INDIAN SCHOOL AL WADI AL KABIR

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH (2022-23)

QUESTION BANK – NELSON MANDELA- “LONG WALK TO FREEDOM”

Class: X Sub: ENGLISH

I. SUMMARY:

This chapter is an extract from the autobiography of Nelson Mandela (born- 18 July, 1918), the
first Black President of South Africa. Excerpt from “Long Walk to Freedom” includes
description of the inauguration ceremony, citations from his speech, his journey to being a
freedom fighter, the struggle, along with a tribute to other freedom fighters and countless other
people who fought for their freedom.
In South Africa, a brutal practice named “apartheid” was followed. Apartheid refers to the
discrimination between people on the basis of their race. It was one of the most brutal societies
where dark-skinned people were deprived of their basic rights. This lesson gives us an overview
as to how Nelson Mandela along with others, carved their way to a society where there will be
no discrimination on the basis of their colour, caste, race, age or gender. The lesson pays tribute
to those black heroes and patriots who waged a relentless struggle against the apartheid or the
racist regime of South Africa. Here we find a description of the inauguration ceremony held in
the Union Buildings attended by politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries.
Nelson Mandela gives a message of peace and unity of mankind. He foresees a new regime
which will be based on the equality of men and women. He hopes that in the new regime there
will be no exploitation of man by man. There will be no room for racialism and segregation in
the new order.

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:

Read the following questions and choose the best option as answer:
1. What is apartheid?
(i) A set of laws insuring the equal rights of all people
(ii) A government system where people were separated by the color of their skin
(iii) A type of government similar to communism
(iv)The systematic killing of people of one race

2. What political group did Nelson Mandela become a leader of early on in his fight against
apartheid?
(i) Democratic National Party (ii) United African Association
(iii)African National Congress (iv) Union of South Africa

3. Which is NOT true about the Apartheid

(i) Economic based (ii) Political based (iii) Made laws (iv) Means "equality"

4.What government position was Nelson Mandela elected to in 1994?

(i) Governor (ii) Prime Minister (iii) Mayor (iv) President

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5. How does Nelson Mandela define the meaning of courage?
(i) Triumph over fear (ii) Triumph over love
(iii) Triumph over selfish (iv) Triumph over poverty

6. Where did ceremonies take place?

(i) Rockstone amphitheater (ii) Sandstone amphitheater
(iii) Glass stone amphitheater (iv) None of the Above

7. What is a country’s greatest wealth?

(i) Its minerals (ii) Its land (iii) Its technology (iv) None of the above

8. What does ‘depths of oppression’ create?

(i) oppressed (ii) heights of character
(iii) poverty (iv) lack of freedom

II. REFERENCE TO CONTEXT: Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.

1. It was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force but a demonstration of the
military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected. Only
moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police, their chests
bedecked with ribbons and medals from days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty.
(a) What type of government was chosen in South Africa?
A democratic non- racial government was chosen in South Africa.
(b) How was it chosen?
It was chosen through free and fair elections.
(c) What did the military generals do?
The military generals saluted and pledged their loyalty in front of Mr. Nelson Mandela.
(d) How has their attitude changed and why?
A few years ago, military generals had arrested Mr. Mandela. Their attitude had changed
because the country had got freedom from the racial domination.
2. On that lovely autumn day, I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani. On the podium, Mr. de
Klerk was first sworn in as Second Deputy President. Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as First
Deputy President. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution and to
devote myself to the well-being of its people.
(a) Who is the speaker of these lines?
Nelson Mandela is the speaker.
(b) What oath did the speaker take?

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To obey and uphold the constitution and to devote himself to the well-being of the South
Africans.
(c) In which capacity did the speaker take the oath?
As the President of South Africa.
(d) Where did the oath taking ceremony take place?
The oath-taking ceremony took place in the Sandstone Amphitheatre formed by the Union
Buildings in Pretoria.

III. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (30-40 words):

1. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”.
What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious … human achievement” he speaks of at
the end?
Ans. By “an extraordinary human disaster”, Mandela is referring to the apartheid system that was
prevalent in South Africa under the previous leadership. People of colour were treated unfairly
and no human being deserves that. He stood against the unjust practices and finally won the
democratic elections to become the first black President of South Africa. He refers to this win as
“glorious human achievement”. Achievement of political emancipation and ability to go forward
as equal society was realised.

2. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?

Ans. The inauguration ceremony was attended by dignitaries from more than 140 countries
around the world. The author thanked the international leaders for joining and supporting them in
their victory of freedom, justice and human dignity. Earlier, many nations had cut ties with South
Africa because of their practice of apartheid. This was a gesture of international recognition to a
newly born free democratic nation and it could be considered as a common victory for justice,
peace and human dignity.

3. What ideals does Nelson Mandela set for the future of South Africa?
Ans: Nelson Mandela set the ideals of liberating people from bondage of poverty, deprivation
and suffering. He also set the ideal for a society where there would be no discrimination based on
gender or racial origins.

4. What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
A. The military generals saluted Nelson Mandela and promised their support to the newly
formed democratic government of South Africa. Their attitude has changed because earlier they
were under the rule of the white supremacy. During that rule, they would have arrested Mandela
as he was considered to be a criminal. Now, with the abolition of Apartheid and the formation of
a democratic government, their attitude has also changed.

5. Why were two national anthems sung?

Ans: One the auspicious occasion of the inauguration two national anthems were sung: ‘Nkosi
Sikelel –iAfrika’ and ‘Die Stem’, one by the Whites and the other by the Blacks symbolising the
equality and respect for the entire community irrespective of their colour.

