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?
When William was thrown into the pool he was frightened but not was so much scared as to die. While fallen into the water he was ready with the plan that when his feet hit the bottom, he will make a jump and would come to the surface and will lie flat on it and will paddle to the edge of the pool. He thought that he would jump-off like a cork but instead, he came up slowly and opened his eyes saw nothing but only water.
How did this experience affect him?
How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
How does Douglas make clear to the reader the sense of panic that gripped him as he almost drowned? Describe the details that have made the description vivid.
Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience?
How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror?
What is the “misadventure” that William Douglas speaks about?
How did the instructor “build a swimmer” out of Douglas?
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Strike out what is not true in the following.
a. Rajkumar Shukla was
(i) a sharecropper.
(ii) a politician.
(iii) delegate.
(iv) a landlord.
b. Rajkumar Shukla was
(i) poor.
(ii) physically strong.
(iii) illiterate.
What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up’?
What are some of the positive views on interviews?
Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school?
What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
Why was he amused by this idea?
The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting.
Did Umberto Eco consider himself a novelist first or an academic scholar?
Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?
Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as unexplained mystery?
From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
What are some of the positive views on interviews?
How does Sophie include her brother Geoff in her fantasy of her future?
What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
What do you understand by the expression “thumbprints on his windpipe”?
Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.