CBSE Class 12 English Deep Water Worksheet Set C

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :

Question. Why did Douglas fail to come to the surface of the pool as he hoped to ? 
Answer : Douglas jumped with all his might. But the jump made no difference. He shook and trembled with fear. His arms and legs wouldn’t move. Thus he failed to come to the surface as he had hoped.

Question. Why did Douglas’ mother recommend that he should learn swimming at the YMCA swimming pool ? 
Answer : When Douglas was ten or eleven years old, he decided to learn to swim. But the nearby Yakima River was very treacherous and many drowning incidents had been reported. Therefore, Douglas’ mother recommended that he should first learn swimming at the YMCA swimming pool that was quite safe.

Question. How did Douglas’ introduction to Y.M.C.A. pool revive his childhood fear of water? 
Answer : When Douglas joined the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool, the unpleasant memories of childhood came back to him. They revived his fears. But in a little while, he gathered his confidence.

Question. How did Douglas finally get rid of the fear he had of water ? 
Or
Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire ? How did he make himself terror free ? 
Answer : Douglas visited some of the famous water spots. He swam across them successfully. At last he went to Lake Wentworth. He swam two miles across the lake. Then he went and camped by the side of the Warm Lake. The next morning, he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. Now he knew that he had overcome his old terror of water.

Question. ‘All we have to fear is fear itself.’ When did Douglas learn this lesson ? 
Answer : Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. There he swam two miles across the lake. Then he went to Warm Lake. He swam across to the other side of the lake and back. He shouted with joy. All his fear of water was gone. It was this experience which taught Douglas the lesson that ‘all we have to fear is fear itself.’

Question. What did the writer notice when he was sitting alone on the side of the Y.M.C.A. pool ?
Answer : There was none else at the pool. The writer was afraid to go in alone. So he just sat on the side of the pool and waited. It was all quiet. The water was still. The tiled bottom was as clean and white as a bathtub.

Question. What is the ‘misadventure’ that William Douglas speaks about ?
Or
What shocking experience did Douglas have at YMCA pool ?
Answer : One day, the writer was sitting alone on the side of a swimming pool. Suddenly a big boy came in. He picked the writer up and tossed him into the pool. The writer did not know swimming. However, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Question. When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself ? 
Answer : When Douglas realised that he was sinking, he became frightened at first. But on the way down, soon he made a plan to save himself. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump. Then he would come to the surface like a cork.

Question. What did the eighteen-year-old boy do to the writer and why ?
Answer : The boy saw the writer sitting alone on the side of the pool. He cried, ‘‘Hi, Skinny ! How would you like to be ducked ?’’ With this, he picked the writer up and tossed him into the pool. However, he later said that he was only fooling.

Question. Describe the writer’s childhood experience when he was three or four years old.
Answer : The writer’s father took him to the beach in California. They were standing together in the surf. The writer was clinging to his father. But a strong wave came and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone. His father laughed but he was frightened. It left in his heart a fear of the water.

Question. What did the writer remember when he came to himself after the misadventure at the pool ?
Answer : He remembered that he was lying on his stomach beside the pool. He was vomiting. The chap who had thrown him in was saying, “But I was only fooling.” Someone said, “The kid
nearly died.”

Question. When did the writer join the Y.M.C.A. pool and why ?
Answer : The writer was then ten or eleven years old. He had a childhood fear of water. He wanted to get over this fear. The Y.M.C.A. had a swimming pool. It offered an opportunity to learn to swim. That was why the writer decided to join it.

Question. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire ? 
Answer : Douglas had not yet completely got over his fear of deep water. In order to get over this fear, he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. There he swam two miles across the lake. Now all fear fled and he swam on.

Question. What special method did the instructor use to teach the writer to swim ?
Answer : The instructor put a belt round the writer. A rope was attached to the belt. It went through a pulley. The pulley ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to the end of the rope. Thus the writer went back and forth across the pool.

Question. How did Douglas get rid of his residual doubts about his fear of water ? 
Answer : Douglas first went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. There he swam two miles across the lake. Then he went and camped by the side of Warm Lake. The next morning, he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. Now he knew he had overcome his residual fears of water.

