CBSE Class 12 Flamingo Chapter 3 Deep Water
CBSE Class 12 Flamingo Chapter 3 Deep Water
Summary and Extra Question /Answers
Introduction:
The lesson Deep Water' is an excerpt taken from Of Men and Mountains' by William Douglas. He recounts a childhood experience and conquering of his fear of water. It describes how he was nearly drowned in a swimming pool. In this essay he talks about his fear of water and thereafter how he finally overcame that fear.
Summary
The narrator decided to learn to swim. There was a pool at Y.M.C.A. It offered him a good opportunity. Swimming in the Yakima River was quite dangerous. His mother had warned against it. But the Y.M.C.A. pool was safe for swimming. It was 2 to 3 feet deep at the shallow end. At the deep end it was nine feet. The slope was gradual. William Douglas had developed an aversion to water from the beginning. Once he stood at the beach with his father. A wave swept over him and knocked him down. He was buried in water. He was frightened. The Y.M.C.A. pool revived those unpleasant memories and childish fears.
The narrator was alone at the pool. He didn't dare to go inside the water alone. Then came a big bully of a boy. He was a beautiful physical 'specimen'. He cried, "Hi Skinny !". Then he picked the narrator up and tossed him into the deep end. He went down at once to the bottom. He was frightened but not out of his wits. He decided to make a big jump from the bottom. He would try to come to the surface. He would lie flat on the water. Finally, he would paddle to the edge of the pool.
Those nine feet were more like ninety. His lungs were ready to burst. But when he hit the bottom, he gathered all his strength. He made a great spring upwards. He came up rather slowly. He opened his eyes but saw nothing but water. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came out. He swallowed water and choked. His legs were paralysed and rigid.
A great force pulled him under water. He was getting dizzy. He went down endlessly. Then stark terror seized him. His arms would not move. He tried to call for help. Nothing happened. He sucked for air but got only water. Then all efforts ceased. He felt like sleeping. He crossed to oblivion. When he woke up, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool. He was vomiting. The chap who threw him in said that he was 'only fooling'. But the narrator had nearly died.
For days he was constantly haunted by the fear. He never went back to the pool. He feared water and avoided it whenever he could. Whenever he went near water, the terror would seize him. His legs got paralysed. Icy horror would grab his heart. The fear stayed with him as the years rolled by.
The narrator employed an instructor. He went to a pool. He practised five days a week. The instructor put a belt round him. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley. On each trip across the pool a bit of panic seized him. It was three months before the tension began to disappear. Then he taught the narrator how to put his face under water and exhale. And then he learnt how to raise his nose and inhale. He repeated the exercise hundreds of times.
Next the instructor taught him how to kick with his legs. For weeks he did just that. At first his legs refused to work. But finally he could command them. At last, the instructor made him a real swimmer. But he still feared to be alone in the pool. This went on until July. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock at Triggs Island. He swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. The fear fled and he swam on. Finally, he had conquered his fear of water.
It was a unique experience. It left a deep imprint on his mind. He could never forget it.
It had a deep meaning for him. He had experienced both the feelings the sensation of dying and the terror that fear can produce.
Question / Answer
Q. 1. What factor made Douglas decide in favour of YMCA pool?
Answer : William Douglas had decided to learn to swim. His mother continually warned against his going to the Yakima river for swimming. The river was treacherous. Many persons had drowned in it. The YMCA pool was safe. it was only two or three feet at the shallow end and nine feet at the deeper end. The slope was also graduay.
Q. 2. How and why did Douglas develop an aversion to the water when he was in it?
Ans. William Douglas developed an aversion to the water at the age of three or four. His father took him to the beach in California. They stood together in the surf. The waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. So he developed an aversion to water.
3. What was the misadventure and how did it start?
Or
What is the misadventure that William Douglas speaks about?
