CBSE Class 12 English Deep Water Worksheet Set C

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. What shocking experience did Douglas have at YMCA pool?
Answer: At the age of ten or eleven, William O. Douglas decided to learn to swim at the YMCA pool because it was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end. He had an aversion to the water but he felt comfortable when he paddled with his new water wings in the water. One day he went to the pool when no one else was there. He was waiting for others to come. Then there came a big bruiser of a boy who picked Douglas and ducked him into the deep end. He landed in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. Though he was saved, his fear of water intensified after this misadventure.

Question. “I had an aversion to the water when I was in it?” says Douglas. When did he start having this aversion and how?
Answer: The aversion started when Douglas was three or four years old. His father had taken him to the beach in California. They were standing together in the surf. He had held his father tightly, even then the waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone. He was frightened. There was terror in his heart about the overpowering force of the waves.

Question. Mention any two long term consequences of the drowning incident on Douglas.
Answer: The drowning incident constantly haunted Douglas. He felt terrified by water and avoided it. He never gathered courage to go near the water. Whenever he went near the water his legs got paralysed and his heart was grabbed by fear. Moreover, he never went for swimming, fishing or canoeing. So, the fear of water had entered his heart.

Question. “On the way down I planned,” remarks Douglas. What plan had he devised and how far did it succeed?
Answer: While going down to the bottom, he made a plan to save himself from being drowned. He decided to make a big jump as his feet hit the bottom. He hoped to move up to the surface of water like a cork. Then he would lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool. The plan was only partly successful. He rose to surface twice. But each time he swallowed water and went down.

Question. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the ‘water with a yellow glow?’ How could he feel he was still alive?
Answer: An absolute, rigid terror seized Douglas. It was a terror that knew no understanding or control and was beyond comprehension of anyone who had not experienced it. He was paralysed under water–stiff and rigid with fear. His screams were frozen. The beating of his heart and throbbing of mind made him feel that he was still alive.

Question. How did Douglas react to the frightening experience (i) that day and (ii) later when he came to know the waters of the Cascades?
Answer: (i) He walked home after several hours. He was weak and trembling. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He couldn’t eat that night. A haunting fear was there in his heart. The slightest exertion upset him. His knees became wobbly. He felt sick to his stomach. (ii) Whenever he waded the Tieton or Bumping River or bathed in Warm Lake of Goat Rocks, the terror that had seized him in the pool would come back. This terror would take possession of him completely. His legs would become paralysed. Icy horror would grab his heart.

Question. Which other exercise did the Instructor prescribe for Douglas to make him shed the panic caused by water?
Answer: He taught Douglas to put his face under water and exhale. Then he was to raise his nose and inhale. He repeated this exercise hundreds of time. Bit by bit he shed part of the panic that seized him when his head went under water. 26. Which exercise helped Douglas to loosen his stiff legs and make them work as he desired? Ans. The instructor held Douglas at the side of the swimming pool. Then he made Douglas kick with his legs. He did just that for weeks. At first his legs refused to work. But gradually they relaxed. Finally, he was able to command them.

Question. If you could give the chapter a new title, what would it be? Support your answer with reference to the chapter “Deep Water”.
Answer: I would call it ‘Facing Fear’ because the lesson highlights Douglas’ struggle to overcome his fear of water after two misadventures with it. The story highlights the importance of facing one’s fears and coming out triumphant. If one allows fear to overwhelm them, they can never lead a healthy, fruitful life.

Question. Describe both physical and emotional impacts that the misadventure at the YMCA pool had on the narrator.
Answer: Physically Douglas could neither eat or sleep for a weak after the misadventure and mentally he could not go near a water body due to the fear and panic it caused him. This continued for years when he could not enjoy activities like swimming fishing, boating or canoeing.

Question. Why did Douglas fail to come to the surface of the pool as he hoped to?
Answer: When Douglas was thrown into the pool by a muscular boy, he landed in a sitting position, swallowed water and touched the bottom. He was frightened but he had not lost his wit. He thought of a strategy to come up to the surface by making a big jump when his feet touched the bottom. But his lungs were about to burst. He thought to spring back to the surface like a cork but he moved slowly. He grew panicky and saw water everywhere. He reached up as if to catch a rope with his hands but he could not clutch water and was paralysed.

