CBSE Class 11 English We Are Not Afraid To Die Worksheet Set 02

Introduction

This is an autobiographical account of a real adventure. The authors were fortunate to have been able to manoeuvre their way into safety after being engulfed in an unexpected mishap in the middle of their journey.

THEME

The story ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die...If We Can All Be Together’ is based on the idea of unity among people. It focuses on how we should react when we are surrounded by problems and how we should not lose hope. Being optimistic is the key to tackle all the hurdles and pave the way to success. It also shows that strength and determination can be shown by even small children while facing the strong waves of the mighty sea. Their spirit to live together gave them immense power to brave death together. The adventure unfolds specific characteristics that should be at hand while in a crisis. These include patience, support, togetherness, teamwork, courage, strength, both emotional and mental, and most importantly presence of mind.

Summary

‘We’re Not Afraid to Die...If We Can All Be Together’ is about the attempt made by Gordon Cook to replicate the feat of Captain James Cook, and make a voyage around the world. Gordon Cook’s family and crewmen face a near-death experience in the deep waters, and struggle to find the means of survival.

In the month of July in the year 1976, the writer, his wife Mary, his son Jonathan and his daughter Suzanne set sail from Plymouth, in England, in their professionally designed ship, named the Wavewalker. They were accompanied by 2 sailors – Larry Vigil, who was an American and Herb Sailor, a Swiss – to tackle one of the world’s coarsest oceans, the southern Indian Ocean.

The first phase of their journey which was about 1,05,000 kilometres up to Cape Town, passed off pleasantly. On the 2nd day, out of Cape Town, they started to encounter strong windstorms. Windstorms did not worry the narrator. But the height of the waves was alarming. They rose up to fifteen meters, as high as the main mast. On the 25th of December, the ship sailed into the southern Indian Ocean that was about 3,500 kilometres to the east of Cape Town. The family welcomed the New Year on the ship.

At the dawn of 2nd January, they were confronted by gigantic waves and unfriendly weather. The massive waves forced the sailors to slow the speed of the ship, drop the storm jib and take various other precautions. The risk was so obvious that the sailors accomplished a life-raft drill, attached the lifelines and donned the life jackets. Unexpectedly at 6 p.m., a torrent of green and white water broke over the Wavewalker and the writer was thrown overboard. The Wavewalker was about to overturn when another massive wave hit it, throwing it upright one more time. The writer was thrown back again onto the deck and tossed around leaving his ribs cracked, mouth filled with blood and some broken teeth. In spite of a lot of injuries, the writer took charge of the situation and decided to handle it on his own. Larry and Herb started pumping the water out of the ship.

The author somehow managed to cover the canvas across the gaps to stop the water from entering into the ship. To add to their problems, the hand pumps stopped functioning and the electric pumps short-circuited at the same time. Luckily, the writer found a spare electrical pump that was functional. The entire night everyone was pumping, steering, repairing and sending radio signals for help. The author checked the charts and found that reaching, ‘Ile Amsterdam’, a French scientific base was their last hope.

Sue and Jon got heavily injured but they were not afraid to die as long as the whole family was together. The support and resilience of his children gave the writer the courage and determination to rescue his dear family from the unforeseen crisis. Finally, they were able to touch the ‘Ile Amsterdam’. It was a volcanic island where 28 inhabitants were ready to receive them.

About the Authors

Gordon Cook, born on December 3, 1978, in Toronto, is a two-time Canadian Olympic sailor. He is the son of Stephen Cook and Linda Cook. He sailed for the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and had a great interest in writing stories.

Alan East was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 2003 and has gained extensive experience as a litigator, manager and legal trainer. In 2004, he co-founded and managed a niche legal practice specializing in Criminal Litigation and Prison Law gaining higher rights of audience in criminal proceedings and working as a Duty solicitor. In 2007, he joined the Crown Prosecution Service as a Senior Crown Prosecutor.

