिरा । वह पानी पी गया और तुरन्त नीचे पहुँच गया । वह डरा हुआ था ।

Question 5.
What plan did the narrator make to save himself?
अपने आप को बचाने के लिए लेखक ने क्या योजना बनाई ?
Answer:
The narrator made a plan that when his feet hit the bottom, he would make a big jump, come to the surface and paddle to the edge of the pool.

लेखक ने योजना बनाई कि कि जब उसके पैर जमीन को छुएंगे तो वह एक जोरदार छलाँग लगाएगा, ऊपर तल पर पहुँचेगा और पैर चलाकर तरणताल के किनारे पहुँच जाएगा।

Question 6.
How does the author feel just before he becomes unconscious ?
अचेत होने से ठीक पहले लेखक कैसा महसूस करता है ?
Answer:
The author feels relaxed just before he becomes unconscious. His fear gets wiped out and he feels no panic. Now he has nothing to be afraid of.

अचेत होने से ठीक पहले लेखक आराम महसूस करता है । उसका डर समाप्त हो जाता है और वह कोई घबराहट महसूस नहीं करता है । अब वह किसी बात से भयभीत नहीं रहता है ।

Question 7.
What were the after effects of the unpleasant incident that the author had gone through?
लेखक के साथ हुई दु:खद घटना के अनुवर्ती-प्रभाव क्या थे ?
Answer:
After the incident, the author felt extremely weak. He shook and cried. He could not eat anything. Fear kept on haunting him for days.

उस घटना के बाद, लेखक ने बहुत कमजोरी महसूस की । वह काँप उठा और रोने लगा । वह कुछ भी नहीं खा सका । कई दिनों तक भय उसका पीछा करता रहा ।

Question 8.
What effect did the author’s fear of water have in his life?
लेखक के पानी से डर का उसके जीवन पर क्या प्रभाव पड़ा ?
Answer:
The author was fond of fishing, and all types of water sports. But his fear of water ruined his fishing trips; deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating and swimming.

sterch oral मछली पकड़ने व सब प्रकार के पानी के खेलों का शौक था । लेकिन पानी से उसका डर उसकी मछली पकड़ने की यात्राओं को खराब कर देता था; उसे डोंगी चलाने, नौकायन करने और तैरने के आनन्द से वंचित कर देता ‘ था ।

Question 9.
Why did Douglas decide to take help from an instructor ?
डगलस ने प्रशिक्षक की मदद लेने का निश्चय क्यों किया ?
Answer:
The fear of water had overpowered Douglas. But the enjoyment of boating, fishing and swimming continually enticed him, So he decided to take help from an instructor to learn how to swim.

पानी का भय डगलस पर हावी हो चुका था। परन्तु नाव खेने, मछली पकड़ने और तैरने का आनन्द उसे लगातार आकर्षित करते रहते थे, इसलिए उसने तैरना सीखने के लिए प्रशिक्षक की मदद लेने का निश्चय किया ।

Question 10.
How did the instructor make Douglas a swimmer ?
प्रशिक्षक ने डगलस को तैराक किस प्रकार बनाया ?
Answer:
The instructor taught him to put his face under water and exhale, and to raise his nose and inhale and kick with his legs. Thus piece by piece, he built him a swimmer.

प्रशिक्षक ने उसे पानी के अन्दर मुँह रखकर सांस छोड़ना और नाक ऊपर उठाकर सांस अन्दर खींचना सिखाया और उससे टाँगें चलवाईं। इस प्रकार उसने टुकड़ों में, उसको एक तैराक बना दिया।

Question 11.
How did the author test his confidence ?
लेखक ने अपने आत्मविश्वास की परीक्षा किस प्रकार ली?
Answer:
The author went to Warm Lake. He dived and swam across the lake. He also came back from the other shore. Thus he tested his confidence.

