Deep Water Summary in English

Deep Water is about the writer’s journey of overcoming the fear of

water, which is deeply rooted in him since childhood. The author
started fearing water since the age of four. It starts when he was
visiting California with his father. He visits a beach where a wave
knocks him down and sweeps over him. This terrifies the author,
although the father laughs at this knowing it was no danger.
However, this experience terrifies him and develops a fear of water.
After that, when the author is 11 years old, he experiences another
incident which escalates his fear.

He is at a swimming pool in Yakima, trying to learn swimming. On

one fine day, a bully decides to pull a dangerous prank. He pushes
him in the deep end of the pool which frightens the author. He
reaches nine feet into the water and starts struggling desperately to
hold on to something.

Moreover, he yells for help but he starts feeling paralyzed and only
his heart was moving now. Thus, he gives up and readies himself to
die but wakes up at the side of the pool. However, the terror he
experiences while drowning never goes away. It continues to haunt
him for many years and even spoiled his future expeditions
concerning canoeing, swimming, fishing and more.

He even visits Marine Lakes, Columbia, New Hampshire and more

but is not able to enjoy it. Thus, he decides to overcome this fear by
hook or by crook. He enrols himself in a swimming class and tries to
learn from the instructor. The instructor teaches him many tips and
tricks for swimming. He begins with the inhaling and exhaling part
then he practices it for many weeks.

Further, he moves on to the kicking the legs on the side of the pool.
Finally, he combines all this with the final move of swimming.
Although the author knows how to swim, he is still terrified of water.
Thus, in order to get rid of the fear, he decides to confront it. He
mocks it by thinking what can it really do? Consequently, he plunges
in to the water and to his surprise, his fear goes away. He faced it in
many places and at last, manages to conquer it.

Conclusion of Deep Water

To sum up, Deep Water summary, we learn that if we are determined

enough and have the courage, we can overcome any fear that comes
our way without letting the fear overpower us.
 THE RATTRAP
The story begins with a rattrap peddler who is in a rugged condition.
He is dressed in rags and is very frail and looks starved. We learn he
has no home and sometimes even begs and steals to survive in the
world. He leads a lonely life with no one to care about him. One fine
day, it strikes to him that this whole world is a rattrap itself. If we
touch it, it will trap us and never let us go. He goes on to think that
there are people out there who are already in this rattrap and reaching
for the bait. On one cold evening, he reaches at a cottage to ask for
shelter. An old crofter lived in that cottage who took in the peddler.

The crofter needed company so he welcomes the peddler. He gives

him hot food and even tobacco to smoke. They play cards and start
talking. The peddler learns that the crofter got thirty kronor for
selling his cow which he keeps in a pouch on the window frame. The
peddler leaves the next day but after seeing the crofter leave his
cottage, he comes back to steal the pouch of money.

After stealing it, he takes the woods to remain unsuspected. In the

wood, the peddler meets an ironmaster who mistakes him to be his
old comrade. He invites him over for Christmas but he refuses. After
that, the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla visits him and insists him to stay
with them. In between, he feels sorry for stealing the crofter’s money.
They help the peddler get a makeover and dress him in nice clothes
and shave his beard off. After this, the ironmaster realizes he has
made a mistake; the peddler was not his comrade.

Thus, the ironmaster thinks he is a fraud and decides to turn him in.
However, Edla insists on letting him stay and celebrate Christmas
with them. Her father agrees, and they celebrate Christmas together.
Next day, the ironmaster and Edla learn that the peddler was a thief
through the church about the incident at the old crofter’s. They head
home in a hurry thinking he must have stolen all the silver. However,
to their surprise, the peddler did not steal a thing. He left a note for
Edla in the form a tiny rattrap. There was also a note thanking her for
her kindness which saved him from the rattrap he got caught in. Most
importantly, he also left the crofter’s money asking to return it to
him.

