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Extra Questions, Notes, Assignment and study material for Class 11th as Per CBSE Syllabus
Chapter- 2 English Language and Literature
We’re Not Afraid to Die Extra Question Answer English
By- Gordon Cook and Alan East
Introduction of the lesson- “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”
Following is the introduction English text for Chapter ‘ We’re Not Afraid to Die Class 11,’ aimed to give you a clear grasp of its main ideas.”
The Europeans, You must admit, are enterprising and adventure-loving. These very qualities enabled them to sail around the world, discover new routes and new lands and ultimately colonise them. A few countries ruled over nearly half of the world. Closeness to sea and then better experiences of tempests or storms made them strong enough to challenge death.
This lesson recounts the story of a businessman, his wife and two little children. For sixteen years, the man prepared himself for the round-the-world voyage. He built a big boat and undertook a risky expedition. He sailed smoothly up to the tip of South Africa. But as he moved eastward, he faced gales.
He hired two helpers to tackle the world’s roughest sea, the southern Indian Ocean. He set out in July 1976. On January 2, he faced the huge waves and fought for survival against a deadly sea.
He was badly wounded, so was the Wavewalker, his boat which got damaged. But he sailed on and on. He finally set his foot on a small island. His children also were not afraid to die provided they all were together.
Important Word-Meanings of difficult words from the lesson- “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”
Here we give the word meaning with Hindi page wise for difficult words in the chapter “We’re Not Afraid to Die Class 11,” to help you understand it better.
Page13
Set sail-started journey by sea. समुद्रीयात्रा प्रारम्भ क ी; duplicate-repeat, copy अनुसरण करन ा; voyage-a sea journey; In the wake of-afterwards. Just as Captain Cook had done; honing-improving, sharpening. सुधारना; seafaring–travelling by sea; hull–lower part of the ship; leg-stage, round,चरण; heading-sailing towards; crewmen-helpers, seamen; tackle–deal with, handle.निपटना; roughest–most stormy
Page 14
Encounter–meet, come across, face, सामना करना; gale–violent winds, आँधी – तूफ़ान; alarming–dangerous. Terrifying, व्याकुल कर देने वाल ी; main mast-central long pole, मस्तूल; despite–in spite of,के बावजूद; atrocious–rough, violent, क्रूर; reasoned–told ourselves; gigantic–huge, high,विशाल ऊँची; jib-a triangular staysail. तिकोना पाल; knots–a nautical mile; enormous–huge, विशाल; screaming–making sharp noise. चीख, पुकार; lashed–tied, fastened together; mooring-rope–a rope used for securing a boat on the coast, घाट पर बाँधने वाला रस्म; loop–noose, फंद ा; stern–back part of the ship. जहाज का पिछला भाग; life raft-a fleet made of logs, नदी पार करने के लिए तख्तों से बनाया गया बेड़ ा; spray–flying of small drops of water. फुहार; drill–exercise, practical training. अभ्यास; attached–joined,जोड़ दिय ा; donned–put on, पहन लिय ा; indication–sign, संकेत; impending–drawing near,आसन्न; disaster–ruin, mishap.तबाही ,विपद ा; dropped–stopped blowing; towered–mounted. ऊपर आ गय ा; aft–back, पीठ; horror–fear,भय; vertical–standing upright, लंब की भाँति; frightful–deadly. Dreadful.डरावन ी; crest–top; thunder–loud roar. गर्जन; tremendous–fearful; explosion–burst, विस्फोट; deck– the platform of a ship; torrent–a strong fast stream; smashed–hit, struck,टकराय ा; popped–rose, ऊthe पर उठ गय ा; capsizing–overturning.उलट रहा थ ा; horizontal–level. समानांतर; hurled–threw with force.वेग से उछाल दिय ा; jerked–moved; taut–tight; lifeline–a rope thrown to secure someone from drowning; Wavewalker– the name given to the boat; grabbed–caught firmly; guardrails–the horizontal pieces of iron or wood for security. Raithe ling; a boom–long pole. पाल दण्ड; subsequent–that came thereafter, बाद में आने वाल ी; tossed–threw, फैंक ा; rag doll–a doll made of a torn clothes, a toy,गुड़िय ा; ribs–chest bones, पसलियाँ; cracked–broke, चटक गई; hung on–trapped. लटका रह ा; abandon–leave.छोड़न ा; investigate–find out, पता लगाना I