Question. Which factors led Douglas to decide in favour of the Y.M.C.A. pool?
Answer: The Y.M.C.A. pool was safe. It was only two to three feet deep at the shallow end. It was nine feet deep at the other. Moreover, the drop was gradual. The Yakima River was treacherous and had drowned many. So, he decided in favour of the Y.M.C.A. pool.

Question. In what connection does Douglas mention “a big bruiser of a boy?”
Answer: Douglas mentions him for his misadventure in the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool in which he had nearly died. It was this boxer boy who had picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end. Later on, when Douglas was rescued, the boy said, “I was only fooling.”

Question. How was the result of the ‘great spring upwards’ that Douglas made on hitting the bottom of the pool for the first time?
Answer: Douglas rose to the surface very slowly. When he opened his eyes he saw nothing but water with a dirty yellow colour. He grew panicky. He tried to grab a rope but his hands clutched only at water. He was suffocating. He tried to shout, but no sound came out. Then his eyes and nose came out of the water but not his mouth.

Question. In what state did Douglas find himself on regaining consciousness?
Answer: He found himself lying on his stomach near the pool. He was vomiting. The fellow who had thrown him in the pool was saying that he was only joking. Then someone remarked that the small boy had nearly died. He hoped that he would be all right then. Then he was carried to the locker room for change of clothes.

Question. What was the first piece of exercise the instructor gave Douglas? How long did it take to yield the desired result?
Answer: The instructor made him go across the pool an hour a day for five days with the help of a rope attached to his belt. The rope went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to the end of the rope. They went back and forth across the pool. A bit of panic seized him every time. Moreover, the old terror returned and his legs froze when the instructor loosened his grip on the rope and Douglas went under water. It was after three months that the tension began to decrease.

Question. Seemingly small everyday wins are actually the greatest learnings of life. Comment on the statement with reference of the chapter “Deep Water”.
Answer: Referring to the chapter–‘Deep Water’ we can see that Douglas managed to overcome his fear of water by actually learning how to swim over a period of six month, five days a week, an hour every day. This patience and perseverance over a long period of time slowly backed up his confidence and gradually helped him to overcome the panic that he had felt every time he had seen water in the past. Therefore, the small everyday wins at the poet helped him to overcome his pride at sight of any water body.

Question. When did Douglas decide to learn swimming?
What options were available to him to swim in? Which one did he choose and why?
Answer: Douglas was ten or eleven years old when he decided to learn swimming. He could swim in the Yakima River or the Y.M.C.A. pool at Yakima. The Yakima River was dangerous. Many persons had drowned in it. So, he chose the Y.M.C.A. pool. It was considered safe.

Question. How did the “misadventure” happen with Douglas?
Answer: Douglas was sitting alone on the side of the pool, waiting for others. A big, boxer boy of eighteen came there. Mocking him as ‘skinny’ he enquired how he would like to be plunged in water. Saying so, he picked up Douglas and tossed him into the nine feet deep end. Douglas struck the surface of water, swallowed water and at once went to the bottom.

Question. How did Douglas struggle before hitting the bottom of the pool for the second time? What was the outcome of his struggle?
Answer: Douglas moved his arms and legs around without control. He swallowed water and choked. His legs hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid. A great force was pulling him down. He struck at the water with full force as he went down. He had lost all his breath. His lungs ached and head throbbed. He was getting dizzy. He went down through dark water and was filled with fear.

Question. “This handicap stayed with me as the years rolled by.” How did it affect his pursuits for pleasure?
Answer: The haunting fear of water followed Douglas everywhere. He rowed in canoes on Maine lakes fishing for landlocked salmon. He went for bass fishing in New Hampshire, trout fishing on the Deschutes and Metolius in Oregon, fishing for salmon on the Columbia, at Bumping Lake in the Cascades. Fear ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming.

Question. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee?
Answer: Douglas was not sure whether all the terror had left even after the training from October to April and practice till July. So, he went to Lake Wentworth and swam two miles. Terror returned only once when he was in the middle of the lake. He had put his face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. The old sensation returned in a smaller size. He laughed and rebuked terror. His terror fled away and he swam on.