Ans. The narrator was at the Y.M.C.A. pool. Suddenly a strong built boy of eighteen came. He teased him and finally tossed him into water. Very soon he went to the bottom. He struggled to come up but couldn't. He felt paralysed and suffocated. He was nearly drowned.
Q. 4. How and why did the big bruiser' of a boy of eighteen throw Douglas into the Y.M.C.A. pool?
Ans. Douglas was alone at the pool. Then came a big bruiser of a boy. He was probably eighteen years old. He was quite muscular. He had thick hair on his chest. Without any rhyme and reason the boy yelled, "Hi, Skinny! How'd you like to be ducked ?". Then he picked Douglas up and tossed him into the deep end.
Q. 5. What did Douglas plan when his feet hit the bottom?
Ans. Douglas was tossed into the deep end of the pool. At once his feet touched the bottom. He realised that he was sinking. He was frightened but not out of his wits. He planned to make a big jump and come to the surface. He thought of lying flat on water for some time. Finally he decided to paddle to the edge of the pool.
Q. 6. Why did Douglas grow panicky?
Or
What did Douglas experience when he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first time?
Ans. The pool was nine feet deep. But those nine feet were more like ninety. Before he touched the bottom his lungs were ready to burst. He gathered all his strength and sprang upwards. He came up slowly. He saw nothing but water. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came out. He felt paralysed and grew panicky.
Q. 7. 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?
Ans. A strange and stark terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow. It was a kind of terror that knew no understanding or control. He was paralysed under water. His body became stiff and rigid with fear. Only the beating of his heart and pounding in his head made him realise that he was alive.
Q. 8. 'And then in the midst of the terror came a touch of reason.' What was that and did it succeed ?
Ans. In the midst of the terror came a touch of reason. He must remember to jump when he hit the bottom. He jumped with everything he had. But the Jund made no difference. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on him. His arms and legs wouldn't move. He tried to call for help. Nothing happened.
Q. 9. What happened when 'all efforts ceased ?'
Ans. When Douglas went down a third time, all efforts ceased. Even his legs felt limp "A blackness' swept over his face. It wiped out fear'. It wiped out terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful. He crossed to oblivion. When he came to senses, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool.
Q. 10. How and when did he find himself lying beside the pool?
Ans. William Douglas had tried himself to come up. But he didn't succeed. He found himself in a hopeless situation. Then all efforts ceased. He felt drowsy and crossed to oblivion. When he came to senses, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool. He was vomiting.
Q. 11. How did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool affect Douglas?
Ans. His experience at the YMCA swimming pool had a lasting effect on Douglas. The fear of water didn't leave him. The horrible incident always revived unpleasant memories and his fear of water. It ruined his fishing trips. It also deprived him of the joys of boating and swimming. He couldn't venture to go out for such activities. The fear of water held him firmly in its grip. He never went back to the pool.
Q. 12. How did the haunting fear of water ruin his fishing trips and other joys? Ans. The fear stayed with William Douglas as the years rolled by. Wherever he went, the haunting fear of the water followed him. In canoes on Maine Lakes or fishing for salmon and trout, the terror followed Douglas. It ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joys of canoeing, boating and swimming.
Q. 13. What did Douglas do to overcome his fear of the water? Did he get any success?
Or
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
Ans. William Douglas used every way to overcome his fear of water but with tittle success. Finally, one October, he decided to employ an instructor and learn to swim. He went to a pool and practised five days a week, an hour each day. Douglas did succeed in his mission. The instructor made him an expert swimmer.
Q. 14. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? What did he do there ?
Or
Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee ?
Ans. Douglas was not sure that all the terror of water had left him. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. He swam the crawl, breast stroke, side stroke and back stroke. It gave him a new confidence in overcoming his fear of water.
Q. 15. How did the instructor make William Douglas a perfect swimmer?
Ans. The instructor made Douglas practise five days a week, an hour each day. He put a belt around Douglas. A rope was attached to the belt. The rope went through a pulley. He was made to go back and forth across the pool. He was taught how to exhale and inhale. Thus, piece by piece the instructor built Douglas a swimmer.