Questions

Question. 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 narrator decided to slow down the ship to protect it from the bad and stormy weather. He dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope across the stern of the ship. Then everything was double-lashed. A life-raft drill was carried out, they attached lifelines and donned life jackets and oilskins.
(ii) In order to check the flooding of the water, the narrator put waterproof hatches that covered the gaping holes. This diverted the water flow to the side. The hand pumps were blocked due to debris and unfortunately, the electric pump was short-circuited. He then found a spare electric pump, connected it to the out-pipe and started it.

Question. Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4 and 5 January.
Answer: On January 4, the voyagers felt relieved as they had been continuously pumping out water over the last 36 hours and only a few centimetres of water was left. They had their first meal in two days. Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits. Later, around 4 p.m., the weather changed as black clouds marched towards them. The wind was now 40 knots and the sea was getting higher. The weather got worse and by the early morning of January 5, the situation was bad. This gave them a great deal of mental agony and fear of loss of their loved ones.

Question. Describe the shifts in the narration of the events as indicated in the three sections of the text. Give a subtitle to each section.
Answer: The dream voyage begins
The first section incorporated a cheerful and enthusiastic family who had set out on their planned voyage. The desire was to replicate the feat accomplished 200 years ago by the famous Captain James Cook. They had perfected their seafaring skills for the past 16 years. Their ship ‘Wavewalker’ was built professionally for the voyage. It was a 23 metre long, 30 ton wooden-hulled ship. They celebrated Christmas on the ship. But the New Year brought along with it bad weather.
Attack by nature
This section changed from cheerful to intense. The family was under great pressure to confront the oncoming waves and bad weather conditions. The arrival of a gigantic wave created chaotic conditions, and the ship was about to overturn. The narrator was thrown off into the water and he almost drowned and got injured. Along with two hired crewmen, the narrator pumped out the water from the ship for over 36 hours. He also tried repairing the destroyed parts of the ship. He almost lost his hope and believed they would die. But the courage and confidence displayed by his children proved to be the impetus for the author to fight back.
The battle was won
With the support of his children, and his wife who was at the wheel, the narrator kept trying to save the ship in order to reach the Ile Amsterdam. They finally reached their destination and secured the help of the 28 inhabitants of the island. His son honoured him by saying that he was the best daddy and the best captain.

TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT

Discuss the following questions with answers.

Question. What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger?
Answer: The children and the adults addressed the situation in totally different ways. The adults succumbed to the pressure and lost all hopes of survival. On the other hand, the children were hopeful and gave the narrator moral support. They gave the author the impetus to handle the situation with greater determination. The support and confidence of his children, Jonathan and Suzanne, and their willingness to die if they were all together, lit a spark of conviction in the author’s mind. He decided that he will make it to the island at any cost. The children showed maturity. His injured daughter handed over a card with caricatures of the family together. She had added the words, “Oh, how I love you both. So this card is to say thank you, and let’s hope for the best.” The author was determined to uphold the faith his children had in their father.

Question. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?
Answer: Optimism is the determination to overcome any challenges. Without optimism, it is impossible to face difficulties and solve problems. When they were faced with the wrath of nature, the family was enveloped in fear and darkness. The continued onslaught by the sea created a great deal of stress. However, the attitude of the children initiated the spirit of optimism because of which they didn’t stop trying to secure the boat and all the people aboard.
The antidote to endure the stress was the team spirit displayed by the two little children. They were fearless if the family was together. Therefore, when Jonathan told the author, “We’re not afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and Mummy, Sue and I” he was determined to fight the battle in all earnest. The maturity of the children and their impression with regard to the situation, played an important role in motivating the narrator who had decided to give in to the pressure. The injuries and pain were pushed to the background. The decision to fight ensured that they reach the shores safely.

