Category: NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions Class 12th: Ch 1 The Last Lesson Flamingo English 

1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meanings from the context.

in great dread of: fearful in anticipation of something
counted on: to rely or trust on somebody/something
thumbed at the edges: worn or soiled edges caused by frequent handling
in unison:something happening or being done at the same time
a great bustle: an excited (and often noisy) activity or a rapid, active commotion
reproach ourselves with: to express disapproval, criticism, or disappointment

Page No: 7

Think As you Read

1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?

Answer

Franz was expected to be prepared with participles that day as Mr. Hamel had told the class that he would be taking a test on the topic that day.

Page No: 8

1. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?

Answer

The order from Berlin brought all the routine hustle-bustle of the school life to a stand-still. The teacher, M. Hamel, became more sympathetic to his students and taught his lessons with more patience. The students became more attentive in their classes. The villagers, who were sitting at the usually empty back benches and had come to show their respect and gratitude to M. Hamel, regretted not going to school more than they did. The order also brought about a great change in the feelings of the people towards their country and their native language. There was a general sadness about not being able to utilise the opportunities of learning French when it was easily accessible.

2. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change? 

Answer

Franz was shocked when M. Hamel told the students about the order from Berlin and that it was their last French lesson. He forgot about his teacher’s ruler and crankiness. He developed a fondness for M. Hamel at the troubling idea of being separated from him forever. He understood the pain and agony his teacher was undergoing. And, he became more sympathetic towards his teacher.
His school too, now, carried a different meaning. His books and lessons seemed old friends whom he couldn’t give up. He realised with pain how much French meant to him and regretted not being attentive in his classes earlier. Suddenly, he felt that the ‘difficult concepts’ had never actually been difficult.

Page No: 9

1. The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?

Answer

M. Hamel told the students and villagers that henceforth only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Those who called themselves Frenchmen would neither be able to speak nor write it. He praised French as the most beautiful, the clearest and most logical language in the world. He said that for the enslaved people, their language was the key to their prison. Then the people realised how precious their language was to them. This shows people’s love for their own culture, traditions and country. Pride in one’s language reflects pride in motherland.

2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons ?” What could this means?

Answer

Alphonse Daudet’s ‘The Last Lesson’ very prominently raises the question of linguistic and cultural hegemony of the colonial and imperial powers and their lust for controlling the world and influencing their cultures and identities. Prussians acquired the districts of Alsace and Lorraine in Franco-Prussian War , but they were not satisfied with mere political domination ,they desired to enforce their own language on the people of the defeated nation. They released the order that from now German would be taught in schools rather than French. Franz wondered whether they would make even pigeons sing in German. It means that they had grown up using French as their language and now snatching away their language from them would be unfair and unkind. The language was as natural to them as cooing is to the pigeon. So, compulsion to speak another language is like dominating the force of nature and enslaving it. As it is next to impossible to alter the way pigeons sing, in the same way it is difficult for people to accept a language which is forcibly imposed on them. Adopting a new language causes pain and discomfort.

This sentence could possibly mean that however hard the authorities try to embed German language in the culture of Alsace and Lorraine, the natural status of French, for them, will remain unchanged. French flows in the air and the entire place is imbued with its effect. Even though they train students in German, the basic mode of communication would remain unchanged like the cooing of the pigeons.

Talking about the Text

1. “When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”
Can you think of examples in history where a conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?

Some examples of the native language taken away from its people and/or imposition of the language of the conqueror are:
(a) Portuguese becoming the lingua franca of Angola.
(b) English imposed on the various Celtic peoples.
(c) Spanish imposed on the Basques and the Catalans.
(d) Turkish imposed on the Kurds.

2. What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive? For example:
Punjabis in Bangalore
Tamilians in Mumbai
Kannadigas in Delhi
Gujaratis in Kolkata

Answer

A linguistic minority in a state does not have as much liberty to exercise linguistic skills as the natives of the state. They initially try to learn the jargons in order to cope with the day-to-day life activities and finally begin to understand the native language with regular interaction. At the workplace and educational organisations, English or the link language helps a lot to cope up with the work and learning process. But, when it comes to understanding the basic norms of the society, in order to socialize, one does face a sort of linguistic barrier during communication.
To keep their language alive, the linguistic minorities can form small communities where they can celebrate their festivals as per their traditions. Moreover, they can continue to speak their native language at their homes in order to make their children learn the language. People must, even, try to visit their native places at regular intervals in order to stay close to their roots.

3. Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far? 
Do you know what ‘linguistic chauvinism’ means?

Answer

Yes, it is possible to carry pride in one’s language too far if one is fond of one’s own language at the cost of others. Indifference towards other languages is not healthy for any democracy like India.
When the sense of belonging to one’s own language crosses the thin line between ‘pride’ and ‘proud’, it becomes linguistic chauvinism. If people feel good about their languages and traditions, they must have tolerance for other languages too. Everybody has the right to follow the religion as well as speak the language as per his/her desire. In fact, it is disparaging to distort the names of communities, for example, Bongs for Bengalis, Gujju for Gujratis, etc.

Working with Words

1.English is a language that contains words from many other languages. This inclusiveness is one of the reasons it is now a world language, for example:
petite – French
kindergarten – German
capital – Latin
democracy – Greek
bazaar – Hindi
Find out the origin of the following words.
Tycoon, tulip, logo, bandicoot, barbecue, veranda, robot, zero, ski, trek

Answer

tycoon – Japanese
tulip – French
logo – Greek
bandicoot – Telugu
barbecue – Spanish
veranda – Hindi
robot – Czech
zero – Italian
ski – Norwegian
trek – Dutch

Page No: 10

2. Notice the underlined words in these sentences and tick the option that best explains their meanings.
(a) “What a thunderclap these words were to me!”
The words were ___________________
(i) loud and clear.
(ii) startling and unexpected.
(iii) pleasant and welcome.

(b) “When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”
It is as if they have the key to the prison as long as they _______________
(i) do not lose their language.
(ii) are attached to their language.
(iii) quickly learn the conqueror’s language.
(c) Don’t go so fast, you will get to your school in plenty of time.
You will get to your school _______________
(i) very late.
(ii) too early.
(iii) early enough.
(d) I never saw him look so tall.

M. Hamel _____________________
(a) had grown physically taller.
(b) seemed very confident.
(c) stood on the chair.

Answer

(a) (ii) startling and unexpected.
(b) (ii) are attached to their language.
(c) (iii) early enough.
(d) (b) seemed very confident.

Noticing Form

1. Read this sentence.

M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles. 
In the sentence above, the verb form “had said” in the first part is used to indicate an “earlier past.” The whole story is narrated in the past. M. Hamel’s “saying” happened earlier than the events in this story. This form of the verb is called the past perfect.
Pick out five sentences from the story with this form of verb and say why this form has been used.

Answer

In the following sentences, two activities of past, occurring at two different points of time in the past, are indicated. The one that happens earlier takes the “had” + past form of verb (V3), while the one that follows it takes the simple past form of verb (V2).

Content

• About The Last Lesson Class 12th Flamingo
• Summary of The Last Lesson Class 12th Flamingo
• Hindi Summary of The Last Lesson Class 12th Flamingo
• NCERT Solution of The Last Lesson Class 12th Flamingo
• Go To Chapters of Class 12th English

Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

a holistic and ecological view 
inter alia
sustainable development 
decimated
languish 
catastrophic depletion
ignominious darkness 
transcending concern

Understanding the Text

1. Locate the lines in text that support the title. ‘The Ailing Planet’.

Answer

The lines that support the title of the chapter are given below.

► “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.”
► “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and ailing environment?”
► “…the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is ‘critical’ in many of the eighty-eight countries investigated”.

2. What does the notice ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’ at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?

Answer

The notice signifies that there is depletion of resources and deterioration of environment. Man is responsible for this and his own survival is threatened.

3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?