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Screamed–cried; decks– platform, roof; smashed–broken; scrambled–tried to catch. झपट कर पकड़ ा; hatch–a small opening in a floor. ; timbers–wood used for building purpose,इमारती लकड़ ी; crazy –odd. बेढंगे तरीके स े; starboard–right-hand side of a ship,जलपोत का दाहिना भाग; bulged–swollen, फूल गया sloshed–moved around water, पानी चल रहे थ े; bunk–sleeping berth. शयन स्थान; a bit–a little bump–swelling.गुमड़ा ; hammer–a tool for driving nails, हथौड़ी; screws–a metal fastener. पेच ; canvas–water proof material, thick cloth of hemp or flax, किरमिच ; bashed open–struck open forcibly, आघात के कारण खुल गया ; stretch–spread out; hatch covers–the lids to cover the openings in the deck; gaping–open; deflected–turned to another direction, रास्ता मोड़ दिया; debris–scattered broken things, मलबा, कचरा ; threateningly–In an alarming manner. खतरनाक तरीके से; wrenched–pulled off, twisted. खराब हो गया थ ा; dinghies–small boats on a ship; anchor–piece of heavy metal, लंगर; chartroom–where maps used for navigation are kept; dragged on–passed with difficulty; steering–the mechanism or wheel to control the direction; Mayday calls–radio signals used by ships in distress calling for help. Remote–far off; swollen– सूज गया थ ा; alarmingly–dangerously; enormous–big; sufficiently–enough, adequate; In rotation–turn by turn. बारी –बारी से; tremendous–big, अधिक; leak–opening, छेद I
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Rib–one of the ships curved timbers, घुमावदार लकड़ ी; smashed to the keel–completely broken; starboard hull–the lower part of the right side of the ship; calculated–estimated, अनुमान गलाय ा; pinpricks–very small dots or islands; abated–cooled down, grew less severe; hoist–flutter,फहराना ; slim–very little, thin, कम ; auxiliary–additional, अतिरिक्त; main mast–prime pole, प्रमुख मस्तूल ;pressure–pulls; rigging–ropes; pull apart–separate, अलग कर देना ; corned–saved from damage; respite–relief, interval of rest, विराम ; deteriorate–grow worse, worsen, बदतर होना ; dawn–daybreak; desperate–hopeless; respond–reply; heave-to–lift, raise with great effort, बलपूर्वक खींचन ा; improvise–to use whatever is available,काम चलाऊ; anchor–a heavy metal object which helps to keep a ship In one place लंगर; barrels–drums; paraffin–waxमोम; planks–long flat pieces of sawn timber, तख्ते; rode out–survived. बच निकल ा; easing–cooling down.
Pages 17-18
A sextant–an instrument for measuring,कोण की दूरी मापने का यंत्र; drift–slow currents. मंद बहाव ; slits–thin openings, झिरी ; caricature–funny representation of a person, व्यंग चित्र; compass–instrument with magnetised needle, क़ुतुबनुमा; variation–changes indicating direction; conviction–firm belief, दृढ़विश्वास; dozed off–slept; tousled–rough, disorderly, बिखरे बाल ; hug–embrace, आलिंगन; chorused–spoke jointly, एक साथ बोले ; stark–bare, stiff naked; bleak–cheerless; little vegetation–no greenery. Barren; anchored–dropped the heavy iron piece,जहाज का लंगर गिराये रख ा; off-shore–near the shore. तट के निकट; inhabitants–residents, निवास ी; optimistic–hopeful; direst–extreme, most horrible; stress–pressure, strain; crucial–critical; subsequently–coming after, बाद में; recurring–coming up again and again; clot–half solid lump, रक्त का थक्का l
Short and Simple Summary of the lesson in English- “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”/ Summary in simple Words/ Critical appreciation of the lesson – “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”
Take a look at the following summary example to better understand the chapter ” We’re Not Afraid to Die,” crafted through careful summary writing.
It was in July 1976 that the narrator, along with his wife Mary, son Jonathan and daughter Suzanne. Set sail from Plymouth. England to sail around the world. The son was just six years old while the daughter was seven. The narrator was a 37 years old businessman. But he dreamt like an explorer. He wanted to repeat the performance of Captain James Cook, made 200 years earlier. For 16 years he had been improving his seafaring skills in British waters. He invested all his savings on titling and testing out a boat, called Wavewalker. It was 23 metres long and 30 ton in weight, with a wooden lower part.
