Deep Water Class 12 Questions and Answers | Class 12 English Flamingo Deep Water Question Answers

Flamingo Book Chap 3 - Deep Water Question Answers

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Deep Water Important Question Answers Lesson 3

Class 12 English Deep Water Question Answers – Looking for Deep Water question answers (NCERT solutions) for CBSE Class 12 English Flamingo Book Chapter 3? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 12 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the board exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 3: Deep Water question answers now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract based questions, multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions.  

Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams. 

Class 12 English Deep Water Question Answers Lesson 3 – Extract Based Questions

Extract-based questions are of the multiple-choice variety, and students must select the correct option for each question by carefully reading the passage.

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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. (CBSE QB, 2021)

 

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.

learning to swim.

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

 

Class 12 Deep Water Important Question Answers Video

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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

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. (CBSE QB, 2021)

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.’

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D. But I was not finished. I still wondered if I would be terror-stricken when I was alone in the pool. I tried it. I swam the length up and down. Tiny vestiges of the old terror would return. But now I could frown and say to that terror, “Trying to scare me, eh? Well, here’s to you! Look!” And off I’d go for another length of the pool.

 

  1. Find a synonym of trace
    Ans. Vestige
  1. Did the narrator actually speak to the terror?
    Ans. No, he said this in his mind.
  1. What quality can be seen in the author?
    A Courage
    B Terror
    C fear
    D All of these
    Ans. A Courage

 

E. I laughed and said, “Well, Mr. Terror, what do you think you can do to me?” It fled and I swam on. (CBSE SQP 2019-20)

 

  1. Who is ‘I’ here? Who is being addressed to as Mr. Terror?
    Ans. ‘I’ here is the writer William Douglas. The fear is being addressed as Mr Terror
  1. Why has Mr. Terror been addressed so?
    Ans. It is the same terror that he has experienced earlier also. So, he calls it Mr Terror
  1. Why did the narrator laugh?.
    Ans. He laughed because he had overcome the terror
  1. Why did Mr. Terror leave?
    Ans. Mer Terror had to leave because the writer was not scared by it

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Class 12 English Flamingo Deep Water Chapter 3 Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are a type of objective assessment in which a person is asked to choose one or more correct answers from a list of available options. An MCQ presents a question along with several possible answers.


Q1. Who is the author of Deep Water?
A) William Shakespeare
B) William George Bernard Shaw
C) William Wordsworth
D) William Douglas
Ans. D) William Douglas

Q2. For how many years had the author taught in high school in Yakima?
A) 2 years
B) 4 years
C) 3 years
D) 5 years
Ans. A) 2 years

Q3. What is the story Deep Water speaking about?
A) Fear of water and the way to overcome it
B) Fear of people
C) Fear of dogs
D) Fear of swimming
Ans.A) Fear of water and the way to overcome it

Q4. How did the author’s fear vanish?
A) With courage, guidance and determination
B) With care
C) With mother’s words
D) With guidance
Ans.A) With courage, guidance and determination

Q5. 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
Ans. C) California

Q6. Why did he develop a fear of water?
A) Because of knocking down by waves at a beach
B) Because of a young boy
C) Because of instructor
D) Because of his mother
Ans. A) Because of knocking down by waves at a beach

Q7. What is haunting the author?
A) Terrible experience in the pool
B) Ghosts
C) His mother’s words
D) A push by a young boy
Ans. A) Terrible experience in the pool

Q8. How did the author learn swimming?
A) With the help of a rope
B) With the help of a friend
C) With the help of his mother
D) With the help of a swimming instructor
Ans. D) With the help of a swimming instructor

Q9. What did William O Doughlas desire for?
A) Visit to California
C) To be a judge
C) To learn swimming
D) To be with his mother
Ans. C) To learn swimming

Q10. Deep water is an excerpt from which book?
A) Fear of water
B) Of Men and Mountains
C) How to Swim
D) Fearless
Ans. B) Of Men and Mountains

Q11. Who threw Douglas into the swimming pool?
A) A young boy
B) Instructor
C) Mother
D) Watchman
Ans. A) A young boy

Q12. What was the fear in Douglas’ mind?
A) To be defeated
B) To be pushed
C) Being drowned
D) None
Ans. C) Being drowned

