THINK AS YOU
READ PAGE
27
1. What is the “misadventure” that
William Douglas speaks about?
Answer:
William O. Douglas had just recently learned to swim. One day, an
eighteen-year-old large bruiser scooped him up and flung him into the Y.M.C.A.
pool's nine-foot deep end. He sat on the water's surface when he hit it. He
drank some water and immediately dived to the bottom. In this misadventure, he
came dangerously close to death.
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?
Answer:
When Douglas was thrown into the pool, he was terrified. He was not, however,
terrified out of his mind. He devised a strategy while sinking. When his feet
reached the bottom, he would leap. He'd float to the surface like a cork, lie
flat on his back, and paddle to the pool's edge.
3. How did this experience affect him?
Answer:
His hatred of water was reignited as a result of this event. When he lay in his
bed, he shook and wept. That night, he was unable to eat. His heart had been
filled with a frightening fear for several days. He became shaky in his knees
and nauseous to his stomach at the slightest exertion. He never returned to the
pool after that. He was terrified of water and avoided it at all costs.
THINK AS YOU
READ PAGE
29
1. Why was Douglas determined to get over
his fear of water?
Answer:
His phobia of water made fishing expeditions impossible. It took away his
enjoyment of canoeing, boating, and swimming. Douglas tried everything he could
to overcome the phobia he'd experienced since boyhood. Even as an adult, it had
a powerful grasp on him. He was resolved to find a swimming instructor and
learn to swim to overcome his phobia of water.
2. How did the instructor “build a
swimmer” out of Douglas?
Answer:
The instructor pieced together a swimmer out of Douglas. He hung him aloft on a
rope linked to his belt for three months. He crossed the pool several times.
The author was always in a state of panic. Douglas was trained to submerge his
face in the water and exhale, as well as to lift his nose and inhale. Douglas
then had to kick with his legs for several weeks to get them to relax. The
instructor instructed him to swim the length of the pool after seven months.
3. How did Douglas make sure that he
conquered the old terror?
Answer:
When Douglas was alone in the pool, he was still terrified. The old panic would
resurface, but he would stifle it and swim another length of the pool. He
wasn't satisfied yet. So he travelled to New Hampshire's Lake Wentworth, dove
off a dock at Triggs Island, and swam two miles across the lake. He still had
his doubts. So he proceeded to Meade Glacier, dove into Warm Lake, and swam
across to the other side of the lake before returning. As a result, he was
certain that he had vanquished the old terror.
UNDERSTANDING
THE TEXT PAGE
29
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.
Answer:
Douglas describes his sentiments and efforts to preserve himself from drowning
in great detail. To make the description explicit and realistic, he employs literary
methods. As an example, Those nine feet were more like ninety’, ‘My lungs were
ready to burst.’ ‘I came up slowly,
I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water….. I grew
panicky1 ‘I was suffocating. I tried to yell, but no sound came out!’ ‘
2. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Answer:
Douglas learned to swim with the guidance of an instructor as he grew older.
From October until April, he was in training. He was dragged across the pool
with a rope for three months. He was terrified as he fell beneath, and his legs
froze. He was taught to exhale underwater and inhale via a raised nose by his
instructor. To relax his legs, he made him kick them. He then asked him to go
swimming. From April to July, he kept swimming. The horror had not subsided. He
swam two kilometres across Lake Wentworth and the entire length of Warm Lake's
shore and back. After that, he conquered his phobia of water.
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?
Answer:
Douglas had a fear of heights as a child, and this was a handicap he had. His
victory demonstrates his determination, willpower, and personality development.
This incident had a larger meaning for him.
"There is peace in death." "The fear of death is the only source
of terror." He had felt both the sensation of dying and the panic that
comes with the fear of dying. As a result, the will to live got stronger. He
felt free to walk the mountain paths, reach the heights, and push fear aside.
TALKING ABOUT
THE TEXT PAGE
30
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.
Answer:
I was twelve or thirteen years old at the time. It was Diwali night. The rows
of candles, oil lights and electric bulbs lit up the entire neighbourhood. The
kids were breaking crackers. A cracker erupted and landed on the thatched roof
of a poor gardener. The cottage was soon engulfed in flames. Before he could be
saved, his lone son, a newborn infant, suffered terrible burns. As the cops
interrogated the youngsters who were bursting crackers, I began to quiver with
anxiety. I was terrified of crackers, fire, and the police after that. My
parents and I had to put in a lot of effort to get rid of this blemish. It was
harming my personality.