लेखक Warm Lake पर गया । उसने छलांग लगाई और झील को पार किया । वह दूसरे किनारे से वापिस भी आया। इस प्रकार उसने अपने आत्मविश्वास की परीक्षा ली।

Question 12.
Why did the author go to Lake Wentworth ?
लेखक Wentworth झील पर क्यों गया ?
Answer:
The author was not sure whether his fear of water had disappeared or not. So he went to Lake Wentworth to dive and swim.
लेखक आश्वस्त नहीं था कि पानी के प्रति उसका भय समाप्त हुआ है अथवा नहीं । इसलिए वह Lake Wentworth पर तैरने गया ।

Question 13.
Why did Douglas have fear of water ? How did he overcome it?
लेखक को पानी से भय क्यों लगता था ? उसने इस भय पर किस प्रकार विजय प्राप्त की ?
Answer:
Douglas once had a narrow escape from drowning. This incident created in him a fear of water. To overcome this fear, he learnt swimming from an instructor.

डगलस एक बार डूबने से बाल-बाल बचा था । इस घटना से उसके मन में पानी से डर पैदा हो गया । इस डर पर विजय प्राप्त करने के लिए उसने एक प्रशिक्षक से तैराकी सीखी।

Question 14.
Which new idea do you gather from the lesson ‘Deep Water’ ?
‘गहरा पानी’ पाठ से आपको कौन सा नया विचार मिलता है ?
Answer:
‘Deep Water’ is a vivid description of an incident in which the narrator narrowly escaped death. He found that death itself is not as fearful as the fear of death. This is the new idea that we get from this lesson.

‘गहरा पानी’ एक ऐसी घटना का विशद् वर्णन है जिसमें लेखक मृत्यु से बाल-बाल बच जाता है । उसने पाया कि मृत्यु स्वयं इतनी भयावह नहीं है जितना कि मृत्यु का डर है । यही वह नया विचार है जो हमें इस पाठ से मिलता है ।

Question 15.
Do you think it is very difficult to overcome fear developed in childhood ?
क्या आपको लगता है बचपन में पैदा हुए भय को जीतना बहुत मुश्किल है ?
Answer:
Yes, the horrifying memories of childhood haunt one throughout one’s life. The grip of childhood fear is very strong.

हाँ, बचपन की भयावह स्मृतियाँ किसी के भी ऊपर जीवन भर मँडराती रहती हैं । बचपन के भय की पकड़ बहुत मजबूत होती है।

Question 16.
What is the moral of this story ?
इस कहानी से क्या शिक्षा मिलती है ?
Answer:
The moral of this story is that one should never give up hope. Besides, it is totally possible to overcome one’s fear.

इस कहानी से यही शिक्षा मिलती है कि कभी भी आशा नहीं त्यागनी चाहिए । इसके अलावा, व्यक्ति के लिए अपने भय पर विजय पाना पूर्णतः सम्भव है ।

Long Answer Type Questions

Answer the following questions in about 80 words :

Question 1.
Describe the episode that turned the author averse to water.
उस घटना का वर्णन कीजिए जिसके बाद से लेखक को पानी से अरुचि हो गई ।
Answer:
The author, from the beginning had an aversion to water when he was in it. This started when he was three or four years old. Once his father took him to the beach in California. The waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was under the water.

His breath was gone. He was frightened. There was terror in his heart at the overpowering force of the waves. This incident turned him averse to water. Later, once he was thrown into deep water and had a narrow escape from drowning. This incident created in him great fear of water.

लेखक को शुरू से ही पानी में होने पर उससे अंरुचि होती थी । ऐसा तब शुरू हुआ जब वह तीन-चार वर्ष का था । उसके पिताजी उसे कैलिफोर्निया में समुद्र किनारे ले गये । लहरों ने उसे गिरा दिया और उसके ऊपर से बह निकलीं । वह पानी के नीचे था । उसकी सांस रुक गयी थी ।

उसके मन में लहरों की महान शक्ति से भय उत्पन्न हो गया था । वह डर गया था । इस घटना के बाद से उसे पानी से अरुचि हो गई । बाद में, एक बार उसे गहरे पानी में फेंक दिया गया और वह डूबने से बाल-बाल बचा । इस घटना से उसके मन में पानी से अत्यधिक भय उत्पन्न हो गया ।