Conclusion of The Rattrap

To sum up, The Rattrap summary, we learn that we can change the
world through kindness and compassion; in addition, it teaches us
that materialistic things never bring inner joy, only love and respect
does.
A Greek legend happens to be the basis for A Thing of Beauty
summary. In this Greek legend, a young shepherd by the name of
Endymion had a vision of Cynthia, the moon goddess. This youth
makes a resolution to go after her and seek her. In this quest, he
wanders through the forest and under the sea. In the poem, the poet
tells us that beautiful things bring immense pleasure and delight.
Furthermore, the poet explains that God’s creations provide
happiness as well as energy. The things present all around provide us
with plenty of reasons to feel happy. Moreover, the brave soldiers’
stories bring inspiration and enthusiasm to the love life. Beauty is a
heavenly tonic. Furthermore, it is like an endless fountain of nectar.
Also, beauty can come in various forms. Beauty gives us good health
and removes sadness from our lives, resulting in everlasting joy.

The Theme of the Poem

The poem A Thing of Beauty by John Keats delivers the concept that
beauty can be discovered anywhere and at any time. The content of
this poem is mostly concentrated on nature and the unexpected
beauty that it brings. The topic of this poem is that beauty may be
discovered anywhere and, when appreciated, can be used to lift one’s
spirits in times of adversity. Any beautiful object is always kept in
our minds since it brings us permanent and everlasting happiness.
The enjoyment that a beautiful object brings never fades away, but
multiplies many times over anytime it returns to our mind.

A Thing of Beauty Summary in English

A Thing of Beauty is by the famous poet John Keats. Furthermore,

the poet says that a beautiful thing can give us extreme happiness and
delight. Moreover, a beautiful thing is eternal that never declines or
fades. Also, a beautiful thing resembles a shady shelter which gives
us a comfortable sleep comprising of sweet dreams and relaxation.
This will ultimately lead to good health. The sight of lovely and
beautiful things will live on in our memories for the rest of our lives.
Thinking about them makes our bodies and minds healthier, as the
ideas give us serenity and mental calm.

The author says that individuals have an attachment to Earthly things.

This attachment is such that it has the resemblance of a flowery
wreath. Furthermore, there are traps that keep people connected to
materialistic things. This connection with materialistic things
distracts humans from eternal happiness. This is because the focus of
such materialistic people will be on acquiring more and more
resources rather than on attaining eternal happiness. The world has a
lot of negativity, hatred, and greed. According to the poet, the cause
of gloom and sadness is this negativity. Moreover, one can fade away
these negative vibes away with the help of beautiful things that
surround us. This is because these beautiful things bring nothing but
positivity. Man and nature are strongly intertwined. The beauty of
nature is what keeps us connected to this planet. Every morning, we
select beautiful fresh flowers and make garlands. They lift our spirits
and make us forget about our problems for a while.

The poet informs us about some beautiful things that are all around
us. Beauty is certainly in the eyes of the one who beholds. This
means one can see the beauty in anything. Furthermore, the poet talks
about the numerous creations of God which we should admire. One
such creation is the Sun which provides energy. Moreover, the poet
also talks about the beauty of the moon and the natural beauty of the
trees.

There are various animals around that make our world lively. Pretty
flowers like daffodils enhance the liveliness and greenery of the
world. Moreover, the flowing streams of water provide a refreshment
and cooling effect to us in the hot summer season. The forests have
plenty of pretty musk rose flowers. Such flowers are a beautiful sight
and eyes feel the delight due to them. All such things certainly are
things of beauty. Also, one must not forget the beautiful and inspiring
stories of the brave soldiers. These brave soldiers risked and
sacrificed their lives in order to protect others.

These beautiful things have a resemblance to the fountain of

immortality bestowed upon us by God as a gift and a blessing. Such
beautiful things are an inspiration for all of us to continue living.
They make life worth living. Also, they also help us in maintaining
our faith in goodness. Life without these beautiful things would
certainly become very hard.