Question. How did Douglas initially feel when he went to the Y.M.C.A. pool? What made him feel comfortable?
Answer: Unpleasant memories of the past were revived and childish fears were stirred. In a little while he gathered confidence. He paddled with his new water wings. He watched the other boys and tried to imitate them. He did so two or three times on different days. He began to feel comfortable.

Question. What did Douglas experience as he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first time?
Answer: Going down to the depth of nine feet was not quick. It seemed a long way down. For him those nine feet were more like ninety. Before he touched the bottom his lungs were ready to burst. He did not lose his presence of mind. Using all his strength, he made a great jump upwards.

Question. ‘I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.’ How did Douglas experience the sensation of dying before he actually crossed to oblivion?
Answer: As Douglas went down the pool the third time, he swallowed more water. All his efforts to jump up ceased. His legs felt limp. A blackness swept over his brain and it wiped out fear and terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful. He felt drowsy and wanted to go to sleep.

Question. Getting rid of fear is an extremely difficult task. Elucidate with reference to the chapter “Deep Water”.
Answer: To overcome his fear of water, Douglas had to work persistently for six months with an instructor both physically and psychologically. At first, he had to learn to be comfortable in water and then to learn to float and finally to move his hands and legs in sync with each other. Even after learning from the instructor he continued to test his skill and psyche by swimming in lakes and rivers till all residue of his fear vanished. This took him almost a year to accomplish.

Question. How did Douglas’ introduction to YMCA pool revive his childhood fear of water?
Answer: At the age of ten or eleven William O. Douglas decided to learn and swim at the Y.M.C.A pool because it was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end. He had an aversion to the water but he felt comfortable when he paddled with his new water wings in the water. One day he went to the pool when no one else was there. He was waiting for others to come. Then there came a big bruiser who picked Douglas and ducked him into the deep land. He landed in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. This misadventure revived his childhood fear of water.

Question. What two things did Douglas dislike to do?
Which one did he have to do and why?
Answer: Douglas hated to walk naked into the pool and show his very thin legs. Secondly, he was fearful about going in alone. So, he sat on the side of the pool to wait for others. But he had to go into water as one cannot learn swimming without going into water.

Question. “I was frightened, but not yet frightened out of my wits,” says Douglas. Which qualities of the speaker are highlighted here and how?
Answer: Douglas was frightened when he went down into the pool and was about to be drowned. He had an aversion to water and now he was filled with terror. He had remarkable selfcontrol. He used his mind even in the crisis and thought of a strategy to save himself from being drowned.

Question. ‘In the midst of the terror came a touch of reason.’ How did the two forces work in opposite direction and how did Douglas fare?
Answer: Reason told him to jump when he hit the bottom as he felt the tiles under him, he jumped with everything he had. But the jump made no difference. A mass of yellow water held him. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on him. He shook and trembled with fright. His arms and legs wouldn’t move. He tried to call for help, but nothing happened.

Question. What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water and why?
Answer: Fear of water was a handicap Douglas developed during his childhood. It stayed with him as he grew older. It ruined his pursuits of pleasure such as canoeing, boating, swimming and fishing. He used every method he knew to overcome this fear. Finally, he was determined to get an instructor and learn swimming.

Question. Why does Douglas say: ‘The Instructor was finished. But I was not finished?’ How did he overpower tiny vestiges of the old terror?
Answer: The instructor’s work was over when he built a swimmer out of Douglas piece by piece and then put them together into an integrated whole. However, Douglas was not satisfied as the remnants of the old terror would return when he swam alone in the pool. He would frown on terror go for another length of the pool.

Question. Discuss the significances of the reference to the natural world in the chapter “Deep Water”.
Answer: The references to the natural world has been alone to show the desperation of the writer to enjoy the benefits of nature like fishing, boating, swimming, canoeing which he was denied of because of his fear of water. It shows the reason why he finally decided to make an effort to overcome his fear of water and be a part of nature and enjoy its benefits like other people around him.