Question 2.
What was the fear of the author and how did a misadventure strengthen it further ?
लेखक का डर क्या था और कैसे एक दुर्घटना ने इसे और मजबूत कर दिया ?
Answer:
Douglas had an aversion to water from the very beginning when his father took him to the California Beach. The waves knocked him down to take away his breath. In determination of overpowering that childish fear, he, at about eleven, decided to learn the art of swimming, starting from the Y.M.C.A pool.

There, a misadventure or more appropriately a prank of a boy swept him head over heels. An about 18 year old bruiser boy ducked him in the pool at its 9 feet deeper end, when he was alone there. He struggled hard but failed and finally found himself lying on stomach beside the pool, vomitting.

डगलस को शुरू से ही, तब से पानी से अरुचि थी जब उसके पिता उसे कैलिफोर्निया बीच पर ले गये थे । लहरों ने उसकी साँसें दूर करने को उसे गिरा दिया। बचपन के उस डर को जीतने के लिए उसने लगभग ग्यारह साल की उम्र में Y.M.C.A. के तरणताल में तैरने की कला सीखने का निर्णय लिया ।

वहाँ, एक दुर्घटना या सही तौर पर कहें तो एक लड़के द्वारा की गयी शैतानी ने उसे सिर से पैर तक हिला (डरा) दिया । एक लगभग 18 साल के तगड़े लड़के ने उसे तालाब के 9 फीट गहरे छोर में फेंक दिया जब वह बिल्कुल अकेला था । उसने कठिन संघर्ष किया परन्तु असफल हो गया और अन्त में उसने अपने आपको तालाब के समीप पेट के बल लेटे हुए उल्टी करते हुए पाया ।।

Question 3.
Give a brief account of Douglas plans and series of emotions, when he was thrown into the pool.
डगलस की योजनाओं एवं भावनाओं को संक्षिप्त में वर्णित कीजिए जब उसे तालाब में फेंका गया ।
Answer:
Douglas was drowning down in a 9 feet deep pool and these 9 feet seemed 90 to him. He was under the vicious grip of terror but still conscious to plan a strategy of bouncing back as and when he would strike against the bottom. He did the same, but failed.

He was all soaked and choked. Once again he was sinking down, this time in a subconscious state. His head still reasoned him to spring upwards like a cork but the second jump was no better. Then he started another journey down but this one was quite peaceful and relaxed. It was the unconciousness which subdued and he crossed the oblivion.

डगलस नौ फीट गहरे तालाब में डूब रहा था और ये 9 फीट उसे 90 फीट के समान लग रहे थे । वह भय के कुचक्र में फँस चुका था परन्तु फिर भी योजना बनाने के लिए जागरूक था कि वह जैसे ही तालाब की तली को छुए तो उछाल मारकर कैसे वापिस आये । उसने यही किया परन्तु असफल रहा ।

वह पूर्णतया भीगा हुआ था एवं उसका गला अवरुद्ध हो गया था । एक बार फिर वह डूबने लगा और इस बार वह अर्ध बेहोशी की अवस्था में था । दिमाग ने फिर भी एक कार्क की भाँति ऊपर की ओर छलांग लगाने की समझदारी दी। परन्तु दूसरी (छलांग) भी अधिक अच्छी नहीं थी। फिर वह पुनः एक बार नीचे जाने लगा परन्तु इस बार वह पूर्ण रूप से शान्त और चैन की स्थिति में था । वह पूर्ण रूप से बेहोश हो गया था और विस्मृति से परे जा चुका था ।

Question 4.
How did the author emerge as a perfect swimmer by hiring an instructor ?
लेखक किस प्रकार एक प्रशिक्षक को किराये पर रखकर एक पूर्ण तैराक के रूप में उभरा ?
Answer:
The author was determined to overcome his fear of water. Therefore, he hired an instructor to learn swimming and was able to shed off his terror step by step. In the first phase, a belt was tightened around him attached to a rope which passed through a pulley. The instructor held the other end of the rope and he swam back and forth.