Conclusion of A Thing of Beauty

A Thing of Beauty summary tells us the value of beautiful things that

are all around us and that one must cherish them. They provide us
timeless joy and leave an unforgettable imprint on our minds,
therefore every beautiful thing is worth preserving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: How can the ‘mighty dead’ be beautiful?

Answer 1: The phrase “the mighty dead” refers to our predecessors.

The great legends of our forebears give us a sense of pride while also
providing us with joy and motivation.

Question 2: What role do beautiful things have in our ability to

live a happy life?

Answer 2: When we look at beautiful things, we feel comforted and

happy, and the lasting impression they make on our thoughts is a
source of constant joy. They offer us relief from our daily struggles
and tribulations and enable us to live happy lives.
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THE TIGER KING

The Tiger King Summary – The story mocks the wilfulness and
arrogance of those in power. The writer of the story takes us to the
days when king rule. Also, they lived under the thumb rule of the
British. In addition, the ruler was uninterested in serving the people
instead they spent their time on foolish pursuits. They bent law to
suit their interest. Besides, the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram tries to
disprove his fate that the chief astrologer predicted that a tiger will
kill him. So, he tries to belie the prediction and hunted down 99
tigers successfully. But the 100 tigers although not made of flesh and
blood take his life. As one of the silvers of woodcut his right hand
and because of infection, he dies.

The Tiger King Summary in English

This story refers to the Maharaja Sir Jilani Hung Bahadur of

Pratibandapuram. Astrologers predict his future when he was just 10
days old. Astrologers say that a tiger will kill him. On this,
surprisingly the 10-day old prince said: “Let tigers beware!” The boy
grows up just like any other royal child raised. Such as by drinking
the milk of white cow and looked after by English nanny and
watching English movies.

When he was 20, he was crowned king and came to know about the
prediction about his death. So, then onwards he started killing a tiger
and put a ban on the tiger hunt in his state. According to the
astrologers he needs to be careful with the 100th tiger even if he
successfully kills 99 tigers.
One time a high ranking British officer visits his state and wants to
go for a tiger hunt. However, the maharaja declined his wish. And in
order to secure the state from the wrath of the British officer. The
maharaja sent 50 diamond rings to the officer’s wife whose worth
was Rs 3 lakh.

Within ten years the maharaja successful slays 70 tigers. But after
that, there were no tigers left in Pratibandapuram. Hence, to complete
his target of killing a hundred tigers he marries a girl from the royal
state that has more tigers so that he can complete his target.
Whenever he visits his in-laws, he makes sure that he kills 5-6 tiger
each time. In addition, in this way, he was able to kill 99 tigers but he
was unable to find the 100th tiger. On not finding the 100th tiger the
maharaja became violent and threatened the Dewan. In order to save
himself from the fury of the king, the Dewan got an old tiger from the
circus and with great difficulty put him in the forest.

He told Maharaja about the tiger. So, maharaja went on a hunt and
shot the tiger and felt victorious and happy. But then again, he didn’t
know that his bullet miss and the tiger was alive and he only
collapsed out of fear. No one has the guts, to tell the truth to the king
so they killed the tiger and brought it in a grand procession.

Lastly, the maharaja was joyful and happy. So, on his son’s birthday,
he buys a wooden tiger as a gift for him. The tiger had rough edges
and while playing with it he gets a woodcut in his hand which later
on advances into an infection. And because of it, he dies. Therefore,
fatefully the 100th tiger although made of wood take its revenge and
killed the king.