Question. How did the writer feel when he stopped all efforts to save himself in the pool ?
Answer : Now the writer relaxed. A blackness swept over his brain. It wiped out all fear. There was no more panic. He began to feel sleepy. He felt he was being carried along in tender arms. Then everything blanked out.

Question. What did the writer do to learn swimming at the Y.M.C.A. pool ?
Answer : The writer got a new pair of water wings. He tried to gather confidence by looking at the other boys. He would try to paddle with his new water wings. He did this two or three times on different days. He began to feel at ease in the water.

Question. How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer ? 
Answer : The instructor put a belt round the writer. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley. The pulley ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to the end of the rope. Thus the writer went back and forth across the pool. Then the instructor taught him to exhale underwater and inhale above water. He taught Douglas to kick with his legs. Thus piece by piece, the instructor built out of the writer a swimmer.

Question. How did Douglas make sure that he had conquered the old terror ? 
Answer : The writer visited some of the famous water spots. He swam across them successfully. At last he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. He swam two miles across the lake. Then he went and camped by the side of the Warm Lake. The next morning, he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had conquered his fear of water.

Question. How did the near-drowning experience at the pool affect Douglas ?
Or
How did Douglas’ experience at the Y.M.C.A. pool affect him ? 
Answer : It shook the writer badly. After some hours, he was able to walk back home. He was feeling very weak. He was trembling. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He could eat nothing that night. A terrible fear filled his heart. He never went back to that pool again.

Question. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water ?
Answer : Douglas visited many famous water spots in his country. But whenever he wanted to put his foot into water, the old fears would come to his mind. It spoiled all his joys of fishing, boating and swimming. That was why he was determined to get over this fear.

Question. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow ? How could he feel that he was still alive ? 
Answer : It was a kind of terror that none but the person who has experienced it, could understand. Douglas was crying underwater. He was stiff with fear. Even the cries in his throat were frozen. Only his heart said that he was still alive.

Question. Why was Douglas keen to get over his fear of water ? 
Answer : Douglas visited many famous water spots in his country. But whenever he wanted to put his foot into water, the old fears would come to his mind. It spoiled all his joys of fishing, boating and swimming. That was why he was determined to get over this fear.

Question. How did the instructor help Douglas to overcome his fear of water ?
Answer : First, the instructor trained Douglas with the help of an overhead pulley. Douglas practised for many weeks. Then he was taught to exhale under water and inhale above water. Thus, bit by bit, Douglas overcame his fear of water.

Question. What deep meaning did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool have for Douglas ?
Answer : Douglas’ experience had taught him that there is terror only in the fear of death. In death, there is peace. Therefore, all one needs to fear is fear itself.

Question. What did the writer finally do to get over his fear of the water ?
Answer : The writer used every way to overcome this fear. Finally, one October, he decided to get an instructor and learn to swim. He went to a pool and practised five days a week, an hour
each day.

Question. The writer says, “The instructor was finished. But I was not finished.” Why ?
Answer : The instructor thought he had made a swimmer out of the writer. But the writer was still not satisfied. He feared that when he was alone in the pool, his old fears would come back to him. So he wanted to try still more in the pool.

Question. What did Douglas learn from his experience of drowning ?
Answer : We can’t say Douglas learnt something from his experience of drowning. Rather it filled him with fear. He could eat nothing that night. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He never went back to that pool again.

Question. What deep conclusion did Douglas draw from his various experiences of swimming ?
Answer : During his experiences, Douglas had known both the fear of death and the sensation of death. He had come to the conclusion that there is terror only in the fear of death. In death, there is peace. Therefore, all one needs to fear is fear itself.

Question. What factors led Douglas to decide in favour of the Y.M.C.A. pool ? 
Answer : The Y.M.C.A. had a swimming pool. It offered opportunities to learn swimming. It was a safe place. At one end, it was only two or three feet deep. The slope to the other end was gradual. It was because of these factors that Douglas decided in favour of the Y.M.C.A. pool.

