Class 10th English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Questions and Answers Gujarat Board

Oral Comprehension Check (Textbook Page No. 18 – 19)
Question 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 in 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 Madras High Court in Chennai are some examples of Indian public buildings that are made of sandstone.

Question 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.

Question 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 as great glorious human achievement that a black person became the s president of a country where the blacks are not considered as human being and are treated badly.

Question 4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for ?
Answer:
Mandela felt privileged to be the host s 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.

Question 5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa ?
Answer:
Mandela set out the ideals of poverty alleviation, removal of suffering of people. He also set the ideal for a society where there would be no discrimination based on gender or racial origins.

(Textbook Page No. 21)
Question 6. 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.

Question 7. 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.

Question 8. 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 darkskinned 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.

Question 9. 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.

Question 10. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate ?
Answer:
For Mandela, love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.

(Textbook Page No. 24)
Question 11. 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.

Question 12. 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 s 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.

Question 13. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free ? Why /Why not ?
Answer:
Mandela does not feel that the s oppressor is free because according to him an oppressor is a prisoner of hatred, who is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrowmindedness. He feels that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity.

Thinking about the Text
Question 1. Why did such a large number international leaders attend the inauguration ? What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer:
The presence of large number of s international leaders was a gesture of solidarity from 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.

Question 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 wants to pay his 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 yester s years had paved the path of co-operation 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.

Question 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 i 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.

Question 4. How did Mandela’s understanding o.f 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.

Question 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 nonracial 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 
1. 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 chaftge in the spelling of some verb-noun pairs, such as:
rebel – rebellion constitute – constitution.
Question 1. Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text.
Answer:

2. Read the paragraph below. Fill in the blanks with the noun forms of the verbs given 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 Luther King’s tactics of protest involved non-violent ………….. (resist) to racial injustice.
Answer:
Martin Luther King’s contribution to our history as an outstanding leader began when he came to the assistance of Rdsa 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 and humiliation by the police and the legal system. Beatings, imprisonment and sometimes death awaited those who defied the System. Martin Luther King’s tactics of protest involved non-violent resistance to racial injustice.

2. Here are some more examples of ‘the’ used with proper names. Try to say what these sentences mean. (You may consult a dictionary if you wish. Look at the entry for ‘the’):

(1) Mr Singh regularly invites the Amitabh ; Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans to s his parties.
(2) Many people think that Madhuri Dixit is ‘] the Madhubala of our times.
(3) History is not only the story of the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers, but of ordinary people as well.
Answer:
(1) This means that Mr Singh regularly invites famous personalities such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to his parties.
(2) This means that Madhuri Dixit is compared to a phenomenon in acting in the form of legendary actress Madhubala.
(3) This means that history is not only the story of the great fighters and leaders such as Alexander, Napoleon and Hitler, but also of ordinary people.

3. Match, the italicised phrases in column ‘A’ with the phrase nearest meaning in column
‘B’. (Hint : First look for the sentence in the text which the phrase in column A occurs.)
Answer:

Class 10th English First Flight Poem Chapter 3 A Tiger in the Zoo Questions and Answers Gujarat Board

Thinking about the Poem
Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks: 
Question 1. Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
Answer:

Question 2. Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns.
Answer:

Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:
(1) On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.

(2) And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.

Question 1. What do you think is the effect of this repetition ?
Answer:
(1) The repetition of the word ‘quiet’ increases the intensity of contrast between the tiger’s rage and his helpless silence.

(2) The repetition of the word ‘brilliant’ increases the intensity of comparison between the shining of the tiger’s eyes and that of the stars.

Read the following two poems – one about a tiger and the other about a Panther. Then discuss:
Question 1. Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals ? Are they useful for educating the public ? Are there alternatives to zoos ?

The Tiger

The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars.
Then he thinks.

It would be nice not to be behind bars all
The time
Because they spoil my view
I wish I were wild, not on show.
But if I were wild, hunters might shoot me,
But if I were wild, food might poison me,
But if I were wild, water might drown me.
Then he stops thinking And …………..
The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars.

-Peter Niblett

The Panther

His vision, from the constantly passing bars,
has grown so weary that it cannot hold
anything else. It seems to him there are
a thousand bars; and behind the bars,
no world.
As he paces in cramped circles,
over and over,
the movement of his powerful soft strides,
is like a ritual dance around a centre
in which a mighty will stands paralysed.
Only at times, the curtain of the pupils
lifts, quietly. An image enters in,
rushes down through the tensed,
arrested muscles,
plunges into the heart and is gone.

-Rainer Maria Rilke

Answer:
Zoos are the places where several animals are kept. Some groups of people consider that zoos should be banned in the 21st century as they snatch the freedom of animals. However, I disagree with the given notion because of the benefits zoos provide such as protection of animals, education and entertainment, lastly maintenance of ecological balance.

To begin with, most of the animals these days are gradually losing their natural habitats because of deforestation and natural calamities. So in this cases, goos prove to be beneficial for animals as they get a safer place to live in. Zoos also provide enough place for large animals. Hence, it is pertinent to consider zoos should exist.

Furthermore, in past few decades, several animals are moving towards extinction because of poaching and illegal trade of animals. For example, in country like India, tigers are being killed and hence the remaining tigers are being protected by keeping them in zoos. Consequently, Government of India to increase their number has initiated numerous breeding programs.

In addition, zoos act as a huge source of knowledge for children since they can relish the opportunity of watching animals closely. The images of animals which they see in their textbooks can be seen live in the zoos and they can also get entertained. Finally, zoos help in maintaining ecological balance by saving several animals. If animals’ extinction continues without being addressed then in the long run, it disturbs the natural life cycle and ultimately ends in dangerous consequences. Therefore, it is not correct to think of a world without zoos.
Taking into consideration all the above points, I believe that zoos should not be banned as they are safe living places for many animals.

Question 4. Take a point of view for or against zoos, or even consider both points of view and write a couple of paragraphs or speak about this topic for a couple of minutes in class.
Answer:
Nowadays almost every city has a zoo, keeping and displaying various wild animals. However, there is a dispute on whether zoos are cruel or not. I will examine both sides and then give my opinion