Conclusion of the Tiger King Summary

By means of the tiger king summary, the writer wants to say that no
one can change what’s written in destiny no matter what they do.
 Ashhar Firdausi

IIT Roorkee

Biology

Summary of Keeping Quiet

Keeping Quiet summary discusses peace, humanity, and
brotherhood. This poem is by the author Pablo Neruda. The poem is
explosive as well as quiet at the same time. Neruda speaks of a world
of wisdom in a calm fashion. Neruda believes that staunch activism is
not the best way to get into the heart and minds of the masses.
Consequently, the author speaks with much serenity. Furthermore,
this serenity creates an aftermath of thought ripples in the minds of
the reader. The poet wants the readers to take time out of their busy
lives for retrospection and introspection. The poem is symbolic of
stopping all activities and understanding the purpose of the world.
Keeping Quiet appeals to the heart of the readers in contrast to the
intellect. Through this poem, Neruda aims to get his readers thinking
and pondering as opposed to intellectual stimulation.

This poem emphasizes the importance of self-introspection and

silence. Furthermore, these two can transform the life of an
individual. Moreover, they can also transform the face of the earth.
The poet says that self-introspection and silence do not take much
time to look within. Any individual can do it and examine oneself.
This is easy and takes only as long as it will take someone to count to
twelve. During this time of introspection (self-examination), it is
important for the individual to keep quiet. The individual must say
nothing at all. Without silence and keeping quiet, self-introspection
will not work. Silently introspecting will give the individual a strange
feeling of unity and togetherness with all others.
In the beginning, it will certainly feel a little strange. However,
eventually, it has the power to bring us all together. This silence will
be free from the annoying sounds of engines. Furthermore, this
silence will also be free from the people rushing to get their work
done. The author feels contentment while imagining the change that
will take place in those moments. The men who have to deal with the
pain while collecting salt will get a little relief. Even the people who
desire war and destruction will put on clean clothes and an
opportunity to walk among their brothers. They will get to experience
a life that is free of enmity and hatred. There will be a halt to their
destructive and dangerous activities. Peace and tranquillity will
prevail everywhere once such harmful activities come to a stop, even
if it is for a short time.

The poet clarifies that his wish should not mean “total inactivity”.
The poet only desires to interrupt the violent, cruel, and sad activities
taking place all over the world for a few moments and let individuals
introspect their actions. In fact, there is a connection to what he says
with life rather than death. Activity is the very essence of life
whereas inactivity is symbolic of death. However, for a new,
improved, and useful activity, a little stillness is quite important.

The poet makes use of the image of the earth to explain how life
exists in things that seem dormant. In winter, the earth becomes very
silent and it seems to be dead. The Earth becomes lively again in
spring. Furthermore, in spring, the addition of fresh new beauties and
colors takes place. In a similar fashion, man can resume his activities
in a better manner after a little silence and quietness.

Conclusion of Keeping Quiet

Keeping Quiet summary tells us about the big impact of silence and
self-introspection in making this world a better place.
 Deep Water Important Questions CBSE Class
12 English
Short Answer Type Questions (3 Marks, 30-40 words)

Question.1. Which two incidents in Douglas’ early life made him scared of
water? (Compartment 2014)
Answer. When Douglas was three or four years old, his father took him to a
beach in California. There he was knocked down by strong waves, was almost
buried under water, and got breathless. Though he hung on to his father, he
was quite frightened. Secondly, when Douglas was ten or eleven, a big bully of
a boy tossed him into the deep end of the YMCA pool. He could not come to
the surface, in spite of all his efforts, and became panicky. These two incidents
made Douglas scared of water.

Question.2.Why did Douglas prefer to go to YMCA swimming pool to

learn swimming?
(Compartment 2014)
or
Which factors made Douglas to decide in favour of YMCA pool? (All India
2011)
Answer. According to Douglas, the YMCA pool was safer compared to the
Yakima River. The river was quite deep and there were several cases of
drowning reported about it. As against the uncertain depth of the river, the
pool was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end. Though its depth was
about nine feet at the deeper end, yet the drop was gradual, and Douglas
could rely on it.