Answer

There are four principal biological systems of the earth. These systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. However, due to the increasing demand of human beings to such an ‘unsustainable’ extent, the productivity of these systems is being hampered. The excessive demand results in deterioration and depletion of these resources. A country where protein is consumed on a large scale, over-fishing is common, which leads to the collapse of fisheries in that area. Grasslands have been turned into deserts and production of crops is decreasing. The forests are destroyed in large proportions to obtain firewood. Depletion of tropical forests has also led to the extinction of several species.

4. Why does the author aver that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society?

Answer

Over-population is one of the strongest factors responsible for a nation’s poverty and unemployment. It disturbs the earth’s principal biological systems leading to degradation of environment.
The author highlights the problem of over-population by pointing out the mental set-up of the poor who feel more children means more workers to earn money. They do not realise that more children only means more unemployed people. He argues that development is the best contraceptive, which includes spread of education, improvement of health and rise in income.
Spread of education leads to awareness among people, which in turn results in a fall in the ‘fertility’ rate. The author makes a comment which emphasises the never ending circle of population and poverty by asserting that “The choice is really between control of population and the perpetuation of poverty.”

Answer

India, the biggest democracy in the world, is condemned for its easy attitude towards laws. Laws are constituted but never respected nor enforced in our country. For instance, the Indian Constitution mentions that casteism, untouchability and bonded labour shall be abolished; however, these evils flourish barefacedly even today.
The author points out that Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, propounds that “the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”. However, little is done in favour of this. What we see is a near “catastrophic depletion” of forests over the last four decades. Forests are disappearing over the decades at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year. Areas that are officially designated as forest land, in reality, are treeless. The actual loss of forests is eight times the rate pointed by the government statistics.

2. “Are we to leave our successors a scorched planet of advancing deserts, impoverished landscapes and an ailing environment?”

Answer

As we learn in the text, the first Brandt Report raised the above mentioned question about the deteriorating condition of the planet. Earth is like a “patient in declining health”. The depletion of forests, grasslands, fisheries and croplands are the result of excessive demand for resources. Over-population has led to a severe strain on the health of our planet.
We must realise soon that in this “Era of Responsibility” it is solely our duty to preserve our planet. We must realise that the earth belongs as much to the future generation as much to us. Rather making it our property, we should do our best to preserve it for the generations we have “borrowed it from”.

3. “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children”.

Answer

Over the decades, a change has come in the perception of the people in respect to the planet. The human perception has shifted to a “holistic and ecological view of the world”. Earth is a living organism that has limited resources. These resources will not last forever. The earth has its metabolic needs that require to be preserved. The need of the hour is “sustainable development” which propounds the need of meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising with those of future generations.
The present problems are not necessarily fatal for us but they are a ‘passport for future’. This is the “Era of Responsibility” that calls for a responsible action from us. We must realise that the earth belongs as much to the future generation as much it belongs to us.

4. The problems of over population that directly affect our everyday life.

Answer

Over-population leads to the issues of poverty and unemployment. The vicious circle of population and poverty will continue unless the root cause i.e. population is taken care of. It hampers the development of a country. It leads to the consumption of the natural resources at a much faster rate. The fossils consumed, the resources depleted, the forests cleared, the heat produced, the global warming caused are all the repercussions of the fast-growing population.

Page No: 48

Thinking about the Language

The phrase ‘inter alia’ meaning ‘among other things’ is one of the many Latin expression commonly used in English.

Find out what these Latin phrases mean.
1.Prima face
2. ad hoc
3. in camera
4.ad infinitum
5.mutatis multanis
6.tabula rasa

Answer

prima facie means ‘at first sight, before closer inspection’

Working with Words

Locate the following words in the text and study their connotation.

1. gripped the imagination of
2. dawned upon
3. ushered in
4. passed into current coin
5. passport of the future

Answer

1. gripped the imagination of: received much attention

2. dawned upon: realised it for the first time

3. ushered in: began the new idea

4. passed into current coin: have been brought into use

5. passport of the future: a thing that makes something possible or enables one to achieve it

2. The words ‘grip’, ‘dawn’. ‘usher’, ‘coin’, ‘passport’ have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Write pairs of sentences using each word in the literal as well as figurative sense.