Question. Why was the writer at first not much frightened when he was thrown into the pool ?
Or
What did Douglas experience as he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first time ?
Answer : The writer went at once to the bottom of the pool. He was frightened, but not much. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump. Then he would come to the surface like a cork.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :

Question. How did the instructor build a swimmer out of Douglas ?
Answer : The instructor was a very experienced and patient person. He used a novel method to train the writer in swimming. He put a belt round the writer. A rope was attached to the belt. It went through a pulley. The pulley ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to the end of the rope. Thus the writer went back and forth across the pool. He practised for many weeks. The tension began to grow less. Then the instructor taught him to exhale under water and inhale above water. The writer repeated this exercise hundreds of times. Bit by bit, he lost some of his old fear. Next, the instructor taught him to kick with his legs. Thus, piece by piece, the instructor built out of the writer a swimmer. Then he integrated all the pieces nicely. And at last he said, “Now you can swim. Dive off and swim the length of the pool.” The writer was able to do it.

Question. ‘‘There was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.’’ When did Douglas start fearing water ? Which experience had further strengthened its hold on his mind and personality ? 
Answer : The writer started fearing water when he was just a little child of three or four years. His father took him to a beach in California. The two were standing in the surf. The writer was clinging to his father. But a strong wave came and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone. His father laughed but the writer was filled with fear. This incident left in him a great fear of water. This fear was further strengthened by the incident of the Y.M.C.A. pool. He was nearly drowned and could have died, but luckily he was saved. This incident shook him badly. He could eat nothing that night. He shook and cried as he lay in his bed. A terrible fear filled his heart. His fear of water was so much strengthened that he never went back to the pool again.

Question. Narrate briefly the writer’s emotions and fears when he was thrown into the pool. What plans did he make to come to the surface ?
Answer : At first, the writer was frightened, but not much. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But the jump made no difference. He came up very slowly. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came. He tried to bring his legs up. But a great force was pulling him under. He had started his journey back to the bottom. Complete terror seized him. He was crying under water. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under him. He jumped with all his might. But again it made no difference. He started down a third time. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Question. What did the writer do when he decided to learn to swim in the Yakima ? Did he succeed in it ?
Answer : The Yakima river flowing through the writer’s state was very dangerous. The writer’s mother often warned him of it. She kept reminding him of the various drowning accidents in it. But there was an association named Y.M.C.A. It had a swimming pool. It also offered opportunities to learn to swim. It was a safe place. The pool was only two or three feet deep at one end. At the other, it was nine feet deep. The drop was gradual. The writer got a pair of water wings and went to the pool to swim. He looked at the other boys. He aped them and started paddling with his new water wings. He did this two or three times on different days. But then one day there was a misadventure. The writer was hardly saved from drowning to death. He never went to the pool again.

Question. The childhood experience of terror of Douglas made him stronger and more determined. Elucidate the above statement, supporting it with evidences from the text.
Answer : The writer started fearing water when he was just a little child of three or four years. His fathertook him to a beach in California. The two were standing in the surf. The writer was clinging to his father. But a strong wave came and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone. His father laughed, but the writer was filled with fear. This incident left in him a great fear of water. This fear was further strengthened by the incident of the Y.M.C.A. pool. He was nearly drowned and could have died but luckily, he was saved. Even afterwards, fear of water spoiled all his joys of fishing, boating and swimming. So, he determined firmly to learn swimming and to get over this fear. Now determined, he got an instructor who made a swimmer out of him. To prove to himself that he had defeated the terror, he visited some famous water spots. There he swam across them without any difficulty. He shouted with joy when his determination made him overcome his old terror.

Question. How did Douglas develop an aversion to water ? 
Answer : The incident at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool shook Douglas terribly. He was feeling very weak. He was trembling. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He could eat nothing that night. A deadly panic filled his heart. He never went back to that pool again. After this, he visited some famous water spots of his country. But whenever he wanted to put his foot into water, his old fear would come back to him. It spoiled all his joy of boating and fishing. So Douglas developed an aversion to water.