Long Answer Type Questions

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 water waves which knocked down young Douglas and swept over him at the beach in California filled him with fear. He was then three or four years old. All this happened when he had clung to his father. He was buried under water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. His father laughed, but there was terror in his heart at the overpowering force of the waves.
His introduction to the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish fears. He had gathered some confidence when a misadventure happened as a big boy threw him at the nine feet deep end of the pool. His efforts to rise to the surface and paddle to the side failed twice. He would have drowned if he had not been rescued in time. This terror of water overpowered his limbs and made them stiff. His mind was haunted by fear of water. It was, in fact, a handicap to his personality.

Question. Comment on the appropriateness of the title ‘Deep Water’
                                        Or
Do you think the title ‘Deep Water’ is apt? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Answer: The title ‘Deep Water’ is quite appropriate to this extract from ‘Of Men and Mountains’ by William O. Douglas. The title is highly suggestive and at once focuses our attention on the main theme—experiencing fear of death under water and the efforts of the author to overcome it.
All the details in the essay are based on his personal experience and analysis of fear. The psychological analysis of fear is presented from a child’s point of view and centres round deep water and drowning.
The overpowering force of the waves at the California beach stir aversion for water in Douglas. His mother warns him against swimming in the deep waters of the treacherous Yakima River. The nine feet deep water of the swimming pool appears more than ninety to Douglas. However, when he conquers fear he can dive and swim in the deep waters of Lake Wentworth and Warm Lake. Thus the title is apt and suggestive.

Question. Imagine that the bully who threw Douglas into the pool, reads this chapter and realizes his mistake.
As the bully, write a dairy entry penning down your response to Douglas’ perseverance and your own feelings of guilt and regret.
Answer: 14 June, 19xx
I feel so ashamed of myself. Today I saw Douglas at the pool after many years. He was with an instructor learning how to swim. He looked petrified yet determind to overcome his fear of water. It must have taken a lot of courage for him to learn swim after the near drowning incidents he suffered due to me. I was so foolish. Yes, I was 18 but he was only 12 or 13. How could I have decided to push him into the deep water of the pool? I knew he could not swim and yet? I suppose I thought it was all in fun. But what would I have done if Douglas had drowned that day? I wonder how I would have lived with that guilt? I am so happy to see him alive!

Question. Give an account of the fears and emotions of Douglas as he made efforts to save himself from being drowned in the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool.
Answer: Douglas was frightened as he was going down. His active mind suggested a strategy to save himself from being drowned in water. He knew that water has buoyancy. He must make a big jump as his feet hit the bottom. He hoped to rise up like a cork to the surface, lie flat on it and paddle to the edge of the pool. Before he touched bottom, his lungs were ready to burst. Using all his strength, he made a great jump. He rose up very slowly. He saw nothing but yellow coloured dirty water. He grew panicky and he was suffocated. He swallowed more water as he tried to shout. He choked and went down again. His stiff legs refused to obey him. He had lost all his breath. His lungs ached and head throbbed.
He was getting dizzy. He went down through darkwater again. An absolute terror seized Douglas. He was paralysed under water. His reasoning power told him to jump again. He did so, but his arms and legs wouldn’t move. His eyes and nose came out of water, but not his mouth. He swallowed more water and went down third time. Now a blackness swept over his brain. He had experienced the terror that fear of death can produce as well as the sensation of dying.

Question. What impression do you form of William O.
Douglas on the basis of reading ‘Deep Water’?
Answer: William Douglas leaves a very favourable impression on us. He appears quite truthful and courageous. He gives a detailed account of his fears and emotions as he struggles against deep water to save himself from being drowned. Confessing one’s faults and shortcomings is not easy. It needs courage, honesty and will power. Douglas has all these qualities.
His efforts to overpower the fear of water show his firm determination, resolution and strong will power. He has an analytic mind which diagnoses the malady and prompts him to search the cure. He is frightened of deep water, but not yet frightened out of his wits. In his heroic struggle against fear, terror and panic, he rises to heroic stature. He becomes an idol, a living image of bravery and persistent efforts. He typifies the will not to surrender or yield. His indefatigable zeal is a source of inspiration for all and specially for the youth. In short, William Douglas impresses us as a frank, truthful, honest and determined person.