Question. What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face-to-face with death?
Answer: Life is a combination of the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful, happiness and sorrow, growth and fall. This is the format of human existence. It is however, in one’s interest to be as careful as one can be while walking through the journey called – life. Unexpected situations may arise, this is unavoidable. Facing these with courage will help us jump the hurdles with greater strength. Being cautious is important. It would be ridiculous to invite trouble. Near death situations teach us to understand the value and purpose of life. It teaches us to be better human beings and cherish life to the fullest. It would be an ideal situation if we live and let others live happily.

Question. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the risks involved?
Answer: The urge to experiment and accept challenges drives people to take up adventurous expeditions in spite of the risk involved. People like to try out different elements of nature and some do it as a passion. Despite being aware of the risks involved in such activities, their passion for adventure makes them try out dangerous and challenging expeditions.

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

Question. We have come across words like ‘gale’ and ‘storm’ in the account. Here are two more words for ‘storm’: typhoon, cyclone. How many words does your language have for ‘storm’?
Answer: In Hindi, there are many words for ‘storm’ – toofan, aandhi, andhad, etc.

Question. Here are the terms for different kinds of vessels: yacht, boat, canoe, ship, steamer, schooner. Think of similar terms in your language.
Answer: ‘Kashti’, ‘Naav’, ‘Nauka’, ‘Jahaz’ are some terms in Hindi.

Question. ‘Catamaran’ is a kind of a boat. Do you know which Indian language this word is derived from? Check the dictionary.
Answer: The word ‘Catamaran’ is derived from the Tamil language word ‘Kattumaram’.

Question. Have you heard any boatmen’s songs? What kind of emotions do these songs usually express?
Answer: Yes, such boatmen songs express love and nostalgia. They also express the longing to meet their loved ones, and their faith in the Goddess of the rivers.

WORKING WITH WORDS

Question. 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?
knot, stern, boom, hatch, anchor
Answer: Knot:
(a) a tangled mass in something
(b) interlacing, looping, etc.
Stern: harsh, firm, strict, etc.
Boom:
(a) to experience a sudden rapid economic growth
(b) a loud sound
Hatch:
(a) to cause an egg to break in order to allow a young animal to come out
(b) to make a plan
Anchor:
(a) host of an event
(b) a person who can be relied upon for support

Question. The following three compound words end in -ship. What does each of them mean?
airship, flagship, lightship
Answer: Airship: a power-driven aircraft which is kept buoyant by a body of gas
Flagship: the ship in the fleet which carries the commanding admiral
Lightship: an anchored boat with a beacon light to warn ships at sea

Question. 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 allows sth/sb to enter
e.g. a bus, plane or ship; to take sth/sb on board
Answer: In the third paragraph, in lines “… we took two crewmen to help us tackle.. roughest seas”, the word ‘took on’ means to take somebody or to hire somebody.

Additional Questions

Extract-based Questions

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow. (3 Marks each)

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.

Question. What inspired the author to undertake a round-the-world voyage?
Answer: The voyage made by Captain James Cook 200 years ago inspired the author to undertake a round-the-world voyage.

Question. What is the profession of the author?
Answer: The author is a businessman by profession.

Question. Which of the following adjectives are applicable to the author and his wife?
(1) Adventurous (2) Determined (3) Ruthless (4) Careless (5) Disorganised (6) Systematic (7) Focussed (8) Enthusiastic
(a) (1), (4), (5), (7)
(b) (1), (2), (6), (7), (8)
(c) (2), (5), (6), (7)
(d) (3), (4), (5), (6), (8)
Answer: (b) (1), (2), (6), (7), (8)

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. The first leg of our planned three-year, 105,000 kilometre journey passed pleasantly as we sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town. There, before heading east, we took on two crewmen — American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler — to help us tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the southern Indian Ocean.

Question. Why were the crewmen hired?
Answer: The crewmen were hired by the author to help them tackle the roughest sea, i.e., the southern Indian Ocean.

