PODAR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Worksheet
Name: Std: X Date:
Subject: English Topic: Nelson Mandela

Q. No. Question Marks

1. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that
follow.
(a) Only moments before, the highest generals of South African defence
force and police, their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals
from days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty. I was not
unmindful of the fact that not so many years before they would not
have saluted but arrested me.
i. Who is referred to as ‘me’? Why were the generals saluting him? 1
ii. What was the significance of the ceremony taking place? 1
iii. Why were two national anthems sung at the ceremony? 2
iv. Fill in the blank with the correct word. 1
The people of the country had achieved _______, ________ and
richness of culture

(b) As long as I obeyed my father and abided by the customs of my

tribe, Iwas not troubled by the laws of man or God. It was only when
I began to learn that my boyhood freedom was an illusion, when I
discovered as a young man that my freedom had already been
taken from me, that I began to hunger for it. At first as a student, I
wanted freedom only for myself, the transitory freedom of being
able to stay out at night, read what I pleased and go where I
chose. Later, as a young man in Johannesburg, I yearned for the
basic and honourable freedoms..."
i. In what ways was Mandela free? 1
ii. What kind of freedom did Mandela yearn for as a man? 1
iii. Why did Nelson Mandela join the African National Congress? 2
iv. Fill in the blank with only one word. 1
The speaker says that freedom is _________.

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 2. Answer the following in 40-50 words. 3 m each
(a) What transferred Nelson Mandela from a frightened young
man to a boldman?
(b) How was Mandela overwhelmed with a sense of history?
(c) What did Nelson Mandela pledge to do for the future of South
Africa athis swearing- in ceremony?
(d) What did Mandela think for oppressor and oppressed?

3. Answer the following in 100-120 words. 6 m each

(a) Describe the value of freedom for the human beings and how it is
important for the growth of civilisation and humanism as
described in the lesson ‘Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’.
(b) What were Mandela’s opinions about the first and last decades
of thetwentieth century?
Why does he say on the day of the inauguration that he was
overwhelmed with a sense of history?
(c) India is a country of unity in diversity. Yet discrimination exists. Give
your views on this.
(d) What does Mandela think about the patriots? Can they be repaid?

4. Choose the correct option

a) The inauguration ceremony was a celebration of South Africa’s first1 m each
__________ government.
i. autocratic, racial
ii. democratic, non-racial
iii. democratic, racial
iv. monarchial , non-racial
b) Why did other countries break off diplomatic relations with South
Africa?
i. White rulers
ii. It was a communist country
iii. It was a poor country
iv. Apartheid policy
c) “The structure they created formed the basis of one of the
harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has ever known.”

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 What structure is Mandela talking about?
i. racial domination against the black skinned
ii. poverty and suffering
iii. discrimination against the poor
iv. domination and oppression of women
d) What realisation did Mandela have of his boyhood freedom?
i. It is just an illusion.
ii. He was born free.
iii. Freedom was meant for children.
iv. It had to be earned.
e) What began Mandela’s hunger for freedom?
i. the fact that it had already been taken away from him

ii. his obligation towards people

iii. his obligation towards family
iv. the fact that he was a soldier and it was his duty to fight
f) How does Nelson Mandela define the meaning of courage?
i. triumph over fear
ii. triumph over love
iii. triumph over compassion
iv. triumph over poverty
g) What change brought international leaders to South Africa?
i. end of Apartheid
ii. beginning of racism
iii. end of peace
iv. beginning of trade negotiations
h) According to Mandela, what is the greatest wealth of a nation?
i. minerals
ii. gems
iii. land
iv. people
i) Whom did Mandela wanted to thank but couldn’t?
i. his family
ii. white rulers

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 iii. African patriots
iv. military
j) “We have achieved our political emancipation.” What is the
meaning ofemancipation?
i. freedom from work
ii. freedom from restriction
iii. bravery
iv. imprisonment

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