Rohit Yadav
Comprehension Check
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer
The ceremonies took place on the campus of the Union Building of Pretoria.
The Parliament House in New Delhi, the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi and the Madras High Court in Chennai are some examples of Indian public buildings that are made of sandstone.
2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer:- 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa because on this day there was the largest gathering of international leaders on South African soil for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.
3. 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?
Answer:- By human disaster Mandela means to say that coloured people have suffered a lot due to discrimination in the hands of whites. He considered it a great glorious human achievement that a black person became the president of a country where blacks are not considered human beings and are treated badly.
4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Answer:- Mandela felt privileged to be the host to the nations of the world because not too long ago, the South Africans were considered outlaws. He thus thanked all the international leaders for having come to witness his investiture as President since this event could be considered as a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.
5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer:- Mandela set out the ideals of poverty alleviation, the removal of the suffering of people. He also set the ideal for a society where there would be no discrimination based on gender or racial origins.
Oral Comprehension Check
1. What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
Answer:- The highest military generals of the South African defence force and police saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty.
Their attitude towards blacks had taken great change. Instead of arresting a black they saluted him.
2. Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer :- On the day of the inauguration, two national anthems were sung, one by the whites, and the other by the blacks. This symbolized the equality of blacks and whites.
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?
Answer
(i) In the first decade of the twentieth century, the white-skinned people of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people of their own land, thus creating the basis of one of the harshest and most inhumane societies the world had ever known.
(ii) In the last decade of the twentieth century, the previous system had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognized the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
4. 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.
5. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer
For Mandela, love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.
Oral Comprehension Check
1. What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?
Answer
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.
2. 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”?
Answer
Like any other kid for Mandela also freedom meant freedom to make merry and enjoy a blissful life. Once anybody becomes an adult then antics of childhood look like transitory because most of the childish activity is wasteful from an adult’s perspective. Once you are an adult then someday you have to earn a livelihood to bring the bacon home, then only you get an honourable existence in the family and in the society.
3. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?
Answer
Mandela does not feel that the oppressor is free because according to him an oppressor is a prisoner of hatred, who is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. He feels that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity.
Thinking about the Text
1. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer
The presence of a large number of international leaders was a gesture of solidarity from the international community to the idea of the end of apartheid. It signified the triumph of good over evil, the triumph of the idea of a tolerant society without any discrimination.
2. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots” who had gone before him?
Answer
Mandela wanted to pay tribute to all the people who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom. he feels that he is the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before him because those heroes of yesterday’s years had paved the path of cooperation and unity for him. Therefore, he got the support of his people to be able to come to power to bring equality for his own people.
3. Would 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?
Answer
Yes, I agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”. Nelson Mandela illustrates this by giving examples of great heroes of South Africa who sacrificed their lives in the long freedom struggle. India is full of such examples. During our freedom struggle, there was a galaxy of leaders of great characters. Probably the oppression of British rule created so many men of such characters. If we compare this with the quality of political leaders India is having today, then Nelson Mandela seems to be absolutely right.
4. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Answer
With age Nelson Mandela realised that he had a lot of responsibilities of his people, his community and his country. As a boy, Mandela did not have a hunger for freedom because he thought that he was born free. He believed that as long as he obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe, he was free in every possible manner. He had certain needs as a teenager and certain needs as a young man. Gradually, he realized that he was selfish during his boyhood. He slowly understands that it is not just his freedom that is being curtailed, but the freedom of all blacks. It is after attaining this understanding that he develops a hunger for the freedom of his people.
5. How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Answer
Mandela realized in his youth that it was not just his freedom that was being curtailed, but the freedom of all blacks. The hunger for his own freedom became the hunger for the freedom of his people. This desire of a non-racial society transformed him into a virtuous and self-sacrificing man. Thus, he joined the African National Congress and this changed him from a frightened young man into a bold man.
MCQs
Question 1.
How does Nelson Mandela define the meaning of courage?
(a) Triumph over fear
(b) Triumph over love
(c) Triumph over selfish
(d) Triumph over poverty
Answer
(a) Triumph over fear
Question 2.
Where did ceremonies take place?
(a) Rockstone amphitheater
(b) Sandstone amphitheater
(c) Glass stone amphitheater
(d) None of the Above
Answer
(b) Sandstone amphitheatre
Question 3.
Which flame can be hidden but never extinguished?
(a) Man’s love
(b) Man’s natural way
(c) Man’s goodness
(d) None of the Above
Answer
(c) Man’s goodness
Question 4.
Which day was the largest gathering of international leaders on South African soil for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government?
(a) 9th May
(b) 10th May
(c) 11th May
(d) 12th May
Answer
(b) 10th May
Question 5.
What is a country’s greatest wealth?
(a) Its minerals
(b) Its people
(c) Its technology
(d) None of the Above
Answer
(b) Its people
Question 6.
What does depths of oppression create?
(a) oppressed
(b) heights of character
(c) poverty
(d) lack of freedom
Answer
(b) heights of character
Question 7.
Who, according to Mandela is not free?
(a) oppressor
(b) oppressed
(c) both 1 and 2
(d) none of the above
Answer
(c) both 1 and 2
Question 8.
Which party did Mandela join?
(a) Indian National Congress
(b) African National Congress
(c) National African Party
(d) he did not join any party
Answer
(b) African National Congress
Question 9.
What realisations did Mandela have of his boyhood freedom?
(a) it is just an illusion
(b) he was born free
(c) freedom was meant for kids
(d) he had no realisation
Answer
(a) it is just an illusion
Question 10.
Why were two National Anthems sung?
(a) to imply unity
(b) to mark the end of racial discrimination
(c) to mark the end of gender discrimination
(d) Both 1 and 2
Answer
(d) Both 1 and 2
Question 11.
What did Mandela learn about courage?
(a) it is the absence of fear
(b) it is the triumph over fear
(c) both 1 and 2
(d) none of the above
Answer
(b) it is the triumph over fear
Question 12.
What unintended effect did the decades of oppression and brutality have?
(a) created men of extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity
(b) Poverty and suffering
(c) Boycotts from foreign nations
(d) both 2 and 3
Answer
(a) created men of extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity
Question 13.
“The structure they created formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has ever known.” What structure is Mandela talking about?
(a) Racial domination against the black-skinned
(b) Poverty and suffering
(c) Discrimination against the poor
(d) oppression of women
Answer
(a) Racial domination against the black-skinned
Question 14.
The spectacular array of South African jets was a display of –
(a) military’s precision
(b) military’s loyalty to democracy
(c) none of the above
(d) both 1 and 2
Answer
(d) both 1 and 2
Question 15.
What was it that the nation needed to be liberated from?
(a) poverty
(b) gender discrimination
(c) deprivation
(d) all of the above
Answer
(d) all of the above
Question 16.
What change brought international leaders to South Africa?
(a) End of Apartheid
(b) humanity
(c) peace
(d) trade negotiations
Answer
(a) End of Apartheid
Question 17.
How many deputy presidents were elected?
(a) two
(b) three
(c) one
(d) none
Answer
(a) two
Question 18.
When was the inauguration day?
(a) 10 May
(b) 10 March
(c) 20 May
(d) 20 March
Answer
(a) 10 May
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