DEEP WATER, GRADE 12 ENGLISH CORE, CBSE, SHORT ANSWERS AND LONG ANSWER

 

 

 DEEP WATER, CBSE GRADE 12, ENGLISH CORE

BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS

ANSWERED BY CHANDRAN M. K

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NCERT SOLUTIONS

1. What was the "misadventure" that William Douglas spoke about?

Ans: William Douglas spoke about his own experience that he had faced at the YMCA swimming pool. It was totally unexpected and a misadventure. When the incident was happened Douglas was only ten or eleven years old. He wanted to learn swimming. His mother recommended YMCA swimming pool. He enrolled his name there and started learning how to swim. But one day he reached the swimming pool a bit early. There were none. So he waited for his friends. Then there came a bruiser who jovially lifted him up and threw him into the deeper end of the pool. He did not know that Douglas was Greek in swimming. Douglas drowned , sank water and became unconscious. This was the misadventure. 

 

2. What was Douglas' experience when he was thrown into the pool? What plans did he make to overcome it?

Ans: Douglas knew that he was being tossed into the pool. It was his plan that when his feet touched the bottom of the pool, he would summon all his might and jump upward. But he was unable to carry out this strategy. He was terrified and felt as if he was being suffocated. His heart hammered loudly, and his limbs became paralyzed. He felt dizzy and his lungs ached. And finally he lost his

 

3. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?

Ans: He appointed a swimming tutor who seriously focused on Douglas' anxiety. He tied a rope in Douglas' belt that ran over through a pulley and the instructor held the other end of the rope and asked him to swim. He taught him on how to inhale and exhale in the water. He also taught different types of strokes. The tutor systematically motivated him to shed out fear. Douglas understood that he overcame his phobia of water, but still there was tiny vestiges. He laughed at his own fear and asked it to leave him. At last he overcame his fear of water.

 

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4. How did the instructor "build a swimmer" out of Douglas?

Ans: Douglas feared water. He couldn't forget the misfortune what had happened at YMCA pool. The swimming instructor was a good tutor. He encouraged Douglas both physically and mentally. He used rope, belt pulley etc to encourage him. He taught Douglas how to use different strokes. He instructed him how to use hands, legs and body while swimming. He also taught him how to inhale and exhale while one is in the water. In such a way he built Douglas an extra ordinary swimmer.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

1.  When Douglas realized that he was sinking, How did he plan to save himself?
Ans: Douglas realized that he was sinking when he felt difficult to inhale and exhale. He also knew that his legs were not touching on the floor. He planned that as soon as he would hit the bottom of the pool, he would push himself up.

2. What sort of terror seized Douglas? How could he feel that he was still alive?
Ans: Douglas feared a lot. He was paralyzed with fear. He felt stiff and rigid, and his cry was frozen in his throat. The beating of his heart and the pounding of his head made him thought that he was still alive.

3. Why did Douglas select YMCA pool?
Ans: Douglas' mother suggested that Y.M.C.A. pool was an ideal place to learn swimming. It was safe as it was only two-three feet deep at the shallow end. Though, it was nine feet deep at the other end, the drop was gradual. But Yakima river was treacherous and its under current was very dangerous.

4. What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water?
Ans: Douglas hired an instructor who taught him on how swim and how to overcome fear of water. He taught Douglas various techniques to handle water and learn swimming. To ensure that he overcame his fear, he was asked to swim two miles across the lake went worth. Still a residual fear was there which had to be cleared.  Then he dived into the warm lake from on top of the Gilbert peak. Finally conquered his fear of water.

5. What was Douglas' early childhood fear of the water?
Ans: Douglas  and his father used to visit California beach when he was three or four years old. While standing on the surf of the sea, Douglas was being knocked down by the wavelets and was buried under the water. It developed a sort of unknown panic in his mind.

6. ‘All we have to fear is fear itself’. When did Douglas learn this lesson?
Ans: The President Roosevelt said, "We have to fear, our own fear not any other men or animals". Douglas feared water twice in his life. He cultivated terrible fear of water. He could not go for swimming, canoeing, boating, rafting, fishing etc because of fear. He understood that the fear would ruin the pleasure of his life.

LONG ANSWER QUESTION

1.  ‘Practice makes a man perfect'
     Comment it on the light of the lesson "Deep Water".
Ans: Practice is related to hard work, strong will power, faith, tolerance, positive approach, self-confidence and dedication. It is said that practice makes a man perfect. I think that it is absolutely true.

We have to practice if we are lagging behind in certain tough task. We should not stop practicing until we achieve it. William Douglas determined to conquer his fear. He was ready to do anything to conquer his fear and did relentless efforts. At last he became fearless and courageous.

Wherever Douglas went the unknown fear chased him. His mind developed such a fear. It destroyed his pleasure of life. That was why he decided to conquer his fear at any cost. He appointed an instructor and learnt. His practice enabled him to conquer his fear and  reach heights of success.