DEEP WATER

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

EXTRACT 1

A. 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.

1. Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements

given below
Statement 1: The author’s father laughed to mock his son’s inability to
swim.
Statement 2: The author wanted to swim just to prove to his father that he
can swim.
A) Statement 1 is true but Statement 2 is false.
B) Statement 1 is false but Statement 2 is true.
C) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.
D) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 can be inferred.

Ans. C) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.

2. “My introduction to the Y.M.CA. swimming pool revived unpleasant

memories and stirred childish fears.” It can be inferred that this was a
clear case of
A) suppression
B) oppression
C) depression
D) repression

Ans. D) repression

3. The misadventure that took place right after the author felt
comfortable was that
A) the author slipped and fell into the swimming pool.
B) a bully tossed him into the pool for the sake of fun.
C) his coach forgot to teach him how to handle deep water.
D) his father couldn’t help him from drowning into the water

Ans. B) a bully tossed him into the pool for the sake of fun.

4. Choose the option that describes the equipment used by the author
while learning to swim.

A) Option 1
B) Option 2
C) Option 3
D) Option 4

Ans. D) Option 4

EXTRACT 2
B. 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.

1. The author subdued his pride and did it. This shows that he –
A. Hated swimming
B. Loved swimming
C. did not want to swim
D. Was forced to swim

Ans. B Loved swimming

2. What are water wings?

A. A pair of wings to fly over the water
B. A pair of life saving tube to swim in water
C. both a and b
D. None of these

Ans. B. A pair of life saving tube to swim in water

3. He got water wings before going to the pool. This shows that he –
A Was brave
B. Was courageous
C. was rich
D. Was scared

Ans. D. Was scared

4. State true or False –

The writer could drown at the shallow end of the pool

Ans. False

5. Find a synonym of overpower

Ans. Subdue
 EXTRACT 3

C. 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.
1. Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements
given below.
Statement 1: The author tried his best to jump out of water.
Statement 2: After a while, the author was not anxious in water.
A) If Statement 1 is the cause, Statement 2 is the effect.
B) If Statement 1 is the effect, Statement 2 is the cause.
C) Both the statements are the effects of a common cause.
D) Both the statements are the effects of independent causes.

Ans. A) If Statement 1 is the cause, Statement 2 is the effect.

2. The ‘curtain (of life) fell’ corresponds to an aspect of

A) Geometry.
B) History.
C) Sports.
D) Drama

Ans.D) Drama

3. The purpose of using “…” in the above passage is to

A) show omission.
B) indicate pauses.
C) shorten a dialogue.
D) replace an idea.

Ans. B) indicate pauses.

4. Which option indicates that the poet lost consciousness?
A) ‘It was quiet and peaceful.’
B) ‘I crossed to oblivion.’
C) ‘Tender arms like Mother’s.’
D) ‘It wiped out fear.’

Ans. B) ‘I crossed to oblivion.’

STAND ALONE MCQS

Q1- Y.M.C.A stands for?
A) Young Men’s Christian Authority
B) Young Men’s Christopher Association
C) Young Men’s Christian Army
D) Young Men’s Christian Association

Q2- Where did the writer go when he was 3 or 4 years old in the story?
A) Washington
B) New Zealand
C) California
D) Canada

Q3- What is haunting the author?

Terrible experience in the pool
B) Ghosts
C) His mother’s words
D) A push by a young b

Q4- What is the theme of the story Deep Water?

A) Victory in facing the fear
B) Being fearful
C) To learn swimming
D) All
Q5- Deep water is an excerpt from which book?
A) Fear of water
B) Of Men and Mountains
C) How to Swim
D) Fearless

Q6- What does Deep Water signify?

A) Beauty
B) Depth of Sea
C) Depth of ocean
D) Fear

Q7- “I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell”.

What does oblivion mean?
A) spavilion
B) changing room
C) unconsciousness
D) death

Q8- Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of

water?
A) because he wanted to swim in the waters of the Cascade
B) because his friend had challenged him
C) because he had a bet on it
D) because he wanted to win a medal

Short questions
Question 1.
How did Douglas finally get rid of the fear he had
of water?
Answer:
The terror that seized Douglas because of his
misadventure with water twice was so intense that he
sought professional help to overcome this fear. He
engaged a swimming instructor who gave him intensive
training for six months to ensure he overcame his fear of
water which he eventually did.