Answer

1) grip:
a) She was excellent during the rock-climbing session. She has a good grip.
b) The movement of ‘India Against corruption’ has gripped the minds of Indians.

2) dawn:
a) The day dawned with a clear sky.
b) Suddenly, the idea dawned on him.

3) usher:
a) The waiter ushered them to their seats.
b) The Green Movement ushered in a new era of awareness.

4) Coin:
a) I have ten coins of Rs. 5.
b) The term was coined by a famous philosopher.

5) passport:
a) He has just got his passport made to visit his uncle in the USA.
b) Education is the passport to a bright future.

1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?

2. What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean?

3. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.

4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learnt in science.

5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets?

6. List the pair of opposites found in the poem. 

Answer

1. The two voices in the poem are the voice of the rain and the voice of the poet. The poem begins in a conversational tone. The lines are “And who art thou? Said I ……..” and ‘I am the poem of Earth’.
2. The phrase ‘strange to tell’ means that it is an unusual and extraordinary answer given by the rain drops to the poet who asked who ‘it was’.

3. ‘I am the poem of Earth’
‘For song, issuing from its birth place
After fulfillment, wandering, reck’d orUnreck’d, duly with love returns. They both return to the place of their origin after fulfilling their tasks.

4. The poet explains that the rain drops in the form of water vapour rise up from land and sea and then descend again on the earth and dry land in order to wash it down and hence comes back to its origin. This is the cyclic movement explained by the poet.

5. The last two lines are put within brackets because they do not form the voice of the rain or the poet. They only contain a general observation made by the poet about the course of a song.

6. (a) Day, night
    (b) Reck’d, unreck’d
    (c) Rise, descend

Answer

1. I enquired the soft-falling rain about its identity. 

2. The voice of the rain introduced itself as the Poem of Earth.

3. The voice of the rain explained its upward movement towards the sky as eternal.

4. The poet says that, similar to the natural cycle of the rain, a song originates from the heart of the poet, travels to reach others and after fulfilling its purpose (whether acknowledged or not), it returns to the poet with all due love.

forensic reconstruction
scudded across
casket grey
Resurrection
funerary treasures
Circumvented
computed tomography
eerie detail


Answer

Forensic reconstruction- It refers to the process of creating a face on the skull and see how the owner of the skull looked like. Here, it refers to the construction of the bust of King Tut based on the data received from CT scan.

Scudded across- It refers to moving quickly. The phrase is used with reference to the movement of the ‘dark-bellied clouds’.

Casket grey- The words point out to the covering of the stars by the‘dark-bellied clouds’, the way jewels are kept in a casket (a jewel box).

Resurrection- It refers to a new beginning for something which is old and long forgotten. Here, it refers to the new life after death.

Funerary treasures- The valuable things with which the king was buried were no less than treasures as most of the items were made of pure gold. They are, thus, referred to as ‘funerary treasures’.

Circumvented- The thieves would easily bypass the guards with artfulness and rip the mummy apart to remove the gold.

Computed tomography- Also known as CT scan, it provides X-ray image of a body in cross section. It is used for diagnostic purposes.

Eerie detail- Uncanny description of the resulting image of the head of Tut visible through the CT scan.

Page No: 28

Understanding the Text

1. Give reasons for the following.

(i) King Tut’s body has been subjected to repeated scrutiny.

Answer

King tut’s body has been subjected to to repeated scrutiny for the riches it was buried with. There has also been a lot of speculation about the manner of his death and the time of his death.

(ii) Howard Carter’s investigation was resented.

Answer

Howard Carter’s investigation was resented because he used unscientific methods to cut the body away from the wooden base. He also focused more on the discovery of gold than on thefascinating details of Tut’s life and the mysteries of his death.

(iii) Carter had to chisel away the solidified resins to raise the king’s remains.

Answer

Carter found that the ritual resin that was used as a polish hashardened. The result was that the mummy was cemented to the bottom of the solid gold coffin.Neither the strongestforce could move the mummynor the burning sun could loosen the remains of the king.

(iv) Tut’s body was buried along with gilded treasures.

