Model Questions and Answers on Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

Probable Questions and Answers

 

1. Very Short Type Questions : Mark : 1

1. Choose the correct answer.

(a) The inauguration ceremony of Nelson Mandela becoming the President took place in

(i) the amphitheatre  (ii) Union Buildings   (iii) the lovely sandstone amphitheatre.

Ans:    (ii) Union Buildings.

(b) Mr. de Klerk was first sworn in as

(i) Prime Minister      (ii) First Deputy President    (iii) Second Deputy President

Ans:    (iii) Second Deputy President.

(c) Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as

(i) Prime Minister      (ii) First Deputy President    (iii) Second Deputy President

Ans:    (ii) First Deputy President

(d) The smoke trail of Impala jets symbolised

(i) Unity is strength   (ii) the victory of celebration            (iii) the new South African flag

Ans:    (iii) the new South African flag.

(e) Great men viz. Oliver Tambos, Walter Sisulus, Chief Luthulis were produced as a result of

(i) oppression and hatred for the blacks     (ii) the ‘effects’ of decades of oppression and brutality      (iii) freedom movement.

Ans:    (ii) the ‘effects’ of decades of oppression and brutality.

(f) The author was born with certain freedoms viz.

(i) running      (ii) roasting mealies  (iii) running in the fields, swimming, roasting mealies, riding the bulls etc.

Ans: (iii) running in the fields, swimming, roasting mealies, riding the bulls etc.

2. Say true or false:

(a) The ‘inauguration’ was for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.

Ans:    True.

(b) Mr. de Klerk was first sworn in as second deputy president.

Ans:    True.

(c) The inauguration took place on 10^th May, 1992.

Ans:    False.

(d) Nelson Mandela had a great respect for a host of great men of character like Oliver Tambos, Walter Sisulus, Chief Luthulis and so on.

Ans:    True.

(e) Only one national anthem was sung on that historic day.

Ans:    False.

(f) In South Africa, during the whites’ supremacy, the blacks could fulfil the twin obligations.

Ans:    False.

(g) Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress when the freedom of everyone had been curtailed.

Ans:    True.

(h) Nelson Mandela could not enjoy his freedom because his family’s freedom had been curtailed.

Ans:    True.

3. Choose the appropriate meaning of the italicised words from the choices given in brackets:

(a) ………. had been pleasantly ‘besieged’ by ……… (felt good/to be surrounded closely by/honoured)

Ans:    to be surrounded closely by.

(b) ………. our political ‘emanciption’ ………. (curtailment/freedom from restriction/bondage)

Ans:    freedom from restriction.

(c) ………. anthem they once ‘despised’, they ………. (hatred/ reluctant/ had a very low opinion of)

Ans:    had a very low opinion of.

(d) ………. from that ‘profound’ hurt ………. (mild/ superficial/ deep and strong)

Ans:    deep and strong.

(e) ………. the ‘transitory’ freedoms ………. (permanent/ lasting for a short time/ ever)

Ans:    lasting for a short time.

4. What is ‘apartheid’?

Ans:    ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people according to their race.

5. Who wrote the autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”?

Ans:    Nelson Mandela wrote the autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”.

6. What is the full name of Mr. Mandela?

Ans:    The full name of Mr. Mandela is Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

7. When was the democratic elections held in South Africa?

Ans:    The democratic elections was held in the year 1994 in South Africa.

8. Who surrounded the author before the ‘inauguration’?

Ans:    International laders surrounded the author before the ‘inauguration’.

9. Where did the ceremonies take place?

Ans:    The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre in the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

10. What had been the seat of white supremacy for decades?

Ans:    The lovely sandstone amphitheatre in the Union Buildings in Pretoria had been the seat of white supremacy for decades.

11. Who were the leaders present there?

Ans:    The leaders present there are Mr Nelson Mandela, Mr de Klerk, Mr Thabo Mbeki and others.

12. Why did the leaders gather in South Africa on 10^th May, 1994?

Ans:    The leaders gathered in South Africa to pay their respects to Mr Nelson Mandela.

