Question Bank — We're Not Afraid to Die... if We Can All Be Together

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

1. The narrator and his wife had spent how many years honing their seafaring skills before the voyage?
   a) 10 years b) 12 years c) 16 years d) 20 years

2. Who were the two crew members taken on at Cape Town?
   a) Larry and Herb b) Larry and John c) Herb and Peter d) Sue and Jon

3. What caused the narrator to lose consciousness momentarily during the storm?
   a) A falling mast b) His head smashing into the wheel c) Lack of oxygen d) A broken rib

4. Which island did the family finally reach?
   a) Mauritius b) Ile Amsterdam c) Madagascar d) Reunion

5. Assertion (A): The children showed remarkable courage during the crisis.
   Reason (R): Jonathan said they were not afraid to die if they could all be together.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

6. What does the phrase “pinpricks in the vast ocean” refer to?
   a) The size of the islands b) The holes in the ship c) The crew members d) The life-rafts

7. Assertion (A): The electric pump was crucial in controlling the water level.
   Reason (R): The hand pumps had either blocked or been lost overboard.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

8. On what date did the family finally sight Ile Amsterdam?
   a) 4 January b) 5 January c) 6 January d) 3 January

9. Which literary device is used in “the screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the ears”?
   a) Simile b) Personification c) Metaphor d) Alliteration

10. What quality of Mary is highlighted when she stayed at the wheel for long hours?
    a) Carelessness b) Courage and responsibility c) Fear d) Indifference

Section B — Reference to Context (3 extracts, 4 marks each)

Extract 1

“But, Daddy,” he went on, “we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and Mummy, Sue and I.”

i. Who is the speaker and to whom is he speaking?
ii. What does this statement reveal about the speaker’s character?
iii. Identify the literary device used in the line.
iv. What effect did these words have on the narrator?

Extract 2

“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.”

i. Who is the narrator here?
ii. What immediate danger did this wave pose?
iii. Identify one literary device used in the description.
iv. What does the word “frightful” suggest about the narrator’s state of mind?

Extract 3

“Oh, how I love you both. So this card is to say thank you and let’s hope for the best.”

i. Who wrote this message and to whom?
ii. Why was the writer in a position to give such a message?
iii. Identify the tone of the message.
iv. How did this card affect the narrator?

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

1. How did the narrator and his wife prepare for the round-the-world voyage?
2. Describe the condition of the ship immediately after the huge wave struck on 2 January.
3. Why did Sue not mention her injuries earlier? What does this tell us about her?
4. How did the children’s attitude help the narrator during the crisis?
5. What difficulties did the crew face while trying to reach Ile Amsterdam?

Section D — Long Answer (2 questions, 6 marks each)

1. Give a character sketch of the narrator as a father and as a captain. (100–120 words)
2. “Optimism and courage help people endure the direst stress.” How is this idea illustrated in the story? (100–120 words)

Section E — Language and Writing (2 questions, 4 marks each)

1. From the expressions given in the unit, explain the meaning of any two in your own words:
   a) honing our seafaring skills
   b) ominous silence
   c) Mayday calls

2. Write a diary entry (80–100 words) from the point of view of the narrator on the evening of 6 January after reaching Ile Amsterdam. Express your feelings about the children’s courage and the survival of the family.