Q,.16. How did Douglas remove his residual doubts about his fear of water?
Ans. No doubt, Douglas had succeeded in overcoming his fear of water. He had swum two miles across Lake Wentworth. Yet he had residual doubts. He herried west and camped in the Conard meadows by the side of warm lake. Next morning he took off his clothes and dived into the lake. He swam across the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had completely conquered his fear of water.
Q. 17. What special methods did the instructor use to teach Douglas to swim?
Ans. The instructor made comprehensive efforts to teach Douglas to swim. He put a helt around him. A rope was attached to the belt. The rope went through a pulley. He held on to the end of the rope. They went back and forth across the pool. This continued day after day, week after week.
Q. 18. How did Douglas overcome the old terror?
Or
How did William Douglas finally overcome his fear of water?
Ans. The instructor had made Douglas a perfect swimmer. But still Douglas was not sure of himself. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock at Triggs Island. He swam for two hours across the lake. Only once did the terror return. But it fled and he swam on. At last, he had conquered his fear of water.
Q. 19. "The experience had a deep meaning for me," says William Douglas. Elucidate the statement.
Ans. The experience had a deeper and symbolic meaning for Douglas. He was not just describing a horrible experience. He wanted to leave a definite message. Only those who have undergone such a stark terror and conquered it, can appreciate it. All obstacles, fears and terrors can be conquered. Only we must have determination and courage to meet them.
Q. 20. "All we have to fear is fear itself," says Roosevelt. Explain the import of the statement.
Or
What is the message of the lesson "Deep water"?
Ans. In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death. This is the message of the lesson. Roosevelt had said, "All we have to fear is fear itself." All terrors and fears are psychological. We can conquer them. Only we have to be determined. Douglas conquered the fear of water only by making himself a perfect swimmer.
Q. 21. Douglas says: "The instructor was finished. But I was not finished." Why did he utter such words?
Ans. The instructor had done his job. He had made a swimmer out of him. His responsibility was over. But the narrator was still not satisfied. When he was alone in the pool, the old fear would return. He was to continue his efforts to be a perfect swimmer. He would continue till he finally overcame his fear of water.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. How did Douglas develop an aversion to water?
Or
What was the sense of panic that gripped William O. Douglas? How did he overcome that fear?
Ans. William O. Douglas had developed an aversion to water when he was just a boy of three or four. His father took him to the beach in California. He and his father stood together in the surf. He was knocked down by the waves. He was buried in water. His breath had gone, There was terror in his heart at the overpowering force of the waves. He was frightened and developed a permanent fear for water. This fear revived when he was at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. A big boy of eighteen tossed him into the deep end of the pool. He soon reached the bottom of the nine feet deep pool. But those nine feet were more like ninety. He was nearly drowned. His hands and legs were paralysed and rigid. His lungs ached and head pounded When he came to senses, he found himself lying beside the pool, vomiting.
William O. Douglas decided to get an instructor and learn how to swim. He went to a pool and practised five days a week. The instructor made him a perfect swimmer. He was not sure that all his terror had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock. He swam two miles across the lake. Finally the fear fled and he swam on freely. He had conquered his fear of water.
Q. 2. A big boy threw Douglas into the swimming pool. How did this experience affect Douglas ?
Or
How did Douglas try to save himself from drowning in the Y.M.C.A. pool?
Ans. Y.M.C.A. swimming pool always revived unpleasant memories and childish fears in Douglas. It was here when a big boy threw him into the swimming pool. Actually, he had gone to the pool when no one else was there. Then came a big bruiser' of a boy. He picked Douglas up and tossed him into the deep end. He at once went to the bottom. He made a big jump to come to the surface. Those nine feet were more than ninety. His lungs were ready to burst. He was suffocating. His legs were paralysed and dead. The stark terror paralysed him.