13. Who accompanied the author on that lovely autumn day?

Ans:    Nelson Madela’s daughter Zenani accompanied him on that lovely autumn day

14. Who was sworn in as the second deputy president?

Ans:    Mr de Klerk was sworn in as the second deputy president.

15. Who was sworn in as first deputy president?

Ans:    Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president.

16. What roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings?

Ans:    South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings.

17. What could the highest generals have done to the author earlier?

Ans:    The highest generals could have arrested the author earlier.

18. What were the colours emitted by a chevron of Impala jets?

Ans:    The colours emitted by a chevron of Impala jets are — black, red, green, blueand gold.

19. What did the smoke trail of Impala jets symbolise?

Ans:    The smoke trail of Impala jets symbolised the South African flag.

20. Name the two national anthems sung on that historic day?

Ans:    The two national anthems sung on that historic day were – Nkosi Sikelel i-Afrika and Die Stem.

21. What happened in the first decade of the twentieth century?

Ans:    In the first decade of the twentieth century, the whites in South Africa erected a system of racial domination over the blacks, known as ‘apartheid’.

22. Who formed the structure of one of the harshest and most inhumane societies?

Ans:    The policy of apartheid formed the structure of one of the harshest and most inhuman societies.

23. How old was the author at the time of ‘inauguration’?

Ans:    The author was in his eighties at the time of the ‘inauguration’.

24. What created a deep and lasting wound in South Africa?

Ans:    The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in South Africa.

25. What qualities did the great man viz. Oliver Tambos, Walter Sisulus, Chief Luthulis display?

Ans:    The great man viz. Oliver Tambos, Walter Sisulus, Chief Luthulis displayed the qualities of courage, wisdom and generosity.

26. How many obligations does every man have according to the author?

Ans:    Every man has two obligations according to the author.

27. Why could men not fulfil their twin obligations?

Ans:    In South Africa, if a coloured person tried to fulfil his obligations to his people, he is isolated and prevented from fulfilling his obligations to his family. So, men could not fulfil their twin obligations.

28. Name the party joined by the author?

Ans:    The author joined the “African National Congress” party.

29. What distinctions does Nelson Mandela attain after more than three centuries of white rule?

Ans:    Nelson Mandela attained the distinction of having freed his nation from the rule of the whites.

30. How many seats were won by Nelson Mandela’s party in the first democratic elections of South Africa?

Ans:    Nelson Mandela’s party won 252 seats in the first democratic elections of South Africa.

31. How many years did Nelson Mandela spend in prison?

Ans:    Nelson Mandela spent twenty seven years in prison.

32. When did Nelson Mandela die?

Ans:    Nelson Mandela died in 2013.

1. Short Type Questions : Marks : 2/3

1. Who was Nelson Mandela? For how many years did he spend in prison?

Ans:    Nelson Mandela was a freedom fighter of South Africa and its first black President. He spent 27 years in prison.

2. What took place on 10^th May, 1994?

Ans:    The inauguration ceremony for the installation of South Africa’s democracy took place on 10^th May, 1994.

3. Where did the ‘ceremonies’ take place? Why were the ceremonies so important?

Ans:    The ‘ceremonies’ took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre in Pretoria in South Africa. The ceremonies were so important because these were meant for the celebration of victory of the South African natives over the ruling whites and for the installation of South Africa’s first ever democracy.

4. Who were other persons who took oath along with Nelson Mandela?

Ans:    The persons who took oath along with Nelson Mandela were Mr de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki.

5. What did Mandela mean when he mentioned ‘an extraordinary human disaster’?

Ans:    Mandela meant the indescribable sufferings of the South African people under the rule of the whites when he mentioned ‘an extraordinary human disaster’.

6. Why did Mandela thank the international leaders for?

Ans:    Mandela thanked the international leaders for having come to take part in the common victory for justice, peace and human dignity on the South African soil.

7. What ideals does Mandela set out for the future of South Africa?

Ans:    Mandela sets out the ideals of courage, generosity and wisdom for the future of South Africa.

8. What spectacular show was displayed by the South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers on this important ceremony?

