NCERT Textbook: Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom | English Class 10 PDF Download

 Page 1


BEFORE YOU READ
• ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people according
to their race. Can you say which of the three countries named
below had such a political system until very recently?
(i)  United States of America (ii)  South Africa (iii)  Australia
• Have you heard of Nelson Mandela? Mandela, and his African
National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid.
Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison. Finally, democratic
elections were held in South Africa in 1994, and Mandela became
the first black President of a new nation.
In this extract from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom,
Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘the inauguration’. Can
you guess what the occasion might be? Check your guess with
this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.
     Mandela Becomes South Africa’s First Black President
Nelson Mandela has become South Africa’s first Black
President after more than three centuries of White rule.
Mr Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) party won
252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South
Africa’s history.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union
Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today, attended by
politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries
around the world. “Never, never again will this beautiful land
experience the oppression of one by another, ” said Nelson
Mandela in his address.
… Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the
ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating
together... More than 100,000 South African men, women
and children of all races sang and danced with joy.
Reprint 2024-25
Page 2


BEFORE YOU READ
• ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people according
to their race. Can you say which of the three countries named
below had such a political system until very recently?
(i)  United States of America (ii)  South Africa (iii)  Australia
• Have you heard of Nelson Mandela? Mandela, and his African
National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid.
Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison. Finally, democratic
elections were held in South Africa in 1994, and Mandela became
the first black President of a new nation.
In this extract from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom,
Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘the inauguration’. Can
you guess what the occasion might be? Check your guess with
this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.
     Mandela Becomes South Africa’s First Black President
Nelson Mandela has become South Africa’s first Black
President after more than three centuries of White rule.
Mr Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) party won
252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South
Africa’s history.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union
Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today, attended by
politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries
around the world. “Never, never again will this beautiful land
experience the oppression of one by another, ” said Nelson
Mandela in his address.
… Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the
ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating
together... More than 100,000 South African men, women
and children of all races sang and danced with joy.
Reprint 2024-25
17
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
(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
TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the past
few days I had been pleasantly besieged by
dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to
pay their respects before the inauguration. The
inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of
international leaders on South African soil.
The ceremonies took place in the lovely
sandstone amphitheatre formed by the 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.
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
(to be) besieged by
to be surrounded
closely by
amphitheatre
a building without a
roof, with many
rows of seats rising
in steps (typical of
ancient Greece and
Rome)
A B
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.
Reprint 2024-25
Page 3


BEFORE YOU READ
• ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people according
to their race. Can you say which of the three countries named
below had such a political system until very recently?
(i)  United States of America (ii)  South Africa (iii)  Australia
• Have you heard of Nelson Mandela? Mandela, and his African
National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid.
Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison. Finally, democratic
elections were held in South Africa in 1994, and Mandela became
the first black President of a new nation.
In this extract from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom,
Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘the inauguration’. Can
you guess what the occasion might be? Check your guess with
this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.
     Mandela Becomes South Africa’s First Black President
Nelson Mandela has become South Africa’s first Black
President after more than three centuries of White rule.
Mr Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) party won
252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South
Africa’s history.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union
Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today, attended by
politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries
around the world. “Never, never again will this beautiful land
experience the oppression of one by another, ” said Nelson
Mandela in his address.
… Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the
ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating
together... More than 100,000 South African men, women
and children of all races sang and danced with joy.
Reprint 2024-25
17
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
(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
TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the past
few days I had been pleasantly besieged by
dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to
pay their respects before the inauguration. The
inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of
international leaders on South African soil.
The ceremonies took place in the lovely
sandstone amphitheatre formed by the 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.
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
(to be) besieged by
to be surrounded
closely by
amphitheatre
a building without a
roof, with many
rows of seats rising
in steps (typical of
ancient Greece and
Rome)
A B
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.
Reprint 2024-25
18
First Flight
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 the Republic and its people. To the
assembled guests and the watching world, I said:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here... confer glory
and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of
an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long,
must be born a society of which all humanity will
be proud.
We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today
been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of
the world on our own soil. We thank all of our
distinguished international guests for having come to
take possession with the people of our country of what
is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for
human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.
We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the
continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering,
gender and other discrimination.
Never, never, and never again shall it be that this
beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one
by another.
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human
achievement.
Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!
Oral Comprehension Check
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public
buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
confer (a formal
word)
here, give
We, who were
outlaws
because of its policy
of apartheid, many
countries had earlier
broken off diplomatic
relations with South
Africa
emancipation
freedom from
restriction
deprivation
state of not having
one's rightful benefits
discrimination
being treated
differently or
unfavourably
Reprint 2024-25
Page 4


