We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers
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We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Understanding the text
Question 1.
List the steps taken by the captain.
(i) to protect the ship when rough weather began
(ii) to check the flooding of the water in the ship
Answer:
(i) The author, the captain of the ship and his family started an adventurous voyage by sea on their boat ‘Wavewalker’ in July 1976 from Plymouth, England. The first phase of their planned three-year, 105,000 kilometre journey passed pleasantly. They began to encounter strong gales when they were on their second day out of Cape Town. The captain was aware of the rough weather ahead. That is why he had taken the services of Larry Vigil, an American and Herb Seigler, a Swiss. He did so to tackle the world’s roughest sea, the southern India Ocean
The strong winds blew continuously for the next few weeks. The size of the waves was alarming, which was upto 15 metres as high as their boat’s main mast was. They were 3500 kilometres east of Cape Town on 25th December. Though the weather was extremely bad, yet they celebrated Christmas. iW waves became gigantic at dawn on January 2. They were sailing with only a small storm jib and were still making eight knots
To protect the ship from rough weather, the captain decided to slow the boat down. To do so, they dropped the storm jib and lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stem. In order to protect themselves further, he got double-lashed everything. Then they went through their lift-raft drill, attached lifeliness, donned oilskins and life jackets. This is how the captain tried to protect the ship when rough weather began
(ii) The author, the captain, his wife Mary, his six-year-old son Jonathan and his seven-year-old daughter Suzanne started their round-the-world sea voyage by their boat Wavewalker. They had planned their journey for three years and were supposed to cover 105,000 kilometres. They started their long journey in July 1976 from Plymouth, England.
They reached Cape Town safely. But just on their second day out of Cape Town, they had to encounter strong gales, which blew continuously for the next few weeks. At dawn on January 2, the waves were extraordinarily large and high. At about 6 p.m. there appeared a wave, perfectly vertical and almost twice the height of other waves. Then a tremendous explosion shook the deck. A strong fast stream of green and white water broke over the ship. The head of the captain smashed into the wheel and he was aware of flying overboard and sinking below the waves.
Then unexpectedly, the author’s head came out of the water. He saw Wavewalker nearly overturning. But a wave hurled her upright. He grabbed the guard rails and sailed through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom. His left ribs were cracked and his mouth was filled with blood and broken teeth. Somehow, he found the wheel, lined up the stem for the next wave and hung on.
There was water everywhere. His wife Mary told him that the decks were smashed and they were full of water. He asked her to take the wheel. Through hatch he went down and found that Larry and Herbs were pumping fastly and continuously. After finding a hammer, screws and canvas, the captain struggled back on deck. With the starboard side bashed open, they were taking water with each wave that broke over them.
Somehow the captain managed to stretch canvas and secure waterproof hatch covers across the gaping holes. Some water continued to stream below, but most of it was now being deflected over the side. The hand pumps had started blocking and the electric pump was short circuited. Then the captain connected another electric pump to an out-pipe and it started working. They had been continuously pumping. He also hoisted the storm jib.
Question 2.
Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4 and 5 January.
Answer:
The author and his family started their adventurous sea voyage on their boat Wavewalker m July 1976 from Plymouth, England. The first phase of their planned three- year, 105,000 kilometre journey passed pleasantly. However they began to encounter strong gales when they were on their second day out of Cape Town.
They faced the alarmingly high, sea waves, which broke over the ship, injuring him and his daughter Sue. A part of their ship had damaged and a lot of water had entered the ship. The author repaired the ship as far as he could do. But still they were deeply disturbed about their uncertain fate
On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, they reached the last few centimetres of water. Now they had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. The voyagers were tired, hungry and struggling hard to survive. Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits and they had their first meal in almost two days. But their respite was for a short time only. At 4 p.m. black clouds began building up behind them. The weather continued to deteriorate throughout the night. They were probably aware of their approaching death.
On January 5, their situation was again desperate. Even the children were aware of their approaching death. But the children too showed exemplary courage. The author’s son told his daddy that they were not afraid of death if they could all be together his daddy and mummy and Sue and Jonathan.
The author was so moved with these words that he was determined to fight the sea with whatsover he had. The author and his wife sat together that evening holding hands, as the motion of the ship brought more water in through the broken planks. They both felt that their end was approaching very near. Thus their mental condition was quite positive despite the danger of death they were facing.
Question 3.
