We have Provided the NCERT/CBSE Solutions chapter-wise for Class 10 English First Flight Prose Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom with Answers by expert subject teacher for latest syllabus and examination. Students also can take a free NCERT Solutions of Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom. Each question has right answer Solved by Expert Teacher.
NCERT Solutions Class 10 English First Flight Prose
Activity
In 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.
| A | B |
| (i) A rainbow gathering of different colours and nations (ii) The seat of white supremacy (iii) Be overwhelmed with a sense of history (iv) Resilience that defies the imagination (v) A glimmer of humanity (vi) A twilight existence | -A great ability (almost unimaginable) to remain unchanged by suffering (not losing hope, goodness or courage) – A half-secret life, like a life lived in the fading light between sunset and darkness – A sign of human feeling (goodness, kindness, pity, justice, etc.) – A beautiful coming together of various peoples, like the colours in a rainbow – The centre of racial superiority – Feel deeply emotional, remembering and understanding all the past events that have led up to the moment |
Answer:
| A | B |
| (i) A rainbow gathering of different colours and nations (ii) The seat of white supremacy (iii) Be overwhelmed with a sense of history (iv) Resilience that defies the imagination (v) A glimmer of humanity (vi) A twilight existence | A beautiful coming together of various peoples, like the colours in a rainbow – The centre of racial superiority – Feel deeply emotional, remembering and understanding all the past events that have led up to the moment – A great ability (almost unimaginable) to remain unchanged by suffering (not losing hope, goodness or courage) – A sign of human feeling (goodness, kindness, pity, justice, etc.) – A half-secret life, like a life lived in the fading light between sunset and darkness |
Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer: The ceremonies took place in the Union Building amphitheater in Pretoria. Red Fort is made of sandstone.
Q2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer: Generally, autumn season signifies the harvest season that is associated with abundance and prosperity. 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa because on this auspicious day, the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government took place in the presence of the largest gathering ever of international leaders on the South African soil.
Q3. 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 ‘an extraordinary human disaster’ Mandela means to state the practice of apartheid in South Africa. During this there was a racial segregation based on colour and the blacks suffered a lot. They were not allowed to demand freedom or any right. Mandela himself did spend many years on infamous ‘Robben Island’ as a prisoner where he was beaten mercilessly. He considered it as great glorious human achievement that a black person became the President of a country where the blacks were not even considered human beings and were treated badly.
Q4. 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.
Q5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer: He sets out the ideals of liberating his people from various bondages. These are of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discriminations.
Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
Answer: The military earlier arrested and disrespected the Blacks. But after Mandela became the President of South Africa, the highest military generals of South Africa saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty towards the new emerging Africa.
Q2. Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer: One the auspicious occasion of the inauguration two national anthems: one by the Whites and the other by the Blacks symbolising the equality of the Blacks and the Whites were sung.
Q3. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and
Answer: (i) In the first decade, the white-skinned people of South Africa practised racism that gave rise to a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people living there. The system formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane societies the world had ever known.
(ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?
Answer: (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.
Q4. What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer: To Mandela, courage is to risk and give one’s life for an idea. Courage is to stand up to attacks and tortures without breaking and to show strength and resilience that are unimaginable. In fact, courage is the triumph over fear. He learnt the meaning of the word ‘courage’ when he saw the cruel behaviour of the Whites towards Blacks. He knew he had to show courage to bring freedom to each one of them.
Q5. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer: Mandela thought that love comes more naturally to the human heart rather than hate.
Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. 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.
Q2. 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 the freedom meant a freedom to make merry and enjoy the blissful life. Once anybody becomes an adult then antics of childhood looks like transitory because most of the childish activity is wasteful from an adult’s perspective. Once you are 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.
Q3. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?
Answer: Mandela thinks that the, oppressor is not free like the oppressed. A person who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred. He is locked in prejudice and narrow-mindedness.
Thinking About the Text
Q1. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration?
What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer: A large number of international leaders attended the inauguration to support and praise the people of South Africa in their victory for justice, for peace and human dignity. The presence of International community symbolized the collective global effort to end the system of apartheid.
Q2. 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 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.