Question.3.What did Douglas feel and do when he was pushed into the
swimming pool?
(Compartment 2014)
or
What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced
when he was thrown into the pool? (Foreign 2011)
Answer. When Douglas was thrown into the pool, he did not lose heart and
planned to push himself up with all his force. He thought that once he came to
the surface, he would paddle to the edge of the pool. Thrice, he tried to come
to the surface, but unfortunately his strategy did not work and terror gripped
him. His lungs were ready to burst; he was breathless and instead of air,
sucked water.

Question.4.How did his swimming instructor ‘build a swimmer’ out of

Douglas? (Compartment 2014)
or
How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer? (Delhi 2013)
Answer. The instructor adopted a systematic method to turn Douglas into a
swimmer. He first made Douglas shed his initial fear of water by making him
cross a pool suspended by a rope attached to a pulley. The instructor held the
other end of the rope and relaxed and tightened it from time to time. Then he
taught the narrator to breathe while swimming, and finally the leg movements
and other strokes.

Question.5. How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old
terror? (All India 2013)
Answer. After the instructor had trained Douglas in the art of swimming,
Douglas was still not sure of himself. He felt tiny vestiges of the fear now and
then. So, he went to Lake Wentworth and swam. Once when terror returned,
he challenged it and did not let it overcome him. Finally, Douglas went to the
Warm Lake. There he swam and the fear didn’t return to haunt him again.

Question.6. What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water?
(Delhi 2012)
Answer. After several individual attempts to overcome his fear, Douglas finally
engaged an instructor. The instructor built a swimmer out of him. But Douglas
was not sure. To confirm that the terror would not strike him when he was
swimming alone, Douglas decided to go to Lake Wentworth in New
Hampshire. At last, he made his terror fly away by swimming across the Warm
Lake.

Question.7. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
(DeM20ii, 2009)
Answer. The misadventure of having a near-drowning experience left a deep
mark on Douglas’ mind.
The phobia of water hampered all his joys of enjoying different water sports
like fishing,
canoeing, boating and swimming. He did not want to live with this handicap
and so was determined to overcome his fear of water.

Question.8. What did Douglas experience when he went down to the

bottom of the pool for the
first time? (Delhi 2011,2010)
Answer. When the author was going down to the bottom of the pool for the
first time, those nine feet felt almost like ninety feet. His lungs were ready to
burst, but somehow he summoned all his strength and sprang upwards,
hoping to reach the surface, but he didn’t pop up to the surface like a cork, as
he had imagined. When he opened his eyes he saw nothing but water, his
hands too grabbed only water.

Question.9. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire?

(Delhi 2011)
Answer. Douglas was not satisfied with his practice so he decided to go to
Lake Wentworth. There when he was swimming in themiddle of the lake, only
once did the terror return, but he finally overcame it, and it made him feel
better.

Question.10.When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan

to save himself?
(Delhi 2010)
Answer. When a big boy threw Douglas into the water, he went straight down.
He was completely frightened. Still, he did not lose his wits and thought of a
strategy to make a big jump when his feet touched the bottom, so that he
could reach the surface. He even thought that he would lie flat on the surface
and finally paddle to the edge of the pool.

Question.11. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the

water with a yellow glow?
How could he feel that he was still alive ? (Delhi 2010)
Answer. When Douglas found himself deep down into the water with a yellow
glow, stark terror gripped him. The terror ripped him apart and he had no
control over it. He felt paralysed, stiff and rigid with fear. Even the screams in
his throat were frozen. It was only his throbbing heart that made him realise
that he was still alive.
 Long Answer Type Questions (6 Marks, 120-150 words)

Question.1. “I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.” What was
the incident which nearly killed Douglas and developed in him a strong
aversion to water? (Foreign 2014)
Answer. The incident which nearly killed Douglas occurred when he was ten
or eleven years old. He had decided to learn swimming at the YMCA pool, and
thus get rid of his fear of water. One . morning, when he was alone at the pool,
waiting for others, a big bully of a boy tossed him into the deep end of the
pool. Though he had planned a strategy to save himself as he went down, his
plan did not work. He went down to the bottom and became panicky. Thrice
he struggled hard to come to the surface, but failed each time. He was almost
drowned in the pool. He lost his consciousness and felt that he would die.
Though he was ultimately saved, this misadventure developed in him a strong
aversion to water.