They had to cover more than one lakh kilometres distance in three years. The first leg of the voyage up to Cape Town, South Africa, Passed pleasantly. Before heading for the east, the narrator hired two crewmen—an American named Larry vigil and a Swiss named Herb Ziegler. For their help, He knew that the Southern Indian Ocean was very rough, Stormy and dangerous. As they left Cape Town, they began to face strong winds which kept blowing for a few weeks. But the gales did not frighten him so much as the size of the waves, which were up to 15 metres high, almost touching the main mast.
On December 25, the boat was 3.500 km east of Cape Town. In spite of foul weather, they celebrated Christmas. They hoped still that the weather would change, and it did change, but for the worse.
On January 2 mornings, the waves rose very high. They were sailing slowly. The ship rose to the top of each wave as they hit it. The wind screamed. To slow the boat down, they dropped the storm sail and put a heavy rope in a loop across the back part of the boat. They equipped themselves with lifelines, oilskins and life jackets. Then, they waited for the greater danger ahead.
The first sign of the approaching disaster came with an evil silence. The wind dropped and the sky became dark. With a deafening roar, a cloud like a thing hit the ship. It was, in fact, a strong and high wave. The death seemed quite at hand. The roar increased to thunder. The back part of the boat moved up. An explosion shook the platform. A wave broke over the ship and the narrator’s head hit against the wheel. He felt as if he was being swallowed by the waves. But he did not lose hope and patience.
The boat was almost turning over. The masts or poles lay flat. The narrator grabbed the rails. He was tossed around the deck like a rag doll. His chest bones cracked, his teeth were broken and his mouth was filled with blood. But he hung on to the wheel.
There was water all over. It had flown below but there was no way to examine the exact position. Suddenly, the lid over the opening on the deck was thrown open. Mary screamed that the lower part of the ship was full of water. She was told to take the wheel. The narrator went down to check on the other members. The two crewmen Larry and Herb were madly trying to pump out the water. The sideboard of the ship had bulged inwards. Clothes, charts and crockery were floating like toys. He moved towards the children’s cabin and found them safe on the upper berth. But Sue had a bump on her head.
The narrator found a hammer, screws and canvas. He made some repairs to stop the water from entering. He spread the canvas across the open holes. Some water now flowed towards the sides instead of below.
More problems arose when the handpumps were blocked up with debris. The electric pump went out of order. The water level rose dangerously. Back on deck, the narrator found the two spare handpumps also thrown overboard. Then, he thought of another electric pump in the chat room. He connected it to an out-pipe and it worked.
The night was bitterly cold. They sent out distress radio signals asking for help. The little girl’s head was swollen and she got black eyes due to her injury. She also had a deep cut on her arm. But she didn’t complain because she didn’t want to cause worry to her father.
By January 3 morning, the situation was under control. The narrator and other members took two hours’ rest in the rotation. They had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit. But the boat was badly damaged. It was not likely to take them safely to Australia. The narrator checked the charts and found two small islands. Ile Amsterdam was a French scientific base. Their only hope was now to reach there somehow. So they headed for those islands. They ate some beef and biscuits. The first food in almost two days.
At 4 p.m. Black clouds began to build up again. The weather remained had throughout the night. On January 5 morning, the narrator went in to comfort the children. His son Jon asked if they were going to die. He added that they were not afraid to die if they stayed together—all four of them.
That evening Mary and the narrator felt that the end was very near. But the boat rode out the storm. By the morning of January 6, the wind ceased. He calculated their position. While he Was thinking, Sue, joined him and gave him a self-made card. She had drawn the funny figures of her mother and father to make them laugh and to thank them. He hoped to see the island at about 5 pm. Then he went below to get a short nap. At 6 pm, Jonathan and Sue woke him up to give the happy news. The island of Amsterdam was in sight. The next morning, they were received by all the 28 workers on the island.He thanked his crewmen as well as little children for their help and forbearance
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Summary in Hindi from the lesson- “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”
Here is the Hindi story summary of the chapter ” We’re Not Afraid to Die Class 11,” designed to give you a clear understanding of its essential ideas in Hindi.