Question. A big boy threw Douglas into the swimming pool. How did this experience affect Douglas ?
Answer : Douglas was badly shaken by this experience. He was feeling weak and was trembling. He kept shaking and crying while lying on his bed. He could not eat that night. For days, a great fear kept haunting his mind. He was upset by even the slightest exertion. It made him wobbly in his knees. He would feel sick in his stomach. He never went back to the pool after that. He feared water. He tried to avoid it everywhere. The same terror would seize him whenever he tried to step into the waters of some lake. His legs would become paralysed. Icy horror would grab his heart. This horror stayed with him as the years rolled by. It ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joy of boating and swimming.

Question. What was the ‘misadventure’ at the Y.M.C.A. pool that the writer William Douglas speaks about ?
Answer : The misadventure referred to happened at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. The writer had joined the pool to learn to swim. One day, he was sitting alone on the side of the pool. There was no one there. He was afraid of going into the water alone. So he was waiting for others to come. Suddenly a big boy came in. He picked the writer up and tossed him into the pool. The writer was frightened, but not much. He at once went to the bottom of the pool. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But he came up very slowly. He could see nothing but water. He grew panicky. Twice he tried to jump, but the jump made no difference. At last he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Question. How did Douglas try to save himself from drowning in the Y.M.C.A. pool ? 
Answer : One day, Douglas was sitting alone on the side of the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. He was waiting for others to come. He was afraid of going into the water alone. Suddenly, a big boy came in. He picked the writer up and tossed him into the pool. He at once went to the bottom of the pool. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But he came up very slowly. He could see nothing but water. He grew panicky. Twice he tried to jump, but the jump made no difference. At last he stopped all efforts Luckily, he was taken out and was saved.

Question. What was Douglas’s fear ? How did Douglas overcome his fear of water ?
Or
Fear is something that we must learn to overcome if we want to succeed in life. How did Douglas get over his fear of water ? 
Answer : After getting his training from the instructor, Douglas still had some old fears. He feared that his terror would come back to him when he was alone in the water. So he tried himself once again. He dived into the pool and swam the length up and down. Little memories of the old terror came to him. But he drove all fear out of his mind. This went on for four months. But he was still not satisfied. He was not sure that all his fear had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. He swam two miles across the lake. The old fear returned a little. But soon all fear fled and he swam on. On another occasion, he went and camped by the side of the Warm Lake. The next morning he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had conquered his fear of water.

EXTRA QUESTIONS :

Question. How did this experience affect him ?
Answer : The experience shook the writer badly. After some hours, he was able to walk back home. He was feeling very weak. He was trembling. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He could eat nothing that night. For days, a terrible fear filled his heart. He never went back to that pool again.

Question. 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.
Answer : Douglas vividly describes each and every moment of his experience when he was thrown into the pool. He went at once to the bottom of the pool. He says that he was frightened, but not much. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But the jump made no difference. He came up very slowly. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came. He tried to bring his legs up. But a great force was pulling him under. He had started his journey back to the bottom. Complete terror seized him. He was crying under water. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under him. He jumped with all his might. But again it made no difference. He started down a third time. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Question. How did the instructor ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas ? 
Answer : The instructor was a very experienced and patient person. He used a novel method to train the writer in swimming. He put a belt round the writer. A rope was attached to the belt. It went through a pulley. The pulley ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to the end of the rope. Thus the writer went back and forth across the pool. He practised for many weeks. The tension began to grow less. Then the instructor taught him to exhale under water and inhale above water. The writer repeated this exercise hundreds of times. Bit by bit, he lost some of his old fear. Next, the instructor taught him to kick with his legs. Thus, piece by piece, the instructor built out of the writer a swimmer. And at last he said, ‘‘Now you can swim. Dive off and swim the length of the pool.’’ The writer was able to do it.

Question. What is the ‘misadventure’ that William Douglas speaks about ?
Answer : The misadventure referred to happened at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. One day, the writer was sitting alone on the side of the pool. There was no one there. He was afraid of going into the water alone. So he was waiting for others to come. Suddenly a big boy came in. He picked the writer up and tossed him into the pool. The writer at once went to the bottom of the pool. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But he came up very slowly. He could see nothing but water. He grew panicky. Twice he tried to jump, but the jump made no difference. At last he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Question. 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 ?
Answer : Douglas’ experience of his attempts at swimming had unfolded to him a great fact of life. He wanted to share it with all human beings. That is why he recounted his experience in such a vivid detail. His experience had taught him that there is terror only in the fear of death. In death, there is peace. Therefore, all one needs to fear is fear itself.

