Class 10 English Chapter 2 Question Answers - Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom

Ans: Mandela uses the word “wound” to describe the deep pain and harm caused by apartheid. It was not just physical suffering but emotional and psychological damage to the nation. Apartheid divided people, created hatred, and left scars on society that would take years to heal. The word highlights that the pain was shared by all South Africans and that healing would require time, unity, and reconciliation.

Ans: Mandela uses this phrase to show how unjust laws forced him to break them. As a law-abiding person, he respected rules, but apartheid’s laws were unfair and denied basic rights. He had no legal way to fight injustice, so he had to rebel, which made him a “criminal” in the eyes of the government. This shows the irony of a system that punished those who were fighting for justice.

Ans: Mandela learned the meaning of courage by watching brave men and women stand firm against torture and death without fear. He realized that courage does not mean having no fear — it means acting despite fear. His own fight against apartheid and years in prison deepened this understanding. This lesson made him a strong and inspiring leader who encouraged others to keep fighting for freedom.

Ans: The end of apartheid was part of a global movement toward equality and justice. Like the civil rights movement in the USA and anti-colonial struggles in Asia and Africa, South Africa’s transformation showed that oppressed people could win freedom through courage and unity. It also promoted the idea of democracy, equal rights, and human dignity worldwide, inspiring other nations to fight discrimination and injustice.

Ans: Mandela believed that learning to hate was a natural response to injustice because it gave people the anger and energy to fight back. Apartheid’s cruelty made people hate oppression and resist it strongly. However, Mandela also believed that hatred must later give way to love and forgiveness, because only reconciliation could truly heal the nation and build peace.

Ans: Mandela believed that true freedom is for everyone. Liberation freed the oppressed from suffering and humiliation, and it also freed the oppressors from hatred, prejudice, and guilt. According to him, a society can only be just and peaceful when both groups live as equals. This view showed Mandela’s belief in humanity and the need for harmony.

Ans: As a child, Mandela thought freedom meant personal choices — to play, study, and live without restrictions. But as he grew up, he saw that freedom was not just personal but collective. His people were denied basic rights and dignity. He realized that his own freedom meant nothing if his people were not free. This changed his life and made him fight for freedom for all, even for those who oppressed others.

Ans: Mandela calls apartheid an extraordinary human disaster because it caused immense suffering and destroyed the dignity of millions. It divided people by race, created inequality, and encouraged hatred. He feels strongly because he personally experienced its cruelty and saw how it hurt generations of South Africans. The phrase shows his deep pain but also his pride in finally defeating such an inhuman system.

Ans: Seeing people risk their lives for freedom inspired Mandela deeply. It taught him that courage means standing up for what is right, even if it costs one’s life. This experience strengthened his resolve to fight apartheid, gave him hope in humanity, and made him determined to continue the struggle despite hardships.

Ans: (D) ability to overcome fear

Mandela’s words mean that being brave is not about having no fear but about defeating fear. Courage is about acting in spite of fear, which makes it more meaningful and powerful.

Ans: True courage, according to Mandela, means facing fear and still doing what is right. Many people wrongly think that courage means not being afraid at all. Mandela’s view is more realistic — it accepts fear as natural but teaches that bravery is overcoming fear and not letting it control you.

Ans: seeped in reality
This phrase means the courage and strength shown by the people was real and practical, not imaginary. It proves that ordinary people can show extraordinary bravery in real life.

Ans: Both The Ball Poem and Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom explore loss, growth, and transformation, but their contexts differ. In The Ball Poem, a boy loses his ball, symbolizing innocence, leading to personal growth through accepting loss. Mandela faces loss of freedom due to apartheid, transforming into a resilient leader. Both depict emotional growth through adversity, but Mandela’s loss is collective and systemic, while the boy’s is individual and symbolic.

Ans: Lencho and Nelson Mandela faced challenges with resilience but reacted differently. Lencho, in A Letter to God, faced crop failure with unwavering faith in God, yet felt disappointed when his expectations weren’t met, showing naive optimism. Mandela, in Long Walk to Freedom, endured apartheid’s oppression with courage and determination, transforming suffering into a fight for justice. While Lencho’s response was individualistic and rooted in faith, Mandela’s was collective, driven by a vision for equality, reflecting broader resilience.

Ans: Both Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and The Trees explore transformation, liberation, and the power to change. In Mandela’s text, transformation occurs through the struggle against apartheid, achieving collective liberation. In The Trees, trees break free from confinement, symbolizing personal liberation. Both depict breaking oppressive barriers, but Mandela’s transformation is societal and historical, while The Trees is metaphorical, focusing on individual freedom and nature’s resilience.

Ans:

(A) One inference about Nelson Mandela from the given context "We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation" leads one to believe that Nelson Mandela was a leader dedicated to bringing political freedom and liberation to all South Africans. He was known for his strength of spirit, integrity, honour, and leadership
(B) False. When Nelson Mandela says, "God bless Africa," he does not only mean the welfare and well-being of South Africa's black population. Instead, he is wishing for an abundance of wealth, harmony, and peace for the whole country of South Africa.
(C) Nelson Mandela's speech is full of optimism as he expresses hope for a future free from oppression. He envisions a united Africa where all people can thrive, highlighting the importance of freedom for everyone.
(D) The phrase that could correctly substitute "so glorious" in the given sentence would be "such magnificent."

Ans: His mind was full of the happenings of the past, the struggle that they went through to make the day a reality.

Ans: (b) recognises the rights and freedoms of all people.

Ans: A Harsh and inhumane society had been created.