यह घटना है जुलाई 1976 की जब लेखक अपनी पत्नी Mary, बेटाJonathanतथा बेटी Suzanne के साथ इंग्लैंड पर Plymouth से विश्व का चक्कर चक्कर लगाने निकल पड़े थेI बेटा मात्र 6 वर्ष का था और बेटी की आयु थी सातवर्षI लेखक स्वयं से 37वर्षीय व्यवसायी था Iपर उसका सपना खोजयात्री का था I वह तो 200 वर्ष पूर्व केप्टन जेम्स कुक की यात्रा को दोहराना चाहता था I16 वर्षों तक वह अपनी समुद्री यात्रा करने के कौशल को इंग्लैण्ड के समुद्र में सुधारता रहा Iउसने अपनी सारी जमापूँजीएक ‘वेववाकर’ नामक नौका के निर्माण तथा उसके परीक्षण में लगा दी थी Iयह जलपोत 23 मीटर लम्बा और 30टन वजन का थाI इसका निचला भाग लकड़ी के तख्तों से बना थाI
इन लोगों को तीन वर्षों में 100,000 कि.मी. से अधिक दूरी तय करनी थीI यात्रा का पहला चरण दक्षिण अफ्रीका के केपटाऊन तक का था, और यह सुरक्षित पूरा हो गयाI पूर्व की ओर जाने से पहले लेखक ने दो नाविकों को साथ ले लिया, यह थे अमेरिका के Larry Vigil तथा स्विस के Herb Seigler Iवह जानता था कि दक्षिणी हिंद महासागर बहुत उग्र तूफानी और खतरनाक था Iजैसे ही वे केप टाउन से पूर्व की ओर चले, उन्हें आँधी-तूफान का सामना करना पड़ा जो कुछेक सप्ताहों तक चलते रहेI पर आँधी से उतना अधिक डर उसे नहीं लगा जितनाऊँची लहरों से, जो प्रमुख मस्तूल जितनी ऊँची थीI
दिसंबर 25 को नाव केप टाऊन से 3500 किमी. की दूरी पर थीI इतनी खराब मौसम के बावजूद उन्होंने क्रिसमस मनाई Iउन्हें अभी भी आशा थी कि तूफान थम जाएगा,और परिवर्तन आया भी पर पहले से स्थिति अधिक बुरी हो गईI
जनवरी 2 की प्रातः लहरें बहुत ऊँची उठने लगीं I उन्होंने नाव की गति कर दी I नाव हर लहर के शिखर पर पहुँच जाती थीI पवन चीखें मार रहा था Iनौका की गति और कम करने के लिए तूफान वाला पाला नीचे गिरा दिया और एक वजनी फंदा नाव के पिछले भाग में लगा दियाI सभी ने जीवन रक्षक जैकेटें पहन ली Iफिर भी वे आने वाली भीषण आपदा की प्रतीक्षा करने लगेI
आसन्न विपदा का पहला लक्षण वातावरण में बिखरी शांति के रूप में दिखाई दियाI पवन अचानक थम गई और आकाश काला पड़ गयाI दहाड़ के साथ एक-मेघ जैसी चीज में नाव को टक्कर मार दी I यह तो वास्तव में एक विशाल ऊँची लहर थी Iऐसा लगा कि मृत्यु निकट आ गई हैI दहाड़ गर्जन में बदल गई Iनाव का पिछला भाग ऊपर उठने लगा Iएक विस्फोट के साथ जहाज की छत हिल गईIएक लहर नाव पर आ गिरी तथा लेखक का सिर चक्र से टकरा गया Iउसे लगा कि वह लहरों के नीचे डूब रहा है पर उसने आशा और धैर्य नहीं छोड़ाI
नाव जैसे पलटने लगी थीI मस्तूल नीचे समतल गिर गएI लेखक ने रेलिंग पकड़ ली Iवह जहाज की छत पर इस प्रकार से चक्कर खा गया जैसे वह पुराने कपड़ों से बनी कोई गुड़िया हो Iउसकी छाती की हड्डी चटक गई तथा उसके दाँत भी टूट गए, उसके मुँह में खून भर गयाI पर वह उस चक्र को पकड़े रहाI
