We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together Question Answers, NCERT Solutions | Class 11 Chapter 2

 

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Book Chapter 2 We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together Important Question Answers

Looking for We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together question answers (NCERT solutions) for CBSE Class 11 English Hornbill Book Chapter 2? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 11 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 2: We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together 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. 

 

Chapter 2 We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together 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.

A. IN July 1976, my wife Mary, son Jonathan, 6, daughter Suzanne, 7, and I set sail from Plymouth, England, to duplicate the roundthe-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook. For the longest time, Mary and I — a 37-year-old businessman — had dreamt of sailing in the wake of the famous explorer, and for the past 16 years we had spent all our leisure time honing our seafaring skills in British waters.

Q1. Name the chapter from which the extract has been taken.
Answer. “ We are not afraid to die.. If we can all be together” is the name of the chapter from which the above extract is taken.

Q2. Name the author of the given lines.
Answer. Gordon Cook and Alan East

Q3. Mention all the family members as given in the above extract.
Answer. The family consists of Gordon Cook, his wife Mary, their daughter Suzanne and their son Jonathan.

Q4. What do you understand by the term “voyage”?
Answer. Voyage means a long journey, especially by ship

 

B. Our boat Wavewalker, a 23 metre, 30 ton wooden-hulled beauty, had been professionally built, and we had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather we could find. The first leg of our planned three-year, 105,000 kilometre journey passed pleasantly as we sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town. There, before heading east, we took on two crewmen — American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler — to help us tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the southern Indian Ocean.

Q1. Where did the second crewman hail from?
Answer. The second crewman hailed from Switzerland.

Q2. For how long did they decide to stay in water?
Answer. They planned a three year long journey.

Q3. Why were the crewmen hired?
Answer. The crewmen were hired by the narrator to help them tackle the roughest sea.

Q4. What is the name of the boat?
Answer. The boat’s name is “Wavewalker”.

C. At dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic. We were sailing with only a small storm jib and were still making eight knots. As the ship rose to the top of each wave we could see endless enormous seas rolling towards us, and the screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the ears. To slow the boat down, we dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern. Then we double-lashed everything, went through our life-raft drill, attached lifelines, donned oilskins and life jackets — and waited.

Q1. What does knot mean?
Answer. Knot refers to a measure of the speed of a ship.

Q2. Why did they drop the storm jib?
Answer. They dropped the storm jib to slow down the speed of the boat.

Q3. What does stern mean in the above extract?
Answer. Stern means the back end of a ship or boat.

Q4. Pick a word from the extract which means extremely big.
Answer. Gigantic or enormous

 

D. Unexpectedly, my head popped out of the water. A few metres away, Wavewalker was near capsizing, her masts almost horizontal. Then a wave hurled her upright, my lifeline jerked taut, I grabbed the guard rails and sailed through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom. Subsequent waves tossed me around the deck like a rag doll. My left ribs cracked; my mouth filled with blood and broken teeth. Somehow, I found the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on.

Q1. Who is “I” in the above lines?
Answer. “I” in the above lines is a narrator, a 37 year old businessman.

Q2. What was the physical state of the narrator?
Answer. The narrator was brave in the face of adversity.

Q3. Who is “she” in the above lines?
Answer. She in the above lines is May, the wife of the narrator.

Q4. Which word from the extract tells us that the boat had turned over in the water.
Answer. Capsizing

Q5. Who were Larry and Herb?
Answer. Larry and Herb were the crewmen.

 

E. The night dragged on with an endless, bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering and working the radio. We were getting no replies to our Mayday calls — which was not surprising in this remote corner of the world. Sue’s head had swollen alarmingly; she had two enormous black eyes, and now she showed us a deep cut on her arm. When I asked why she hadn’t made more of her injuries before this, she replied, “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all.”

Q1. Who was hurt?
Answer. Sue was hurt due to the collision.

Q2. What is “Mayday call”?
Answer. Mayday is the word used around the world to make a distress call via radio communications. Mayday signals a life-threatening emergency, usually on a ship.