Describe the shifts in the narration of the events as indicated in the three sections of the text. Give a suitable to each section.
Answer:
The first section of the text describes how the author and his family set sail from Plymouth England in July 1976 on their boat Wavewalker. They had spent months fitting their boat and testing it in the roughest weather. The first phase of their planned three- year, 105,000 kilometre journey passed pleasantly as they sailed down the west coast of ‘ Africa to Cape Town. But on their second day out of Cape Town, they began to encounter strong gales, which blew continuously for the next few weeks. The size of the waves was alarming. At dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic.
At 6 p.m. an exceptionally high wave hit the ship and a tremendous explosion shook the deck. A torrent of green and white water broke over the ship. The author’s had smashed into the wheel, he flew overboard and sank below the waves. But unexpectedly his head popped out of the water. A few metres away, he saw Wavewalker nearly capsizing. But a wave hurled her up right. There was water everywhere.
He asked his wife Mary to take the wheel. When he went to the children’s cabin, he found that his daughter Sue’s head was hurt and there was a big bump above her eyes. The author repaired the ship as far as he could do. A lot of water had entered due to which they had been pumping continuously. Their Mayday calls got no replies
The second section is about their search for an island. By morning on January 3, the water level was sufficiently under control. So they took two hours’ rest in rotation. But still there was a tremendous leak somewhere below the waterline. A whole section of the started board hull was damaged and there was nothing holding it up. They had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit. But Wavewalker would not hold together long enough to reach Australia. So, the author was looking for the nearest island.
On checking the charts, the author calculated that there were two small island a few hundred kilometres to the east. Their only hope was to reach one of them. One of them lie Amsterdam was a French scientific base. On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, they reached the last few centimetres of water. Now, they had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits, and they ate their first meal in almost two days. But at 4 p.m. black clouds began building up behind them. The weather continued to deteriorate throughout the night. By dawn on January 5, their situation was again desperate.
When he went to comfort the children, his son Jon said, I “But, daddy, we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together you mid Mummy, Sue and I.” That evening Mary and the author sat together holding hands. They both felt that the end was near. But Wavewalker rode out of the storm and by the morning of January 6, with the wind easing, he tried to get a reading on the sextant. He came to know that they were somewhere in 150,000 kilometres of ocean looking for a 65 kilometre wide island.
The third section is about their cheerful landing on lie Amsterdam. The author had checked and rechecked his calculations. About 2 p.m., he went on deck and asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. He told Larry that he could see the island at about 5 p.m. Then he went below, climbed on his bunk and dozed off. He woke up at 6 p.m. Then he was informed by his children that he had found the island. They anchored offshore for the night. Next morning all 28 inhabitants of the island of lie Amsterdam cheered as they helped them ashore.
We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Talking About The Text
Discuss the following questions with your partner :
Question 1.
What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger?
Answer:
The author, his wife Mary, his six-year-old son Jonathan and his seven-year-old daughter Suzanne set sail from Plymouth, England for a round-the-world voyage by sea. They started their long journey by their boat Wavewalker in July 1976. Their journey upto Cape Town was quite pleasant. Before heading east they took the services of Larry Vigil and Herb Seigler. Thus there were four adults and two children on Wavewalker when they faced the danger of death. A section of their ship was damaged and a lot of water had entered the ship
The reaction of the adults when faced with disaster and danger was that of ‘horror’ when the author saw a wave like no other he had ever seen. When his head smashed into the wheel and he was flying overboard and sinking below the waves, he “accepted” his “approaching death.” When his wife Mary came to him, she “Screamed” and said, “We’re sinking!” Larry and Herb were pumping “Like madmen.” But the children seemed to be more calm and less panicky. When the author entered their cabin they said that they were all right. Sue said that her head hurt a bit, when her condition was much more critical than that.
Later on, when the author found her head swollen alarmingly and she had a deep cut on her arm, the author asked her why she had not made more of her injuries before. Then the brave seven-year-old girl replied, “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all.” januuary 5, the situation became again desperate.
Then the author went into com.., ‘ a children. His six year old son Jonathan said courageously, ‘We aren’t afraid of dying all be together you and Mummy, Sue and I.” That evening the author and his wife sat together holding hands, as the motion of the ship brought more and more water in through the broken planks. They both felt that the end was very near. But the children were unaware of the feeling of death.