Question 2.
How did the incident at the YMCA pool affect
Douglas?
Answer:
Douglas, a ten year old boy, was standing alone at the
YMCA pool when a big bully of a boy picked him up and
tossed him into the deep end and at once he was at the
bottom of the pool. Though he did manage to come up
with extreme difficulty, he could never again go back to
the pool. He started fearing and avoiding water.
Whenever he went near water a haunting terror would
seize him.

Question 3.
What did Douglas experience as he went down to
the bottom of the pool for the first time?
Answer:
When Douglas is pushed into the pool, he at once goes to
the bottom of the pool. The nine feet deep pool appears
like ninety feet to him. He feels a sense of acute
uneasiness and as if his lungs are ready to burst. Despite
feeling absolutely suffocated he makes desperate efforts
for survival.

Question 4.
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear
of water?
Answer:
Douglas was determined to overcome his fear of water
because this phobia had ruined his fishing trips.
Moreover, he had also never been able to enjoy water
sports like canoeing, boating, and swimming. He was
determined to get an instructor and learn swimming to
get over his fear of water.

Question 11.
Which factors led Douglas to decide in favour of YMCA
pool? (All India 2011)
Answer:

Question 5.
Which two frightening experiences did Douglas
have in water in his childhood?
Answer:
Douglas’ first frightening experience in water was when
he was three or four years old. He was knocked down by
waves while surfing at California beach. He had been
terror-struck at that time. Years later, his experience at
the YMCA pool revived unpleasant memories when an
eighteen year old boy had hurled Douglas into the deep
end of the pool. Both these experiences led Douglas to
develop a fear of water.

Question 6.
How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the
old terror?
Answer:
Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to
test whether he still had any fear of water. After his
vigorous swimming practice he was still not very sure if
his terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out
his swimming skills at Lake Wentworth. He dived into the
lake and only after swimming across the shore and back
did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.

Q7

How did the instructor turn Douglas into a

swimmer?
Answer:
To ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas, the instructor began
his training with extreme caution. He attached a rope to a
belt and put it around Douglas. The rope went through a
pulley that ran on an overhead cable. Supported by the
cable, they went to and fro in the pool and practiced for
weeks together. The instructor taught Douglas to put his
face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and
inhale. He then taught him to kick in water for many
weeks. Finally after seven months, the instructor told him
to swim the length of the pool and Douglas’ persistent
fear started fading.

Long questions
Question 1.
The story “Deep Water” has made you realize that with
determination and perseverance one can accomplish the impossible.
Write a paragraph in about 150 words on how a positive attitude
and courage will aid you to achieve success in life.
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His
misadventure at the YMCA pool further increased his water
phobia. He was unable to enjoy fishing and boating trips. Finally
he decided he had to overcome his fear.
 He could not do it without seeking professional help, so he
appointed an instructor who gradually made him an excellent
swimmer. Still Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every
opportunity to swim and dive in water thus challenging his fear.
He was able to overcome his fear completely and this led him to
make the statement that what one is afraid of is fear itself and if
we are able to overcome that fear then we can achieve anything
in life.

Question 2.
Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the
value of these qualities in the light of Douglas’ experience in “Deep
Water”.
Answer:
Determination and perseverance is a combination of attributes
and abilities that drive people to set goals for themselves and
then to take the initiative to achieve these goals. Douglas was
able to overcome his fear of water by the values of positive
attitude and courage.

Initially he was afraid of water but his grit and determination

made him get an instructor and overcome his fear. Determination
today leads to our success tomorrow. It is that innate quality in
our soul, which comes to surface when an incident irks it. It is a
reflection of our values taught to us by society and circumstances
and enables us to overcome all obstacles.

There is always admiration for heroes like William Douglas who

face challenges courageously and finally emerge successful. For
years the fear of water haunted him. It deprived him of the joy of
canoeing, swimming, fishing and boating. However, it was
deliberate, planned and continuous efforts that enabled Douglas
to get over his fear. He was absolutely determined to get rid of his
fear and it was due to his perseverance and resoluteness that he
emerged victorious.

Question 3.
“All we have to fear is fear itself.” Describe Douglas’s
experiences which led to the making of this
statement.
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His
misadventure at the YMCA pool further increased his water
phobia. He was unable to enjoy fishing and boating trips.
Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear.

He could not do it without seeking professional help, so he

appointed an instructor who gradually made him an excellent
swimmer.

Still Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every

opportunity to swim and dive in water thus challenging his
fear. He was able to overcome his fear completely and this
led him to make the statement that what one is afraid of is
fear itself and if we are able to overcome that fear then we
can achieve anything in life.