चारों ओर जल ही जल था Iपानी तो नाव के निचले भाग में भी बहकर पहुँच गया था पर सही स्थिति का आकलन करने का कोई उपाय न था अचानक छत पर बने छेद के ऊपर रखा ढक्कन फाटक से खुला IMary चीखकर बोली कि जहाज के निचले भाग में पानी भर गया हैIलेखक ने उसे बोला कि इस चक्र को सँभालो Iवह स्वयं ढक्कन के पास उसे छेद पर रखने के लिए भागा Iदोनों सहायक कर्मचारी Larry और Herb जी-जान से पानी को पंप द्वारा बाहर निकालने में जुटे थे Iनाव का पार्शव भाग अन्दर की ओर धँसगया था Iकपड़े, नक्शे तथा कप –प्लेटें खिलौनों की भाँति पानी में तैर रही थे I लेखक बच्चों के केबिन में गया तथा उन्हें ऊपर की शयन बर्थ पर सुरक्षित पायाI पर बेटी Sue के सिर पर चोट से गुमड़ा उभर आया थाI
लेखक ने एक हथौड़ी, तथा किरमिच आदि लिए और उस छेद की मरम्मत कर दी Iअब पानी का बहाव बगल की ओरबहकर जाने लगा, नीचे नहीं जा रहा थाI
रात बहुत ठण्डी थी Iउन्होंने सहायता के लिए रेडियो सिंगनल चारों ओर भेजें Iलड़की के सिर पर सूजन आ गई थी तथा उसकी आँखें काली पड़ गई थी Iलेखक तथा उसके अन्य सभी साथियों ने बारी-बारी से दो-दो घंटे आराम कियाI15 घंटे बीत चुके थे पर पहली बार लहर ऊपर आई थी Iपर नाव कोक्षति बहुत अधिक हो चुकी थी यह संभव नहीं लग रहा था कि वह उन्हें ऑस्ट्रेलिया तक ले जाएगीIलेखक ने नक्शों को देखा तथा उसे दो टापू नक्शे में दिख गए Iआइल एमस्टर्डमतो फ्रांस का विज्ञान अनुसंधान केंद्र था Iअब इन लोगों को यही उम्मीद थी कि किसी प्रकार से उस टापू पर पहुँचा जाए Iउन टापुओं की ओर नाव की दिशा मोड़ दीI उन्होंने दोदिनों पश्चात कुछ गोश्त तथा बिस्कुट खाएI
चारबजे शाम को काले बादल पुनःघिरने लगेIमौसम सारी रात खराब रहा 5 जनवरी प्रातःकाल लेखक बच्चों को ढाढसबँधाने गया Iबेटी Jon ने पूछा क्या हम लोग मर जाएँगेIउसने साथ ही बोला हम लोग मरने से नहीं डरते बशर्ते हम चारों एक साथ बने रहते हैंI
उस शाम Mary तथा लेखक को लगा कि उनका अंत अब निकट आ गया हैI पर नाव तो तूफान से बचकर निकल आई I6 जनवरी प्रातः हवा कमजोर पड़ गई थीI लेखक ने स्थिति का आकलन किया जब वह बैठा सोच रहा था, बेटी Sue पास आ गई तथा उसने अपना बनाया एक कार्ड पापा को दिया Iउस कार्ड पर उसने मामा और डैड का व्यंग चित्र बना रखा था ताकि देखकर उन्हें हँसी आ जाएIलेखक को आशा बँधीकिवे लोग टापू के पास शाम पॉंचबजे तक पहुँचजाएँगे फिर वह नीचे चले गएI6बजे Jonathan तथा Sue ने उसे जगाया ताकि खुशखबरी दे देंI टापू Amsterdam अब दिखाई दे रहा था अगली प्रातः टापू के सभी 28 कर्मियों ने इन लोगों का स्वागत किया लेखक ने अपने दोनों सहायकों तथा छोटे बच्चों को उनकी सहायता तथा सहिष्णुता के लिए धन्यवाद दियाI
Short Answer Type Questions (30 to 40 words) from the lesson- “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”
1.”We’re not afraid to die.” Who speaks these words and when?
Ans. The narrator’s son, Jonathan, 6 years old, made this remark when his father went in to comfort the children. “But Daddy,” he went on, “we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together—you and mummy, Sue and I.”