Ans: repaired

Ans: For the first time in the history of South Africa, the ceremony was attended by the maximum number of dignitaries from all around the world. 

Ans: Before that day of inauguration, South Africa was being ruled by the Whites and the Black population was subjected to a system of discrimination called Apartheid. The entire world had delinked itself from the country. But on that day, as a mark of solidarity with the people, world leaders had arrived in South Africa for the ceremony. Thus, there was a shift from the white supremacy to a gathering of rainbow colours.

Ans: delightful to be surrounded by

Ans: False

Ans: Earlier, the White supremacy in South Africa had founded a system of supremacy and people like Mandela who fought for the freedom of the masses were considered outlaws and were punished. However, with the end of that system, now a democratic government was being set up and thus, these freedom fighters were now considered as the harbingers of this freedom. Thus, now these so called outlaws became the frontrunners of the nation who were hosting the world leaders on the occasion of the swearing-in ceremony.

Ans: Childhood memories remind us of the days gone by. The author of the story A Baker from Goa reminisces the good old days when he lived in Goa. He elaborates ablout the lazy mornings when they would meet the baker who visited twice a day to sell baked goods. The kids would look for the favourite bread bangles, eat them without brushing their teeth. The entire story is filled with nostalgia where we get to know the importance of a baker in Goan households. The baker was like a friend, companion and guide to the narrator. He also throws light on the significance of baked items in Goan culture which makes the baker an essential part of the community. Thus, the narrator shares sweet memories of his childhood. 
Nelson Mandela’s childhood was also full of freedom. He was free to do whatever he wished for. Like run in the fields, swim in the stream, roast mealies under the night sky and ride the bulls. He also has sweet memories of his childhood when he enjoyed the freedom to do follow his heart. All he was expected was to obey his father and follow the rules of his tribe. 
Thus, we notice that both of them are nostalgic about their childhood. They miss the good old days when they had a carefree life. 

Ans: One acknowledges that both Valli and Mandela were able to achieve their goals. Valli had a desire to go on a bus ride. Being a mature girl, Valli left no stone unturned to undergo a successful outing. The readers are in awe of her wisdom, gracefulness and intelligence which helped her gather all information about the trip, make the necessary arrangements for the bus ride and also, make a safe bus journey and return home securely. Thus, she was able to fulfil her dream.
Nelson Mandela envisioned a free populace in his country. He wanted justice and equality for the people of the nation. His vision was beyond personal desires and he felt pain for all the countrymen. He struggled for a long period of almost thirty years in order to end racial discrimination and set up the first democratic government in the country. His persistence is an inspiration for us. The readers get to know that the real diamonds of the country are the numerous freedom fighters whose struggle finally made the country free. 
Thus, we see that both the characters display strong qualities that helped them in their endeavours. A strong character is the foundation of success.

Ans: When Mandela said "People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love,” he is making an observation that people don’t start hating other people the moment they are born, they learn to hate others as they go by. People are born without prejudice, it is our conditioning that teaches us to discriminate. Mandela is hopeful that if people can be taught to hate so can they be taught to love. He expresses his confidence that behaving lovingly comes naturally to humans, and so it will be easier for them to love one another. He derived his confidence from his experiences in prison. He was treated harshly in prison and faced much torture, but even during those dark times, he would find one of the guards pitying him. It taught him that even oppressors have a heart and can change if given a chance.

Ans: Nelson Mandela believes that freedom is indivisible. He also says that no one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Even in the grimmest times in prison, when his comrades and he were pushed to their limits, he would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for a second, but it was enough to reassure him and keep him going. Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.

Ans: (c)

The phrase "a gathering of different colours" refers to the gathering of dignitaries and leaders from various nations, symbolizing unity and support for South Africa’s freedom from apartheid.
Thus, the correct answer is (c) Leaders of different nations gathered there.

Ans: (b)
Mandela speaks about the "twin obligations" that every man has. According to him, these are:
(i) The obligation to his family, to take care of and provide for them.
(ii) The obligation to his country, to work towards the freedom and welfare of his people.
Thus, the correct answer is (b) first to his family and the second to his country.

Ans: On the day of the inaugural ceremony, Nelson Mandela was overwhelmed with a sense of history. He remembered the birth of their Apartheid, its effect on his people and their long fight for freedom, the racial discrimination dark-skinned people suffered on their own land. He also remembered the freedom fighters who suffered and sacrificed their lives for freedom. Then he remembered how the system had been over-turned forever and ever and replaced by one that recognised the right and freedom of all people, regardless of the colour of their skin.

Ans: Nelson Mandela refers to the achievement of equality and the end of apartheid, which allowed a black person like himself to become the President of South Africa, as "so glorious a human achievement." This reflects his belief in the triumph of justice, human dignity, and the ability of people to overcome deep divisions to build a fairer society.

Ans: In this lesson, Nelson Mandela talks about two obligations that are there in every man’s life. The first obligation is towards the family, parents, his wife, and children. The second obligation is towards his community and his parents. Mandela says that a man is free to do one’s duties only when he has his freedom. A person of color in South Africa was oppressed and not allowed or free to perform his obligations and was punished if he tried to do that. The author says that he never thought of these things before as a child, but after he grew up and began to think about it, he fought for the people and their freedom to perform their personal and social duties.

Ans: When Mandela grew up, he realised that brothers and sisters of his race had no liberty in their own country due to colour of their skin. He later decided to fight for freedom and dignity of people of his community.

Ans: Mandela always thought that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity. The oppressor is a prisoner of hatred who is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness while the oppressed has no freedom. So, both of them need to be liberated.