BEFORE YOU READ
• ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people according
to their race. Can you say which of the three countries named
below had such a political system until very recently?
(i)  United States of America (ii)  South Africa (iii)  Australia
• Have you heard of Nelson Mandela? Mandela, and his African
National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid.
Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison. Finally, democratic
elections were held in South Africa in 1994, and Mandela became
the first black President of a new nation.
In this extract from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom,
Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘the inauguration’. Can
you guess what the occasion might be? Check your guess with
this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.
     Mandela Becomes South Africa’s First Black President
Nelson Mandela has become South Africa’s first Black
President after more than three centuries of White rule.
Mr Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) party won
252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South
Africa’s history.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union
Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today, attended by
politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries
around the world. “Never, never again will this beautiful land
experience the oppression of one by another, ” said Nelson
Mandela in his address.
… Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the
ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating
together... More than 100,000 South African men, women
and children of all races sang and danced with joy.
Reprint 2024-25
17
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
(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
TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the past
few days I had been pleasantly besieged by
dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to
pay their respects before the inauguration. The
inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of
international leaders on South African soil.
The ceremonies took place in the lovely
sandstone amphitheatre formed by the 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.
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
(to be) besieged by
to be surrounded
closely by
amphitheatre
a building without a
roof, with many
rows of seats rising
in steps (typical of
ancient Greece and
Rome)
A B
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.
Reprint 2024-25
18
First Flight
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 the Republic and its people. To the
assembled guests and the watching world, I said:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here... confer glory
and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of
an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long,
must be born a society of which all humanity will
be proud.
We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today
been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of
the world on our own soil. We thank all of our
distinguished international guests for having come to
take possession with the people of our country of what
is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for
human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.
We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the
continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering,
gender and other discrimination.
Never, never, and never again shall it be that this
beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one
by another.
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human
achievement.
Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!
Oral Comprehension Check
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public
buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
confer (a formal
word)
here, give
We, who were
outlaws
because of its policy
of apartheid, many
countries had earlier
broken off diplomatic
relations with South
Africa
emancipation
freedom from
restriction
deprivation
state of not having
one's rightful benefits
discrimination
being treated
differently or
unfavourably
Reprint 2024-25
19
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
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?
4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in
awe as a spectacular array of South African jets,
helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect
formation over the Union Buildings. 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. I was not unmindful of the fact that
not so many years before they would not have
saluted but arrested me. Finally a chevron of Impala
jets left a smoke trail of the black, red, green, blue
and gold of the new South African flag.
The day was symbolised for me by the playing of
our two national anthems, and the vision of whites
singing ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and blacks singing
‘Die Stem’, the old anthem of the Republic. Although
that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem
they once despised, they would soon know the
words by heart.
On the day of the inauguration, I was
overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first
decade of the twentieth century, a few years after
the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own birth,
the white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched
up their differences and erected a system of racial
domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their
own land. The structure they created formed the
basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane,
societies the world has ever known. Now, in the
last decade of the twentieth century, and my own
eighth decade as a man, that system had been
not unmindful of
conscious of; aware of
chevron
a pattern in the
shape of a V
despised
had a very low
opinion of
spectacular array
an impressive
display (colourful
and attractive)
Reprint 2024-25
Page 5