Next he was taught to exhale under the water and inhale outside the water. After this, the instructor held him at the side of the pool and had him kick with legs for weeks. His legs were now under control. Thus, emerged a swimmer by integrating all these lessons in one.

लेखक ने अपने पानी के डर पर काबू पाने का पक्का इरादा कर लिया । इसलिए उसने तैराकी की कला सीखने के लिए एक प्रशिक्षक किराये पर रखा और अपने डर को कदम-दर-कदम भगाने में कामयाब हो गया । पहली बार में उसके चारों तरफ एक बेल्ट बाँधी गयी । बेल्ट से जुड़ी रस्सी पुली से गुजरती थी जो ऊपर एक केबल पर चलती थी।

रस्सी का दूसरा सिरा प्रशिक्षक पकड़े रहता था और लेखक आगे-पीछे तैरता था। फिर उसे पानी के अन्दर श्वाँस छोड़ना और बाहर श्वांस लेना सिखाया गया । इसके बाद प्रशिक्षक ने उसे तालाब के एक तरफ पकड़कर सप्ताहों तक उससे टाँगें चलवायीं। इन सब पाठों को मिलाकर सीखने से एक तैराक तैयार हुआ ।

Seen Comprehension Passages

Read the following passages and answer the questions given below:

Passage1.

It had happened when I was ten or eleven years old. I had decided to learn to swim. There was a pool at the Y.M.C.A. in Yakima that offered exactly the opportunity. The Yakima River was treacherous. Mother continually warned against it, and kept fresh in my mind the details of each drowning in the river.

But the Y.M.C.A. pool was safe. It was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end; and while it was nine feet deep at the other, the drop was gradual. I got a pair of water wings and went to the pool. I hated to walk naked into it and show my skinny legs. But I subdued my pride and did it.

Questions:

  1. When did the narrator decide to learn to swim?
  2. Where did the narrator go to learn to swim?
  3. What did the narrator’s mother continuously warn the narrator against?
  4. What was the depth of the Y.M.C.A. pool?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘dangerous’.
  6. Find the word in the passage which is opposite to “deep’.
    Answers:
  7. The narrator decided to learn to swim at the age of ten or eleven years.
  8. The narrator went to the Y.M.C.A. pool to learn to swim.
  9. The narrator’s mother continuously warned him against the treacherous nature of Yakima River.
  10. The Y.M.C.A. pool was two to three feet deep at the shallow end and it was only nine feet deep at the other end.
  11. treacherous.
  12. shallow.

Passage 2.

From the beginning, however, I had an aversion to the water when I was in it. This started when I was three or four years old and father took me to the beach in California. He and I stood together in the surf. I hung on to him, yet the waves knocked me down and swept over me. I was buried in water. My breath was gone. I was frightened. Father laughed, but there was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.

My introduction to the Y.M.CA. swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish fears. But in a little while I gathered confidence. I paddled with my new water wings, watching the other boys and trying to learn by aping them. I did this two or three times on different days and was just beginning to feel at ease in the water when the misadventure happened.

Questions:

  1. Where did the father take the narrator?
  2. Why was the narrator frightened?
  3. What revived unpleasant memories and childish fears in the narrator?
  4. When did the misadventure happen?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘dislike’.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘doubt.
    Answers:
  7. The father took the narrator to the beach in California.
  8. When the narrator with his father was in the surf, the waves knocked him down. Then he was buried in water and his breath was gone.
  9. The narrator’s introduction to the Y.M.C.A. pool revived unpleasant memories and childish fears in him.
  10. Just as the narrator was beginning to feel at ease in the water, the misadventure happened.
  11. aversion.
  12. confidence.

Passage 3.