2. Name the voyagers who set sail from England to reach Australia.
Ans. It was a small family, the parents and their two kids. The narrator was a 37-year-old businessman, his wife Mary and their two children—daughter Sue and son Jonathan.
3. What preparations did the narrator make for the long journey?
Ans. The narrator wanted to fulfil his dream of sailing around the world like Captain James Cook. He worked on the project for 16 years and spent all his leisure time in mastering the art of navigation. He built his Wavewalker, a 23-metre long boat weighing 30 tons.
4. How does the author describe Wavewalker?
Ans. Wavewalker was the name given to the narrator’s boat. It was professionally built. It was a 23-metre long, wooden-hulled 30-ton boat. The narrator spent months fitting it out and testing it for the roughest weather.
5. When did the adventurous family start their expedition? How did they fare along the route?
Ans. The voyagers left the English shore in July 1976. The expedition was difficult and risky. The narrator knew it. The Southern Indian Ocean was known to he very rough and stormy. They faced strong winds for several weeks after leaving Cape Town. On January 2, the boat confronted high sea waves which damaged it. Death seemed certain. It was their hard work and good luck that they survived and reached the small island, named Ile. Amsterdam.
6. Who were the two crewmen taken by the narrator? What was their contribution to this project?
Ans. At Cape Town, the narrator took a timely and very wise step. Before going eastward, he engaged two crewmen, an American named Larry and a Swiss named Herb to help them tackle the world’s roughest seas, the Southern Indian Ocean. The crewmen worked very hard to pump the water out. They remained cheerful and hopeful even when they stood face to face with death.
7. What did the narrator know about the Southern Indian Ocean? Did his fears come true?
Ans. The narrator knew well that the Southern Indian Ocean, towards the east of Cape Town, Was very rough and dangerous. So he hired two crewmen to help him. Yes, his fears came true as they started facing strong gales as they left Cape Town. They continued fighting gigantic waves and winds for more than a week.
8. How did the narrator celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Day during his voyage?
Ans. As the voyagers sailed eastward from Cape Town, the strong winds began to blow. The rough weather went on for the next few days. But in spite of foul weather, the family celebrated Christmas, complete with a Christmas tree. But there seemed no improvement in the weather during the New Year too.
9. What preparations did the narrator make to face the stormy sea on January 2?
Ans. On the morning of January 2, the waves were gigantic. The wind was screaming and their boat rose to the top of each wave as it hit the boat. To slow the boat down, the narrator and his crew dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope across the stern. Then they double lashed everything, wore oilskins and life jackets and attached themselves with lifelines.
10. What injuries did the narrator and his daughter suffer when the sea waves tossed them about?
Ans. When the waves hit the boat, the narrator was tossed around the deck as if he were a rag doll. His left ribs cracked, his teeth were broken and his mouth was filled with blood. But he just held on to the guard rails fast and took charge of the wheel. His daughter Susan was hurt on the head very badly.
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11. What information did Mary give about their problem?
Ans. Mary was in the lower part of the boat along with the children. The lid on the deck had blown off and Mary reported that the boat was full of water, and they were sinking.
12. What did the narrator do to repair the damage to the deck?
Ans. The narrator gave charge of the wheel to Mary. He found a hammer, screws and canvas. He spread the canvas and fixed it across the holes in the deck. Thus, he deflected the water over the side.
13. What more problems about the pumps worried the narrator?
Ans. Having covered the open hole on the deck, The narrator found the handpumps blocked With debris. The electric pump had short-circuited. The two spare handpumps had been thrown overboard due to the storm. Fortunately, he had another electric pump that served the purpose of pumping out water.
14. What has been the role of little children in the hazardous voyage?
Ans. The narrator had two children with him. His daughter Sue was 7 years old while the Son Jon was six. Sue suffered a bump on her head and cuts on her arm. But she did not Bother her father. They had no food for almost two days. Even after facing gales and High waves for ten days, which almost sank their boat, Jon told his father that he and
Sue was not afraid to die if all four of them were together. If was their bravery and Confidence in their parents, which encouraged the father to fight the weather.
15. How did Sue make her father laugh when the situation was almost hopeless?
Ans. The situation was hopeless and the parents were still tense. Sue made a card and drew Their caricatures, calling them funny people. Her gesture made them laugh. The card also thanked them and gave a message of hope.