BEFORE YOU READ
• ‘Apartheid’ is a political system that separates people according
to their race. Can you say which of the three countries named
below had such a political system until very recently?
(i)  United States of America (ii)  South Africa (iii)  Australia
• Have you heard of Nelson Mandela? Mandela, and his African
National Congress, spent a lifetime fighting against apartheid.
Mandela had to spend thirty years in prison. Finally, democratic
elections were held in South Africa in 1994, and Mandela became
the first black President of a new nation.
In this extract from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom,
Mandela speaks about a historic occasion, ‘the inauguration’. Can
you guess what the occasion might be? Check your guess with
this news item (from the BBC) of 10 May 1994.
     Mandela Becomes South Africa’s First Black President
Nelson Mandela has become South Africa’s first Black
President after more than three centuries of White rule.
Mr Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC) party won
252 of the 400 seats in the first democratic elections of South
Africa’s history.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union
Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today, attended by
politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries
around the world. “Never, never again will this beautiful land
experience the oppression of one by another, ” said Nelson
Mandela in his address.
… Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the
ceremony with blacks, whites and coloureds celebrating
together... More than 100,000 South African men, women
and children of all races sang and danced with joy.
Reprint 2024-25
17
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
(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
TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the past
few days I had been pleasantly besieged by
dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to
pay their respects before the inauguration. The
inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of
international leaders on South African soil.
The ceremonies took place in the lovely
sandstone amphitheatre formed by the 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.
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
(to be) besieged by
to be surrounded
closely by
amphitheatre
a building without a
roof, with many
rows of seats rising
in steps (typical of
ancient Greece and
Rome)
A B
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.
Reprint 2024-25
18
First Flight
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 the Republic and its people. To the
assembled guests and the watching world, I said:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here... confer glory
and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of
an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long,
must be born a society of which all humanity will
be proud.
We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today
been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of
the world on our own soil. We thank all of our
distinguished international guests for having come to
take possession with the people of our country of what
is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for
human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.
We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the
continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering,
gender and other discrimination.
Never, never, and never again shall it be that this
beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one
by another.
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human
achievement.
Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!
Oral Comprehension Check
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public
buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
confer (a formal
word)
here, give
We, who were
outlaws
because of its policy
of apartheid, many
countries had earlier
broken off diplomatic
relations with South
Africa
emancipation
freedom from
restriction
deprivation
state of not having
one's rightful benefits
discrimination
being treated
differently or
unfavourably
Reprint 2024-25
19
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
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?
4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in
awe as a spectacular array of South African jets,
helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect
formation over the Union Buildings. 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. I was not unmindful of the fact that
not so many years before they would not have
saluted but arrested me. Finally a chevron of Impala
jets left a smoke trail of the black, red, green, blue
and gold of the new South African flag.
The day was symbolised for me by the playing of
our two national anthems, and the vision of whites
singing ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and blacks singing
‘Die Stem’, the old anthem of the Republic. Although
that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem
they once despised, they would soon know the
words by heart.
On the day of the inauguration, I was
overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first
decade of the twentieth century, a few years after
the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own birth,
the white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched
up their differences and erected a system of racial
domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their
own land. The structure they created formed the
basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane,
societies the world has ever known. Now, in the
last decade of the twentieth century, and my own
eighth decade as a man, that system had been
not unmindful of
conscious of; aware of
chevron
a pattern in the
shape of a V
despised
had a very low
opinion of
spectacular array
an impressive
display (colourful
and attractive)
Reprint 2024-25
20
First Flight
wrought (old
fashioned, formal
word)
done, achieved
profound
deep and strong
* These are some prominent names in the struggle against apartheid.
(For the use of the definite article with proper nouns, see exercise II on page 25)
Yusuf Dadoo Bram Fischer
Chief Luthuli Oliver Tambo Walter Sisulu
Robert Sobukwe
overturned forever and replaced by one that
recognised the rights and freedoms of all peoples,
regardless of the colour of their skin.
That day had come about through the
unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of my people,
people whose suffering and courage can never be
counted or repaid. I felt that day, as I have on so
many other days, that I was simply the sum of all
those African patriots who had gone before me. That
long and noble line ended and now began again
with me. I was pained that I was not able to thank
them and that they were not able to see what their
sacrifices had wrought.
The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting
wound in my country and my people. All of us will
spend many years, if not generations, recovering
from that profound hurt. But the decades of
oppression and brutality had another, unintended,
effect, and that was that it produced the Oliver
Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the
Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert
Sobukwes of our time* — men of such extraordinary
Reprint 2024-25