Q13. At the age of 3 or 4 Douglas visited the beach with his father. What caused a terror in his heart then?
A) The sight of the sea waves
B) The overpowering force of the waves
C) The color of the water
D) All of these
Ans. D) All of these

Q14. What plans did he make to come to the surface of the pool?
A) Triled to jump and push himself up
B) Shouted
C) Cried aloud
D) Shouted “help”
Ans. A) Triled to jump and push himself up

Q15. How did this experience affect the author?
A) Became fearless
B) Confident
C) Overconfident
D) Became hydrophobic
Ans. D) Became hydrophobic

Q16. The most appropriate justification for the title of the chapter ‘Deep Water’ is that (CBSE QB, 2021)
A) it’s about the dangerous depth of the swimming pool.
B) It reveals the author’s lack of surety about overcoming his fear of swimming.
C) it underlines the author’s fear of water and how he overcomes it.
D) it includes the methods of the author’s coach to overcome the fear of deep water
Ans. C) it underlines the author’s fear of water and how he overcomes it.

Q17. Choose the quote that DOES NOT resonate with the central idea of the chapter (CBSE QB, 2021)

quote that DOES NOT resonate

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

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Q18. Samuel has a phobia of heights but is scared and can’t overcome it. Choose the option that displays an advice. (CBSE QB, 2021)
phobia of heights

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

Q19. The chap that threw me in was saying, “But I was only fooling.” Choose the option mentioning the personality traits of this ‘chap’. (CBSE QB, 2021)
1. persuasive
2. irresponsible
3. domineering
4. manipulative
5. Callous

A) 1, 2, 4
B) 2, 4, 5
C) 2, 3, 5
D) 1, 3, 5
Ans. C) 2, 3, 5

Q20. Select the option that lists the qualities of Douglas’ trainer. (CBSE SQP 2021-22)
(1) adventurous
(2) generous
(3) patient
(4) methodical
(5) encouraging
(6) courageous
A. (1) and (6)
B. (3), (4) and (5)
C. (2) and (5)
D. (1), (4) and (6)
Ans. B. (3), (4) and (5)

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Class 12 English Deep Water Question Answers (including questions from Previous Years Question Papers)

In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from the Chapter The Deep Water for CBSE Class 12 Boards in the coming session. These questions have been taken from previous years class 12 Board exams and the year is mentioned in the bracket along with the question.

 

Q1. How did Douglas finally get rid of the fear he had of water? (Delhi 2009)
Ans. The terror that gripped Douglas as a result of his two mishaps with water was so intense that he sought professional help to overcome it. He hired a swimming instructor for six months of intensive training to ensure he overcame his fear of water, which he eventually did.

Q2. How did the incident at the YMCA pool affect Douglas? (All India 2009)
Ans. 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 he was instantly at the bottom. Even though he managed to escape with great difficulty, he could never return to the pool. He began to be afraid of and avoid water. When he was near water, a haunting terror gripped him.

Q3. When Douglas realized that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself? (Delhi 2010)
Ans. Douglas was terrified when he realized he was sinking, and it was then that he decided to make a big jump to the surface. He considered lying flat on the water for a while and then paddling to the pool’s edge.

Q4. What did Douglas experience as he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first time? (Delhi 2010)
Ans. When Douglas is pushed into the pool, he immediately sinks to the bottom. To him, the nine-foot-deep pool appears to be ninety feet deep. He has a strong feeling of unease and as if his lungs are about to burst. Despite feeling completely suffocated, he makes desperate attempts to survive.

Q5.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? (Delhi 2010)
Ans. It was a nightmare for Douglas when he went down the water with a yellow glow. His legs were nearly paralyzed, his lungs ached, and his head throbbed. The thumping of his heart and the pounding in his head reminded him that he was still alive.

Q6. Why did William Douglas develop aversion to the water when he was three or four years old? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Ans. When William Douglas was three or four years old, he developed a phobia of water. He was standing with his father on a beach when a wave swept over him and knocked him down. He became breathless after being submerged in water. He was terrified and developed a lifelong aversion to water.

Q7. What misadventure did William Douglas experience at the YMCA pool? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Ans. Douglas became afraid of water after an incident at the YMCA pool in which he was thrown into the deeper end of the pool by a big boy. He went down into the water three times but never came back up. Though he was eventually saved, he developed a fear of water as his lungs filled with water. His head throbbed and his legs felt paralyzed, making him fear water for the rest of his life.