Then all his efforts seized. He crossed into oblivion. Later he found himself lying on his stomach vomiting beside the pool.
This experience had a far reaching effect on Douglas. He never went back to the pool.
He feared water. 'Icy horror' would grab his heart. This handicap stayed with Douglas for years. It ruined his fishing trips. He lost the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming.
Q. 3. How did the swimming instructor 'build a swimmer' out of Douglas?
Or
How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer?
Ans. Douglas had an aversion to water when he was in it from the beginning. Once, he was nearly drowned in a pool at the Y.M.C.A. This handicap stayed with him as the years rolled by. Finally, one October, he decided to get an instructor and learn to swim. The instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.
The instructor made Douglas work really very hard. He went to a pool and practised five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor put a belt around him. A rope was attached to the belt. It went through a pulley. He held on to the end of the rope. They went back and forth across the pool week after week. The instructor also taught him to put his face under water and exhale. He was then taught to raise his nose to inhale. He had taught Douglas to kick with his legs. At first his legs refused to work but finally he could command them. The instructor's job was done. He had built a swimmer out of Douglas.
Q. 4. Imagine you are William O. Douglas. Write a letter to your friend describing how you overcame your fear of water.
Ans.
12, George Square Essex
20th March, 2018
Dear Romy
You never know what happens next moment in life. I was at Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. A big boy tossed me into the swimming pool. I was nearly drowned. The fear of water that seized me there never left me for a long time. At last, I decided to take the help of an instructor. I wanted to overcome the fear of water.
My plan clicked. The instructor put a belt around me. The instructor made me go forth and back across the pool. After a regular practice of three months the fear slacked. But I was not satisfied. The fear had not left me completely yet. But I was determined.
There was no place for fear now. So I went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock. I swam two miles across the lake. I knew no rest. The final test was cleared when I dived into Lake Warm and swam to the other end and back. I cried in joy. I was a sure winner.
I had overcome my fear of water.
Yours sincerely
William O. Douglas
Summary and Extra Question /Answers
Introduction:
The lesson Deep Water' is an excerpt taken from Of Men and Mountains' by William Douglas. He recounts a childhood experience and conquering of his fear of water. It describes how he was nearly drowned in a swimming pool. In this essay he talks about his fear of water and thereafter how he finally overcame that fear.
Summary
The narrator decided to learn to swim. There was a pool at Y.M.C.A. It offered him a good opportunity. Swimming in the Yakima River was quite dangerous. His mother had warned against it. But the Y.M.C.A. pool was safe for swimming. It was 2 to 3 feet deep at the shallow end. At the deep end it was nine feet. The slope was gradual. William Douglas had developed an aversion to water from the beginning. Once he stood at the beach with his father. A wave swept over him and knocked him down. He was buried in water. He was frightened. The Y.M.C.A. pool revived those unpleasant memories and childish fears.
The narrator was alone at the pool. He didn't dare to go inside the water alone. Then came a big bully of a boy. He was a beautiful physical 'specimen'. He cried, "Hi Skinny !". Then he picked the narrator up and tossed him into the deep end. He went down at once to the bottom. He was frightened but not out of his wits. He decided to make a big jump from the bottom. He would try to come to the surface. He would lie flat on the water. Finally, he would paddle to the edge of the pool.
Those nine feet were more like ninety. His lungs were ready to burst. But when he hit the bottom, he gathered all his strength. He made a great spring upwards. He came up rather slowly. He opened his eyes but saw nothing but water. He grew panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came out. He swallowed water and choked. His legs were paralysed and rigid.
A great force pulled him under water. He was getting dizzy. He went down endlessly. Then stark terror seized him. His arms would not move. He tried to call for help. Nothing happened. He sucked for air but got only water. Then all efforts ceased. He felt like sleeping. He crossed to oblivion. When he woke up, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool. He was vomiting. The chap who threw him in said that he was 'only fooling'. But the narrator had nearly died.