Answer

The ancient royals of Egypt were fabulously wealthy. They believed inafterlife. They also believed that they could take their wealth with them. Sogilded treasures were buried with them.

(v) The boy king changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun.

Answer

Tutankhamun means ‘Living image of Amun’. He was a majorgod in ancient Egypt. King Amennotep smashed the images of Amun and closed his temples. Tut oversaw a restoration of the old ways. He also changed his name to express his belief on Amun.

2.

(i) List the deeds that led Ray Johnson to describe Akhenaten as “wacky”.

Answer

According to Ray Johnson Akhenten was wacky because:

(ii) List the advances in technology that have improved forensic analysis.

Answer

Today C.T. technology helps us to take hundreds of X-ray images in cross-sections. They can be put together likeslices of bread tp create three dimensional virtual body.This provides precise data for an accurate forensicreconstruction.

The above statement refers that there are hundreds of mummies in Egypt. ButTut’s is the first to be scanned. He remains the first evenin death, as he was the first among his countrymen whenhe lived. He was a ruler, an emperor.

Talking about the Text

1. Scientific intervention is necessary to unearth buried mysteries.

Answer

For
If you think history has any relevance in our life, we must get atthe truth. There are so many mysteries which remain unsolved. For example, we know very little about the Indus civilisation. The seals remainun-deciphered. This needs scientific investigation. Without scientificintervention they will remain in the dark.

No doubt we need to know the past. History has relevance in our life. But sometimes we take it too far. King Tut’s mummy has beenrepeatedly investigated. Inspite of spending millions of dollars, nothing newhas been revealed. We must utilise our resources to help the living rather than investigating the dead.

2. Advanced technology gives us conclusive evidence of past events.

Answer

For
Today technology is so advanced that we can reconstruct thepast. For example, we know how Pompeii was destroyed. But now we havereconstructed the whole city. We know precisely how the people lived.

Answer

A language becomes extinct when its use is restricted to specific classes or categories of people. Secondly, the harshness of rules and lack of flexibility in usage also contribute in extinction of languages.

3. Do you think it is important to preserve languages?

Answer

Yes, it is important to preserve languages as they are responsible for the development of culture of the community. It helps in preservation of one’s heritage and traditions. Language preservation ensures contact with one’s history and literature.

4. In what ways do you think we could help prevent the extinction of languages and dialects?

Answer

Extinction of languages and dialects can be prevented through the following reasons.

► Transferring the vocabulary and dialects of the language to the next generation.
► Teaching the languages in colleges and universities and encouraging students to specialise in the same.
► Teaching children to use mother-tongue.
► Remaining connected to one’s cultural roots.
► Respecting one’s language which will help in taking it forward to the coming generations.

Working with Words

1. Given below are some interesting combinations of words. Explain why they have been used together.
(i) ghostly dust devils
(ii) desert sky
(iii) stunning artefacts
(iv) funerary treasures
(v) scientific detachment
(vi) dark-bellied clouds
(vii) casket grey
(viii) eternal brilliance
(ix) ritual resins
(x) virtual body

Answer

(i) ghostly dust devils- it points out to the devilish or frightful movement of the dusty winds. It reflects the anger of the winds for disturbing the king from his resting place.

(ii) desert sky- it refers to the dusty sky of the desert. The barren sky spread over the vast desert region portrays a sad and dry picture.

(iii) stunning artefacts- items found in the tomb were extremely beautiful. Usage of both the words together explains the ‘eternal brilliance’ of the objects.

(iv) funerary treasures- reference is to the fact that king was buried with numerous things which were no less than treasures as most of the items were made of pure gold.

(v) scientific detachment- it refers to an indifference towards science.

(vi) dark-bellied clouds- it refers to the dark clouds containing rain.

(vii) casket grey- the words point out to the stars being covered by the ‘dark-bellied clouds’, the way jewels are kept in a casket (a jewel box).

(viii) eternal brilliance- eternal refers to something that is timeless. Thus, eternal brilliance refers to timeless lustre and shine of the jewels and valuables of the king.

(ix) ritual resins- resins are used as a customary duty in the process of burying a body.