Q8. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? (Delhi 2011)
Ans. Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to see if he still feared water. He wasn’t sure if his fear of water had gone away despite his rigorous swimming practice. So he decided to test his swimming abilities at Lake Wentworth. He dove into the lake, and it wasn’t until he’d swum across the shore and back that he knew his fear of water was gone.

Q9. What did Douglas learn from his experience at the YMCA pool? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Ans. Douglas was deeply affected by his drowning experience at the YMCA pool. He became terrified and terrified of death. He had felt both the sensation of death and the terror that fear of death can cause. As a result, his desire to live grew stronger. He gradually overcame his fear of swimming and learned to swim.

Q10. Which two frightening experiences did Douglas have in water in his childhood? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Ans. Douglas’ first terrifying experience with water occurred when he was three or four years old. While surfing at a California beach, he was knocked down by the waves. He had been terrified at the time. Years later, his experience at the YMCA pool brought back unpleasant memories of being thrown into the deep end of the pool by an eighteen-year-old boy. Douglas developed a fear of water as a result of both of these experiences.

Q11. In Deep Water, which qualities of the swimming instructor played a role in helping Douglas overcome his fear?(CBSE Sample Paper 2022)
Ans. Because of the instructor’s ability to empathise with Douglas and understand his fear, he decided to teach him to swim by putting a belt around his waist. This instilled confidence in Douglas.The instructor’s patience was crucial as he held on to the rope and walked the length of the pool to help Douglas swim day after day.

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Class 12 Deep Water Long Answer Questions Chapter 4

Q1. “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? (All India 2010)
Ans. Douglas had been knocked down by the waves at a California beach when he was three or four years old. The waves swept over him, burying him beneath them. Water’s overwhelming power terrified him, and he developed an aversion to it. When Douglas was eleven years old, his aversion to water reappeared and strengthened its grip on his mind and personality. Douglas was thrown into the deep end of the pool by an eighteen-year-old boy. For the second time, the descent into water was a terrifying experience. His legs were almost paralyzed, his lungs hurt, his head throbbed, and he felt like he was suffocating.
Keeping his cool, he pushed himself to the surface of the pool, but his efforts were in vain. When he regained consciousness, he was lying on his stomach beside the pool. Now the haunting fear of water gripped his heart, and he was mortally afraid of water for a long time.

Q2. A big boy threw Douglas into the swimming pool. How did this experience affect Douglas?
Ans. William Douglas had decided to overcome his childhood fear of water and joined the Y.M.C.A swimming pool. He had gradually gained confidence and was attempting to learn to swim by imitating other boys and using water wings. The misadventure occurred just as he was beginning to relax.A big boy, about eighteen years old, saw Douglas sitting by the pool and threw him into the deep end. Douglas was terrified, but he did not lose his mind. He planned on giving himself a thrust just as he touched the bottom, then rising to the surface of the water and floating towards the edge.
His plans fell through, and he went up and down in the water three times, unable to reach the surface and breathe. When he was rescued, he had almost given up. The youngster admitted that he was merely ‘fooling’.

Q3. We always admire those heroes who face challenges bravely in different phases of life and emerge successfully. Elaborate on this statement with reference to William Douglas. (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Ans. Determination and perseverance are a set of characteristics and abilities that motivate people to set goals for themselves and then take action to achieve those goals. Douglas was able to overcome his fear of water by focusing on the values of positivity and courage. He was initially afraid of water, but his tenacity and determination led him to seek out an instructor and overcome his apprehension. Today’s determination leads to tomorrow’s success. It is that innate quality in our soul that comes to the surface when something irritates it. It reflects the values instilled in us by society and circumstance and enables us to overcome all obstacles.
There is always reverence for heroes like William Douglas who face challenges bravely and eventually triumph. For years, he was plagued by a fear of water. It took away his enjoyment of canoeing, swimming, fishing, and boating. Douglas was able to overcome his fear thanks to deliberate, planned, and consistent efforts. He was dead set on overcoming his fear, and it was only through his perseverance and tenacity that he triumphed.