Question. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water ?
Answer :Douglas’ fear of water spoiled all his joys of fishing, boating and swimming. So he was determined to get over this fear.

Question. 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 ?
Answer : At first, he was frightened, but not much. On the way down, he made a plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But the jump made no difference. He came up very slowly. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came. He tried to bring his legs up. But a great force was pulling him under. He had started his journey back to the bottom. Complete terror seized him. He was crying under water. He was stiff with fear. He felt the tiles under him. He jumped with all his might. But again it made no difference. He started down a third time. Now he stopped all efforts. He relaxed. There was no more panic. He was feeling nice. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily, before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.

Question. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water ?
Answer : After getting his training from the instructor, Douglas still had his old fears. He thought that his old fears would come back to him when he would be alone in water. So he tried it. He would dive into the pool and swim the length up and down. Little memories of the old terror would return. But he would drive all fear out of his mind. This went on for four months. But he was still not satisfied. He was not sure that all his fear had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. He swam two miles across the lake. The old fear returned a little, but soon all fear fled and he swam on. Once he went and camped by the side of the Warm Lake. The next morning he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had conquered his fear of water.

Question. How did Douglas make sure that he had conquered the old terror ?
Answer :The writer visited some of the famous water spots. At last he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire. He swam two miles across the lake. Then he went and camped by the side of the Warm Lake. The next morning, he dived into the lake. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had conquered his fear of water.

PASSAGES FOR COMPREHENSION :

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.

Question. What does YMCA stand for ?
Answer : It stands for Young Men’s Christian Association.

Question. Did the writer enter the YMCA pool ?
Answer : Yes, he entered the pool.

Question. Name the lesson and its author.
Answer : The name of the lesson is ‘Deep Water’. The name of the author is William Douglas.

Question. Find from the passage words which mean the same as :
(a) chance
(b) thin.
Answer : (a) opportunity = chance
(b) skinny = thin.

Question. Name the river mentioned in the passage.
Answer : It is the Yakima river that flows through the state of Yakima.

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.

Question. Why did the writer hang on to his father ?
Answer : Because he feared the waves would knock him down.

Question. What aversion did the writer have from the beginning ?
Answer : It was an aversion to water.

Question. What filled the writer with terror ?
Answer : The overpowering force of the waves.

Question. Where did the father take the writer ?
Answer : He took the writer to the beach in California.

Question. What made the father laugh ?
Answer : He laughed to see how the waves had knocked Douglas down.

My introduction to the Y.M.C.A. 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.

Question. What did the author do two or three times ?
Answer : He paddled with his new water wings two or three times on different days.

Question. Name the author of the chapter.
Answer : The author of the chapter is William Douglas.

Question. When did the misadventure happen ?
Answer : The misadventure happened when the author was just beginning to feel at ease in the water.

Question. What stirred childish fears in the author ?
Answer : The author’s introduction to the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool stirred childish fears in him.

Question. Name the chapter from which the above lines have been taken.
Answer : The name of the chapter is ‘Deep Water’.

With that he picked me up and tossed me into the deep end. I landed in a sitting position, swallowed 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.
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.

Question. What did the big boy do to the author ?
Answer : He picked the author up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool.

Question. What did the author see when he opened his eyes ?
Answer : He saw nothing but water that had a dirty yellow tinge to it.

Question. Name the chapter and its author.
Answer : The name of the chapter is ‘Deep Water’. The name of the author is William Douglas.

Question. Find from the passage words which mean the same as :
(a) afraid
(b) called.
Answer : (a) frightened = afraid
(b) summoned = called.

Question. What is the author talking of when he says ‘long way down’ ?
Answer : By ‘long way down’, he means the long way down to the bottom of the pool, or the total depth of the pool.

Then all efforts 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 ............ .

Question. What were the efforts being made for that ceased ?
Answer : he efforts to escape drowning.

Question. Name the writer of this passage.
Answer : William Douglas.

Question. ‘It wiped out fear.’ What does this mean ?
Answer : It eliminated the writer’s fear of water completely.