(x) virtual body- a body created through electronic images or CT scan. It resembles a real body and provides a very clear view.

2. Here are some commonly used medical terms. Find out their meanings.

CT scan- It refers to Computed Tomography. It provides X-ray image of a body in cross section. It is used for diagnostic purposes.

MRI- MRI is the short form of magnetic resonance imaging. It is a diagnostic tool.

Tomography- It refers to taking pictures of various sections of a human body in a three-dimensional view.

Autopsy- It refers to the post-mortem examination.

Dialysis- It is the process of filtration of bloodstream usually during kidney failure.

ECG- The electrocardiogram is a diagnostic tool that measures and records the electrical activity of the heart in exquisite detail.

Post mortem- It refers to the medical examination and dissection of a dead body to determine the cause of death

Angiography- Angiography is the examination of the blood vessels using x-rays and injecting of a radiopaque substance.

Biopsy- The removal and examination of a sample of tissue from a living body for diagnostic purposes is known as biopsy.

Content

• Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues Chapter in Hindi Class 11th Chapter 4  
• Summary of Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues Class 11th Chapter 4 
• Hindi Summary Of Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues Class 11th Chapter 4 
• NCERT Solutions of Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues Class 11th Chapter 4 

NCERT Solutions for Class 11th: Ch 2 We’re Not Afraid to Die…if We Can All Be Together Hornbill English

Page No: 13

1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

honing our seafaring skills
ominous silence
Mayday calls
pinpricks in the vast ocean
a tousled head


Answer

honing our seafaring skills: this refers to the efforts made by the author and his wife, to perfect or sharpen their seafaring skills.

ominous silence: the silence here refers to an impending danger.

Mayday calls: Mayday calls are radio-telephonic words which signal aircrafts or ships stuck in a disastrous situation.

pinpricks in the vast ocean: this phrase expresses the search for two small islands in the vast ocean.

a tousled head: this refers to hair in disarray or the disarranged hair of the author’s son, Jonathan

Page No: 18

Understanding the Text

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) In order to protect the ship from rough weather, the capitan decided to slow it down. So he dropped the storm jjb and lashed heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stern. Then they doubled fatened everything and went through their life-raft drill

(ii) To check the flooding of water in the ship, he put waterproof hatch covers across the gaping holes which diverted the water to the side. When the two hands pump blocked and electric pump short circuited, he found another electric pump, connected it to an outpipe and started it.

2. Describe the mental condition of the voyagers on 4 and 5 January.

Answer

On January 4 and 5, the voyagers felt relieved after rigorous practice of continuous pumping. They had their first meal in almost two days. Their respite was short-lived. They faced dangerous situation on January 5. Fear of deah loomed large. They were under great mental stress.

3. 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 first section: The first section opens on a cheerful note. The narrator and his family are all set for their ultimate dream- to take up an around-the-world voyage like Captain James Cook did. They have perfected their seafaring skills. They begin the voyage and despite of the bad weather, they celebrate Christmas on the ‘Wavewalker’.

The second section: This part of narration covers the hazards faced by the voyagers. There is a shift in the narration from cheerful to intense. They find themselves in an extremely fatal and disastrous situation. A huge wave hits their boat and the narrator is thrown overboard. Despite getting injured, he maintains his composure and applies every possible way to tackle the critical situation. They manage to pump out maximum amount of water out of the boat in about 36 hours. But as they continue to face bad weather conditions the narrator loses hope. The children remain fearless, courageous and optimistic throughout.

The third section: The children provide moral support to the narrator and he continues with his efforts. Under the captaincy of the narrator, they manage to reach Ile Amsterdam. The narrator proves his seamanship and receives the title of “the best daddy” and “the best captain” from his children.

The above three sections can be subtitled as follows:
a) The first section: Round-the-world voyage begins
b) The second section: The attack of the big wave
c) The third section: Ultimate victory


Talking about the Text

1. What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger?

Answer

There was lot of difference between the way in which the adults and children reacted when faced danger. The adults lose hope and wait for their end with a heavy heart. At this point, they are motivated by the children. The children offer moral support to the adults. They display maturity and tolerance. Jonathan expresses his fearlessness and courage when he says that they are not afraid of dying if they all can be together. Sue expresses her love and gratitude for her parents by making a greeting card. She is strong enough to not let her parents know about her serious injuries. She did not want to bother her parents in the times of crisis.

2. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?

Answer

Optimism is a determination to overcome difficulties. It raises one’s spirits and helps one overcome stress and difficulty with ease. The story displays courage and optimism throughout. Survival happens only because of the optimistic struggle that the family carries on with.
The level of perseverance in the author rises when Jonathan says, “we’re not afraid of dying if we can all be together. Besides, the caricatures of him and Mary, drawn by Sue, helps his determination and optimism to grow many folds. The positive outlook of the children infuses positivity in the narrator. He rigorously calculates their position and finally asks Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. Though he had lost all hope by then, he did not show it and optimistically told Larry that they would spot the island by about 5 P.M. Fortunately, their struggle and optimism pays off and they manage to find Ile Amsterdam by evening.

Such experiences teach us the potential that courage, perseverance and tolerance hold. It explains how one must react in the direst of the situations. It teaches us that one must never lose hope and try to find reasons to stay positive in the face of adversity. In such situations one must try his/her best to remain calm and composed and understand the power of unity and team work. Moreover, the importance of common sense, putting continuous efforts to overcome the catastrophe and the significance of being extra cautious and careful are learnt from such hazardous experiences.

4. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the risk involved?

Answer

The spirit to experience unique elements of nature, undaunted passion and willingness to accept challenges drive people to take up adventurous expeditions. The people who involve themselves in such activities are very well aware of the risk involved in them. But due to their passion and enthusiasm to do something unique and great, they willingly accept such challenges. Also, their desire to be in the lap of nature and experience its beauty pushes them to such expeditions.

Thinking about Language

1. 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, ‘storm’ is known as ‘aandhi’, ‘toofan’ ‘andhad’, etc.

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2. Here are the terms of different kinds of vessels: yacht, boat, canoe, ship, steamer, schooner. Think of similar terms in your language.

Answer

‘Naav’, ‘Nauka’, ‘Jahaaz’ and ‘Kishti’ are some of the various words used in Hindi for the word ‘boat’.

3. ‘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 Tamil word ‘Kattumaram’.

4. Have you heard any boatmen’s songs? What kind of emotions do these songs usually express?

Answer

Yes, Boatmen’s songs usually express love and nostalgia. It revolves around the longing to meet a loved one. It may also express their love for the sea.

Working with Words

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? 

  Knot            stern            boom         hatch        anchor

Answer

          b) a group of persons.

Stern: firm, strict, uncompromising, harsh, hard etc.

Boom: a) deep, prolonged, resonant sound
            b) to progress or flourish
            c) to hit hard

Hatch: a) to bring forth, produce.
            b) derive, concoct
            c) to draw, cut, or engrave lines

Anchor: a) a person or thing that can be relied upon for support
              b) host of an event.

2. The following three compound words end in-ship. What does each of them mean?

Answer

Airship: It is a self-propelled lighter-than-air aircraft with the means of controlling the direction of the flight.

Flagship: It is a ship carrying the flag officer or the commander of a fleet, squadron. It displays the officer’s flag.

Lightship: It refers to a ship anchored in a specific location flashing a very bright light for the guidance of ships, as in avoiding dangerous areas.

3. The following are the meaning listed in the dictionary against the phrase `take on’. In which meaning is it used in the third paragraph of the account:

Answer

In the third paragraph, in lines: “… we took on two crewman to help us tackle … roughest seas…”, the word “took on” suggests to take somebody on i.e., to employ or engage somebody.

Content

• We’re Not Afraid To Die…If We Can All Be Together in Hindi Class 11th Chapter 3  
• Summary of We’re Not Afraid To Die…If We Can All Be Together Class 11th Chapter 3 
• Hindi Summary Of We’re Not Afraid To Die…If We Can All Be Together Class 11th Chapter 3 
• NCERT Solutions of We’re Not Afraid To Die…If We Can All Be Together Class 11th Chapter 3