Deep Water

Previous Years' CBSE Board Questions

MCQ (1 mark)

1 "And then sheer, stark terror seized me". Which of the following options has used the same figure of speech as in the underlined phrase above?

1. Sea waves roared frighteningly on a stormy night.
2. Fear is a poison.
3. He roared like a lion in anger.
4. I am frightfully sorry for my mistakes. (Term I, 2021-22)

2 'But the jump made no difference.' Select the option that reflects the tone of Douglas.

1. fear (b) regret (c) anger (d) grief (Term I, 2021-22) [II]

SAI (2 marks)

1. What handicap did Douglas suffer from? How did he overcome that? (2023) R
2. Which two incidents in Douglas' early life made him scared of water? (Delhi 2014C) R

16. Read the extract given below to attempt the

guestions that follow:

I went to the pool when no one else was there. The

place was quiet. The water was still, and the tiled

bottom was as white and clean as a bathtub. I was

timid about going in alone, so I sat on the side of the

pool to wait for others.

1. Why did Douglas prefer to go to YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming? (Delhi 2014C)

SAII (3 marks)

1. Which first incident in Douglas' childhood filled him with fear of the water? (2019 C) R
2. How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer? (Delhi 2019)
3. How did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool affect Douglas? (Delhi 2016)
4. What deep meaning did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool have for Douglas? (Al 2016)

'All we have to fear is fear itself.' When did Douglas.

learn this lesson? (Al 2016) An

11. How did the feeling of terror return to Douglas at

Lake Wentworth? How did he react? (Foreign 2016)

Why did Douglas' mother recommend that he should

learn swimming at the YMCA swimming pool?

(Delhi 2015) R

How did Douglas remove his residual doubts about

his fear of water? (Delhi 2015)

1. How did Douglas' experience at YMCA pool affect him? (Delhi 2015)
2. What lesson did Douglas learn when he got rid of his fear of water? (Delhi 2015C) (Ap) (R)

LAI (5 marks)

I had not been there long when in came is big

bruiser of a boy, probably eighteen years old he had

thick hair on his chest. He was a beautiful physical

specimen, with legs and arms that showed rippling

muscles. He yelled.

Hi Skinny! How'd you like to be ducked?

(Term I, 2021-22)

1. What impression do you form about the narrator?
2. He is a beginner in swimming lessons.
3. He has made friends during his swimming lessons.
4. The big boy was well built and handsome.

1. The narrator lacks courage and confidence to enter the pool alone.

1. The description of the big boy by the narrator is one of
2. Complaint (b) Admiration
3. Criticism (d) Poise

1. Select the option that lists the probable reason for the big boy's behavior towards the narrator.
2. his intention to frighten the narrator.
3. his desire to give him a surprise.
4. The place was guiet and odd.
5. The narrator was skinny and alone.

1. The figure of speech in the expression 'as white and clean as a bath tub' is _____.
2. Metaphor (b) Alliteration
3. Simile (d) Irony

1. The writing style of the narrator indicates that the passage can be classified under a/an _____.
2. Interview (b) Autobiography
3. Fiction (d) Short story

1. The story "Deep Water" has made you realise that with determination and perseverance one can accomplish the impossible. Write a paragraph in about 100 words on how a positive attitude and courage will aid you to achieve success in life. (Delhi 2014) Ap Cr

1. Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the value of these qualities in the light of Douglas' experience in "Deep Water". (Delhi 2014)

LAII (6 marks)

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: The next I remember I was being on my ...... beside the pool, vomiting. The chap that threw me in ...... saying. "But I was only fooling". Someone said, "The kid nearly ...... Let's carry him to the locker room." Several hours later, I walked house. I was weak and trembling. I shook and cried when I lay on any bed. I couldn't eat that night. For days a haunting fear was in my heart. The ..... me, making me wobbly in the knees and sick to my stomach.

1. he has frightened when he saw the big man.
2. he had gone for a swim on an empty stomach.
3. Rewrite the sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with its inference. For days a haunting fear was in my heart.
4. On the basis of the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below:
5. The boy did not know how to swim.
6. The boy took a long time to recover from his fear.
7. I can be inferred from the extract but II cannot.
8. I cannot be inferred from the extract but II can.
9. I is true but II is false.
10. Both I and II are true.
11. Identify the textual clue that allows the reader to infer that the chap threw the boy into the pool just for fun (clue : a phrase)
12. Complete the sentence with an appropriate explanation as per the extract. The slightest exertion upset the boy because
13. Replace the underlined word with its synonym from the extract. The boy felt unsteady in the knees.

What is the misadventure that William Douglas

speaks about? What were the series of emotions

and fears that Douglas experienced when he was

thrown into the pool? (2020 C) An

21. How did Douglas develop a fear of water? (2020)

Childhood fears are deeply entrenched in our

mind. Determination, hard work and right training

are needed to get rid of them. Comment on

the statement in the light of Douglas' efforts to

overcome his fear of water. (AI 2019) Ap

Fear is something that we must learn to overcome if

we want to succeed in life. How did Douglas get over

his fear of water? (2018) An

What happened at the YMCA swimming

pool which instilled fear of water in Douglas' mind?

(Foreign 2015)

25. How did Douglas' experience at the YMCA pool

affect him? How did he get over this effect?

(Foreign 2015)

Describe the efforts made by Douglas to overcome

his fear of water. (Foreign 2015)

I never went back to the pool, I feared water, I avoided it whenever I could. (2023)

1. With reference to the extract. Douglas was vomiting because
2. he had got seven food poisoning.
3. he had just been rescued from nearly drowning in the pool.

"All we have to fear is fear itself." Describe Douglas'

experiences which led to the making of this

statement. (Delhi 2015C)