Q4. With the help of courage one can achieve a lot. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Ans. Douglas was terrified of water from a young age. His mishap at the YMCA pool exacerbated his fear of water. He was unable to participate in fishing and boating trips. He finally decided that he had to overcome his fear. He couldn’t do it without professional assistance, so he hired a coach who gradually turned him into an excellent swimmer. Douglas was still unsatisfied. He took advantage of every opportunity to swim and dive in water, thereby confronting his fear. He was able to completely overcome his fear, prompting him to state that what one is afraid of is fear itself, and that if we can overcome that fear, we can achieve anything in life.

Q5. Douglas fully realized the truth of Roosevelt’s statement, “All we have to fear is fear itself.” How did this realization help him brush aside his fear and become an expert swimmer?
Ans. Fear is a crippling emotion. It limits all kinds of efforts, creativity, and ventures that one might consider. Fear, however, can be overcome with grit, determination, and hard work. This was demonstrated by William Douglas. He overcame his fear of water by first psychoanalyzing it and then treating it methodically. Douglas has developed hydrophobia as a result of his misadventure at the YMCA pool. Regardless, he hired a professional trainer and learned to swim step by step. Douglas was made a swimmer by the trainer due to his strong willpower and rigorous practice.
Douglas, however, was not satisfied and set a higher standard for his perfection, devising various tests and situations to overcome fear in all forms. As a result, Douglas was eventually able to overcome his fear of water and become an expert swimmer.

Q6. Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the value of these qualities in the light of Douglas’ experience in “Deep Water”. (Comptt. All India 2014)
Ans. Determination and perseverance are a set of characteristics and abilities that motivate people to set goals for themselves and then take action to achieve those goals. Douglas was able to overcome his fear of water by focusing on the values of positivity and courage. He was initially afraid of water, but his tenacity and determination led him to seek out an instructor and overcome his apprehension. Today’s determination leads to tomorrow’s success. It is that innate quality in our soul that comes to the surface when something irritates it. It reflects the values instilled in us by society and circumstance and enables us to overcome all obstacles.
There is always admiration for heroes like William Douglas who face challenges bravely and eventually triumph. For years, he was plagued by a fear of water. It took away his enjoyment of canoeing, swimming, fishing, and boating. Douglas was able to overcome his fear thanks to deliberate, planned, and consistent efforts. He was dead set on overcoming his fear, and it was only through his perseverance and tenacity that he triumphed.

Q7. Describe the efforts made by Douglas to save himself from drowning in the YMCA swimming pool. (Comptt. All India 2013)
Ans. Douglas was dragged into the deep end of the YMCA swimming pool. Those nine feet seemed a long way down at the time. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he gathered all of his strength and sprung upward. He slowly arose, opened his eyes, and saw only water. He reached up as if for a rope, but his hands only clutched at water. He flailed at the water’s surface, swallowed, and choked. He attempted to raise his legs, but they hung as if paralyzed. He began his journey back to the pool’s bottom once more.

Then he remembered the plan: he would spring from the bottom of the pool and float to the surface like a cork. He’d lie flat on the water and thrash around with his arms and legs. Then he’d get to the pool’s edge and be safe. The jump made no difference yet again, and Douglas eventually gave up and relaxed as blockness swept over his brain.

Q8.  Courage and optimism are attributes that can make the impossible possible. Elucidate with reference to Deep Water.
Ans. Man has only succeeded in making the impossible possible through courage, desire, and determination. The best example is William Douglas’ struggle to overcome his fear of water. Douglas developed a fear of water as a result of his near-drowning experience at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. Panic attacks paralyzed his lumps the moment he entered the water. He had lived for many years with this fear. But, in the end, he decided to overcome his fear and was successful due to his perseverance and positive attitude. He hired a swimming instructor, who transformed him into a swimmer through rigorous training and special technique. Douglas had to overcome this fear for nearly seven months.
But, in the end, Douglas demonstrated that it was courage, determination, desire, diligence, and optimism that enabled him to overcome his fear.

Q9. How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer? (All India 2011)
Ans. The instructor worked hard to ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas. He recognised Douglas’s deathly fear of water and practiced with him five days a week for an hour each day. He devised a novel method of teaching him to swim. He fastened a rope to Douglas’ belt, which passed through a pulley that ran over an overhead cable. He made Douglas move back and forth in the pool while holding the end of the rope in his hand, without causing him much fear. Douglas was taught how to exhale underwater and inhale by raising his nose.
This exercise was repeated several times, and they swam across the pool week after week. Douglas was then taught to kick with his legs by the instructor. His legs did not work at first, but he was eventually able to control and command them. Finally, his instructor transformed him into a near-perfect swimmer.