Question. Douglas’ mother writes to the YMCA authorities holding them accountable for the mishap as well as demanding that the authorities employ a team of guards near the pool for supervision of the children. 
As the mother, write a letter to the authorities with reference to the case of your son.
You may begin like this:
Sir
Subject: Negligence on Premises
This is with reference to the incident of near fatal drowning of my son, William on your premises. We were...
Answer: 14 June, 19XX
Subject: Negligences on Premises
This is with reference to the incident of the near fatal drowning of my son, William on your premises. We were told that he was pushed into the deep end of the pool by an 18 years old ‘bruiser’ of a boy, just for the sake of having some fun!
My son nearly died in this incident. I want the boy and the authorities to apologize to my son for the trauma that he had to suffer for no fault of his. Also I am upset that the life guards were not at the pod when the children arrived for their swimming classes. How can you allow children near the pool without adult supervisions?
Please ensure that this incident is not repeated and stricter rules are made against my such incident happening in the future. I don’t want any other child to suffer the trauma that my son, William is having to suffer due to the thoughtless action of a bully. Awaiting your response.
Yours sincerely
Mrs. Douglas

Question. How did the misadventure in Y.M.C.A. swimming pool affect Douglas? What efforts did he make to conquer his old terror? Did he succeed?
Answer: Douglas had nearly died in the swimming pool. For days there was a haunting fear in his heart. The slightest exertion upset him. He avoided going near water as he feared it. The waters of the cascades, fishing for salmon in canoes, bass or trout fishing–all appeared attractive activities. However, the haunting fear of water followed Douglas everywhere and ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating and swimming. The fear of water became a handicap. He used every method he knew to overcome this fear. Finally, he decided to engage a trainer and learn swimming. In seven months, the instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas. However, the vestiges of the old terror would return when he was alone in the pool. He could now frown on terror and go for another length of the pool. This went on till July. Douglas was not satisfied.
He went to Lake Wentworth and swam two miles. The terror returned only once when he had put his face under water and saw nothing but bottomless water. In order to remove his residual doubts he hurried west to Warm Lake. He dived into the lake and swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy as he had conquered his fear of water. He finally succeeded in his effort.

Question. FD Roosevelt says in his Inaugural Address
in 1933 that ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’
Write an article on this topic.
You may take ideas from the given lines:
“I used every way I knew to overcome this fear,
but it held me firmly in its grip!”
Answer: Fear
Fear stifles innovation, erodes creativity and limits the exponential growth. It is said that ‘Those who love to be feared, fear to be loved.’ Some fear them, but they fear everyone. Montaigne wrote that ‘The thing I fear most is fear.’ Fear is the principal source of superstition, and one of the primary sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. Seneca says that ‘If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living. A person who is afraid of something cannot enjoy life in totality. Fear makes us weak, and cowardly. But it does not mean that one should become arrogant. A person of peevish nature cannot be called a brave fellow. Arjuna said that a warrior’s fear always helps him in understanding and analysing the potential of the opponent. Cervantes wrote in Don Quixote that ‘Fear has many eyes and can see things underground.’ Man should not have unnecessary fear. It discourages him to achieve the lofty aspirations. Fear impedes action and it is a well known fact that those who do not act lose the battle of life. One has to face the challenges of life. They can never be ignored and neglected. They help us in honing our skills and tapping our untapped potential. Hence, one must shed fear.

Question. It is often said that ‘No Pains, No Gains’. One cannot get anything if one does not work hard.
Write an article on the topic, mentioned above, in not more than 120 words. You can take ideas from the following lines:
“I went to a pool and practiced five days a week, an hour each day. 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.”
Answer: No Pains, no Gains
The dictum implies that one can’t attain phenomenal success without making sincere efforts. There is no substitute to hard work. There is no short cut to success. All successful persons have emphasised the importance of hard work in life. Nobody achieved greatness overnight. The secret of their success was hard and systematic work. Destiny never obliges the shirkers. God helps those who help themselves. Rome was not built in a day. Man must comprehend the significance of doing hard labour. One must burn the midnight oil to succeed in this world of intense competition. Never forget that rest is rust and work is everything. Experience matters a lot. It teaches us the way things are to be done.
It is rightly said that ‘the best way really to train people is with an experienced mentor… and on the job’. The experienced advice of the trainer enlightens the trainees. They are made exceptionally skilled in the basic techniques. The overwhelming importance of training can be neglected at our own peril. This perception of beings would bring them perilously close to disaster.