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Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom

Madhya Pradesh Board · Class 10 · English

NCERT Solutions for Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom — Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English.

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An infographic explaining the Apartheid system in South Africa, showing racial segregation and discrimination (e.g., separate facilities, laws, and social hierarchy).
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BEFORE YOU READ

1'Apartheid' is a political system that separates people according to their race. Can you say which of the three countries named below had such a political system until very recently?Show solution
South Africa had the apartheid system until very recently, as stated in the chapter.

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2Can you hear about Nelson Mandela? Mandela, and his African National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid. Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison. Finally, democratic elections were held in South Africa in 1994, and Mandela became the first black President of a new nation.Show solution

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3In this extract from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, 'the inauguration'. Can you guess what the occasion might be? Check your guess with this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.Show solution
The inauguration refers to the historic ceremony when Nelson Mandela took oath as South Africa’s first Black President after the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.

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Activity

1In Column A are some expressions you will find in the text. Make a guess and match each expression with an appropriate meaning from Column B.Show solution
The correct matches are:

- (i) A rainbow gathering of different colours and nations → A beautiful coming together of various peoples, like the colours in a rainbow
- (ii) The seat of white supremacy → The centre of racial superiority
- (iii) Be overwhelmed with a sense of history → Feel deeply emotional, remembering and understanding all the past events that have led up to the moment
- (iv) Resilience that defies the imagination → A great ability (almost unimaginable) to remain unchanged by suffering
- (v) A glimmer of humanity → A sign of human feeling
- (vi) A twilight existence → A half-secret life, like a life lived in the fading light between sunset and darkness

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Oral Comprehension Check

1Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?Show solution
The ceremonies took place in the Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria. In India, some public buildings made of sandstone are the Red Fort and the Parliament House.

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2Can you say how 10 May is an 'autumn day' in South Africa?Show solution
South Africa is in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are opposite to those in India. Therefore, 10 May falls in autumn there.

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3At 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?Show solution
By “an extraordinary human disaster”, Mandela means the long years of apartheid, racial oppression, and suffering in South Africa. The “glorious human achievement” is the end of apartheid and the establishment of a free, democratic, non-racial South Africa.

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4What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?Show solution
Mandela thanks the international leaders for coming to South Africa and sharing in what he calls a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.

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5What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?Show solution
Mandela sets out these ideals for South Africa’s future: liberty, justice, peace, human dignity, and freedom from poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender discrimination and other discrimination. He also says that never again should one person oppress another.

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Oral Comprehension Check

1*What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?*Show solution
The military generals salute Mandela and pledge their loyalty to the new democratic government. Their attitude has changed from one of supporting apartheid rule to one of respecting democracy, because the country now has a freely and fairly elected government.

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2*Why were two national anthems sung?*Show solution
Two national anthems were sung because the ceremony symbolised a new democratic South Africa in which whites and blacks were now part of one nation. The singing of both anthems showed unity and reconciliation.

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3*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?*Show solution
Mandela says that in the first decade of the twentieth century, the white-skinned people of South Africa patched up their differences and created a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people. In the final decade of the twentieth century, that system was overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms of all people regardless of skin colour.

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4*What does courage mean to Mandela?*Show solution
For Mandela, courage means conquering fear. He says the brave person is not one who never feels afraid, but one who faces and overcomes fear.

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5*Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?*Show solution
Mandela says love comes more naturally to the human heart than hatred. So, according to him, it is more natural to love than to hate.

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Oral Comprehension Check

1What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?Show solution
Mandela mentions two kinds of duties: obligations to family—to parents, wife and children—and obligations to people, community and country.

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2What 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”?Show solution
As a boy, Mandela thought freedom meant being able to run in the fields, swim in streams, roast mealies under the stars, and ride bulls—simple physical freedom. As a student, he wanted the freedom to stay out at night, read what he liked, and go where he chose. Later he understood that these were only transitory freedoms. The basic and honourable freedoms were the freedoms to achieve one’s potential, earn a living, marry, have a family, and live a lawful life without racial restriction.

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3Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?Show solution
No, Mandela does not think the oppressor is free. He says that a person who takes away another person’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. So the oppressor is also robbed of humanity.

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Thinking about the Text

1Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of?Show solution
A large number of international leaders attended the inauguration because it was a historic moment: the birth of a new democratic South Africa after apartheid. It signified the triumph of justice, peace, human dignity, and democracy over racial oppression and white supremacy.

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2What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots” who had gone before him?Show solution
By saying he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots”, Mandela means that his achievement was made possible by the sacrifices, courage, and struggles of earlier freedom fighters. He sees himself as continuing their long struggle, not as a separate or solitary hero.

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3Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”? How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this argument?Show solution
Yes, one may agree with Mandela. He shows that extreme oppression produced leaders such as Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer and Robert Sobukwe, men of great courage, wisdom and generosity. Their suffering helped shape their character. We can add examples from history where struggle produced strong leaders and reformers.

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4How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
5How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?

Thinking about Language

I.1Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text.
I.2Read the paragraph below. Fill in the blanks with the noun forms of the verbs in brackets.
IIUsing the Definite Article with Names
4Used in this way with the and/or in the plural, a proper noun carries a special meaning. For example, what do you think the names above mean? Choose the right answer.
5Here are some more examples of 'the' used with proper names. Try to say what these sentences mean. (You may consult a dictionary if you wish. Look at the entry for 'the'.)
IIIMatch the italicised phrases in Column A with the phrase nearest in meaning in Column B. (Hint: First look for the sentence in the text in which the phrase in Column A occurs.)

Speaking

1In groups, discuss the issues suggested in the box below. Then prepare a speech of about two minutes on the following topic. (First make notes for your speech in writing.)

Writing

ILooking at Contrasts
2Use the following phrases to complete the sentences given below.
IIThis text repeatedly contrasts the past with the present or the future. We can use coordinated clauses to contrast two views, for emphasis or effect. Given below are sentences carrying one part of the contrast. Find in the text the second part of the contrast, and complete each item. Identify the words which signal the contrast. This has been done for you in the first item.
IIIExpressing Your Opinion
5Do you think there is colour prejudice in our own country? Discuss this with your friend and write a paragraph of about 100 to 150 words about

Homophones

1Can you find the words below that are spelt similarly, and sometimes even pronounced similarly, but have very different meanings? Check their pronunciation and meaning in a dictionary.

Thinking about the Poem

1Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.
2Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:
(i) On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.

What do you think is the effect of this repetition?
3Read the following two poems — one about a tiger and the other about a panther. Then discuss:

Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals? Are they useful for educating the public? Are there alternatives to zoos?
4Take a point of view for or against zoos, or even consider both points of view and write a couple of paragraphs or speak about this topic for a couple of minutes in class.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom for Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English?
Key topics in Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom include Mandela's Evolution of Understanding Freedom, Mandela and South Africa: Key Historical Events, Chapter Overview: Nelson Mandela — Long Walk to Freedom. These are the concepts Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 examiners draw on most — study them first, then practise related questions.
How to score full marks in Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom — Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English?
Understand the core concepts first, then work through the 66 practice questions available for this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly, and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.
Where can I get free NCERT Solutions for Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom Class 10 English?
This page has free step-by-step NCERT Solutions for every exercise question in Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom (Madhya Pradesh Board Class 10 English) — written the way examiners award marks: given, formula, working, answer.

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