For days he was constantly haunted by the fear. He never went back to the pool. He feared water and avoided it whenever he could. Whenever he went near water, the terror would seize him. His legs got paralysed. Icy horror would grab his heart. The fear stayed with him as the years rolled by.
The narrator employed an instructor. He went to a pool. He practised five days a week. The instructor put a belt round him. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley. On each trip across the pool a bit of panic seized him. It was three months before the tension began to disappear. Then he taught the narrator how to put his face under water and exhale. And then he learnt how to raise his nose and inhale. He repeated the exercise hundreds of times.
Next the instructor taught him how to kick with his legs. For weeks he did just that. At first his legs refused to work. But finally he could command them. At last, the instructor made him a real swimmer. But he still feared to be alone in the pool. This went on until July. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock at Triggs Island. He swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. The fear fled and he swam on. Finally, he had conquered his fear of water.
It was a unique experience. It left a deep imprint on his mind. He could never forget it.
It had a deep meaning for him. He had experienced both the feelings the sensation of dying and the terror that fear can produce.
Question / Answer
Q. 1. What factor made Douglas decide in favour of YMCA pool?
Answer : William Douglas had decided to learn to swim. His mother continually warned against his going to the Yakima river for swimming. The river was treacherous. Many persons had drowned in it. The YMCA pool was safe. it was only two or three feet at the shallow end and nine feet at the deeper end. The slope was also graduay.
Q. 2. How and why did Douglas develop an aversion to the water when he was in it?
Ans. William Douglas developed an aversion to the water at the age of three or four. His father took him to the beach in California. They stood together in the surf. The waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. So he developed an aversion to water.
3. What was the misadventure and how did it start?
Or
What is the misadventure that William Douglas speaks about?
Ans. The narrator was at the Y.M.C.A. pool. Suddenly a strong built boy of eighteen came. He teased him and finally tossed him into water. Very soon he went to the bottom. He struggled to come up but couldn't. He felt paralysed and suffocated. He was nearly drowned.
Q. 4. How and why did the big bruiser' of a boy of eighteen throw Douglas into the Y.M.C.A. pool?
Ans. Douglas was alone at the pool. Then came a big bruiser of a boy. He was probably eighteen years old. He was quite muscular. He had thick hair on his chest. Without any rhyme and reason the boy yelled, "Hi, Skinny! How'd you like to be ducked ?". Then he picked Douglas up and tossed him into the deep end.
Q. 5. What did Douglas plan when his feet hit the bottom?
Ans. Douglas was tossed into the deep end of the pool. At once his feet touched the bottom. He realised that he was sinking. He was frightened but not out of his wits. He planned to make a big jump and come to the surface. He thought of lying flat on water for some time. Finally he decided to paddle to the edge of the pool.
Q. 6. Why did Douglas grow panicky?
Or
What did Douglas experience when he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first time?
Ans. The pool was nine feet deep. But those nine feet were more like ninety. Before he touched the bottom his lungs were ready to burst. He gathered all his strength and sprang upwards. He came up slowly. He saw nothing but water. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came out. He felt paralysed and grew panicky.
Q. 7. 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?
Ans. A strange and stark terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow. It was a kind of terror that knew no understanding or control. He was paralysed under water. His body became stiff and rigid with fear. Only the beating of his heart and pounding in his head made him realise that he was alive.
Q. 8. 'And then in the midst of the terror came a touch of reason.' What was that and did it succeed ?
Ans. In the midst of the terror came a touch of reason. He must remember to jump when he hit the bottom. He jumped with everything he had. But the Jund made no difference. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on him. His arms and legs wouldn't move. He tried to call for help. Nothing happened.
Q. 9. What happened when 'all efforts ceased ?'
Ans. When Douglas went down a third time, all efforts ceased. Even his legs felt limp "A blackness' swept over his face. It wiped out fear'. It wiped out terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful. He crossed to oblivion. When he came to senses, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool.
