Lesson 1 – We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together
Authors: Gordon Cook & Alan East
Pre-text Questions (with answers)
Q1. How would you describe people who go on dangerous sea voyages?
Ans. They are adventurous, courageous, and determined. They embrace risk in pursuit of discovery or personal challenge.
Q2. Why do you think people risk their lives in such expeditions?
Ans. To test human limits, seek adventure, experience nature’s power, and often to fulfill dreams or achieve recognition.
Post-text Questions (with answers)
A. Understanding the Text
Q1. List the preparations made by the narrator and his family for their voyage.
Ans. They spent 16 years planning, built a 23-metre boat Wavewalker, tested it in harsh weather, and trained themselves in seamanship and survival.
Q2. Describe the initial part of their journey.
Ans. They sailed smoothly from Plymouth, England, in July 1976, covering 1,05,000 km over the years and reaching Cape Town successfully.
Q3. What happened on January 2, 1977?
Ans. They were hit by a gigantic wave in the Indian Ocean. The boat was badly damaged, water flooded in, and the narrator was injured.
Q4. How did the children display courage during the storm?
Ans. The son said he was not afraid to die if all stayed together, and the daughter showed cheerfulness despite her injuries, encouraging her parents.
Q5. How did they manage to survive?
Ans. By pumping out water, making temporary repairs, and navigating carefully with determination and teamwork until they reached Ile Amsterdam, a small island.
B. Talking About the Text
Q1. What values are highlighted in this story?
Ans. Courage, resilience, teamwork, family unity, and optimism in the face of adversity.
Q2. Would you call this a story of adventure or survival? Why?
Ans. It is both. It begins as an adventure but turns into a gripping story of survival, where human spirit and determination triumph over disaster.
Q3. How do the children’s responses inspire the adults?
Ans. Their calm acceptance of danger and faith in togetherness inspired the adults to continue fighting for survival.
C. Working with Words
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“Mayday call” → emergency distress signal
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“Stern” → rear part of a ship
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“Deck” → floor surface of a ship
D. Noticing Form
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The story is a first-person account, filled with vivid description and suspense, which makes readers feel the intensity of the storm.
Summary of We’re Not Afraid to Die…
This lesson narrates an extraordinary story of courage, resilience, and survival against nature’s fury. Written by Gordon Cook and Alan East, it documents a sea expedition undertaken by the narrator, his family, and two crewmen.
The narrator, his wife Mary, and their two children Jonathan (6) and Suzanne (7) set out from Plymouth, England, in July 1976, aiming to replicate the round-the-world voyage of Captain James Cook. They spent 16 years planning the journey and had a custom-built boat, Wavewalker, prepared and tested. The initial part of their journey was smooth, and they reached Cape Town safely.
However, while crossing the Indian Ocean on January 2, 1977, they encountered a massive storm. The waves were monstrous, and the boat was repeatedly struck. Suddenly, a gigantic wave hit them, causing severe damage. The narrator was injured, and water gushed into the boat, threatening to sink it. Despite the chaos, everyone displayed remarkable courage. The narrator and his crew fought tirelessly to pump out water, repair the sails, and keep the boat afloat.
The most touching moment came from the children. Jonathan, the six-year-old son, said, “We are not afraid to die if we can all be together.” This innocent yet powerful statement gave the parents immense strength. Suzanne, despite being injured, remained cheerful and brave. Their courage motivated the adults to continue their struggle.
For 15 hours, they battled against nature, working in shifts, enduring exhaustion and fear. Eventually, they managed to control the flooding and make temporary repairs. Guided by determination, seamanship, and teamwork, they navigated towards Ile Amsterdam, a small French island.
After days of struggle, they finally reached the island, where they were rescued. The survival was a triumph not only of skill but also of human endurance, family unity, and the will to live.
The story is not just about adventure but about the human spirit. It shows how ordinary people can rise to extraordinary challenges when they act with courage and support each other. Nature may be powerful, but human resilience, hope, and unity can overcome even the harshest storms.
In conclusion, the lesson teaches us that survival depends on optimism, teamwork, and never giving up, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
Biography of Gordon Cook & Alan East
Gordon Cook was a British sailor, adventurer, and writer who undertook several sea voyages in the 20th century. He is best known for his adventurous round-the-world sailing expeditions, one of which forms the basis of the lesson We’re Not Afraid to Die…. Cook, along with his wife and two children, attempted to follow the historic route of Captain James Cook. His passion for the sea reflected not only in his sailing but also in his writing, where he documented the challenges, risks, and beauty of ocean voyages.
Cook’s accounts highlight the qualities of courage, preparedness, and human resilience. He was meticulous in planning his expeditions, often spending years in preparation. His writing style was simple yet gripping, focusing on real-life struggles and lessons in survival. Through stories like this, Gordon Cook inspires readers to embrace challenges, test their limits, and value teamwork and family bonds.
Alan East was a British journalist and writer who collaborated with Gordon Cook to document the story. East had a background in adventure writing and journalism, with a flair for bringing real-life experiences alive on the page. His contribution was to shape the raw experience of Cook’s voyage into a coherent, dramatic narrative that could inspire readers.
Alan East often focused on themes of resilience, courage, and the power of the human spirit in his works. By co-authoring this piece, he helped immortalise a real-life adventure into a story that speaks universally to readers about survival, optimism, and unity.
Together, Gordon Cook and Alan East produced a work that is now part of school curricula, teaching young learners the values of perseverance and courage. Their writing is a reminder that literature is not only about fiction or imagination but also about documenting human experiences that inspire and educate.
Although not widely known in the literary mainstream, both Cook and East contributed significantly to the genre of adventure writing. Their legacy lies in showing how ordinary families and individuals can face extraordinary challenges with strength and determination.