Question 3 - Chapter 3 - Deep Water - Flamingo - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 12

Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

And then sheer, stark terror seized me, terror that knows no understanding, terror that knows no control, terror that no one can understand who has not experienced it. I was shrieking under water. I was paralysed under water — stiff, rigid with fear. Even the screams in my throat were frozen. Only my heart, and the pounding in my head, said that I was still alive. And then in the midst of the terror came a touch of reason. I must remember to jump when I hit the bottom. At last I felt the tiles under me. My toes reached out as if to grab them. I jumped with everything I had.

(Deep Water)

Question (i)

What is the narrator's main emotion in this extract?

1. Anger
2. Sadness
3. Joy
4. Fear

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(d) Fear

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to identify the narrator's main emotion in this extract.
• Emotion is the feeling or state of mind that a person experiences in a situation or event.
• To identify the emotion, we need to pay attention to the words and phrases that the narrator uses to describe his feelings and reactions.
• Some of the words and phrases that indicate fear are: terror, no understanding, no control, shrieking, paralysed, stiff, rigid, frozen.
• These words and phrases show that the narrator was extremely scared and panicked when he was under water. He did not know what to do or how to cope with his situation. He felt helpless and hopeless.
• Therefore, the narrator's main emotion in this extract is fear, which is option D.😮

Question (ii)

 What did the narrator do when he felt the tiles under him?

1. He screamed for help
2. He grabbed them with his toes
3. He jumped with everything he had
4. He closed his eyes and prayed

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(c) He jumped with everything he had

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to read the last sentence of the extract carefully.
• The sentence says, "At last I felt the tiles under me. My toes reached out as if to grab them. I jumped with everything I had."
• This means that the narrator did not scream, grab, or pray when he felt the tiles under him, but rather jumped with all his strength and energy.
• He jumped because he wanted to reach the surface of the water and get out of it as soon as possible.
• Therefore, the correct answer is C. He jumped with everything he had.😊

Question (iii)

Complete the sentence appropriately. 

The phrase "a touch of reason" suggests that ____________.

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

 The phrase "a touch of reason" suggests that the narrator regained some of his rationality and calmness in the midst of his fear.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To complete this sentence, we need to understand what the phrase "a touch of reason" means.
• The phrase means that something or someone gave the narrator a little bit of logic or sense in a situation that was otherwise chaotic or irrational.
• In this extract, the phrase "a touch of reason" suggests that the narrator remembered what he had to do to save himself from drowning. He remembered to jump when he hit the bottom of the pool.
• This shows that he regained some of his rationality and calmness in the midst of his fear, and that he did not give up or lose hope completely.
• Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "a touch of reason" suggests that the narrator regained some of his rationality and calmness in the midst of his fear.😊

Question (iv)

 Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the narrator was still alive under water.

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

 The evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the narrator was still alive under water is that he could hear his heart and the pounding in his head.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to find a part of the extract that shows that the narrator was still alive under water, even though he felt terrified and paralysed.
• The part of the extract that shows this is: "Only my heart, and the pounding in my head, said that I was still alive."
• This shows that the narrator could hear his heart beating and his blood rushing in his head, which are signs of life and vitality.
• These sounds also contrast with the silence and stillness of the water, which create a sense of death and danger.
• Therefore, the evidence is that he could hear his heart and the pounding in his head.😊

Question (v)

Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?

1. A Boy's Courageous Escape from Drowning
2. A Boy's NearDeath Experience in Water
3. A Boy's Discovery of His Love for Water
4. A Boy's Lesson on How to Swim

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(b) A Boy's NearDeath Experience in Water

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to identify the main point or message of the extract.
• The extract tells us about how the narrator was thrown into the deep end of the pool by his father, and how he felt terrified and helpless in the water. I t also tells us about how he managed to jump and reach the surface, thanks to a touch of reason.
• The extract does not focus on how the narrator escaped from drowning, or how he discovered his love for water, or how he learned how to swim. It focuses on how he faced a lifethreatening situation in water, and how he survived it by a narrow margin.
• Therefore, the headline that best suggests the central idea of the extract is B. A Boy's NearDeath Experience in Water.😮

Question (vi)

Complete the sentence with ONE word.

 The phrase "Even the screams in my throat were frozen" suggests that the narrator was _______________.

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The phrase "Even the screams in my throat were frozen" suggests that the narrator was speechless.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To complete this sentence, we need to find a word that describes the narrator's state or condition when he was under water.
• The phrase "Even the screams in my throat were frozen" suggests that the narrator was not able to make any sound or express his fear or pain. He was silent and mute under water.
• Therefore, the word that fits this description is speechless, which means unable to speak or utter a word.
• Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "Even the screams in my throat were frozen" suggests that the narrator was speechless.😕