Extract Based Questions: Deep Water | English Class 12 PDF Download

Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
With that he picked me up and tossed me into the deep end. I landed in a sitting position, swallowed water, and went at once to the bottom. I was frightened, but not yet frightened out of my wits. On the way down I planned: When my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool.
(Deep Water)
Question (i) Who picked up and tossed the narrator into the deep end?
(a) His father
(b) His friend
(c) His teacher
(d) His coach
Ans: (a) His father
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to recall the information that was given before the extract. The information that was given before the extract was: Chapter name Deep Water class 12. This tells us that the extract is from the chapter Deep Water from the class 12 textbook. If we read the chapter, we will find out that the narrator is Douglas, and that he was tossed into the deep end by his father. Therefore, the correct answer is (a) His father.

Question (ii) What did the narrator do on the way down to the bottom of the pool?
(a) He screamed for help
(b) He flailed his arms
(c) He planned his escape
(d) He closed his eyes
Ans: (c) He planned his escape
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to read the third sentence of the extract carefully. The sentence says, "On the way down I planned: When my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool." This means that the narrator did not panic or give up, but rather thought of a way to get out of the water and save himself. Therefore, the correct answer is (c) He planned his escape.

Question (iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The phrase "frightened out of my wits" suggests that ____________.
Ans: The phrase "frightened out of my wits" suggests that the narrator was extremely scared but still able to think clearly.
Step-by-step explanation:
To complete this sentence, we need to understand what the phrase "frightened out of my wits" means. The phrase means that someone is so scared that they lose their ability to reason or act sensibly. However, in this extract, the narrator uses the word "yet" to show that he was not in that state of mind, but rather still had some control over his thoughts and actions. Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "frightened out of my wits" suggests that the narrator was extremely scared but still able to think clearly.

Question (iv) Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the narrator had some swimming skills.|Ans: The evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the narrator had some swimming skills is that he knew how to lie flat on the surface and paddle to the edge of the pool.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to find a part of the extract that shows that the narrator had some knowledge or experience of swimming. The part of the extract that shows this is: "When my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool." This shows that the narrator had some swimming skills, because he knew how to position his body and move his arms and legs in order to stay afloat and move in the water. Therefore, the evidence is that he knew how to lie flat on the surface and paddle to the edge of the pool.

Question (v) Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?
(a) A Boy's First Encounter with Water
(b) A Father's Attempt to Teach His Son Swimming
(c) A Boy's Struggle to Survive in the Pool
(d) A Father's Mistake That Traumatized His Son
Ans: (c) A Boy's Struggle to Survive in the Pool
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 frightened and helpless in the water. It also tells us about how he planned his escape and tried to save himself. The extract does not focus on how this was his first encounter with water, or how his father wanted to teach him swimming, or how this affected his relationship with his father. Therefore, the headline that best suggests the central idea of the extract is (c) A Boy's Struggle to Survive in the Pool.

Question (vi) Complete the sentence with ONE word.
The phrase "I landed in a sitting position" suggests that the narrator was _______________.
Ans: The phrase "I landed in a sitting position" suggests that the narrator was unprepared.
Step-by-step explanation:
To complete this sentence, we need to find a word that describes the narrator's state or condition when he landed in the water. The phrase "I landed in a sitting position" suggests that the narrator was not ready or expecting to be thrown into the water. He did not have time to brace himself or adjust his posture. He did not have a choice or a chance to resist or avoid the water. Therefore, the word that fits this description is unprepared, which means not ready or equipped for something. Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "I landed in a sitting position" suggests that the narrator was unprepared.

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?
(a) Anger
(b) Sadness
(c) Joy
(d) Fear
Ans: (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, paralyzed, stiff, rigid, frozen. These words and phrases show that the narrator was extremely scared and panicked when he was underwater. 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) Fear.

Question (ii) What did the narrator do when he felt the tiles under him?
(a) He screamed for help
(b) He grabbed them with his toes
(c) He jumped with everything he had
(d) He closed his eyes and prayed
Ans: (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 ____________.
Ans: 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 underwater.
Ans:
The evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the narrator was still alive underwater 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 underwater, even though he felt terrified and paralyzed. 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?
(a) A Boy's Courageous Escape from Drowning
(b) A Boy's Near-Death Experience in Water
(c) A Boy's Discovery of His Love for Water
(d) A Boy's Lesson on How to Swim
Ans: (b) A Boy's Near-Death 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. It 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 life-threatening 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 Near-Death 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 _______________.
Ans: 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 underwater. 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 underwater. 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.

Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
I used every way I knew to overcome this fear, but it held me firmly in its grip. Finally, one October, I decided to get an instructor and learn to swim. I went to a pool and practiced five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor put a belt around me. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. He held on to the end of the rope, and we went back and forth, back and forth across the pool, hour after hour, day after day, week after week. On each trip across the pool a bit of the panic seized me. Each time the instructor relaxed his hold on the rope and I went under, some of the old terror returned and my legs froze. It was three months before the tension began to slack. Then he taught me to put my face under water and exhale, and to raise my nose and inhale. I repeated the exercise hundreds of times. Bit by bit I shed part of the panic that seized me when my head went under water.
(Deep Water)

Question (i) What did the narrator decide to do one October to overcome his fear of water?
(a) He decided to go to a beach and play with the waves
(b) He decided to get an instructor and learn to swim
(c) He decided to buy a book and read about swimming
(d) He decided to watch a movie and relax
Ans: (b) He decided to get an instructor and learn to swim
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to read the first sentence of the extract carefully. The sentence says, "Finally, one October, I decided to get an instructor and learn to swim." This means that the narrator made a choice or a plan to overcome his fear of water by getting an instructor and learning to swim. Therefore, the correct answer is (b) He decided to get an instructor and learn to swim.

Question (ii) What did the instructor use to help the narrator practice swimming in the pool?
(a) A belt, a rope, and a pulley
(b) A float, a net, and a hook
(c) A mask, a snorkel, and a fin
(d) A board, a paddle, and a whistle
Ans: (a) A belt, a rope, and a pulley
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to read the second sentence of the extract carefully. The sentence says, "The instructor put a belt around me. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable." This means that the instructor used a belt, a rope, and a pulley to help the narrator practice swimming in the pool. The belt was used to secure the narrator's waist, the rope was used to control his movement and speed, and the pulley was used to guide his direction and balance. Therefore, the correct answer is (a) A belt, a rope, and a pulley.

Question (iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The phrase "a bit of the panic seized me" suggests that ____________.
Ans: The phrase "a bit of the panic seized me" suggests that the narrator still felt some fear of water, but not as much as before.
Step-by-step explanation:
To complete this sentence, we need to understand what the phrase "a bit of the panic seized me" means. The phrase means that the narrator experienced a small or slight amount of fear or anxiety when he was in the water, especially when he went under it. The phrase also implies that the narrator did not feel the full or complete extent of his fear, as he used to do in the past. He felt less fear than before, but not none at all. Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "a bit of the panic seized me" suggests that the narrator still felt some fear of water, but not as much as before.

Question (iv) Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the narrator practiced swimming for a long time.
Ans: The evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the narrator practiced swimming for a long time is that he went to the pool five days a week, an hour each day, for three months.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer this question, we need to find a part of the extract that shows that the narrator spent a lot of time and effort to learn how to swim and overcome his fear of water. The part of the extract that shows this is: "I went to a pool and practiced five days a week, an hour each day. ... It was three months before the tension began to slack." This shows that the narrator practiced swimming for a long time, because he went to the pool regularly and consistently, and he did not give up or quit until he felt some improvement in his fear and tension. Therefore, the evidence is that he went to the pool five days a week, an hour each day, for three months.

Question (v) Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?
(a) A Boy's Journey from Fear to Confidence in Water
(b) A Boy's Adventure with an Instructor in Water
(c) A Boy's Discovery of His Passion for Water
(d) A Boy's Challenge with a Belt, a Rope, and a Pulley in Water
Ans: (a) A Boy's Journey from Fear to Confidence 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 decided to get an instructor and learn to swim, and how he practiced swimming in the pool with the help of a belt, a rope, and a pulley. It also tells us about how he gradually reduced his fear and panic of water, and learned how to breathe and move in it. The extract does not focus on how the narrator had an adventure or a challenge with his instructor or the equipment, or how he discovered his passion for water. It focuses on how he went from being terrified and helpless in water, to being more confident and comfortable in it. Therefore, the headline that best suggests the central idea of the extract is (a) A Boy's Journey from Fear to Confidence in Water.

Question (vi) Complete the sentence with ONE word.
The phrase "Bit by bit I shed part of the panic" suggests that the narrator was _______________.
Ans: The phrase "Bit by bit I shed part of the panic" suggests that the narrator was improving.
Step-by-step explanation:
To complete this sentence, we need to find a word that describes the narrator's state or condition when he practiced swimming in the pool. The phrase "Bit by bit I shed part of the panic" suggests that the narrator was gradually getting rid of some of his fear or anxiety of water. He was making progress and becoming less scared. Therefore, the word that fits this description is improving, which means getting better or more advanced. Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "Bit by bit I shed part of the panic" suggests that the narrator was improving.