Q. 10. How and when did he find himself lying beside the pool?
Ans. William Douglas had tried himself to come up. But he didn't succeed. He found himself in a hopeless situation. Then all efforts ceased. He felt drowsy and crossed to oblivion. When he came to senses, he found himself lying on his stomach beside the pool. He was vomiting.
Q. 11. How did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool affect Douglas?
Ans. His experience at the YMCA swimming pool had a lasting effect on Douglas. The fear of water didn't leave him. The horrible incident always revived unpleasant memories and his fear of water. It ruined his fishing trips. It also deprived him of the joys of boating and swimming. He couldn't venture to go out for such activities. The fear of water held him firmly in its grip. He never went back to the pool.
Q. 12. How did the haunting fear of water ruin his fishing trips and other joys? Ans. The fear stayed with William Douglas as the years rolled by. Wherever he went, the haunting fear of the water followed him. In canoes on Maine Lakes or fishing for salmon and trout, the terror followed Douglas. It ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joys of canoeing, boating and swimming.
Q. 13. What did Douglas do to overcome his fear of the water? Did he get any success?
Or
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
Ans. William Douglas used every way to overcome his fear of water but with tittle success. Finally, one October, he decided to employ an instructor and learn to swim. He went to a pool and practised five days a week, an hour each day. Douglas did succeed in his mission. The instructor made him an expert swimmer.
Q. 14. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? What did he do there ?
Or
Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee ?
Ans. Douglas was not sure that all the terror of water had left him. So he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. He swam the crawl, breast stroke, side stroke and back stroke. It gave him a new confidence in overcoming his fear of water.
Q. 15. How did the instructor make William Douglas a perfect swimmer?
Ans. The instructor made Douglas practise five days a week, an hour each day. He put a belt around Douglas. A rope was attached to the belt. The rope went through a pulley. He was made to go back and forth across the pool. He was taught how to exhale and inhale. Thus, piece by piece the instructor built Douglas a swimmer.
Q,.16. How did Douglas remove his residual doubts about his fear of water?
Ans. No doubt, Douglas had succeeded in overcoming his fear of water. He had swum two miles across Lake Wentworth. Yet he had residual doubts. He herried west and camped in the Conard meadows by the side of warm lake. Next morning he took off his clothes and dived into the lake. He swam across the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. He had completely conquered his fear of water.
Q. 17. What special methods did the instructor use to teach Douglas to swim?
Ans. The instructor made comprehensive efforts to teach Douglas to swim. He put a helt around him. A rope was attached to the belt. The rope went through a pulley. He held on to the end of the rope. They went back and forth across the pool. This continued day after day, week after week.
Q. 18. How did Douglas overcome the old terror?
Or
How did William Douglas finally overcome his fear of water?
Ans. The instructor had made Douglas a perfect swimmer. But still Douglas was not sure of himself. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock at Triggs Island. He swam for two hours across the lake. Only once did the terror return. But it fled and he swam on. At last, he had conquered his fear of water.
Q. 19. "The experience had a deep meaning for me," says William Douglas. Elucidate the statement.
Ans. The experience had a deeper and symbolic meaning for Douglas. He was not just describing a horrible experience. He wanted to leave a definite message. Only those who have undergone such a stark terror and conquered it, can appreciate it. All obstacles, fears and terrors can be conquered. Only we must have determination and courage to meet them.
Q. 20. "All we have to fear is fear itself," says Roosevelt. Explain the import of the statement.
Or
What is the message of the lesson "Deep water"?
Ans. In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death. This is the message of the lesson. Roosevelt had said, "All we have to fear is fear itself." All terrors and fears are psychological. We can conquer them. Only we have to be determined. Douglas conquered the fear of water only by making himself a perfect swimmer.