His daughter Sue gave a card to her daddy on which caricatures of her parents were drawn. Inside the card, there was a message: ‘Oh, how I love you both. So this card is to say thank you and let’s hope for the best.’ This shows their optimism. The author ‘with a heavy heart’ went below, climbed on his bunk and dozed off. When he woke up at 6 p.m. he thought that they had missed the island. Just then Jonathan and Sue came to him and asked for a hug. His son called him the best daddy in the whole world and the best captain. Then his daughter told him the happy news that he had found the island.
Whereas the author did his best to save them from the calamity, the children had their own contribution. Sue did not want them to worry about a head injury. It was so serious that subsequently to remove a recurring blood clot between skin and skull, six minor operations had to be performed. The six-year-old Jonathan was not afraid to die. Of course, Larry and Herb remained cheerful and optimistic under the direst stress. And Mary stayed at the wheel during all those crucial hours.
Question 2.
How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?
Answer:
The highly adventurous story “We’re not Afraid to Die… If we can all be together” shows that by optimism, courage and conviction, we can endure the direst stress. The author, his wife Mary, his son Jonathan and his daughter Sue started their round-the-world sea voyage in July 1976 from Plymouth, England. At Cape Town, they took the services of two crewmen Larry Vigil and Herb Seigler.
Though during their voyage, they faced the danger of death several times, yet none of them ever lost hope. They remained optimistic during disaster. Even the children had shown an exemplary courage and optimism. Rather, they seemed to be more calm and less panicky. The author though worried for the safety of others, always tried his best until the Wavewalker touched the island lie Amsterdam. Even his children did not want to worry him because the author was trying to save them all. Sue did not tell how serious her head injury was.
The best example of optimism is shown by the card presented by her to her daddy with this message : ‘Oh, how I loved you both. So this card is to say thank you and let’s hope for the best.’ Larry and Herb also remained cheerful and optimistic during all this crucial time. Mary also was on the wheel with a hope of their survival. Thus through this story we learn that optimism does help to “endure the direst stress.”
Question 3.
What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face to face with death ?
Answer:
The sea voyage which the author and his family undertook was quite a hazardous experience from them. Several times they were face to face with death. But with their courage, conviction, struggle and optimism they were able to reach the island lie Amsterdam though their boat was badly damaged and a lot of water had entered in it.
When we are face to face with death either we can lose heart and stop struggling. Or we can struggle hard for our survival in a courageous and optimistic manner what the author and his family and Larry and Herb did under the disasterous situation. Half the battle is lost when we surrender cowardly before the circumstances.
But victory is very much within our reach if we face the death bravely, with balanced mind and, of course, with faith and optimism. Under such circumstances, we should always hope for the best and never cease struggling with the best of our abilities.
Question 4.
Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the risks involved ?
Answer:
From the times immemorial, man has shown courage to t)e adventurous. He has been undertaking adventurous expeditions despite the risk involved. This adventurous spirit enabled him to conquer Mount Everest, to reach Moon and to undertake such aventurous expeditions in the sea, on land and mountains, in space etc. Only brave and courageous people undertake such adventurous expeditions. So naturally they Are not bothered about the risks involved in such adventurous acts.
A man is endowed with the basic urge to discover various places. This urge inspires various people to undertake such adventurous expeditions, like the lone undertook by the author. The author tried to do again what Captain James Cook had Already done 200 years ago. Of course, the people who undertake such expeditions are aware of the risks involved. But being courageous people, they are not afraid of anything which may come in their way to complete an expedition.
We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Thinking About Language
Question 1.
We have come across word like ‘gale’ and ‘storm’ in the account. Here are some more words for ‘storms’ : typhoon, cyclone. How many words does your language have for ‘storms’ ?
Answer:
In my language Hindi usually the following words are used for storm :
Question 2.
Here are the names for different kinds of vessels yacht, boat, canoe, ship, steamer, schooner. Think of similar terms in your language.
Answer:
Similar terms used in Hindi for different kinds of vessels that are used to travel on water are mentioned below :
Question 3.
Catamaran is a kind of a boat. Do you know which Indian language this word is derived from? Check the dictionary.
Answer:
The origin of the word ‘catamaran’ is from the Tamil, which means ‘tied wood’. (It is a boat with twin parallel hulls)
Question 4.
Have you heard any boatmen’s songs? What kind of emotions do these songs usually express ?