Q3. Who is “Sue”?
Answer. Sue is the daughter of the narrator.

Q4.What did their ship collide with?
Answer. The ship collided with a wave.

F. When I went in to comfort the children, Jon asked, “Daddy, are we going to die?” I tried to assure him that we could make it. “But, Daddy,” he went on, “we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and Mummy, Sue and I.” I could find no words with which to respond, but I left the children’s cabin determined to fight the sea with everything I had. To protect the weakened starboard side, I decided to heave to — with the undamaged port hull facing the oncoming waves, using an improvised sea anchor of heavy nylon rope and two 22 litre plastic barrels of paraffin.

Q1. Who said “We are not afraid to die if we can all be together” ?
Answer. Jonathan said these lines.

Q2. What was the attitude of the narrator’s children towards their deteriorating stage?
Answer. The children were optimistic.

Q3. What does “pinpricks in the vast ocean” mean?
Answer. Islands refer to “pinpricks in the vast ocean”.

Q4. Find a word from the above extract which means secondary or subsidiary.
Answer. Auxiliary

 

Multiple Choice Questions for Chapter 2 We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together

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.

1. The family set sail from-
A. Liverpool, England
B. Manchester, England
C. London, England
D. Plymouth, England
Answer- D. Plymouth, England

2. The family wanted to duplicate the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain _____________ .
A. Marco Polo
B. Christopher Columbus
C. James Cook
D. Amerigo Vespucci
Answer- C. James Cook

3. James Cook was a/an ___________ .
A. pilot
B. painter
C.explorer
D. governor
Answer- C.explorer

4. Which country did Larry Vigil hail from?
A. America
B. Switzerland
C. India
D. Germany
Answer- A. America

5. Which country did Herb Seigler hail from?
A. America
B. Switzerland
C. India
D. Germany
Answer- B. Switzerland

6. Which ocean is the roughest according to the narrator?
A. Southern Pacific Ocean
B. Southern Indian Ocean
C. Southern Atlantic Ocean
D. Southern Caribbean Sea
Answer- B. Southern Indian Ocean

7. “But my head hurts a bit,” Who said these lines?
A. Mary
B. Jonathan
C. Larry
D. Suzanne
Answer- D. Suzanne

8. “We aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and Mummy, Sue and I”, Who said these lines?
A. Mary
B. Jonathan
C. Larry
D. Suzanne
Answer- B. Jonathan

9. “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all”, Who said these lines?
A. Mary
B. Jonathan
C. Larry
D. Suzanne
Answer- D. Suzanne

10. Who made the “Thank-you” card?
A. Mary
B. Jonathan
C. Larry
D. Suzanne
Answer- D. Suzanne

11. Choose the most suitable meaning of “honing our seafaring skills”
A. to perfect the skill of travelling on the mountains.
B. to perfect the skill of travelling on the deserts
C. to perfect the skill of travelling on the sea.
D. to perfect the skill of travelling on the valley
Answer- C. to perfect the skill of travelling on the sea.

12. Choose the most suitable meaning for “pinpricks in the vast ocean”
A. This phrase expresses the insignificance of the two small islands in the vast ocean.
B. This phrase expresses the significance of two small islands in the vast ocean.
C. This phrase expresses the insignificance of pins in the vast ocean.
D. This phrase expresses the insignificance of prickly islands in the vast ocean.
Answer- A. This phrase expresses the insignificance of the two small islands in the vast ocean.