I went to the pool when no one else was there. The place was quiet. The water was still, and the tiled bottom was as white and clean as a bathtub. I was timid about going in alone, so I sat on the side of the pool to wait for others. I had not been there long when in came a big bruiser of a boy, probably eighteen years old. He had thick hair on his chest. He was a beautiful physical specimen, with legs and arms that showed rippling muscles. He yelled, “Hi, Skinny! How’d you like to be ducked?”

With that he picked me up and tossed me into the deep end. I landed in a sitting position, Śwallowed water, and went at once to the bottom. I was frightened, but not yet frightened out of my wits. On the way down I planned: When my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool.

Questions:

  1. Why did the narrator sit on the side of the pool?
  2. What happened as he was sitting on the side of the pool?
  3. What was the appearance of the boy?
  4. What did the boy do to the narrator?
  5. Find one word from the passage which means “a large, strong and aggressive man’.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘up’.
    Answers:
  7. As the narrator was timid about going in the water alone, so he sat on the side of the pool to wait for others.
  8. As he was sitting on the side of the pool, a big husky boy of probably eighteen years or so came there.
  9. The boy had thick hair on his chest. He was a beautiful physical specimen, with legs and arms that showed rippling muscles.
  10. The boy picked the narrator up and tossed him into the deeper side of the pool.
  11. bruiser.
  12. down.

Passage 4.

It seemed a long way down. Those nine feet were more like ninety, and before I touched bottom my lungs were ready to burst. But when my feet hit bottom I summoned all my strength and made what I thought was a great spring upwards.

I imagined I would bob to the surface like a cork. Instead, I came up slowly. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water water that had a dirty yellow tinge to it. I grew panicky. I reached up as if to grab a rope and my hands clutched only at water. I was suffocating. I tried to yell but no sound came out. Then my eyes and nose came out of the water but not my mouth.

Questions:

  1. What happened to the narrator as he touched the bottom?
  2. What did the narrator do when his feet touched the bottom?
  3. What had the narrator imagined?
  4. What was the actual depth of the pool?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘gathered’.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘fastly’.
    Answers:
  7. As he touched the bottom, the narrator’s lungs seemed to burst.
  8. As his feet touched the bottom, the narrator gathered all his strength and tried to make a great spring upwards.
  9. The narrator had imagined that he would bob to the surface like a cork.
  10. The actual depth of the pool was nine feet.
  11. summoned.
  12. slowly.

Passage 5.

I flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked. I tried to bring my legs up, but they hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid. A great force was pulling me under. I screamed, but only the water heard me. I had started on the long journey back to the bottom of the pool.

I struck at the water as I went down, expending my strength as one in a nightmare fights an irresistible force. I had lost all my breath. My lungs ached, my head throbbed. I was getting dizzy. But I remembered the strategy I would spring from the bottom of the pool and come like a cork to the surface. I would lie flat on the water, strike out with my arms, and thrash with my legs. Then I would get to the edge of the pool and be safe.

Questions:

  1. What was the condition of the narrator’s legs, as he tried to bring them up?
  2. Who heard the scream of the narrator?
  3. How did the narrator struck at the water as he went down?
  4. What was the strategy that the narrator remembered?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘pained’.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘top’.
    Answers:
  7. As he tried to bring his legs up, they hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid.
  8. Only the water heard the scream of the narrator.
  9. The narrator struck at the water as he went down, expending his strength as one in a nightmare fights an irresistible force.
  10. The narrator remembered the strategy that he would spring from the bottom of the pool and come like a cork to the surface.
  11. ached.
  12. bottom.

Passage 6.

And then sheer, stark terror seized me, terror that knows no understanding, terror that knows no control, terror that no one can understand who has not experienced it. I was shrieking under water. I was paralysed under water stiff, rigid with fear. Even the screams in my throat were frozen. Only my heart, and the pounding in my head, said that I was still alive.

And then in the midst of the terror came a touch of reason. I must remember to jump when I hit the bottom. At last I felt the tiles under me. My toes reached out as if to grab them. I jumped with everything I had. But the jump made no difference. The water was still around me. I looked for ropes, ladders, water wings. Nothing but water.