Answer:
Yes, I have heard many boatmen’s songs. These songs usually describe the emotions of separation, union, reunion, achieving goods, reaching destinations and also about home coming etc
We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Working With Words
Question 1.
The following words used in the text as ship terminology are also commonly used in another sense. In what contexts would you use the other meaning ?
Answer:
The other meaning of these words are
1. Knot :
(i) part of one or more pieces of string, rope, etc. twisted together, usually to make a fastening, e.g. tie a knot in a rope; make a knot; something that ties together, e.g. marriage-knot.
(ii) piece of ribbon, etc. twisted and tied as an ornament.
(iii) difficulty; hard problem, e.g. tie oneself s knot (get badly confused about something.)
(iv) hard lump irks wood where a branch grew out from a bough or trunk.
(v) group of person or things e.g. People were standing about in knots.
(vi) knotty problem : one that is difficult to solve.
2. Stern:
(i) demanding and enforcing obedience, e.g. a stem taskmaster.
(ii) severe; strict, e.g. a stem face; stem looks; stem treatment; stem rebukes.
3. Boom :
(i) heavy chain, mass of floating logs etc. held in position across a river or harbour entrance, e.g. as a defence in time of war or to prevent logs from floating away.
(ii) long, movable arm for a microphone.
(iii) make deep, hollow, or resonant sounds (e.g. of big guns, the wind, an organ.)
(iv) boom out: utter in a deep voice.
(v) sudden increase in trade activity, especially at a time when money is being made quickly.
(vi) boom towmtown showing sudden growth and prosperity.
(vii) have a boom: become well known and successful, e.g. Jones is booming as a novelist, (becoming famous).
4. Hatch :
(i) opening in a wall between two rooms, especially a kitchen and a dining room, through which dishes etc. are passed.
(ii) break out of an egg, e.g. The hen is hatching an egg.
(iii) think out and produce a plot etc. e.g. of a story or novel.
(iv) draw on or engrave (a surface) with parallel lines
5. Anchor :
(i) anything that gives stability or security
(ii) anchor man : one who co-ordinates the work of a group of persons who work together, e.g. in a radio or T. V. Studio.
Question 2.
The following three compound words end in ship. What does each of them mean ?
Answer:
(i) airship, means a power-driven aircraft kept in the air by a body of gas which is lighter that air.
(ii) flagship, means
- the ship in a fleet which carries the commanding admiral.
- the best or most important thing owned or produced by an organisation.
(iii) lightship, ship moored or anchored and provided with beacon lights for the same purpose as those in a light house.
Question 3.
The following are the meanings listed in the dictionary against the phrase ‘take on’. In which meaning is it used in the third paragraph of the account :
take on sth : to begin to have a particular quality or appearance, to assume sth.
take sb on : to employ sb; to engage sb.
to accept sb as one’s opponent in a game, contest or conflict, take sb/sth on : to decide to do sth; to allow sth /sb to enter; (eg a bus, plane or ship to take sth/sb on board.)
Answer:
In the third paragraph take on is used the sense of ‘to employ somebody or ‘to engage somebody”.
We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Things To Do
Question 1.
Here is a picture of a yacht. Label the parts of the yatch using the terms given in the box.
Question 2.
Here is some information downloaded from the internet on lie Amsterdam. You can view images of the isle if you go online.
Location – South Indian Ocean, between southernmost parts of Australia and South Africa
Latitude and longtitude – 37′ 92’S, 77′ 67’E
Sovereignty – France
Political status notes – part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
Population – 35
Census notes – Meteorological station staff
Land area in square kilometers – 86
Answer:
The Amsterdam meaning Amsterdam Island is a French sub-antarctic island discovered by the Spanish explorer Juan Sebastian Elcano on March 18, 1522. Elcano did not name the island, however, having found the island unnamed. Dutch captain Anthonie Van Diemen named it Nieuw Amsterdam after his ship in 1633. The island is volcanic but is currently inactive. It has an area of 55 km² measuring 12 km on it longest side, and reaches as high as 867 m at the Mont de la Dives. The island is a part of the French southern territories and together with neighbouring lie Saint Paul (85 km to the south) forms one of the floor district of the territory. Its base Martin-de- Vivies, formerly, called La Roche Gadon, is the capital of the territory.
Question 3.
Locate lie Amsterdam on the world map.