13. Choose the most suitable meaning for “ominous silence”
A. suggesting something unpleasant will happen
B. suggesting something pleasant will happen
C. suggesting something profit will happen
D. None of the above
Answer- A. suggesting something unpleasant will happen

14. Choose the most suitable meaning of “ Mayday calls”
A. long distance calls
B. distress call
C. courtesy call
D. conference call
Answer- B. distress call

15. Choose the most suitable meaning of “a tousled head ”
A. having hair that looks tidy
B. having hair that looks untidy
C. a small head
D. a giant head
Answer- B.having hair that looks untidy

16. Which of the following is not a part of the ship?
A. stern
B. anchor
C. jib
D. cockpit
Correct Answer- D. cockpit

17. Which of the following is not a synonym of “voyage”?
A. odyssey
B. crusade
C. pilgrimage
D. excursion
Answer- B. crusade

18. Name the boat owned by the family.
A. Wavewalker
B. Titanic
C. Mayflower
D. Arizona
Answer- A. Wavewalker

19. Give the meaning of “oilskins”
A. oiling the skin
B. waterproof cloth generally worn by sailors
C. animal skin
D. None of the above
Answer- B. waterproof cloth generally worn by sailors

20. Which of the following words means strong winds?
A. torrents
B .storm
C. gales
D. tsunami
Answer- C.gales

 

We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together Short Answer Questions (including questions from Previous years Question Papers)

In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from the Chapter 2 We’re Not Afraid to Die… if We Can All Be Together for CBSE Class 11 exams for the coming session.

 

Q1. What did the narrator plan to do? What preparations did he make for it?
Answer: Similar to what Captain James Cook had done 200 years prior, the narrator intended to embark on a round-the-world sea expedition. To achieve this goal, he and his wife had been honing their maritime skills for the past 16 years.

Q2. Give a brief description of the narrator’s boat. How had the narrator equipped and tested it?
Answer: The “Wavewalker” was the name of the narrator’s ship. It was a magnificent wooden-hulled ship measuring 23 metres long and 30 tonnes. It had been expertly constructed. Months had been spent preparing it and testing it under the most adverse conditions.

Q3. How long did the narrator plan his voyage to last?
Answer: The narrator planned to travel 105,000 kilometres across the world in three years.

Q4. When and with whom did the narrator begin his voyage?
Answer: In July 1976, the narrator set out on his sea voyage. He was accompanied by his wife Mary, son Jonathan, age 6, and daughter Suzanne, age 7. They set sail from Plymouth, England.

Q5. Whom did the narrator employ and why? When did he do so?
Answer: In order to navigate the southern Indian Ocean, one of the world’s worst seas, the narrator hired two crewmen—the American Larry Vigil and the Swiss Herb Seigler. He engaged them before departing from Cape Town.

Q6. What happened on their second day out of Cape Town? What worried the narrator and why?
Answer: They encountered powerful storms on their second day after leaving Cape Town. The following couple weeks saw continuous fury from these storms. The waves were giving the narrator anxiety. Their magnitude alarmed him. The waves rose as high as their main mast.

Q7. How did they celebrate the Christmas holidays?
Answer: On December 25, they were 3,500 kilometres east of Cape Town. Very harsh weather persisted. However, they enjoyed their holiday, which included a Christmas tree. On January 1st, the weather did not get any better.

Q8. How did the weather change on January 2? How did they feel?
Answer: The weather changed for the worse on January 2. Now the waves were gigantic. As the ship rose to the top of each wave, they saw endless enormous seas rolling towards them. The screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the ears.

Q9. What efforts were made to face the rough weather?
Answer: The ship’s speed was reduced down to prepare for the bad weather. The storm jib was dropped. They formed a loop out of thick mooring rope and fastened it across the stem. They completed their life-raft drill after fastening everything together. They fastened lifelines and donned life jackets and water-resistant clothing.

Q10. What sort of wave hit the ship? How did the narrator react?
Answer: It was a powerful, enormous wave. It seemed to be exactly vertical. Its height was about two times that of the other waves. The narrator was horrified since he had never witnessed such a massive storm.