Q. 21. Douglas says: "The instructor was finished. But I was not finished." Why did he utter such words?
Ans. The instructor had done his job. He had made a swimmer out of him. His responsibility was over. But the narrator was still not satisfied. When he was alone in the pool, the old fear would return. He was to continue his efforts to be a perfect swimmer. He would continue till he finally overcame his fear of water.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. How did Douglas develop an aversion to water?
Or
What was the sense of panic that gripped William O. Douglas? How did he overcome that fear?
Ans. William O. Douglas had developed an aversion to water when he was just a boy of three or four. His father took him to the beach in California. He and his father stood together in the surf. He was knocked down by the waves. He was buried in water. His breath had gone, There was terror in his heart at the overpowering force of the waves. He was frightened and developed a permanent fear for water. This fear revived when he was at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. A big boy of eighteen tossed him into the deep end of the pool. He soon reached the bottom of the nine feet deep pool. But those nine feet were more like ninety. He was nearly drowned. His hands and legs were paralysed and rigid. His lungs ached and head pounded When he came to senses, he found himself lying beside the pool, vomiting.
William O. Douglas decided to get an instructor and learn how to swim. He went to a pool and practised five days a week. The instructor made him a perfect swimmer. He was not sure that all his terror had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock. He swam two miles across the lake. Finally the fear fled and he swam on freely. He had conquered his fear of water.
Q. 2. A big boy threw Douglas into the swimming pool. How did this experience affect Douglas ?
Or
How did Douglas try to save himself from drowning in the Y.M.C.A. pool?
Ans. Y.M.C.A. swimming pool always revived unpleasant memories and childish fears in Douglas. It was here when a big boy threw him into the swimming pool. Actually, he had gone to the pool when no one else was there. Then came a big bruiser' of a boy. He picked Douglas up and tossed him into the deep end. He at once went to the bottom. He made a big jump to come to the surface. Those nine feet were more than ninety. His lungs were ready to burst. He was suffocating. His legs were paralysed and dead. The stark terror paralysed him.
Then all his efforts seized. He crossed into oblivion. Later he found himself lying on his stomach vomiting beside the pool.
This experience had a far reaching effect on Douglas. He never went back to the pool.
He feared water. 'Icy horror' would grab his heart. This handicap stayed with Douglas for years. It ruined his fishing trips. He lost the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming.
Q. 3. How did the swimming instructor 'build a swimmer' out of Douglas?
Or
How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer?
Ans. Douglas had an aversion to water when he was in it from the beginning. Once, he was nearly drowned in a pool at the Y.M.C.A. This handicap stayed with him as the years rolled by. Finally, one October, he decided to get an instructor and learn to swim. The instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.
The instructor made Douglas work really very hard. He went to a pool and practised five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor put a belt around him. A rope was attached to the belt. It went through a pulley. He held on to the end of the rope. They went back and forth across the pool week after week. The instructor also taught him to put his face under water and exhale. He was then taught to raise his nose to inhale. He had taught Douglas to kick with his legs. At first his legs refused to work but finally he could command them. The instructor's job was done. He had built a swimmer out of Douglas.
Q. 4. Imagine you are William O. Douglas. Write a letter to your friend describing how you overcame your fear of water.
Ans.
12, George Square Essex
20th March, 2018
Dear Romy
You never know what happens next moment in life. I was at Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. A big boy tossed me into the swimming pool. I was nearly drowned. The fear of water that seized me there never left me for a long time. At last, I decided to take the help of an instructor. I wanted to overcome the fear of water.
My plan clicked. The instructor put a belt around me. The instructor made me go forth and back across the pool. After a regular practice of three months the fear slacked. But I was not satisfied. The fear had not left me completely yet. But I was determined.
There was no place for fear now. So I went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock. I swam two miles across the lake. I knew no rest. The final test was cleared when I dived into Lake Warm and swam to the other end and back. I cried in joy. I was a sure winner.
I had overcome my fear of water.
Yours sincerely
William O. Douglas
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