CBSE Class 10 English Nelson Mandela Worksheet

 

This chapter is an extract from ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ which is the famous autobiography of Nelson Mandela, one of the leading figures of the world. In the autobiography, Nelson Mandela provides a thought-provoking insight into political and social emancipation. He extensively talks about the system of government, the strength of courage, the power of love and the shallowness of hatred. He also says that freedom is essential for human dignity and oppression is a tormentor that decimates the dignity and identity of races . He believes that oppressors too must be liberated from the chains of hatred.

 

 

Nelson Mandela, a world renowned anti-apartheid activist was the first black president of South Africa. After more than 3 centuries of white rule, South Africa celebrated its first democratic non-racial government. Being affirmed in, Mandela said radiantly, ‘Never again shall it be that this beautiful land will experience the oppression of one by another’. He admires the freedom fighters like Oliver Tambo, Luthuli and Yusuf Dadoo and pays a tribute to thousands of people who sacrificed their lives for freedom. He believed that it is not the absence of fear but the victory over it that counts most. Every human has a right to live rather than to be harassed on basis of their race. He believed that every man has a right to freedom and the day this was achieved it was a great day noted in history.

 

 

Everybody whether human or other creatures want to live free as freedom is natural to all living beings. The value of freedom is better known to that human being who has not tasted it till he gets it. A person who is chained within limits, judged on his race and not allowed to perform his duties freely, values freedom more than anyone else. There is no growth of civilization till one has the right to freedom. Humanism grows in the atmosphere of freedom.

 

Choose the correct answer.

Question. What had the Union Building in Pretoria been seat of for decades?
(i) Democratic government
(ii) White supremacy
(iii) Non-racial supremacy
(iv) Black supremacy
Answer. B

Question. The apartheid regime was based on:
(i) mutual hatred.
(ii) mutual trust.
(iii) mutual cooperation.
(iv) racial discrimination.
Answer. D

Question. How were the black people treated in South Africa earlier?
(i) as respectable citizens
(ii) as high class citizens
(iii) as privileged class citizens
(iv) as the class of people out of the main stream
Answer. D

Question. According to Mandela, the people of South Africa are:
(i) the greatest burden.
(ii) mere expenses.
(iii) the greatest wealth.
(iv) useless manpower.
Answer. C

Question. According to Mandela, the brave man is not he who doesn’t feel afraid, but he who:
(i) conquers that fear.
(ii) withstands that fear.
Answer. A

Question. The ceremony took place in a building made of:
(i) marble
(ii) sandstone
(iii) bricks
(iv) wood
Answer. B

Question. The Anglo-Boer war was fought:
(i) in the last decade of the 20th century.
(ii) in the first decade of the 20th century.
(iii) in the middle of the 20th century.
(iv) only a few decades ago.
Answer. B

Question. Who had erected the system of racial domination in South Africa?
(i) The Blacks
(ii) The Whites
(iii) History
(iv) Society
Answer. B

Question. What did men like Oliver Tambos and Walter Sisulus possess?
(i) Courage
(ii) Wisdom
(iii) Generosity
(iv) All of these
Answer. D

Question. Why do you think Mandela mentions some freedoms as ‘transitory’?
(i) The freedoms are momentary and keep changing with time.
(ii) The definition of freedom is constant but perspectives differ.
(iii) Freedom means different things to different people.
(iv) Freedom is not that important after a certain age.
Answer. A

Extract Based Questions:-

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

(A) The house- the only one in the entire valley -sat on the crest of a low hill. From this height, one could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a good downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the morning Lencho -who knew his fields intimately- had done nothing but see the sky towards the northeast.

Question. Based on the detail of the house’s location, how can it best be described?
a) majestic
b) imposing
c) solitary
d) unique
Answer. C

Question. The field of corn dotted with flowers means that
a) not a single flower was bigger than a dot
b) the flowers were scattered across.
c) the flowers were shaped like dots.
d) the flowers had shrunk in size.
Answer. B

Question. Lencho wished for a downpour or a heavy shower. Pick the option that correctly lists the correct match for kinds of rain.
1. Heavy Rain            (i) light rain that falls in very fine drops
2. Thunderstorm       (ii) very heavy rain, tropical rain
3. Drizzle                 (iii) it’s coming down quite strong and you get wet very quickly
4. Torrential Rain      (iv) really heavy rain that comes very suddenly
5. Downpour            (v) violent short-lived weather disturbance associated with lightning, thunder and gusty winds
a) 1-ii,2-iv,3-v,4-i,5-iii
b) 1-iv,2-i,3-iii,4-v,5-ii
c) 1-v,2-iii,3-iv,4-ii,5-i
d) 1-iii,2-v,3-i,4-ii,5-iv
Answer. D

Question. Based on the given extract, what is Lencho NOT likely to think while looking at his field?