I gradually overcome my concern by learning fire safety precautions and proper cracker handling. However, seeing a police officer in uniform still makes me nervous. My uncle came to my rescue since I was still afraid of the cops. In one of his plays, he had me costumed as a police inspector, and I was in charge of a large number of officers, reprimanding them for misbehaving with the general public. I discovered that police officer were also humans, not devils. Police officers protect us and assist us in maintaining law and order. Thank God, I've now conquered all of my fears.
2. Find and narrate other stories about
the 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 and 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.
Answer: Nelson Mandela's autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom," relates to the incredible account of his life. He eloquently depicts the rising political conflict between the African National Congress and the government in the 1950s, culminating in his spectacular escapades as an underground leader and the infamous Rivonia Trial of 1964, in which he was sentenced to life in jail. He describes his remarkably interesting twenty-seven years in prison, as well as the intricate, delicate discussions that led to his release and the beginning of apartheid's demise. Mandela also fought against labour exploitation and university segregation. He persisted in completing his objective and freeing the oppressed as well as the oppressor. He was released from prison in 1990. Apartheid laws were loosened. Mandela rose to prominence as a crusader for human rights and racial equality. He was also the Republic of South Africa's first non-white president.
THINKING ABOUT
LANGUAGE PAGE
30
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?
Answer:
The third person storey, or one told from the perspective of an observer, is
objective and dispassionate. The focus of a real-life personal storey is on the
person's thoughts, feelings, and emotional response. The first person narrative
approach is more effective in my opinion since it is more honest and shows
everything accurately.
WRITING PAGE
30
1. 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 of about five paragraphs
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.
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 peaks and to brush aside fear.”
Answer:
RIDING
A MOTORCYCLE FOR THE FIRST TIME
At long last, I felt free to stroll the trails,
climb the summits, and face my fears. My old foe, fear of injuries, had foiled
me at critical times in the past. I can pinpoint the exact moment when I began
to experience this fear. I was a toddler when I was given a tricycle. I'd lose
my balance and the tricycle would tip over on top of me.
I was given smaller versions of cycles as I grew
older, but my fear of the road remained. I'd collide with someone or something
and fall to the ground. It took time for some injuries to heal. I was irritated
with myself and cursed my phobia. However, fern grew to gigantic proportions.
I had now completed my eleventh-grade examination
and enrolled in a city school. On my birthday, my father gave me a TVS
motorcycle. He offered to tutor me as well. He took me to the playground after
explaining the operations of various sections in detail. He took a seat behind
me and gave commands. At first, he had a solid grip on me. He asked me to take
around once I had learned to start the vehicle, change gear, raise and reduce
speed, turn the vehicle, and come to a stop. I was sweating profusely from head
to toe. He reassured me and boosted my confidence. I regained my
self-assurance.
Then I went for a quick lap around the playground.
While tying the comer, I still hesitated. My father demonstrated how to operate
the equipment and described the mechanism.
Finally, I went around the playground three times.
Uncle and I then came to a fork in the road. He taught me how to avoid vehicles
and give them room to pass. I drove into the city and safely returned. I'd
overcome my fears and learned to ride a motorcycle.
2. Write a short letter to someone you
know about your having learnt to do something new.
Answer:
12, Pitampura
Naraina Apartments
New Delhi -110034
Dear Saloni,
You will be happy to know that I have finally
mastered the game of tennis. You may recall how I scribbled on the players
competing in Wimbledon and wished to play on the centre court.
So far, I've taken the first step in the right
route. I learned to play tennis after years of sweating and training. I'm
competing in the Junior County Championship this year.
I'd want to use this occasion to express my
gratitude for your constant inspiration and support, both on and off the court.
I'm looking forward to the day when I can tell you
about my accomplishments in this freshly learned game.
Your Dear Friend
Ayana
THINGS TO DO PAGE
30
1. Are there any water sports in India? Find out about the areas
or places which are known for water sports.
Answer:
India provides exciting opportunities for the following watersports:
(i) White Water Rafting,
(ii) Water Skiing,
(iii)
Canoeing and Kayaking,
(iv) Scuba Diving,
(v) Snorkelling,
(vi) Angling and
Fishing.
Areas
or places are known for watersports:
(i) White Water Rafting and Kayaking: The Ganges (from
Rishikesh); the Beas from Manali, the Indus (in Ladakh), Zanskar (in Zanskar),
the Teesta (in Sikkim)
(ii) Water Skiing: The Ganges, the Beas.
(iii) Sailing, Yachting and Wind-surfing: Goa,
Kovalam Beach in Kerala.
(iv) Scuba Diving: Andaman and Lakshadweep, Goa.
(v) Snorkelling: Andaman and Lakshadweep, Goa.
(vi) Angling and Fishing: Balukpung (Assam) Beas
(Kullu Valley).
10. An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum Question Answer | |
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