Q3. 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 believe that “depths of oppression” create “heights of character.” It is when we face adverse situations, we realize the potential we hold. Adverse situations help us to come out of our bubble and discover the strength that lies deep within us. Nelson Mandela never thought as a child that he would fight for the freedom of the citizens and nations. He was ready to sacrifice himself for the freedom of his nation. He served around 27 years in prison and then became the first President of independent South Africa.
Q4. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Answer: First Mandela thought of personal freedom like doing what one liked. But as he grew up he started understanding freedom as indivisible. It is also of his own men. He thought of freedom for all his own people more important than anything else.
Q5. 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.
Thinking about Language
I. There are nouns in the text (formation, government) which are formed from the corresponding verbs (form, govern) by suffixing -(at)ion or ment. There may be a change in the spelling of some verb – noun pairs: such as rebel, rebellion; constitute, constitution.
Q1. Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text.
| Noun | Verb |
| Rebellion | Rebel |
| Constitution | Constitute |
Answer:
| Noun | Verb |
| Rebellion | Rebel |
| Constitution | Constitute |
| discrimination | discriminate |
| deprivation | deprive |
| demonstration | demonstrate |
| oppression | oppress |
Q2. Read the paragraph below. Fill in the blanks with the noun forms of the verbs in brackets.
Martin Luther King’s ____________(contribute) to our history as an outstanding leader began when he came to the ____________ (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 ____________ (subjugate) and __________ (humiliate) by the police and the legal system. Beatings, _____________(imprison) and sometimes death awaited those who defied the System. Martin Lither King’s tactics of protest involved non-violent _________________ (resist) to racial injustice.
Answer:
(i) contribution
(ii) assistance
(iii) subjugation
(iv) humiliation
(v) imprisonment
(vi) resistance
II. Using the Definite Article with Names
Q1. Mr Singh regularly invites the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans to his parties.
Answer: This implies that Mr. Singh regularly invites prominent personalities of caliber such as Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Mr. Shah Rukh Khan to his parties.
Q2. Many people think that Madhuri Dixit is the Madhubala of our times.
Answer: This implies that in the current generation, Madhuri Dixit is compared to the great actress, Madhubala.
Q3. History is not only the story of the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers, but of ordinary people as well.
Answer: This means history is not only the story of great fighers such as Alexander, Napoleon or Hitler, but also of other ordinary people.
III. Idiomatic Expressions
Match 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.)
| A | B |
| 1. I was not unmindful of the fact | (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact (ii) was not careful about the fact (iii) forgot or was not aware of the fact |
| 2. when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits | (i) pushed by the guards to the wall (ii) took more than our share of beatings (iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer |
| to reassure me and keep me going | (i) make me go on walking (ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation (iii) make me remain without complaining |
| the basic and honourable freedoms of…earning my keep,… | (i) earning enough money to live on (ii) keeping what I earned (iii) getting a good salary |
A B
- I was not unmindful of the fact (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact
(ii) was not careful about the fact
(iii) forgot or was not aware of the fact
- when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits (i) pushed by the guards to the wall
(ii) took more than our share of beatings
(iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer
- to reassure me and keep me going (i) make me go on walking
(ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation
(iii) make me remain without complaining
- the basic and honourable freedoms of…earning my keep,… (i) earning enough money to live on
(ii) keeping what I earned
(iii) getting a good salary
Answer:
| A | B |
| 1. I was not unmindful of the fact 2. when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits 3. to reassure me and keep me going 4. the basic and honourable freedoms of…earning my keep,… | (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact (iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer (ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation (i) earning enough money to live on |
Speaking
In 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.)
True liberty is freedom from poverty, deprivation and all forms of discrimination.
• causes of poverty and means of overcoming it
• discrimination based on gender, religion, class, etc.
• constitutionally guaranteed human rights
Answer: Self Attempt
Writing
I. Looking at Contrasts
Nelson Mandela’s writing is marked by balance: many sentences have two parts in balance.
Use the following phrases to complete the sentences given below
(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.
1) It requires such depths of oppression____________
2) Courage was not the absence of fear__________
3) The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid___________
4) If people can learn to hate__________
5) I was not born with a hunger to be free. __
Answer:
1) It requires such depths of oppression (v) to create such heights of character.
2) Courage was not the absence of fear (iii) but the triumph over it
3) The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid (iv) but he who conquers that fear.
4) If people can learn to hate (i) they can be taught to love.
5) I was not born with a hunger to be free. (ii) I was born free.
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