Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom — NCERT Solutions

Given: Nouns can be formed from verbs by adding suffixes like -(at)ion or -ment, sometimes with a spelling change.

List of Noun–Verb pairs from the text:

Given: We need to convert the verbs in brackets into their noun forms.

Concept: Nouns are formed from verbs by adding suffixes such as -tion, -ation, -ment, -ance, etc.

Completed Paragraph:

Martin Luther King's contribution (contribute) to our history as an outstanding leader began when he came to the assistance (assist) of Rosa Parks, a seamstress who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. In those days American Blacks were confined to positions of second class citizenship by restrictive laws and customs. To break these laws would mean subjugation (subjugate) and humiliation (humiliate) by the police and the legal system. Beatings, imprisonment (imprison) and sometimes death awaited those who defied the System. Martin Luther King's tactics of protest involved non-violent resistance (resist) to racial injustice.

The correct meaning is (b): the names are used to mean many other men like Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu, men of the same kind or type.

• the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans: people like famous film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.
• the Madhubala of our times: a woman who is like the famous actress Madhubala.
• the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers: great conquerors or powerful men like Alexander, Napoleon and Hitler; not just those exact persons, but people of that kind.

The matches are:

1. I was not unmindful of the fact → had not forgotten; was aware of the fact
2. when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits → felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer
3. to reassure me and keep me going → help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation
4. the basic and honourable freedoms of...earning my keep... → earning enough money to live on

The completed contrasts are:

1. For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations.
2. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police ... saluted me and pledged their loyalty. Not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me.
3. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once despised, they would soon know the words by heart.
4. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people.
5. The Air Show was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but a demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy.
6. It was this desire for the freedom of my people ... that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home.

The homophones are wound and desert. In each pair, the same spelling or similar sound has different meanings: wound (injury) / wound (past tense of wind), and desert (dry region) / desert (to abandon).

This is a poem-based activity. Students should identify the words for the tiger’s movements in the cage and in the wild, list the places described in each case, and then discuss how the poet contrasts the tiger’s natural freedom with its captivity in the zoo.

The repetition of words like quiet and brilliant creates emphasis and strengthens the contrast. It also highlights the tiger’s restrained anger in the cage and the vividness of the stars, making the poem more musical and vivid.

This is a discussion question. One can argue for zoos as places that protect endangered species and educate people, or against zoos because they keep animals in captivity. Alternatives include wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and conservation in natural habitats.

Meaning: This sentence means that Mr Singh regularly invites many famous celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan — i.e., people of their fame, status, and stature — to his parties. The use of 'the' with the plural proper noun suggests that these names are being used as types or categories of famous people, not necessarily the specific individuals themselves. It implies that Mr Singh's parties are attended by Bollywood stars and celebrities of that calibre.

Meaning: This sentence means that many people consider Madhuri Dixit to be the equivalent of Madhubala in the present era — someone who possesses the same grace, beauty, and talent that Madhubala was famous for in her time. Here, 'the Madhubala' is used to suggest a standard or ideal of beauty and acting excellence. Madhubala is being used as a benchmark, and Madhuri Dixit is being compared to that benchmark.

Meaning: This sentence means that history is not only about great conquerors, powerful rulers, and notorious dictators (people of the type of Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Adolf Hitler), but also about the lives and struggles of common, ordinary people. The use of 'the' with plural proper nouns here turns these names into categories or types — representing all powerful, ambitious, or destructive leaders throughout history. The sentence argues for a more inclusive view of history that includes ordinary people, not just the famous or powerful.

Correct Match: (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact

Explanation: The phrase 'not unmindful' is a double negative. 'Unmindful' means forgetful or unaware, so 'not unmindful' means the opposite — that one has not forgotten and is fully aware of the fact. Mandela uses this phrase to say that he was conscious of and had not forgotten the sacrifices made by those who came before him.

Correct Match: (iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer

Explanation: 'Pushed to our limits' is an idiomatic expression meaning to be taken to the extreme point of what one can bear or endure. It means Mandela and his comrades were subjected to such extreme suffering and hardship that they felt they could not take any more. It does not literally mean being pushed against a wall.

Correct Match: (ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation

Explanation: 'Keep me going' is an idiomatic expression meaning to give someone the strength, motivation, or hope to continue in a difficult situation. In the context of Mandela's imprisonment, the memory of his comrades' courage and generosity reassured him and gave him the will to survive and continue his struggle. It does not literally mean making him walk or preventing him from complaining.

Correct Match: (i) earning enough money to live on

Explanation: 'Earning one's keep' is an idiomatic expression meaning to earn enough money to pay for one's basic necessities — food, shelter, and clothing. It means to support oneself financially. It does not mean keeping what one earns or getting a good salary specifically, but rather earning the minimum needed to sustain oneself.

Given phrases: (i) they can be taught to love. (ii) I was born free. (iii) but the triumph over it. (iv) but he who conquers that fear. (v) to create such heights of character.

Completed Sentences:

1. It requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character. (v)

2. Courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. (iii)

3. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid but he who conquers that fear. (iv)

4. If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love. (i)

5. I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was born free. (ii)

Given: The text contrasts the past with the present or future using coordinated clauses.

Completed Contrasts (with signal words identified):

1. For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of the first democratic, non-racial government in South Africa.

(Signal word: and now — signals a shift from past to present)

2. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police had saluted me and pledged their loyalty; not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me.

(Signal word: not so many years before — signals contrast between recent past and the more distant past)

3. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem of the new South Africa, they would soon know the words by heart.

(Signal word: although ... would soon — signals contrast between present ignorance and future knowledge)

4. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.

(Signal word: but — signals contrast between material wealth and human wealth)

5. The Air Show was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but was also a demonstration of the military's loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected.

(Signal word: not only ... but also — signals addition and contrast of meaning)

6. It was this desire for the freedom of my people that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home.

Sample Paragraph:

Colour prejudice, though less openly discussed than in South Africa or America, does exist in India in subtle but significant ways. The preference for fair skin is deeply embedded in our society — from matrimonial advertisements that specify 'fair complexion' to the booming market for skin-lightening creams. Dark-skinned individuals, particularly women, often face discrimination in marriage, employment, and social settings. This bias is reinforced by media and advertising that consistently portray fair skin as more beautiful and desirable. People from South India, Northeast India, and tribal communities frequently face prejudice based on their darker complexions. This is a form of racism within our own country that we rarely acknowledge. True beauty lies in character, talent, and kindness — not in the colour of one's skin. We must challenge these prejudices in our homes, schools, and communities, and celebrate the rich diversity of our people. As the witty poem in our textbook reminds us, those who call others 'coloured' are themselves a rainbow of colours!