Answer:
The location of Amsterdam is rounded of in the map below. It is a French sub- antarctic island located at 37° 52′ S 77° 32′ E
We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Extra Questions and Answers
Read the following passages given below and answer the questions that follow :
Passage 1
In July 1976, my wife Mary, son Jonathan, 6, daughter Suzanne, 7, and I set sail from Plymouth, England, to duplicate the round-the-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. 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. (Page 13)
Questions :
(i) Who had set sail arid from where ?
(ii) What had Captain James Cook done about 200 years back ?
(iii) What had the narrator been doing for the last 16 years during his leisure time ?
(iv) How does the author describe ‘Wavewalker’ ?
(v) Use these words in your own sentences :
(a) explorer.
(b) duplicate.
Answers:
(i) The narrator, his wife Mary, his six year old son Jonathan and his seven year old daughter Suzanne had set sail from Plymouth, England.
(ii) Captain James Cook had made the round-the-world voyage by sea about 200 years ago.
(iii) For the past 16 years, the narrator had been polishing his seafaring skills during his leisure time.
(iv) The author describes ‘Wavewalker’ as 23 metre long and 30 ton wodden hulled beauty. It was made professionally.
(v)
(a) Columbus is known to be a famous explorer, who discovered America.
(b) The shopkeeper gave me the original bill and retained a duplicate copy with him.
Passage 2
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 sea 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 heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stem. Then we double-lashed everything, went through our life-raft drill, attached lifelines, donned oilskins and life jackets—and waited. (Page 14)
Questions :
(i) What had happened on 2nd January ?
(ii) With what were they sailing ?
(iii) How did they feel about the screaming of the wind ?
(iv) What did they do to slow the boat down ?
(v) Give the opposites of:
(a) gigantic
(b) dropped.
Answers :
(i) The waves were extremely large at dawn on 2 January.
(ii) They were sailing with only a small storm jib.
(iii) They felt that the screaming of the wind was painful to the ears.
(iv) They dropped the storm jib and lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stem.
(v) (a) small
(b) raised.
Passage 3
Larry and Herb were pumping like madmen. Broken timbers hung at crazy angles, the whole starboard side bulged inwards; clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys slashed about in deep water. I half-swam, half-crawled into the children’s cabin. ‘Are you all right ?’ I asked. “Yes,’ they answered from an upper bunk.’ ‘But my head hurts a bit,’ said Sue, pointing to a big bump above her eyes. I had no time to worry about bumped heads. (Page 15)
Questions :
(i) What happened to the starboard side ?
(ii) What were Larry and Herb doing ?
(iii) How did the narrator reach the children’s cabin ?
(iv) What had happened to Sue ?
(v) Find words in the passage which mean :
(a) the right-hand side of a ship
(b) thump swelling
Answers :
(i) The whole starboard side had bulged inwards and clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys etc. fell into the deep water of the sea.
(ii) Larry and Herb were pumping fastly and continuously in a crazy manner.
(iii) The narrator reached the children’s room by half-swimming and half-crawling.
(iv) Sue was hurt and there was a big hump above her eyes.
(v)
(a) starboard
(b) bump
Passage 4
On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, they reached the last few cen-timetres of water. Now, we had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. We could not set any sail on the main mast. Pressure on the rigging would simply pull the damaged section of the hull apart, so we hoisted the storm jib and headed for where I thought the two islands were. Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits, and we ate our first meal in almost two days. But our respite was short-lived. At 4 p.m. black clouds began building up behind us; within the hour the wind was back to 40 knots and the seas were getting higher. (Page 16)
Questions :
(i) Where did they reach after 36 hours of continuous pumping ?
(ii) What had they to do with the water which was still coming in ?
(iii) Why could they not set any sail on the main mast ?
(iv) Why was their respite for a short while ?
(v) Use the following words in your own sentences :
(a) hoisted
(b) rigging.
Answers :
(i) They reached the last few centimetres of water in the ship after 36 hours of continuous pumping.
(ii) They had to keep pace with the water which was still coming in.
(iii) They could not do so because the pressure on the rigging would have pulled apart the damaged section of the hull.
(iv) Their respite was for a short while because black clouds began building up behind them.
(v)
(a) The Prime Minister hoisted the tricolour on 15th August.