A mass of yellow water held me. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on me, like a great charge of electricity. I shook and trembled with fright. My arms wouldn’t move. My legs wouldn’t move. I tried to call for help, to call for mother. Nothing happened.

Questions:

  1. Who knows no understanding and no control?
  2. What made the narrator believe that he was still alive?
  3. What did the narrator look for?
  4. Whom did the narrator try to call for help?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘unpleasant.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to dead’.
    Answers:
  7. Terror knows no understanding and no control.
  8. Only his heart and the pounding in his head made the narrator believe that he was still alive.
  9. The narrator looked for ropes, ladders and water wings.
  10. The narrator tried to call his mother for help.
  11. stark.
  12. alive.

Passage 7.

And then, strangely, there was light. I was coming out of the awful yellow water. At least my eyes were. My nose was almost out too.Then I started down a third time. I sucked for air and got water. The yellowish light was going out. Then all effort ceased. I relaxed. Even my legs felt limp; and a blackness swept over my brain. It wiped out fear; it wiped out terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful. Nothing to be afraid of. This is nice… to be drowsy… to go to sleep… no need to jump… too tired to jump… it’s nice to be carried gently… to float along in space… tender arms around me… tender arms like Mother’s… now I must go to sleep… I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.

Questions:

  1. What was the narrator coming out from?
  2. What did the narrator suck for?
  3. What did the narrator feel in his legs and his brain?
  4. What were the feelings of the narrator as he started drowning?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means “fearful.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘hard’.
    Answers:
  7. The narrator was coming out of the awful yellow water.
  8. The narrator sucked for air but he got water.
  9. The narrator’s legs felt limp and a blackness swept over his brain.
  10. As he started drowning, the narrator felt quiet, peaceful and drowsy, as if he was floating in space.
  11. awful.
  12. tender.

Passage 8.

Several hours later, I walked home. I was weak and trembling. I shook and cried when I lay on my bed. I couldn’t eat that night. For days a haunting fear was in my heart. The slightest exertion upset me, making me wobbly in the knees and sick to my stomach. I never went back to the pool. I feared water. I avoided it whenever I could.

A few years later when I came to know the waters of the Cascades, I wanted to get into them. And whenever I did — whether I was wading the Tieton or Bumping River or bathing in Warm Lake of the Goat Rocks — the terror that had seized me in the pool would come back. It would take possession of me completely. My legs would become paralysed. Icy horror would grab my heart.

Questions:
1.What was the condition of the narrator as he reached home?

  1. How did the slightest exertion affect the narrator?
  2. Where did the narrator never go back to?
  3. What did the narrator come to know about a few years later?
  4. Find the word from the passage which means “hovering’.
  5. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘sooner’.
    Answers:
  6. As he reached home, the narrator shook and cried on his bed.
  7. Even the slightest exertion upset the narrator, making him wobbly in the knees and sick to his stomach.
  8. The narrator never went back to the Y.M.C.A. pool.
  9. A few years later, the narrator came to know about the waters of the Cascades.
  10. haunting
  11. later.

Passage 9.

Finally, one October, I decided to get an instructor and learn to swim. I went to a pool and practiced five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor put a belt around me. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. He held on to the end of the rope, and we went back and forth, back and forth across the pool, hour after hour, day after day, week after week. On each trip across the pool a bit of the panic seized me.

Each time the instructor relaxed his hold on the rope and I went under, some of the old terror returned and my legs froze. It was three months before the tension began to slack. Then he taught me to put my face under water and exhale, and to raise my nose and inhale. I repeated the exercise hundreds of times. Bit by bit I shed part of the panic that seized me when my head went under water.