Question. Name the lesson from which this passage has been taken.
Answer : This passage has been taken from the lesson, ‘Deep Water’.

Question. How did ‘I’ feel at last ?
Answer : Quiet and peaceful.

The next I remember I was lying on my stomach beside the pool, vomiting. The chap that threw me in was saying, ‘‘But I was only fooling.’’ Someone said, ‘‘The kid nearly died. But all right now. Let’s carry him to the locker room.’’
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.

Question. Where was the writer carried ?
Answer : He was carried to the locker room of the swimming pool.

Question. What had happened to the writer ?
Answer : He was nearly drowned and had become unconscious.

Question. What made the writer wobbly in his knees ?
Answer : Even a slight exertion.

Question. Why do you think the writer was lying on his stomach ?
Answer : He was being given first aid to pump out water from his stomach.

Question. What could the writer not do that night ?
Answer : He could not eat.

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.

Question. What experience is the writer referring to here ?
Answer : The drowning incident at the Y.M.C.A. pool.

Question. What had Roosevelt said ?
Answer : He had said, “All we have to fear is fear itself.”

Question. Name the writer of the passage.
Answer : William Douglas.

Question. What had the writer experienced ?
Answer : He had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce.

Question. What had the writer learnt from the experience he talks of ?
Answer : That in death there is peace and there is terror only in the fear of death.

Very Short Answer :

Question. Where did the author find himself lying? 
Answer : When the author had nearly drowned and someone pulled him out, he found himself lying on stomach beside the pool, vomiting.

Question. I crossed to oblivion and the curtain of life fell’. Why did the author make this remark?
Answer : The author had made three futile attempts to spring up to the surface but as his strength failed and energy got exhausted, he gave up and stopped all his efforts. He relaxed and passed into a state of unconsciousness and then there was no fear after that. 

Question. How does the fear of water ruin his fishing trips and other joys? 
Answer : He could not go for salmon fishing, bass fishing and trout fishing. He could not enjoy canoeing, boating and swimming. 

Question. What joys did his fear of water deprive him off? 
Answer : The author’s fear of water deprived him of the joy of having fun with his friends during their fishing trips and also the thrill of canoeing, boating or swimming. The moment he would go near water, his fear of water would start haunting him.

Question. How did the author become a perfect swimmer? 
Answer : The author hired an instructor. He used a rope and a pulley. He taught him to exhale with face under water. Gradually, he learnt swimming.

Short Answer :

Question. How did the instructor ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas? 
Answer : Douglas took an instructor to teach him swimming. The instructor put a belt round Douglas. A rope was attached to the belt and went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on the end of the rope. This way he ensured that Douglas would not drown. They went back and forth. Then he taught Douglas to exhale in water. He also held him on the edge of the pool while he (Douglas) kicked with his legs. This way he repeated each exercise hundreds of times and became a perfect swimmer. Thus the instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.

Question. Answer the following questions: -
(1) What was Douglas initial reaction on being thrown into the pool?
(2) What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water for a second time? How could he feel that he was still alive?
Answer : (1) When Douglas was thrown into the pool, he was frightened. He knew that he was going to drown as he didn’t know to swim. But even then, he was not out of his wits. On his way down the pool, he planned that when he hit the bottom, he would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it and paddle to the edge of the pool.
(2) When Douglas went down for a second time, panic seized him. His lungs ached, his head throbbed and he was terrified. He was shrieking and was paralyzed under water. But he could realize that he was alive as he shook and trembled with fright. He didn’t give up and tried for a third time to save himself.

Question. How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror? 
Answer : The instructor had finished his job, but Douglas was not fully satisfied. He suspected that he would be terror-stricken when he was alone in the pool. He swam the length of the pool up and down when he was alone. Now he was not afraid. Still he was not sure that all terror had left. He swam in Lake Wentworth. Once the old terror returned but it fled. He also swam across Warm Lake to the other shore and back. He had thus conquered hi old fear of water. 