Question.2. Douglas fully realised the truth of Roosevelt’s statement, “All

we have to fear is fear
itself.” How did this realisation help him brush aside his fear and become
an expert swimmer? (Foreign 2014)
Answer. Douglas had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror
that the fear of death can cause. Strong will, hard determination, courage and
toil as well as honest labour won over all his terrors and fears. The will to live
brushed aside all his fears.
In reality all our fears are only psychological, and can be easily won over, if we
can control our mind. This realisation makes Douglas resolve to learn
swimming by engaging an instructor. This instructor, piece by piece, built
Douglas into a swimmer. However, his first step was to drive away Douglas’
fear of water, before training him in swimming techniques. When Douglas
tried and swam the length of the pool up and down, small traces of his old
terror of water would return. So, he went to Lake Wentworth, dived at Triggs
Island and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. Finally, he was
certain that he had conquered his fear of water.

Question.3. Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain

the value of these qualities in the light of Douglas’ experience in ‘Deep
Water.’ (Compartment2014)
Answer. The terror of water followed Douglas wherever he went. To get rid of
it, he made a strong determination. He decided to overcome his fear through
his “will.” He engaged an instructor who would perfect him in swimming. The
instructor first helped him drive away his fear, and then gave him many
exercises besides teaching him to exhale and inhale in water.
The practice went on for months together, during which his fear came back to
haunt him, but his desire and firm will made him persist in his- efforts. It was
only through sheer determination and diligence that Douglas could not only
counter his terror, but also become an expert swimmer.
He swam across and back lakes to ensure that his fear of water did not return.
He had now completely lost his fear. His desire, determination and diligence
succeeded in banishing his fear of water.

Question.4. How did Douglas develop an aversion to water? (Ddhi20i2)

or
“…….there was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the
waves.” When did Douglas start fearing water? Which experience had
further strengthened its hold on his mind and personality? (All India
2010)
Answer. Douglas developed an aversion to water in his early childhood, When
he was three or four
years old, his father took him to a beach in California. The waves knocked him
down and
swept over him. He was buried in water. He was frightened but his father was
laughing. Perhaps this was the moment his fear of water took root inside his
mind.
Further, when Douglas was ten or eleven years old, he decided to learn to
swim and went to
the YMCA pool. Here an incident took place that finally established his
aversion to water as a big fear. One day when Douglas was alone at the pool
sitting on the edge and waiting for others to come, a big boy of 18 years of
age threw him into the deep end of the pool.
What followed was a nightmarish experience for him. Douglas tried very, hard
and applied all his knowledge to come to the surface of the water but to no
avail. Somehow, he was saved. Thus after this fearful incident, his fear of water
got implanted in his heart and mind
permanently.

Question.5. How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer? (All
India 2012)
Answer. To overcome his fear of water, Douglas finally decided to get an
instructor to learn
swimming. The instructor started working with him five days a week, an hour
each day. The
instructor put a belt around Douglas. A rope was attached to the belt that
went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to
the end of the rope and , along with Douglas went back and forth, across the
pool, hour after hour, day after day,
week after week. On each trip across the pool a bit of panic seized Douglas. It
took almost three months before the tension reduced.
Then the instructor taught him to put his face under the water and exhale and
to raise his nose and inhale. For weeks, his instructor made him kick with his
legs. Until, he was able to command his legs at his will.
In this way, piece by piece, his instructor made Douglas a swimmer. When
Douglas perfected each piece, his instructor put them together into an
integrated one. As a result, in nearly six months Douglas was able to swim,
dive, crawl and so on.