Notice these words and expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
treacherous : unpredictable danger; not dependable or trustworthy
subdued my pride: to lower or restrain the intensity of self-respect and confidence
flailed at the surface : to strike or lash out vigorously at the surface of the water in
trying to come out
fishing for landlocked salmon : to go fishing for a specific variety of salmon
available in certain lakes
misadventure:an incident that turns out to be a disaster
bob to the surface like a cork : to float or show the characteristics of buoyancy as a
cork in water
curtain of life fell : to indicate that life has ended or a near-death experience
back and forth across the pool : to swim across the swimming pool from one side
to the other
Question 1.
What is the “misadventure” that William Douglas speaks about?
Answer:
The author William Douglas was sitting on the side of the pool. As there
was no one else there, he was waiting for others to come so that he could
start swimming. Then an eighteen-year-old, well-built boy picked him up
and tossed him into the deep end of the pool.
Question 2.
What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced
when he was thrown into the pool ? What plans did he make to come to
the surface?
Answer:
William Douglas was thrown into the deep waters of the pool by a big boy.
He was frightened, but not frightened enough to stop thinking. All the
time, despite having a fear of drowning, he kept himself mentally alert. He
planned that when his feet hit the bottom, he would make a big jump,
come to the surface, lie flat on it and paddle to the edge of the pool. His
strategy helped him save his life.
Question 3.
How did this experience affect him?
Answer:
This experience of the author about to face death, made him bold and
strong. This experience wiped out fear and wiped out terror from the