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6. What unintended effect was produced by decades of oppression?
Ans. The decades of oppression made Nelson Mandela a strong person. He set out the goal to
liberate the people of South Africa from continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering and
other discrimination. He decided to have freedom and justice for all.

7. What did Nelson Mandela pledge when he was sworn in as President?

Ans. Nelson Mandela pledged to uphold the Constitution of his country and devote himself to
liberate his people from the bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other
discriminations. There would be freedom and justice for all.

8. What did Nelson Mandela remember on the day of Inaugural Ceremony?

Ans. He remembered the history — the birth of Apartheid, its effect on his people and long fight
for freedom. He remembered the freedom fighters who suffered and sacrificed for the freedom.
He also remembered what freedom meant to him at different stages of life and his hunger for
freedom.

9. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country

(i) in the first decade, and
(ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?
u
(i) In the first decade of the century, the whites erected a system of racial domination against the
blacks, thus creating the basis of one of the harshest and most inhumane societies the world had
ever known.
(ii) In the final decade of the 20th century, the . previous system had been overturned and
replaced by one which recognised rights and freedom of all people regardless of color of their
skin.

10. What does courage mean to Mandela?

Answer:
For Mandela courage does not mean the absence of fear but a victory over fear. According to
him brave men need not be fearless but should be able to conquer fear.

11. Which does Mandela think is natural, to love or to hate?

Ans: For Mandela, love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.

12. What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?

Ans: Mandela mentions that every man has twin obligations. The first is to his family, parents,
wife and children; the second obligation is to his people, his community and his country.

13. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/why not?

Answer: Mandela does not think that the oppressor is free because according to him an oppressor
is a victim of hatred who is behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. He realises that
both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity and peace.

14. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African
patriots”, who had gone before him ?
Answer: By saying that he is simply the sum of all those African patriots, Mandela wants to pay
his tribute to all the people who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom. He says that

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he is grateful to those who had gone before him because those heroes of past had paved the path
of co-operation and unity for him. Therefore, he could try to come to power to bring equality for
his people with their support.

15. How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Ans: Mandela realised in his youth that it was not just his freedom that was being curtailed, but
the freedom of all blacks. This changed the fearful man to a fearless rebel.
He sacrificed the comforts of a settled family life to fight for a greater cause. He joined the
African National Congress and this changed him from a frightened young man into a bold one
who fought against racial prejudice.

IV. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (100-120 words):

1. Give the character-sketch of Nelson Mandela.
Ans. Nelson Mandela is the first black President of South Africa. He is a great black patriot. He
loved his country and countrymen. For him, the greatest wealth of South Africa is her people. He
sacrificed his life of comfort, family and home and plunged into the struggle for freedom. He
believed in equality for all. He opposed the rule of Apartheid for which he was declared an outlaw.
He was oppressed and tortured in jail for several years but he never broke down. It shows his traits
of tolerance, courage and perseverance.

2. How did Nelson Mandela describe the scene of the inauguration ?

Ans: Nelson Mandela described the scene of inauguration jubilantly. It took place on the bright
and clear day, the 10th of May an ‘autumn day’ in Sandstone Amphitheatre. Many world leaders
and great personalities were present there. He had gone there with his daughter Zenani. At first
Mr. De Klerk was sworn in as second deputy president on the podium, then the Thabo Mbeki as
first deputy president and after that Mandela was sworn in. This ceremony was held to declare
Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South Africa: Finally, the jets left off smoke of
different colours of the new South African flag. The day was symbolised by the playing of two
national anthems. Nelson Mandela was over-whelmed.
3. What different concepts of freedom did Mandela have at different stages of his life?
Or
How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Ans. Mandela had different concepts of freedom at different stages of life.
As a boy, he had an illusion about freedom. He thought he was born free. As long he obeyed his
elders he had the freedom to run in the fields swim in the stream and ride on the back of bulls.
As a student he cared for transitory freedom. That is the freedom to stay out at night, read the
books of his choice and go where he liked.
When he became a young man he yearned for basic and honorable freedoms of achieving his
potential, earning his keep, marrying, having a family and living a lawful life.
Slowly his concept of freedom widened especially when he joined the African National Congress.
He realized that true freedom is not individual freedom but freedom for all.

4. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he contrast
these “transitory freedoms” with “the basic and honourable freedoms”?
Ans: Like any other kid, for Mandela freedom meant to make merry and enjoy the blissful life.

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Once one becomes an adult, antics of childhood looks like transitory because most of the childish
activities are wasteful from an adult’s perspective. Once you are adult, you have to earn a
livelihood to bring the bacon home. Its only then when you get an honourable existence in the
family and in the society. As a young boy, and a student, Mandela’s idea of freedom was to be
able to stay out at night, read whatever he desired and go wherever he chose. On growing up as a
man, he realised that these were “transitory freedoms” he was looking for because their “basic
and honourable freedoms” had been taken away. There was no liberty to have a peaceful
marriage, family and life. Dark-skinned people were deprived of their fundamental human rights.
For them, freedom was an “illusion”.

5.Describe the value of freedom for the human beings and how it is important for the
growth of civilisation and humanism as described in the lesson ‘Nelson Mandela: Long
Walk to Freedom’.
Ans. Humans or other creatures desire to live freely, as freedom is natural to all living beings.
The value of freedom is better known to that human being who has been oppressed. A person
who is shackled with restrictions and not allowed to perform his duties freely, values freedom
more than anyone else. For instance, the value of freedom is known better to Mandela who
remained behind the bars most of his life. The oppression made him and other freedom fighters
fight for the people to live their lives with dignity and self- respect. Similarly, life becomes very
difficult if we are deprived of freedom. There is no progression of civilisation as it develops only
when one has freedom. Similarly, humanism thrives in an atmosphere of freedom and liberty.

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