Ans:    South African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings in Pretoria. A chevron  of Impala jets left a smoke trail of the black, red, green, blue and gold of the new South African flag.

9. What did the military generals do?

Ans:    The Military Generals saluted and pledged their loyalty to Nelson Mandela.

10. How had the military generals’ attitude changed, and why?

Ans:    The military generals had witnessed the extraordinary courage and  wisdom shown by Nelson Mandela in freeing South Africa from the bondage of the whites. The military generals, who would have arrested Mandela earlier, have now pledged their loyalty to him. This shows their change in attitude.

11. State the two national anthems. Why were they sung?

Ans:    The two national anthems were – ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’  and ‘Die Stem’.

12. How was Mandela overwhelmed with a sense of history?

Ans:    In the first decade of the twentieth century and before Mandela’s birth, the whites in South Africa had erected a system of racial domination known as ‘apartheid’. In the last decade of the twentienth century, when Mandela was in his eighties, he saw that system crumbling. So, he was overwhelmed with a sense of history.

13. How did Mandela describe the system of government in his country in the final decade of the twentieth century?

Ans:    Mandela described the system of government in his country in the final decade of the twentieth century as one that recognises the rights and freedoms of all people, irrespective of the colour of their skin.

14. What did Mandela think of the patriots of Africa and of himself?

Ans:    Mandela thought that the freedom of South Africa had come through the sufferings and courage of the patriots. He said that he was simply the sum total of all those patriots. He regretted for having not been able to thank them.

15. How did the policy of apartheid affect his country?

Ans:    The policy of apartheid left a lasting wound on South Africa. It was one of the harshest and most inhumane policies the world had ever seen. The rights and freedoms of the South African natives had been taken away by this policy of the ruling whites.

16. What is the view of Mandela about the wealth of his country?

Ans:    Mandela was of the view that the greatest wealth of his country was its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.

17. What does courage mean to Mandela?

Ans:    According to Mandela, courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

18. What should people learn so that they can be taught to love?

Ans:    People should learn to hate so that they can be taught to love.

19. How does Mandela look at his own people?

Ans:    Mandela has seen his own people risking and giving their lives for an idea. He has seen men stand up to attacks and torture without breaking, showing a strength and resilience   that defies the imagination.

20. Describe the twin obligations as stated by the author?

Ans:    The twin obligations stated by Mandela are – (i) obligations to one’s family, to parents, to wife, and to children ; and (ii) obligations to one’s people, to the community, and to the country.

21. What problems hinder each man to fulfil these obligations in South Africa?

Ans:    Whenever a native South African tries to fulfil his duty to his people, he is ripped from his family and forced to live an isolated life. He is isolated even if he tries to live as a human being. So, it is very difficult in South Africa to fulfil these obligations.

22. What problems were faced by Mandela in the beginning in placing his people above his family?

Ans:    In the beginning, in attempting to serve his people, Mandela found that he was prevented from fulfilling his obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a husband.

23. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student?

Ans:    As a boy, being free meant to Mandela the freedoms of running in the fields, swimming in the clear stream, roasting mealies in the open, and riding bulls. As a student, he understood freedom as the ability to stay out at night, read what he pleased, and go where he chose.

24. What did Mandela yearn for as a young man in Johannesburg?

Ans:    As a young man in Johannesburg, Mandela yearned for the freedoms of achieving his potential, of earning his keep, of marrying and having a family.

25. What did he perceive about his brothers and sisters?

Ans:    Mandela perceived that not only was he not free, but also his brothers and his sisters were not free.

26. What changed Mandela as a young man into a bold one?

Ans:    Mandela’s desire for the freedom of his people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect changed him into a bold one.

27. What is the viewpoint of Mandela about ‘freedom’?

Ans:    Mandela’s viewpoint on ‘freedom’ is that it is indivisible. The chains on anyone of his people were the chains on all of them.

28. What is said by Mandela of the oppressor and the oppressed?

Ans:    In Mandela’s view, the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. The oppressor is a prisoner of hatred, prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity.