11th Std We are not afraid to die... if we all can be together

We are not afraid to die... if we all can be together 

Long answer type questions:

 

1. Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4th and 5th January.

On January 4, the voyagers felt relieved after 36 hours of continuous pumping out water.They had their first meal in almost two days. Their respite was short-lived.

On January 5 ,they were stuck in a horrific situation.The fear of death loomed large.They were under great mental trauma and pressure. 

2. Describe the shifts in the narration of the events as indicated in the three sections of the text. 

The initial phase describes a peaceful journey from Plymouth (England) to 3500 km east of Cape Town (Africa). The narrator is relaxed with full of confidence and in a holiday mood. As the weather deteriorated, they faced gigantic waves. They took precautions to save themselves and struggle with the disaster. The narration becomes grim. But it exudes the fighting spirit, confidence and strong will power. By the morning of January 6, Wave walker rode out the storm and by evening they sighted He Amsterdam island.

The narrator is now relaxed. Joy, relief and complete confidence are apparent.

3. What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger?

There is a lot of difference between the way in which the adults and the children reacted when faced with the sudden danger. The adults felt the stress of the circumstances but prepared themselves to face the dangers. They took sufficient precautions to protect the ship when the rough weather began. They equipped everyone with lifelines, water proof clothes, and life jackets. Larry and Herb worked cheerfully and optimistically for three days continuously to pump out water from the ship. Mary replaced the narrator at the wheel when the deck was smashed, and steered the ship. She also served them meal after two days of struggle against odds. The narrator performed his role as captain with courage, determination, resourcefulness and full responsibility. He undertook repair work and provided apparatus and directions needed to protect the ship. He also helped in steering the ship towards the island. The children suffered silently and patiently. Sue did not want to bother her father with her troubles. Jon acted courageously. He was not afraid to die if all of them perished together.

4. How does the story suggest the optimism helps to “endure the direst stress”?

The story suggests that optimism certainly helps to endure the direst stress.The behaviour of the four adults during crisis bears it out. Larry Vigil and Herb Seigler were two recruited crewmen. As the mighty waves smashed the deck, water entered the ship through many holes and openings. 

Right from the evening of January 2, Larry and Herb started pumping out water. They worked continuously, excitedly and feverishly for 36 hours. It was a result of their continuous pumping that they reached the last few centimetres of water on January 4. They remained cheerful and optimistic while facing extremely dangerous situations. The narrator did not lose his courage, hope or presence of mind while facing problems. He did not worry about the loss of equipment. He used whatever was available there. His self confidence and practical knowledge helped them to steer out of storm and reach the lie Amsterdam island. Mary stayed at the wheel for all those crucial hours. She did not lose hope or courage either.

5. What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face to face with death?

Hazardous experiences may occur in anyone's life at any point of time and when it bring us face to face with death, we need to remember that it impart us many important lessons of conduct. 

Life is not always a bed of roses. We must react to dangers and risks with patience and fortitude. Adversity is the true test of character. The purity of gold is judged by putting it in fire. The hazardous experiences bring out the best within us. 

Coward persons die many times before their death. Fear is a negative feeling and leads to inactivity and abject surrender to circumstances. Such sailors or soldiers lose the battle against the odds in life. On the other hand, persons with self confidence, perseverance, courage, resourcefulness and presence of mind face all the dangers boldly and overcome all disasters.

Their sharing and caring attitude inspires others also to face the adverse circumstances boldly and stand against all odds.

6. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the risks involved?

Man is adventurous by nature. without pain, there is no gain,so the greater the risk, the more the thrill. The thrill of exploring unknown lands, discovering wealth and beauty lying hidden in far off lands inspires brave hearts to stake their life of rest and repose. 

Perhaps they value one crowded hour of glory more than a long uneventful life of inactivity. It is true that sometimes adventures are quite risky and prove fatal. The failures of some persons do not discourage the real lovers of adventure. They draw lessons from the shortcomings and errors of others and make fresh attempts with greater zeal. Part of the charm of an adventurous expedition lies in adapting oneself to the circumstances and overcoming the odds. The success of an adventurous expedition brings name, fame and wealth. History books are replete with accounts of famous explorers like Columbus,Captain Scott,Vasco da Gama and Captain Cook.

Short Answer Type Questions:

 1.What did the narrator plan to do? What preparations did he make for it?

The narrator planned to go on a round-the-world sea voyage on the same pattern as Captain James Cook had done 200 years earlier. For the past sixteen years, he and his wife had spent all their leisure time learning and improving their skills with work ,related to travel on the sea.

2. How did the weather change on January 2? How did they feel?

The weather changed for 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.

3. What efforts were made to face the rough weather?

In order to face the rough weather, the speed of the ship was slowed down. They dropped the storm jib. They lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stem. Then they fastened together everything and went through their life-raft drill. They attached lifelines, put on waterproof clothes and life-jackets.

4. What was the impact of the torrent on the narrator and Wavewalker?

A tremendous explosion shook the deck. The narrator’s head struck the wheel and he flew over board and was sinking below the waves. Unexpectedly his head came out of water. Wave walker was almost capsizing. Her masts were almost horizontal.

5. How did the narrator manage to survive through the attacks of subsequent waves?

One of the waves threw the ship upright. The narrator was able to reach its main

boom.Subsequent waves tossed him around the deck like a rag doll. His left ribs cracked.His mouth was filled with blood and broken teeth. Somehow, he found the wheel, lined up the stem for the next wave and remained firm.

6. What sort of wave hit the ship? How did the narrator react?

It was a mighty and huge wave. It appeared perfectly vertical. It was almost twice the height of the other waves. It had a very unpleasant breaking crest. The narrator had never seen such an enormous wave, so he was filled with horror.

7. How did the narrator, and the other members react to the presence of water in the ship?

The narrator could not leave the wheel to examine the damaged parts. Mary shouted that the decks were broken and they were sinking. Larry and Herb were pumping out water like madmen. Sue had a big bump over her eyes but the children said that they were all right.

8. “I had no time to worry about bumped heads,” says the narrator. What problems do you think deserved his immediate attention?

The starboard side had been struck open. They were taking in more water with every wave breaking over them. If he did not make some repairs urgently, they would sink. The narrator managed to cover the gaping holes with canvas and waterproof hatch covers.

9. What problems did the narrator face during the night of January 2, 1977?

The hand pumps started to block up with the debris floating around the cabins. The electric pump short circuited. The water level rose threateningly. The two spare hand pumps had been wrenched over board. The waves had also carried away the forestay sail, the jib, the dinghies and the main anchor from the deck.

10. How did the narrator react to the problems? What does it reveal?

The narrator did not lose his calm or courage in the face of problems. He thought calmly. Then he remembered that they had another electric pump under the chart room floor. He found it in working order. They were not getting any reply to their distress radio signals. He was not surprised as they were in a remote comer of the world.

11. “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all,” said Sue. What has happened to her?

Sue’s head had a bump. It had swollen alarmingly. She had two enormous black eyes. She also had a deep cut on her arm. She did not bother her daddy about her injuries as he was busy in more important task.

12. Why do you think the narrator searched for an island so eagerly?

The wave that hit Wavewalker had caused extensive damage. Nearly all the boat’s main frames had been smashed down to the keel. A whole section of the starboard hull was being held up by a few cupboard partitions. Wavewalker could not hold together long enough for them to reach Australia. So he searched for an island to repair the boat.

13. Why could they not set any sail on the main mast on 4 January?

The hull of the ship had been damaged badly. Pressure on the ropes supporting the masts and sails would simply pull the damaged section of the hull apart. So they hoisted the storm jib and headed towards the islands.

14. How did little Jonathan react to the desperate situation they found themselves in on 5 January?

Jonathan asked his daddy if they were going to die.The narrator after a little hesitation tried to assure him that they would surely overcome the situation.

Then little Jon declared bravely that he was not afraid of death provided they could all be together.

15. How did the narrator respond to little Jon’s words? What do his actions reveal about his character?

He could not find proper words to respond. However, he felt inspired to fight the sea with everything he had. He decided to stop the ship and protect the weakened starboard side. He did so with an improvised anchor of heavy nylon ropes and two 22 litre plastic barrels of paraffin. This shows his resourcefulness and determination.

16. “Optimism and courage help to tide over difficulties”. How did the narrator succeed in searching the small island?

The narrator was searching for a 65 kilometre wide island in an ocean of 150,000 kilometres. He worked optimistically on wind speeds, changes of course, drift and current. He calculated their position with the help of sextant also.

17. How did Sue try to enliven the gloomy atmosphere?

Sue forgot her swollen head and blackened eyes and prepared a funny card. On the front it had caricatures of Mary and the narrator. She called them funny people who had made her laugh. There was a message also. It expressed her love, thanks and good wishes.

18. The narrator says, “I told him with a conviction I did not feel.” What led him to believe so?

The narrator had lost his main compass. He was using a spare one. It had not been corrected for magnetic variation. He had to make allowance for this as well as for the influence of the westerly currents. Though he checked and rechecked his calculations, he was not sure. He depended on luck as well.

19. What gloomy thoughts occurred to the narrator? What pleasant surprise was in store for him?

The narrator thought that they might have missed the island. They couldn’t hope to beat back into the westerly winds with the sail they had been left with. When Jonathan called him the best daddy in the world and the best captain and asked for a hug, he refused to do. When Sue remarked that he had found the island, he felt surprised.

20. Why do you think, did the narrator call lle Amsterdam ‘the most beautiful island in the world’?

Ile Amsterdam was a very small island made of volcanic rock. It had little vegetation and only 28 inhabitants. However, the island provided them safety and security from the huge waves of the sea as well as opportunity to repair the damaged ship.

21. What did the narrator think of while landing at lle Amsterdam? Why?

He thought of his companions. Larry and Herb had remained cheerful and optimistic under the most serious tension. His wife Mary had stayed at the wheel during the crucial hours. His daughter Suzanne did not bother him about her head injury. His son Jonathan was not afraid to die.

22. How can you say that Suzanne’s injuries were serious?

Suzanne’s head had a bump. It was quite swollen. Her blackened eyes narrowed to slits. Her head injury took six minor operations to remove a recurring blood clot between skin and skull.This shows that her injuries were extremely serious, still the girl remained tight lipped throughout the journey just to support her parents at the crucial time.

10th Std Amanda (long answer type)

 10th Std Amanda

 Long answer type questions 

1.How does Amanda tackle the nagging nature of her parents? Explain with examples from the poem. What values does it portray about Amanda?

Amanda is a young girl who is termed as moody for her careless behaviour. But it is very surprising to know that it is her defence mechanism to shield against her nagging parents. Amanda is getting instructions from her parents/mother, which become too much to handle for the small girl. She is told not to eat her nails and sit in a proper posture. Amanda’s response to it is her world of imagination where she is a mermaid drifting effortlessly by the languid river. Further, she is asked about cleaning her room and finishing her homework to which she reacts being an orphan roaming in the street and making patterns with her bare feet. Amanda then faces the heat for eating a chocolate, which had once caused her acne. She takes the form of Rapunzel and wishes to live on top of a tower away from everyone in her imagination. Amanda’s parents are upset over her behaviour and casualness, but she stays in her own world. All these portray Amanda in a positive light while her parents in a negative light. We as readers feel very sorry for a child like Amanda.

2. Discuss the importance of proper upbringing with reference to the poem Amanda by Robin Klein.

Upbringing plays an extremely essential part in personality enhancement of an individual. Whenever we wish to admire or criticise someone we question the upbringing of that person. Robin Klein’s poem Amanda highlights the tension in the ‘proper’ upbringing of a child. To instil good values and moral principles in a growing child comes as a foremost duty for the parents. However, the poem Amanda shows how a child feels trapped within the cluster of instructions. Amanda is no less than a victim in this travesty. No proper space is given to her creativity. She is instructed for everything. As a result, she feels trapped and seeks an escape. Her imagination proves to be her escape and also her defence against her nagging parents. Situation of Amanda is so worse that she wishes to be an orphan, in order to get rid of her parents. She imagines enacting various roles varying from mermaid to Rapunzel. Amanda wishes to live alone and carefree. It is very important to understand the situation of Amanda where her freedom is cut short by constant instructions and guidelines. Proper balance should be maintained when dealing with such delicate issues. Love and care should always be part of this two way transaction.

 3.State the key points in the poem Amanda. What do you learn from it? 

Every child is special in itself, and it requires a great deal of patience and love to make them understand this. Parents should give proper space to children, as they learn through experiences as well. Children do tend to learn certain bad habits, to undo that requires great level of understanding and right approach. One cannot teach their child everything in one day and expect them to behave properly henceforth. It is natural for a child like Amanda to seek freedom at her place, to curb that freedom means to make her angry and moody. Growing up of child should not be about dos and don’ts only. To have nagging parents judging every action of child would do more harm than good. Robin Klein points to the fact that Amanda is forbidden to do anything without seeking permission. Everything she does it is corrected by her mother all the time, she cannot perform a single thing according to her will. She can’t sit lazily around, she can’t eat chocolate for that could cause acne. Life of Amanda is very suffocating and limited in itself. She yearns for freedom and choice. Her mother doesn’t understand the fact that Amanda is innocent and naive, she is too small to understand the benefits of advice. Only thing that matters to Amanda’s mother is what society will make of Amanda. We witness miserable failure of parents when Amanda wishes to be an orphan so that she could be free.

10th Std The Hundred dresses part-2

 The Hundred dresses part-2

Question Answers 

1. What did Mr Petronski’s letter say?

Mr Petronski’s letter was to inform the principal and Miss Mason that Wanda would not come to school as she was fed up of being bullied in the school. They were going to shift to a bigger place where nobody would make fun of their last name.

2. Is Miss Mason angry with the class, or is she upset?

Miss Mason seems to be unhappy and upset rather than angry because she had never expected such a behaviour from the students. She wants everyone to think about it and asks them not to do look down anyone in the class.

  3.How does Maddie feel after listening to the note from Wanda’s father?

Maddie feels sorry and ashamed for the behaviour although she herself did not make fun of Wanda. She never tried to stop Peggy to do so and remained a silent spectator. She feels as a coward.

 4.What does Maddie want to do?

Maddie wants to amend her behaviour towards Wanda. She wants to meet her to apologise. She decides to find Wanda at her house at Boggins Heights. She also wanted to convey that all was meant in good humour and people really love her.

 5.What excuses does Peggy think of giving in justification of her behaviour? Why?

Peggy tries to defend herself by saying that her behaviour towards Wanda inspired her to explore her drawing skills as she sketches a hundred dresses and that makes her win the drawing contest.

 6.What are Maddie’s thoughts as they go to Boggins Heights?

Maddie was feeling ashamed and apologetic for being a silent spectator while Peggy humiliated Wanda. She was feeling upset and distraught for Wanda and herself. She was also repenting for not stopping Peggy for behaving badly with Wanda.

 7.Why does Wanda’s house remind Maddie of Wanda’s blue dress?

Wanda’s house was sparse, old and laded but neat and clean like her blue dress that she wore everyday to school. Thus, Maddie was reminded of the same old blue dress.

 8.What does Maddie think hard about ? What important decision does she come to?

Maddie thinks about not to be mute spectator anymore that she had been in case of Wanda. She promised herself about not letting any injustice happen to anyone even if she would have to lose a friend in this.

 9.What did the girls write in the letter?

Maddie and Peggy wrote a friendly letter to Wanda. They wanted to apologise for their behaviour but they ended up asking her whether she liked her new school and teacher. They informed her about her sketches winning the drawing competition. They praised her drawing skills and also told how much other students liked her art. The letter was just a usual letter one may write to a good friend.

 10.Did Maddie and Peggy get a reply? Who was more anxious for a reply? How do you know?

No, they didn’t get a reply from Wanda. Maddie was more anxious for a reply than Peggy because she was very upset and feeling sad for Wanda. She had assumed that Wanda was deeply hurt so she was not replying and blamed herself for everything. Maddie used to have sleepless nights and saw frightful dreams about Wanda.

 11.How did the girls know that Wanda liked them even though they had teased her?

Both Maddie and Peggy realised that Wanda liked them although they had teased her because she had gifted them her two beautiful dresses, a green one with red trimmings to Peggy and the blue one to Maddie. She had even drawn their faces in the painting of the dresses they got.

Extra questions 

 1.Why do you think Wanda’s family moved to a different city? Do you think life there was going to be different for their family?

Wanda’s family moved to a different city due to the racist and insulting behaviour of students towards Wanda and her brother. They were teased by other students for their funny name and blue dress. Life there in a different city was going to be different because people there did not have such a narrow mind and would not tease them because of their name or status.

 2.Maddie thought her silence was as bad as Peggy’s teasing. Was she right ?

Yes, Maddie thought that her silence was as bad as Peggy’s teasing because it is often said that turning a blind eye to a crime is worse than committing a crime. So by being silent she indirectly encouraged Peggy to do so.

 3.What led Peggy to believe that Wanda was dumb ? Did she change her opinion later ?

Wanda never replied to Peggy ‘s misbehaviour and pranks that she faced everyday. So, her neutral face and unusual behaviour led Peggy to think that Wanda was dumb. Wanda even described the hundred dresses she said about though she wore the same old faded blue dress everyday. But later Peggy’ changed her opinion after having a look on Wanda’s sketches and her gesture of gifting her a beautiful drawing from her collection.

4.What important decision did Maddie make? Why did she have to think hard to do so ?

Maddie decided to go to Wanda’s house with Peggy to apologise and amend for all that had happened but Wanda had left her house with her family. She felt bad because she thought of herself as a coward who did not stop Peggy to insult Wanda. So, she decided to raise voice against injustice and bullying. She was firm of not being a mute spectator anymore.

 5.Why do you think Wanda gave Maddie and Peggy the drawings of the dresses ? Why are they surprised ?

When Maddie and Peggy wrote a letter to Wanda, she might have understood their feelings behind their letter and during the dresses game, she had observed both of them. So she requested Miss Mason to give two of her drawings to them and had taught them a lesson of life. Maddie and Peggy were surprised as she gifted them the drawings with their faces.

 6.Do you think Wanda really thought the girls were teasing her ? Why or why not ?

Wanda was aware of the misbehaviour of the girls who teased her everyday “but she remained calm. To keep them mum she fabricated a story of having a hundred dresses and sixty pairs of matching shoes in her closet. She taught them a lesson of life by the drawings of the hundred beautiful dresses she claimed to have.