Question. ‘On the way down, I planned’, remarks Douglas. What plan had he devised and how far did it succeed?
Answer : After being tossed into the deep side of the pool. Douglas planned to save himself from being drowned. He decided to spring back to the surface like a cork after touching the bottom. Then he would lie flat on it, paddle to the edge and save himself. His plan did not succeed. He tried to come up three times by putting his plan to action, but he could not do so and swallowed a lot of water instead.

Question. Are there any water sports in India? Find out about the areas or places which are known for water sports.
Answer : Yes, there are many places famous for water sports. Water sports include boating, water skiing, canoeing etc.
Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea are known for water Sports. Goa is the best mainland choice for water adventures. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are other places for water sports.

Long Answer :

Question. Following words occur as nouns in the lesson. Now use each of these as verb in a sentence of your own.
Sound, leg, water, force, eye, head, toe, rope, cascades, fear, time, pool, panic, face, experience, echo.
Answer :  1. Empty vessels sound much.
2. We saw the police coming and legged it down the road.
3. We should water plants timely.
4. Never force children for career.
5. Indians eye to make India is a super power.
6. India is heading to be a super power.
7. One or two of them refused to toe the line.
8. The thieves had roped the guard’s feet together.
9. Water cascaded down the mountain side.
10. He fears from his father.
11. They timed the function well.
12. People pool cars to save fuel.
13. If you panic, she will be frightened.
14. People face hardships in life.
15. I have experienced sweet and sour situations in life.
16. Her words echoed in my mind.

Question. Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the value of these qualities in the light of Douglas experience in Deep water.
Answer : It is only through courage, desire and determination that man has succeeded in making the impossible possible. The most appropriate example is William Douglas pursuit to overcome his fear of water. After the terrible experience of almost drowning at the YMCA swimming pool. Douglas developed a fear of water. The moment he entered the water, pangs of panic paralyzed his lumps. He spent many years of his life, under this fear. But finally, he decided to overcome this fear and succeeded in his attempts due to his relentless efforts and positive approach. He hired the services of an instructor, who after rigorous training and special technique built a swimmer out of him. It took Douglas almost seven months to overcome this fear. But finally, Douglas proved that it was courage, determination, desire, diligence and optimism that made him get rid of fear.

Question. Write an article on ‘Sweet are the uses of Adversity’. 
Answer : It is an old and time tested saying that sweet are the uses of adversity. In adversity, the fair whether friends extinct soon. They spare our time. We can best invest our spare time in reading, writing, researching, composing, inventing and so on. We are able to develop deep insight in adversity. We are able to comprehend by symptoms. We are able to anticipate and predict ensuring events. The behaviour of the people make us develop insight.
Adversity makes us emotionally strong, more thoughtful, learn to live in hardships.

Question. ‘This handicap stayed with me as the years rolled by.’ Which handicap is being  referred to and what are the events that made Douglas handicapped?
Answer :  The handicap being referred to is the fear of water Douglas had developed due to some unfortunate incidents in his childhood. As a result, he could not enjoy water sports and swimming. When he was three or four years old, his father took him to the beach in California. Douglas was knocked down by the sea waves and was almost buried in water. He developed an aversion to water. Moreover, when he was ten or eleven years old, a bruiser flung him into a swimming pool. At that time he had a terrible experience. He was almost in the water, which suffocated him and the fear immobilized his limbs. However, he somehow escaped drowning. Since then he was scared of water and could not enjoy canoeing, swimming, rafting, fishing etc. This became a handicap for him, as he was deprived of the joy of water sports and swimming.

Question. 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?
Answer : When tossed into the pool, he landed in a sitting position, swallowed water, and went at once to the bottom. He was frightened, but not much. He could think clearly. He planned to make a big jump when his feet hit the bottom, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool. He sprang up as he planned. He came up slowly to the surface. He grew panicky and suffocated. His legs hung like dead weights. Then he went down again. Once again, he sprang off the bottom of the pool. His lungs ached, his head throbbed. He felt dizzy as he went down again. He was seized with terror. Once again he remembered his plan. He sprang off the bottom of the pool. But the jump made no difference. He shook and trembled with fright. His arms and legs would not move. He started down a third time. He stopped making efforts. A blackness swept over his brain. All fear was gone. He felt like going to sleep.

Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 12 English Deep Water Worksheet Set C