16. Our only hope was to reach these pinpricks in the vast ocean. Elaborate.
Ans. The narrator spotted two small islands on the chart. One of these, Ile Amsterdam, was a 65-km wide island in 1,50,000 km of ocean. It was a French scientific base. But it was not easy to reach those small islands which were like pinheads in that vast ocean.
17. What did the voyagers succeed in achieving on January 4?
Ans. On January 4 after continuous pumping of 36 hours, the narrator noticed a steep fall in The water level. He hoisted the storm jib and headed for the islands. On that day, they had their first meal in almost two days. It consisted of some beef and cracker biscuits.
18. When did the narrator and his wife Mary almost lose all the hope of survival?
Ans. On January 4 towards the afternoon, the sea became rougher and clouds began building Up. By next morning, the couple lost all hope of survival. That evening, the narrator And his wife Mary noticed that more and more water was flowing in through the broken Planks. They both felt the end was very near.
19. What good news did Jon and Sue give to their father at 6 p.m. on January 6?
Ans. On January 6, the narrator was taking a short nap. At 6 p.m., Jonathan woke him up and Wanted to hug him “because he was the best daddy in the world, and the best captain” as well. Sue then gave the happy news that they had reached Ile Amsterdam.
20. Why did Ile Amsterdam appear to the narrator the most beautiful island in the world?
Ans. Ile Amsterdam was only a volcanic rock with very little vegetation. But to the narrator And his crew, it was the most beautiful island in the world. After all, they now felt secure. They had found an escape from the dead sea and found land at last.
21. What for did the narrator thank his crewmen, wife and children after landing on the island?
Ans. The narrator thanked his crewmen for remaining cheerful and hopeful in the face of death. Mary had controlled the wheel for hours. Sue, the seven-year-old girl did not complain of pain in spite of getting a severe head injury; while the six-year-old Jon was not afraid to die. So, they all deserved thanks and compliments.
Long Answer questions from the lesson- “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”
1. What preparations did the narrator make for his round-the-world voyage?
Ans. The captain and his wife Mary had been dreaming for long of sailing around the world. They wanted to duplicate the voyage of Captain James Cook undertaken 200 years ago. The narrator/captain was a 37-year-old businessman. For 16 years they spent all their time learning the skills of navigation.
They built a boat, Wavewalker, which was 23 metres long and 30 ton in weight. It had a wooden lower part. But it was fitted out well and tested in the roughest weather. He carried spare pumps to meet any disaster. He knew that the Southern Indian Ocean was one of the world’s roughest seas. With foresight, he hired two crewmen to help him conquer the roughest seas in the world, the Southern Indian Ocean before he left Cape Town to go eastward. Such precautions helped the voyagers survive the disaster.
2. What inspired the author to undertake such a risky voyage? What was his experience?
Ans. The narrator was a young businessman. But he nursed a dream to do something big, to go round the world in a boat. He wanted to duplicate the achievement of Captain James Cook who had made the record 200 years ago. He was a dreamer, an adventurer, and a fighter to the bone. The sea voyage was risky. The Southern Indian Ocean was dangerous. Yet, nothing could dampen his spirit.
The experiences in the sea were very bad. He and his family had a narrow escape. The angry sea waves rose as high as his 15-metre high main mast. The waves ripped open a hole on the deck. The waves damaged the side boards and planks. Not only that, the narrator was badly hurt and was bleeding. His daughter Sue also got badly injured on the head. Death seemed certain. The pumps got blocked and extra pumps went out of order. But stars also favoured this brave and bold family and they managed to survive what seemed like sure death.
3. How did the narrator cope with and survive the attack by his enemy, the Southern Indian Ocean?
Ans. The narrator had already heard and read about the rough Southern Indian Ocean. So before he left Cape Town, he took on two crewmen for help. One was an American named Larry and the other was a Swiss named Herb. Strong winds began to blow as they set out. Strong gales kept blowing for days. But the narrator was really afraid of the high waves, which rose as high as the main mast.
Christmas and New Year’s Day passed safely. But a gigantic wave attacked the boat on January 2. The narrator did all he could to fight the nasty sea. He dropped the storm jib and put on life jackets. At 6 p.m. The wind dropped ominously. Then came a giant Wave with thunder and explosion. His head hit against the steering wheel. He was thrown overboard. The boat had almost turned upside down. His teeth broke and his ribs cracked. But he managed to grab the railing. He got on hoard and grabbed the wheel.