(b) Rigging in search for petrol and gases is going on in Gujarat
Passage 5
That evening, Mary and I sat together holding hands, as the motion of the ship brought more and more water in through the broken planks. We both felt the end was very near. But Wavewalker rode out the storm and by the morning of January 6, with the wind easing, I tried to get a reading on the sextant. Back in the chartroom, I worked on wind speeds, changes of course, drift and current in an effort to calculate our position. The best I could determine was that we were somewhere in 150,000 kilometres of ocean looking for a 65 kilometre-wide island. (Pages 16-17)
Questions :
(i) What was the result of the motion of the ship ?
(ii) What did the narrator and his wife feel ?
(iii) On what the try to get a reading on the morning of January 6 ?
(iv) What did the narrator come to know about the whereabouts of the ship ?
(v) Find the words from the passage, which mean :
(a) long flat pieces of sawn timber.
(b) an instrument for measuring angular distances.
Answers :
(i) As a result of the motion of the ship, more and more water entered the ship through broken planks.
(ii) The narrator and his wife felt that their end was approaching near.
(iii) He tried to get a reading on the sextant.
(iv) The narrator came to know that his ship was somewhere in 1,50,000 kilometres of ocean looking for a 65 kilometre-wide island.
(v)
(a) planks
(b) sextant.
Passage 6
About 2 p.m., I went on deck and asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. If we were lucky, I told him with a conviction I did not feel, he could expect to see the island at about 5 p.m. Then with a heavy heart, I went below, climbed on my bunk and amazingly, dozed off. When I woke it was 6 p.m. and growing dark. I knew we must have missed the island, and with the sail we had left, we couldn’t hope to beat back into the westerly winds. At that moment, a tousled head appeared by may bunk. ‘Can I have a hug ?’ Jonathan asked. Sue was right behind him.
‘Why am I getting a hug now?’ I asked.
‘Because you are the best daddy in the whole world and the best captain,’ my son replied.
‘Not today, Jon, I’m afraid.’
‘Why, you must be’ said Sue in a matter-of-fact voice ‘You found the island.’ (Page 17)
Questions :
(i) What did the narrator ask and tell Larry ?
(ii) What did the narrator do after going below ?
(iii) What did Jonathan ask his daddy ? Why ?
(iv) What did Sue tell her daddy ?
(v) Make noun forms of the following :
(a) expect
(b) appeared
Answers :
(i) The narrator asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. He told Larry that he could expect to see the island at about 5 p.m.
(ii) The narrator dozed off after going below.
(iii) Jonatham asked his daddy if he could have a hug. Jonathan thought that he was the best Daddy and Captain.
(iv) Sue told her daddy that he had found the island.
(v)
(a) expectation
(b) appearance.
We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Extra Questions Short Answer Type (in about 30-40 words)
Question 1.
Who had set sail and from where ?
Answer:
The author, his wife Mary, their six-year-old son Jonathan and their seven-year- old daughter Suzanne had started the round-the-world sea voyage by their boat Wavewalker from Plymouth, England in July, 1976
Question 2.
How does the author describe his boat Wavewalker ? How was it fitted and tested ?
Answer:
The author describes Wavewalker as a 23 metre, 30 ton wooden-hulled beauty. It had been professionally built. They had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather they could find.
Question 3.
When and why did the author take the services of two crewmen ?
Answer:
At Cape Town, before heading east, the author took the services of two crew-men—American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler. He did so to help them tackle one of the world’s roughest sea.
Question 4.
What did they do on 25th December ? How was the weather on then 25 ?
Answer:
On December 25, they were 3500 kilometres east of Cape Town. The weather was still very bad. But they had a wonderful holiday. They celebrated Christmas complete with chrismas tree.
Question 5.
What did they do to slow the boat down on January 2 ?
Answer:
The waves were gigantic on January 2. So they had to slow down the boat. To do this, they dropped the storm jib and lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stem.
Question 6.
“With horror, I realized that it was not a cloud, but a wave like no other I had ever seen.” What kind of a wave was
it ?
Answer:
What the author thought of as a cloud, turned out to be an extremely extraordinary wave. It appeared perfectly vertical. It was almost twice the height of the other waves, with a “frightful breaking crest.”
Question 7.
What was the outcome of the “tremendous explosion” ?
Answer:
Due to the extraordinarily high wave, there was a tremendous explosion which shook the deck. A torrent of green and white water broke over the ship. The author’s head smashed into the wheel. He flew overboard and was sinking below the waves.