a) Option (i)
b) Option (ii)
c) Option (iii)
d) Option (iv)
Answer. D

Question. Which quote supports the idea in the given extract?
a) “Farming is a profession of hope.”
b) “I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world)”
c) “Farming looks mighty easy when your plough is a pencil, and you’re a thousand miles from the cornfield)”
d) “Those too lazy to plough in the right season will have no food at the harvest.”
Answer. A

 

2. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”

Question. ‘…bunch of crooks.’ Pick the option that DOES NOT collate with ‘bunch of’, correctly.

a) option (i)
b) option (ii)
c) option (iii)
d) option (iv)
Answer. D

Question. What was the most likely response that the postmaster expected in Lencho’s second letter?
i) sorrowful ii) gratitude iii) disappointment iv) elation v) shock
a) ii and v
b) i and iii
c) ii and iv
d) iii and v
Answer. C

Question. Pick the option that lists the option corresponding to—’with a blow of his fist.’

a) Option (i)
c) Option (iii)
b) Option (ii)
d) Option (iv)
Answer. D

Question. Lencho’s letter included
a) details of his problems.
b) description of the post office.
c) belief of being looted)
d) List of further demands.
Answer. D

Question. Pick the most suitable quote for this extract.
a) “It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled)” – Mark Twain
b) “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”- Confucius
c) “You see a person’s true colours when you are no longer beneficial to their life.”- anonymous
d) “True generosity means accepting ingratitude.” – Coco Chanel
Answer. D

 

3. Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was destroyed) The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn.” That night was a sorrowful one. “All our work, for nothing. There’s no one who can help us”. “We’ll all go hungry this year. “But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God) “Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss. Remember, no one dies of hunger. “That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger. “

Question. ‘Not a leaf remained on the trees’. In which season we can see trees without leaves?
a) summer
b) winter
c) rainy
d) autumn
Answer. D

Question. Why was Lencho’s soul filled with sadness?
a) locust had destroyed cornfields
b) it did not rain
c) the hail storm destroyed cornfields
d) his children did not obey him
Answer. A,C

Question. What do these words mean- “a plague of locusts would have left more than this”
a) hailstones destroyed the crops more than the plague of locusts
b) locust would have spared their field on request
c) locusts had eaten partial crop
d) locusts are less dangerous
Answer. A

Question. How did Lencho feel when the hail stopped?

a) option 1
b) option 2
c) option 3
d) option 4
Answer. B

Question. What was Lencho’s last hope?"
a) God would help him
b) his relatives would help him
c) they will work hard again
d) they had a huge stock of grain
Answer. A

 

Short Answer type Questions:-

Question. People get support from family and friends during bad times. How does Lencho’s family behave after the harvest is ruined?
Answer. After the harvest is ruined, Lencho’s family consoles him by saying that no one dies of hunger and that God would take care of them.

Question. Lencho did not bother exploring any other means to resolve his situation but just turned to God) Do you feel that his approach was justified? Why/Why not?
Answer. I do not justify his approach of relying solely on God’s help. It was totally illogical. Sorrow and happiness are two phases of life that everyone must stay prepared to face. Besides, praying to God for his mental calmness he should have approached his relatives for help and worked hard again.

Question. What kind of person do you think Lencho was? Are there people like Lencho in the real world?
Answer. No, I don’t think there can be any person in the real world) Lencho was a farmer and he knew how to write a letter also. This shows us that he was literate but then also he didn’t know how his letter will reach God without any address. He was faithful and had lack of knowledge.

Question. After reaching the post office What steps did he follow to post the letter second time?
Answer. Immediately after reaching the post office Lencho went to the window to ask for paper and ink. paper and ink. Then he started to write the letter by placing it on a public writing table. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist and put the letter into the mailbox.

Question. What was Lencho’s pride and possession?
Answer. Lencho’s pride and possession was his harvest and his great belief in God) He lived in the solitary house on the crest of a low hill in the valley. From here he culd see the river and field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest. When the hail ruined his crop, his heart was filled with sorrow. But he did not loss hope as he had a great faith in god) He then wrote a letter to god and requested him to send hundred pesos in order to sow his field again. Therefore we can say Lencho’s pride and possession was his harvest and great faith in God)

Question. The field was white as if covered with salt.’ This is how the field is described after the hailstorm. The pelting hailstones could have been easily seen as sugar cubes. Do you think comparing it with sugar would have been more appropriate? Why/ Why not?
Answer. A hailstorm can be compared to small balls of anything that is white in colour. But, here, the comparison to salt is much better than sugar cubes. As sugar symbolises sweetness or happiness, whereas excess salt signifies the spoilt taste. The hailstorm spoiled Lencho’s fields totally that’s why it is said that the field was white as if covered with salt. So, comparing it with sugar would not have been more appropriate.

Question. Lencho and his family knew the implications the hailstorm would have on their lives. Write a conversation between Lencho and his wife as they watched the downpour turn into a hailstorm.
Answer. Conversation between Lencho and his wife – Wife: If this storm does not stop here, we will die of hunger. Lencho: Yes, our hard work will go to waste. It must stop now. Wife; We will have no corn left this year. Lencho: Don’t worry, God can see everything and He will not let us die of hunger. Wife: Let’s hope so. I have heard that no one dies of hunger.