4. Give a brief account of the spirit with which all the voyagers and the helpers faced the approaching death.
Ans. The group of the voyagers consisted of the narrator, his wife Mary, his daughter Sue and son Jonathan. In addition, there were two hired crewmen. They faced the alarming attack by high sea waves in the first week of January. In order to face the stormy sea. They slowed the boat down, dropped the storm jib. They double lashed everything on board and then wore their life jackets and attached lifelines. Even then that evening their boat almost sank. The author was thrown overboard. He was badly hurt. His daughter also suffered painful injuries. The decks were broken and water flowed down below. Mary cried that they were sinking.
But all the six persons on board showed remarkable guts and forbearance. Larry and Herb started pumping out water. The narrator found a hammer, Screws and canvas to repair the holes on the deck. He found a spare electric pump also to drain out water. He sent distress signals. Sue bore her pain quietly. Jonathan said he was not afraid to die provided they were all together. Their hard work, cheerfulness and optimism in the face of disaster helped them ride out the storm.
5. Comment on the title of the adventurous expedition by Gordon Cook and Alan East. What message does it give?
Ans. The title of the adventure story is deeply moving. The words come from the mouth of the little six-year-old boy Jonathan. They were all in trouble. They had almost accepted defeat. Death seemed near and certain. The broken boat was filled with water. But the voyagers did all they could to save the boat and also themselves. Sue, the little daughter did not complain of pain in her head. The crewmen worked madly to pump out water. Jonathan said he was not afraid of death provided they stayed together. The title of the story is an illustrious example of man’s courage and optimism in the face of -approaching death. Will-power or the spirit of man often proves stronger than any danger. The title displays a success Mantra—United we stand, divided we fall. Even mountains yield a path to the indomitable spirit of men but the condition is that they stand united.
Value Based Questions and Answers of “We’re Not afraid to die… if We Can All Be Together”
Value-Based questions
1. Success is a rare commodity but it can be achieved. If a man has certain qualities he can succeed in defeating even the impending disaster. What does success depend upon? Discuss.
Ans. Efforts have in their womb the seeds of success. Success broadly means the realization of an aim. With adequate means, success can be attained and it depends on factors beyond and within our control. Time, Place and opportunity are beyond our control but physical and mental abilities are within our reach. Physically unlit body drives away success. intelligence is the next quality required to achieve the aim. Mental fitness is another
quality. It gives us a clear vision. Then come steadiness and perseverance. Perseverance lends us the required patience which is indispensable to surmount obstacles. Man must know the technique to control his senses and faculties and should not panic even in the face of insurmountable obstacles. Then he will find a way out. Above all, a man should remain optimistic and if need be he can also seek help from other reliable quarters.
2. The lesson ‘We’re not afraid to die…………..if we can all be together’ depicts a grand lesson ‘United we stand, divided we fall’. Explain the idea.
Ans. The proverb ‘United we stand, divided we fall’ holds true in the family as well as in national interest. History is full of examples where kings and emperors have been defeated owing to lack of unity. India became a slave due to the lack of unity among various rulers. Our first war of freedom in 1857 did not bear fruit as there was no unity. The British could rule following the policy of divide and rule. Unity and cooperation lead to success and progress. Adverse forces cannot harm when we stand united. Gandhiji brought the whole nation under one flag and the result was the success of the freedom movement.
Where there is unity, there is coordination and cooperation. Unity ushers in peace, strength and progress and very adverse conditions pave way for success. Unity gives us an aim and all the members work towards achieving that aim. Obstacles and hurdles and even approaching annihilation cannot subdue the spirit of the united people. When people are united they give no importance to their personal problems. The purpose that has united them never fades into nothingness, it becomes their guiding star and to kiss success they work unmindful of trials and tribulations. United efforts create favourable circumstances and the boat of life reaches the coast, all safe and sound and undamaged. Unity is very essential for family, social and national life. Even death fails to frighten the people who stand united and they strive selflessly to reach the destination. How the narrator and his companions face the turbulent ocean for ten days and how they work together to survive against all odds, is an appropriate example of this dictum. And in the end, they manage to defeat death and reach their destination.