Questions:

  1. What did the narrator decide one October?
  2. How much time did the narrator devote to his practice every week?
  3. After how much time did the narrator’s tension begin to slack?
  4. Which exercise did the narrator repeat hundreds of times?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means “caught.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to `inhale’.
    Answers:
  7. One October, the narrator decided to get an instructor and learn to swim.
  8. The narrator devoted five days a week, an hour each day to his practice.
  9. The narrator’s tension began to slack after almost three months.
  10. The narrator’s instructor taught him to put his face under water and exhale, and to raise his nose and inhale, which he repeated hundreds of times.
  11. seized.
  12. exhale.

Passage 10.

Next he held me at the side of the pool and had me kick with my legs. For weeks I did just that. At first my legs refused to work. But they gradually relaxed; and finally I could command them. Thus, piece by piece, he built a swimmer. And when he had perfected each piece, he put them together into an integrated whole. In April he said, “Now you can swim.

Dive off and swim the length of the pool, crawl stroke.” I did. The instructor was finished But I was not finished. I still wondered if I would be terror-stricken when I was alone in the pool. I tried it. I swam the length up and down. Tiny vestiges of the old terror would return. But now I could frown and say to that terror, “Trying to scare me, eh? Well, here’s to you! Look!” And off I’d go for another length of the pool.

Questions:

  1. What did the narrator practice for weeks?
  2. What did the instructor say in April?
  3. What did the narrator still wonder at?
  4. What did the narrator do when his terror tried to scare him?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means that which remains’.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘agreed’.
    Answers:
  7. The instructor held the narrator at the side of the pool and had him kick his legs, which he practiced for weeks.
  8. In April, the instructor said to the narrator that now he could swim and asked him to dive off in the pool and practice crawl stroke.
  9. The narrator still wondered if he would be terror-stricken when he was alone in the pool.
  10. When his terror tried to scare him, the narrator would go for another dive in the pool.
  11. vestiges.
  12. refused.

Passage 11.

This went on until July. But I was still not satisfied. I was not sure that all the terror had left. So I went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire, dived off a dock at Triggs Island, and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. I swam the crawl, breast stroke, de stroke, and back stroke. Only once did the terror return. When I was in the middle of the lake, I put my face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. The old sensation returned in miniature. I laughed and said, “Well, Mr Terror, what do you think you can do to me?” It fled and I swam on.

Questions:

  1. Why was the narrator still not satisfied?
  2. Where did the narrator go to make sure that he was free from terror?
  3. Which strokes did the narrator practice?
  4. What happened when the narrator was in the middle of the lake?
  5. Find the word from the passage which is the synonym of ‘little amount.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is the antonym of ‘above’.
    Answers:
  7. The narrator was still not satisfied because he was not sure that the terror had left him.
  8. The narrator went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire, dived off a dock at Triggs Island, and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island in order to ensure that the terror had left him.
  9. The narrator practiced the crawl, breast stroke, side stroke, and back stroke.
  10. When the narrator was in the middle of the lake, his terror towards water returned in a small amount.
  11. miniature.
  12. under.

Passage 12.

At my first opportunity I hurried west, went up the Tieton to Conrad Meadows, up the Conrad Creek Trail to Meade Glacier, and camped in the high meadow by the side of Warm Lake. The next morning I stripped, dived into the lake, and swam across to the other shore and back just as Doug Corpron used to do. I shouted with joy, and Gilbert Peak returned the echo. I had conquered my fear of water.

The experience had a deep meaning for me, as only those who have known stark terror and conquered it can appreciate. In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death, as Roosevelt knew when he said, “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Because I had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce, the will to live somehow grew in intensity.

Questions:

  1. Where did the narrator camp during the night?
  2. What did the narrator do the next morning?
  3. What happened when the narrator shouted with joy?
  4. Why did the will to live somehow grow in intensity in the narrator?
  5. Find the word from the passage which means “admire’.
  6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘living’.
    Answers:
  7. The narrator camped in the high meadow by the side of Warm Lake.
  8. The next morning, the narrator dived into the lake and swam across to the other shore and back.
  9. When the narrator shouted with joy, the Gilbert Peak returned his echo.
  10. Since the narrator had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce, the will to live somehow grew in him in intensity.
  11. appreciate.
  12. dying.
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