Q10. ‘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?
Ans. The handicap in question is Douglas’s fear of water, which he developed as a result of some unfortunate events in his childhood. As a result, he was unable to participate in watersports or swim. His father took him to the beach in California when he was three or four years old. Douglas was knocked down by the sea waves and nearly drowned. He developed a phobia of water. Furthermore, when he was ten or eleven years old, a thug threw him into a swimming pool. He had a terrible experience at the time. He was almost submerged in water, which suffocated him and paralyzed his limbs. He did, however, avoid drowning.
Since then, he has been afraid of water and has been unable to enjoy activities such as canoeing, swimming, rafting, fishing, and so on. This became a disadvantage for him because he was deprived of the enjoyment of water sports and swimming.

Q11. The prose selections, Deep Water and Indigo, bring out the importance of overcoming fear, in order to be able to lead our lives successfully. Imagine yourself to be a motivational speaker who has to address high school students. Write this address in 120 – 150 words elaborating on occurrences from the two texts to inspire your audience and to convince them about the importance of overcoming fear.(CBSE Sample Paper 2022)
Ans. Good day, students! We’ve all experienced being afraid. Fear is our body’s natural reaction to an impending threat or danger. But when fear takes over our lives and prevents us from reaching our goals, it’s time to take action and overcome it. This message is conveyed in the prose selections Deep Water and Indigo. Deep Water depicts the protagonist overcoming their fear of water and learning to swim in the face of danger and uncertainty. This demonstrates that overcoming our fears allows us to open ourselves up to new experiences and opportunities. Similarly, in Indigo, the protagonist must overcome their fear of being different and embrace their uniqueness in order to live a happy life.
This teaches us that facing our fears allows us to not only be true to ourselves, but also live an authentic and meaningful life. So, students, I encourage you to face your fears and embrace the challenges that come your way. Overcoming fear will not only make you stronger, but it will also help you live a more successful and fulfilling life. Remember that the only thing to be afraid of is fear itself. So, go out there and live your lives to the fullest!
Thank you.

Q12. The story Deep Water talks about Douglas’ attempts to overcome his fear of water. The story can also be viewed as a figurative manifestation of life’s many challenges. Elaborate with reference to the text.(CBSE Sample Paper 2020)
Ans. The story “Deep Water” can be interpreted as a metaphor for life’s many challenges, as discussed further below. Since his childhood, William Douglas has had a fear of water. He overcame his fear through sheer determination. To overcome his fear, he eventually hired an instructor, whose instruction and practice relieved him of his anxiety. He was terrified and frozen when he went underwater, but his determination to succeed helped him. The deep-water metaphor refers not only to a fear of water, but also to human fear of all challenges in life. The adjective ‘deep’ refers to the fear’s intricate nature and how hidden its mysteries are.
Every challenge in life is terrifying, and only a determined person can break free from the fears that have encircled the challenges. The struggle and journey to overcome fears is prolonged.

Q13. The childhood experience of terror of Douglas made him stronger and more determined. Elucidate the above statement supporting it with evidence from the text. (CBSE Sample Paper 2018)
Ans. It is true; if the childhood mishaps had not occurred, Douglas would never have become stronger and more determined. The terrifying incident at the YMCA pool, in which he nearly drowned, instilled in him a deep fear of water. All of his outings with his friends were ruined by his fear. Whenever he went to Cascades, Tieton, or Warm Lake with his friends, he was overcome with fear of water, his legs paralysed, and icy horror gripped his heart.
Finally, in October, he hired a swimming instructor. The instructor fastened a belt around his waist. He wrapped the belt around himself. He fastened the belt to an overhead cable.
He clung to the rope as the author attempted to swim back and forth across the pool for hours, days, and weeks. It took the author three months to learn the fundamentals. The instructor then showed him how to exhale underwater and inhale by raising his nose. He then showed him how to kick water with his legs.
He asked the author to swim the length of the pool after teaching and perfecting the basics. The author swam the length of the pool by himself starting the next day. There was no turning back after that. He swam across Wentworth and Warmlake Lakes. That is how the author overcame his apprehension.He emerged stronger and more determined. 

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