 

Class 11 Chapter 2 We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together Long Answer Questions

 

Q1. The story ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die’ has a lesson ‘optimism helps to endure direst stress’. Do you agree? Why/Why not?
Answer. The real account of surviving against insurmountable odds told in “We’re Not Afraid to die… ” is one of bravery, endurance, and optimism. On the Wavewalker, which was travelling across the globe, were the narrator, his wife, and their two children. They met terrible weather and their boat sustained significant damage in the Indian Ocean. After being thrown overboard, the narrator was able to return to the boat.
The kids suffered injuries as well. Despite the boat flooding, no one gave up. The boat was repeatedly being saved by the narrator. The children trusted their father. Water from the boat was pumped out, but more water kept coming in. The storm’s ferocity gradually subsided, but the boat continued to leak.The boat was able to navigate 165 kilometres to Amsterdam by the narrator. All the people on the boat, even the kids, stayed positive and optimistic throughout this tragedy. Nobody ever showed hopelessness. The narrator drew strength from their optimism.

Q2. ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die … If We Can All Be Together’ traces down the saga of hardship and bravery as portrayed in this adventure story.
Answer: Strong wind gusts were met by the ship. They double-lashed everything, but the captain was thrown overboard and his head, ribs, and teeth were broken by a massive wave. Afterward, he was tossed back despite holding onto the guardrails. The starboard gaped open, broken timber was scattered around the ship, and water began to seep in.
He checked on the kids and covered the starboard hole with watertight hatch covering while Mary held the wheel. All night long, their Mayday calls went unanswered, adding to their misery.
They estimated their odds of reaching Amsterdam after 15 hours of battling the seas, yet 36 hours later, they were still afloat despite worsening weather.
The captain had instructed Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees, but by five o’clock he had fallen asleep. The next thing he remembered was his kids congratulating him on finding the island.

Q3. ‘Our optimistic attitude helps us to face extremely dangerous situations.’ Discuss with reference to the story ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die….’
Answer: The captain of the Wavewalker, the narrator, was optimistic, and it was that positivity that prevented his family and the other crew members from dying. The storm caused significant damage to the ship, and everyone on board was at risk of sinking. But the narrator had a really upbeat stance. Never once did he consider giving up or letting the situation get to him. Instead, he was always searching for answers as issues kept cropping up one after another.
Because the narrator maintained his composure throughout the situation, he was able to handle the problems that arose. He and his crew were committed to surviving the blizzard. After being flung overboard, he recovered and clung to the wheel. He made preparations to pump seawater out.
The kids gave him a lot of courage. His urge to defend them and his ship was fueled by their faith in him. He was able to employ his seamanship and navigational abilities to the fullest extent due to his calm demeanour.

Q4. How did the children’s presence and behaviour during the crisis affect the narrator?
Answer: The fact that the children on board were fully aware of the situation threatening their boat but chose not to panic or voice their anxiety bolstered the narrator’s determination to save it. When his kid said that they did not mind dying, but rather wished to die together, his will to fight against all obstacles was further bolstered. This admirable courage honed the narrator’s resourcefulness as he laboriously calculated wind speeds, changes in course, drift, and current to get them to their destination.
The narrator was overwhelmed by feelings and his resolve was strengthened when Sue gave him a “Thank-you” card. The kids still had implicit faith in him and thought he had led them to the safety of the island.

Q5. What qualities helped the Captain of the ship and his crew overcome the crisis?
Answer: The boat was being steered by a competent captain with excellent seamanship abilities. Like many seasoned salts, he thought that every emergency should have a backup plan. He was the perfect parent, drawing courage from the warmth and consideration shown to him by his kids while putting others’ needs before his own. He was resourceful and connected the electric pump that was hidden beneath the chartroom floor to avert disaster. He employed improvised equipment to determine their course at sea in order to reach the little island after their gear were destroyed.
The captain endured admirably and was unfazed by the several setbacks he experienced. While being honest about their limited possibilities of reaching safety, he managed to make everyone feel assured by not showing signs of concern. His crew was encouraged to stay buoyant by this leadership quality.

 

Also See: 

• We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together Explanation, Summary
• We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together MCQ Question Answers
• Class 11 English Question Answers
• Class 11 English Lesson Explanation
• Class 11 English Hornbill Book Chapter wise word meaning