Question. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still, he knew how to write.’ What does this line tell us about the norm amongst such farmers, then?
Answer. This line tells us that normally the farmers working in the fields are hard-working but uneducated) They can work like ox in the fields. But, Lencho could read and write. He wrote a letter to God for help after the hailstorm destroyed his cornfields.

Question. What, according to you would have been the likely reaction of Lencho’s wife upon knowing about him writing an actual letter to God?
Answer. According to me, she would have been happy knowing that Lencho had informed God about their loss and help would reach them soon. She had a deep faith in God) She believed that no one can die of hunger because God takes care of everyone’s basic needs.

Question. What qualities are reflected in the character of post office employees?
Answer. The employees were kind and helpful. They contributed money to help Lencho who was a total stranger to them. The postmaster's attitude toward helping Lencho is very kind and wonderful. He is a man of good heart who takes the initiative to send money to Lencho.

Long Answer Type Questions:-

Question. The people at the post office contribute to putting together whatever they can manage, for Lencho.
(a) What do you think was the main reason behind their help? Would you have done the same if you were one of the employees?
(b) As an employee, write about your perspective and reason(s) for contributing to the fund) The fact that you don’t want to say ‘no’ to a cause initiated by your boss, can also be an equally compelling reason!
Answer. (a)The main reason behind their help could be empathy. If I were in the place of one of the employees I would have definitely helped Lencho by giving out some money. “Many a little makes a mickle”. One rupee donated by 100 people would make up to 100 rupees without making much difference to the donor. However, it would be a big help for the donee.
(b) Of course, an employee can’t say ‘no’ to a helping deed initiated by his/her boss. But, as an employee, I consider it right to help a distressed person. It is the moral duty of every human to help a needy person. You never know, maybe, it’s your turn next time. I believe that ‘Charity always begins at home.

Question. Read the given anecdote and analyse the similarities and differences with reference to ‘A Letter to God’.
A very poor woman called a radio station asking for help from God) A non-believer in God, also listening to this radio program, decided to make fun of the woman. He got her address, called his secretary and ordered her to buy food and take it to the woman. However, the instruction was: “When the woman asks who sent the food, tell her that it’s from the devil.” When the secretary arrived at the woman’s house, the woman was very happy and grateful for the help. The Secretary then asked her, ”Don’t you want to know who sent the food?” The woman replied, ”No, I don’t even care because when God orders, even the devil obeys!
Answer. The given anecdote is similar to the lesson- ‘A letter to God’ in the following ways- Both Lencho and the woman in the story believed blindly in God) Just like Lencho did not try any other source, the woman also waited patiently for God’s help. The two stories verify that God listens to the people, by any means, who trust him. The two stories stand apart in the following manner- The woman in the story was helped with the intention of ridicule. Whereas the postmaster tried to help Lencho to sustain his belief in God) The woman felt grateful for getting the help. Lencho, on the opposite, started yelling at the postmaster. The intentions of the people helping the victim are different in both stories. The man in the above story wanted to shake the woman’s belief in God by sending help as a devil. On the contrary, the postmaster collected helped Lencho to keep intact his faith in God)

Question. The postmaster was a representative of God) Evaluate this statement in the context of your understanding of ‘A Letter to God”.
Answer. The postmaster is rightly depicted as a representative of God because he managed to collect money for Lencho who was helpless at that time. It is believed that God can’t be physically present everywhere to help his children, so He sends help through his messengers. People believe that He relieves their sufferings through his representatives. He can be understood as representative of God as he made efforts to Lencho’s prayers which were addressed to God) He even replied to Lencho’s letter on behalf of God so that his belief in God is not shaken. Though the postmaster was a human being, his helping action can be compared to the representative of God)

 

 

 

 

1. The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non -racial government.

 

(a) Which ‘ceremonies’ are referred to here?

(b) What does ‘rainbow gathering’ mean?

(c)Where did the ceremonies take place?

 

2. On that lovely autumn day, I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani. On the podium, Mr. De Klerk was first sworn in as Second Deputy President. Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as First Deputy President. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution and to devote myself to the well -being of its people.

 

(a) Who is the speaker of these lines?

(b) What oath did the speaker take?

(c) In which capacity did the speaker take the oath?

 

3. It was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force but a demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police, their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals from days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty.

 

(a) What type of government was chosen in South Africa?

(b) How was it chosen?

(c) What did the military generals do?

 

 

1. Describe the views of Mandela for the black people who fought and sacrificed their lives for the country’s political independence.

2. What ‘twin obligation’ does Nelson Mandela mention?

3. How did Mandela’s ‘Hunger for Freedom’ change his life?

4. What did Nelson Mandela pledge when he was sworn in as the President?

5. What did Mandela think about the ‘oppressor’ and ‘oppressed’?

 

 

1.How did Nelson Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?