Question

was the kid who sat on the side-lines and watched others having a good time splashing about in the sea,

wishing I could swim. Eventually, I learned how to, the hard way. My brothers threw me into the water. As

I floundered and nearly drowned, it didn’t occur to me then that my brothers had taught me two important

skills: survival and independence. These skills were gifts that I relied on numerous times over as an adult.

As a child, I was game for anything.

Nothing fascinated me more than the chance to try something new. If nothing else, my curiosity was fuelled

by the desire to test my limits. I was sixteen when I climbed my first mountain. It was Gunung Ledang in

Johor, Malaysia, in 1980. It was a horrible experience. I found the heat and thickness of the jungle

overwhelming. The night spent on the summit was cold and lonely. As I lay in my tent, with my knees

curled to my chin, I vowed that I would never climb another mountain.

And yet, ironically, I was one of the two climbers from the first Singapore Mount Everest Expedition who

summited Mount Everest in May 1998.

A. Choose the most suitable option: Do any five. (5X1=5marks)

1. Why did the writer consider his childhood average?

1. He learnt to swim the same way as everyone else.

2. He played hide-and-seek near his house for many hours.

3. He enjoyed watching other kids swim rather than joining them.

4. He did not do anything that showed he would achieve great success in the future.

2. Why did the writer say that ‘the ability to swim comes almost naturally to any kid growing up in Port​

Answer 1

Answer:

He learnt to swim the same way as everyone else.