Question 8.
“I half-swam, half-crawled into the children’s cabin.” What did the author find there ?
Answer:
After reaching the children’s cabin with a great difficulty, the author asked them whether they were alright. They said yes in reply. But she said that her head hurt a bit, pointing to a big bump over her eyes.
Question 9.
What did the author do after finding that the electric pump had been short circuited ?
Answer:
The author found out that the electric pump of the ship had been short-circuited. Then he remembered that they had another electric pump under the chartroom floor. He connected it to an out-pipe and it started working.
Question 10.
‘I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all.’ When and to whom Sue said these words ?
Answer:
Sue’s head had swollen excessively. She had two enormous black eyes and she showed a deep cut on her arm. When her father said that why she had not told him more about her injuries, she uttered these words.
Question 11.
‘Our only hope was to reach these pinpricks in the vast ocean.’ To what is the author referring to ?
Answer:
The author checked the charts and calculated that there were two small islands as few hundred kilometres to the east. One of them, lie Amsterdam, was a French scientific base. The author is referring to these islands.
Question 12.
What was the message contained in Sue’s card ?
Answer:
Sue gave a card to her daddy. It contained a meaningful message. She had written that she loved them (her daddy and mummy) very much. So that card was to say thanks to them and the further had written ‘let’s hope for the best.’
Question 13.
What did the author tell Larry about the island ?
Answer:
Firstly, the author asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. He told him that if they were lucky, Larry could expect to see the island at about 5 p.m.
Question 14.
How did Sue and the author describe lie Amsterdam ?
Answer:
Sue described the island lie Amsterdam as : ‘as big as a battleship’. The author described it as a bleak piece of volcanic rock, where there was little vegetation. He called it as the most beautiful island in the world.
We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together Extra Questions Long Answer Type (in about 100-150 words)
Question 1.
How did the first phase of the author’s sea voyage conclude ? What preparations had they made for their journey ?
Answer:
The author, his wife Mary, his six-year-old son Jonathan and his seven-year-old daughter Suzanne set sail from Plymouth, England for a round-the-world voyage by sea. They started their long journey in July, 1976 by their boat Wavewalker. It was 23 metres long and its weight was 30 tons.
It had been professionally built. They had spent many months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather they could find. They had planned their journey for three years and were supposed to cover 105,000 kilometres.However, the first phase of their journey passed pleasantly as they sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town.
Question 2.
What precautions did the author take to save Wavewalker from the high-rising waves ?
Answer:
Immediately after starting journey from Cape Town, the author began to encounter strong gales. They blew continuously for the next few weeks. The author was more worried about the size of the waves. Their size was alarming-upto 15 metres. It was as high as their main mast. However at dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic. They were sailing with only a small storm jib and were still making eight knots.
The ship rose to the top of each wave. The screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the ears. To protect the ship from the high-rising waves, they decided to slow the boat down. For this, they dropped the storm jib and lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stem. Then they double-lashed everything and went through their life-raft drill. Besides it, they attached lifelines, donned oilskins and life-jackets also.
Question 3.
How did the author survive after a tremendous explosion shook the deck ?
Answer:
An extraordinarily high wave hit Wavewalker. As a result of it a tremendous explosion shook the deck. A torrent of green and white wave broke over the ship. The author’s head smashed into the wheel and he was aware of flying overboard and sinking below the waves. He accepted his approaching death and was losing consciousness. Then unexpectedly, his head popped out of the water.
A few metres away, Wavewalker was near overturning and her masts were almost horizontal. Then a wave hurled her upright. The author grabbed the guard rails and sailed through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom. He survived, but his left ribs had cracked and his mouth was filled with blood and broken teeth.
Question 4.
How did the author find the island lie Amsterdam ?
Answer:
The author was aware that Wavewalker was in a precarious condition. It would not hold together long enough for them to reach Australia. So, he checked the charts and calculated that there were two small islands a few hundred kilometres to the east. One of them lie Amsterdam, was a French scientific base. His only hope was to reach one of these islands. The author checked and rechecked his calculations.
Then he went on deck and asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. He told him that if they were lucky, Larry could expect to see the island at about 5 p.m. The author dozed off. When he got up at 6 p.m. he thought that probably he had missed the island. But Sue told him that he had found the island. It was island lie Amsterdam.
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