Subject : English Topic : Nelson Mandela-Long Walk To Freedom.

Date :

Name of the Student : Class & Division : Roll Number :

S.No. Read the following extracts and answer the questions. 4

1. 10th May dawned bright and clear. For the past few days 1 had been pleasantly
besieged by dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects
before the inauguration. The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of
international leaders on South African soil. The ceremonies took place in the lovely
sandstone amphitheater formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades
this had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow
gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa’s first
democratic, non-racial government.
(a) Who were coming and for what before the inauguration?
Dignitaries and world leaders were coming to pay their respects before
the inauguration.
(b) What happened on the inauguration?
On the inauguration the first ever democracy, a non-racial government
was installed as a victory of good or evil.
(c) Find out the word that means the same ‘commencement’ from the
passage.
The word is ‘inauguration’.
(d) Find the word from the passage which means ‘an open space surround by
sloping land’.
The word is ‘ampitheatre’.

2. We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to
be host to the nations of the world on our own soil.
We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having come to take
possession with the people of our country of what is after all a common victory for
justice, for peace, for human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to
liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation,
suffering, gender and other discrimination.
(a) What does ‘we’ refer in the first line of the passage?
‘We’ refers to the people of South Africa in the first line of the passage.
(b) What did the people of South Africa achieve at last?
The people of South Africa achieved their political emancipation at last.
(c) The word ‘bondage’ means …… in the passage.
The word bondage means slavery in the
passage.
(d) Give a synonym of ’emancipation’.
‘Freedom/liberation’ is a synonym of emancipation.

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3. In life, every man has twin obligations- obligations to his family, to his parents, to
his wife and children; and he has an obligation to his people, his community, his
country. In a civil and humane society, each man is able to fulfil those obligations
according to his own inclinations and abilities. But in a country like South Africa, it
was almost impossible for a man of my birth and colour to fulfil both of those
obligations. In South Africa, a man of colour who attempted to live as a human
being was punished and isolated.
a) What are the obligations that every man has in life?
Every man has two obligations one is to his family and second to his
community and country.
(b) Why was it impossible for a coloured man to discharge his obligations?
In South Africa if a coloured man tried to fulfil his obligations, he was
punished and isolated.
(c) Find the word in the passage which has same meaning as ‘duty’.
The word is.‘obligation’.
(e) A word synonymous with intentions’ is ……… in the passage.
Inclinations.

4. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again
experience the oppression of one by another. The sun shall never set on so glorious
a human achievement.
(a) What was the wish for the country?
To remain free for ever and no oppressor to rule on them.
(b) What does the expression — ‘the sun shall never set here’ — imply?
That the sun of liberty shall never set and their country should enjoy
freedom.
(c) Which experience of oppression is referred to
here? The black is being oppressed by the white people.
(d) What is this beautiful land the speaker refers
to? South Africa
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 words) 2

(a) What promise does Mandela make in the beginning of opening of his oath-taking
speech?
Ans:Mandela thanks all the international leaders and guests as he calls it an
occasion of joy and victory for Justice. He promises that the country shall not again
experience the oppression of one by another.

(b) Why did inauguration ceremony take place in the amphiteatre formed by the Union
Building in Pretoria?
Ans:It was the first democratic, non-racial government taking oath in South Africa.
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries from more than 140 count ries around the
world and thousands of the people of South Africa of all the races tomake the day
memorable. So, it took place in, the amphiteatre formed by the Union Building in
Pretoria.

(c) What are the ideals which Mandela set for the future of South Africa in his
swearing- in ceremony?
Ans:Mandela wanted to liberate all the people from poverty, deprivation, suffering,
gender and other discriminations in his swearing-in ceremony.

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(d) What do you understand by Apartheid’?
Ans:‘Apartheid’ is a political system that divides people according to their race. In
this system black-coloured people in South Africa were not free even to discharge
their personal and social obligations of being parents, sons and husbands, etc.

(e) What did Mandela realise about his brothers and sisters?
Ans:Mandela 3ealized that his brothers and sisters were not free in their own
country due to their colour. The freedom of everyone in his society was curtailed.
He joined the African National Congress and fought for the freedom.

(f) Why is 10th May 1994 important for South Africa?

Ans: 10th May 1994 is important for South Africa because first democratic non-
racial government elections were held on this day in the country. Ne lson Mandela
became the first black president of the country.

LONG ANSWER QUESTION (100-120 words) 8

i) Nelson Mandela in his inaugural speech used these two words ‘an extraordinary
human disaster’ and so ‘glorious a human achievement’. What did he mean by that?
Ans. The extraordinary disaster was the rule of Apartheid in South Africa. This
disaster of racial discrimination brought oppression, deprivation, cruelty and
suffering for the black people of South Africa. Blacks were not allowed to visit the
places reserved for the whites. They led a life of humiliation.
At last on 10 May 1994, after more than three centuries of white rule, Nelson
Mandela’s African National Congress Party won the elections. Nelson Mandela
became the first black President of South Africa. The coming into power of non-
racial government was a glorious human achievement.

ii) What were the difficulties faced by Nelson Mandela in achieving freedom for his
people?
Ans. In his endeavour to get freedom for his countrymen from the rule of Apartheid,
Nelson Mandela had to undergo many hardships and suffered a lot. This great
patriot had to sacrifice the comfort of his home and loving family. He was declared
an outlaw for demanding equality for all his fellow black Africans. He was
punished, isolated and put into jail. He and his comrades were oppressed and
tortured beyond tolerance. He suffered hunger, oppression and injustice but kept the
flame of independence burning in his heart. His undaunted courage, persistent
struggle and unparallel sacrifice bore fruit and South Africa got freedom from the
rule of Apartheid on 10 May 1994.

iii) Give the character-sketch of Nelson Mandela.

Ans. Nelson Mandela was a great patriot. He loved his country and countrymen. For
him, the greatest wealth of South Africa was her people.
He had a sacrificing nature. 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. It shows his traits of tolerance,
courage and perseverance.

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iv) What different concepts of freedom did Mandela have at different stages of his life?
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 — 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 honourable 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.

v) Describe the views of Mandela for the black people who fought and sacrificed their
likes for the country’s political independence?
Ans:Mandela always said that the political freedom was the result of sacrifices of
thousands of the black people who fought for that. He said that it could not be
repaid. He thought himself as the sum of all of those African patriots. He regretted
that he could not thank them. He cursed the policy of apartheid that wounded the
people of his country, which would take centuries to heal.
He also said that the oppression and brutality of the white people produced great
freedom fighters like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Luthuli, Dadoo, Fischer,
Sobukwe and many more. They were the men of courage, wisdom and large
heartedness. They really suffered a lot for the political freedom of the country.

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