Question. Which phase of the journey was an enjoyable one?
(a) First leg – from England to Cape Town
(b) Last part of the journey
(c) First few months of the journey
(d) None of the options
Answer: (a) First leg – from England to Cape Town

Question. For how long did they plan to stay on water?
Answer: They planned to stay on water for three years.

Unexpectedly, my head popped out of the water. A few metres away, Wavewalker was near capsizing, her masts almost horizontal. Then a wave hurled her upright, my lifeline jerked taut, I grabbed the guard rails and sailed through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom. Subsequent waves tossed me around the deck like a rag doll. My left ribs cracked; my mouth filled with blood and broken teeth. Somehow, I found the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on.

Question. What did the author see when his head popped out of the water?
Answer: The author saw that the ship was near capsizing and her masts were almost horizontal.

Question. What happened to the author when the waves tossed him on to the deck?
(a) His head smashed and started bleeding.
(b) His left ribs cracked; mouth got filled with blood and broken teeth.
(c) His leg and his left hand broke.
(d) All of the options
Answer: (b) His left ribs cracked; mouth got filled with blood and broken teeth.

Question. What had happened before the author popped out his head from the water?
Answer: The author had lost his consciousness as he was sinking below the waves due to a torrent of green and white water that broke over the ship.

The first indication of impending disaster came at about 6 p.m., with an ominous silence. The wind dropped, and the sky immediately grew dark. Then came a growing roar, and an enormous cloud towered aft of the ship. With horror, I realised that it was not a cloud, but a wave like no other I had ever seen. It appeared perfectly vertical and almost twice the height of the other waves, with a frightful breaking crest.

Question. The first indication of disaster was:
(a) around 6 p.m. when the wind dropped and the sky grew darker.
(b) in the next morning when the ship started creaking.
(c) when it started raining.
(d) when the winds were strong.
Answer: (a) around 6 p.m. when the wind dropped and the sky grew darker.

Question. What was the enormous cloud that towered the aft of the ship?
Answer: A wave that appeared vertical and almost twice the height of the other waves.

Question. What do you understand by the phrase ‘ominous silence’?
Answer: ‘Ominous silence’ means an unpleasant and threatening silence.

Water, Water, Everywhere. I could feel that the ship had water below, but I dared not abandon the wheel to investigate. Suddenly, the front hatch was thrown open and Mary appeared. “We’re sinking!” she screamed. “The decks are smashed; we’re full of water.”

Question. Explain: “... I dared not abandon the wheel to investigate.”
Answer: After the storm hit the Wavewalker, the author could feel that the water had begun to pour in but he could not leave the wheel, the steering of the ship, and go down to inspect the situation.

Question. Who are referred to as ‘we’ in the given extract?
Answer: ‘We’ here refers to the author, his wife and his two children.

Question. How did Mary react when the front hatch was thrown open?
(a) She got fainted.
(b) She started screaming.
(c) She started looking for her children.
(d) She tried to repair the broken part of the ship.
Answer: (b) She started screaming.

We had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit, but Wavewalker wouldn’t hold together long enough for us to reach Australia. I checked our charts and calculated that there were two small islands a few hundred kilometres to the east. One of them, Ile Amsterdam, was a French scientific base. Our only hope was to reach these pinpricks in the vast ocean. But unless the wind and seas abated so we could hoist sail, our chances would be slim indeed. The great wave had put our auxilliary engine out of action.

Question. What does ‘pinpricks in the vast ocean’ mean?
Answer: ‘Pinpricks in the vast ocean’ refers to the islands.

Question. ‘...our chances would be slim indeed’. What is being referred to here?
Answer: The author is referring to their chances of survival which seemed quite slim in the extreme condition.

Question. The Wavewalker ‘wouldn’t hold together’ means the same as:
(a) it will not be able to withstand
(b) it will stay united in a relationship
(c) it will be able to stand up against the waves
(d) it will remain in one piece and not break
Answer: (a) it will not be able to withstand