10 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Textbook pages NCERT First Flight, Chapter 2
Question Before You Read
Match the expressions from Mandela’s speech with their meanings.
Steps only
Match each image with the idea it represents.
Answer
rainbow gathering—unity of peoples; seat of white supremacy—centre of racial domination; overwhelmed—deeply affected; resilience—ability to recover; glimmer—small sign of kindness; twilight existence—hidden life.
Question Oral Comprehension Check I
Where was the inauguration held, what did Mandela call a human disaster, and what ideals did he promise?
Steps only
Connect the inauguration to the change in government.
Answer
It was at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The disaster was apartheid; the achievement was democracy and racial equality.
Question Oral Comprehension Check II
How had the military’s attitude changed, why were two national anthems sung, and what does courage mean to Mandela?
Steps only
Use the ceremony details and Mandela’s explanation.
Answer
The generals now serve the elected government. Two anthems represented unity. Courage means overcoming fear.
Question Oral Comprehension Check III
What does Mandela mean by twin obligations, and how did apartheid limit his freedom?
Steps only
Compare personal responsibilities with duties to the community.
Answer
He had duties to his family and to his community. Apartheid prevented him from fulfilling both freely.
Question Thinking about the Text
Explain how Mandela’s ideas about freedom changed and why he calls South Africa’s people its greatest wealth.
Steps only
Trace his understanding from boyhood to political struggle.
Answer
He moved from wanting personal freedom to seeking freedom for all. He values people’s courage and goodness above minerals.
Question Writing / Speaking
Write a short response about a person who worked for justice or equality.
Steps only
Name the person, describe one action, and explain its effect.
Answer
Name a person, describe their work for fairness, and explain why it matters.
Question Thinking about Language I–III
Complete the noun forms, explain the use of “the” with names, and match the idiomatic expressions.
Steps only
Use the suffixes and meanings that fit each sentence.
Answer
contribution, assistance, subjugation, humiliation, imprisonment, resistance. “The + plural name” means people of that kind. Idioms: 1 aware; 2 unable to endure; 3 encourage; 4 earn enough to live.
Question Writing I–III: contrasts and opinion
Complete the balanced contrast sentences, find the contrasting ideas in the text, and write a short opinion on colour prejudice.
Steps only
Complete each contrast from the text, then give a respectful opinion with one or two reasons.
Answer
Samples: “Courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it.” “If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.” “I was not born with a hunger to be free; I was born free.” Mandela contrasts apartheid with equal rights and democracy. Opinion: Colour prejudice is unfair because everyone deserves respect and equal opportunities.
Question A Tiger in the Zoo: Thinking about the Poem
Compare the tiger’s actions and surroundings in the cage and in the wild. Explain the repeated words and discuss the poem’s message about zoos.
Steps only
Compare the tiger’s movements and settings, then explain what the repeated words emphasise.
Answer
In the zoo he paces in a cage and watches the stars; in the wild he would roam, hide, and hunt. The repeated words highlight his anger and the contrast between captivity and freedom.
Question What You Can Do: class research and presentation
Prepare a short class presentation about a group’s struggle against discrimination or for equality.
Steps only
Research a movement, name key actions and outcomes, and explain how it advanced equality.
Answer
Choose a topic, verify a few facts, and present how people worked for equal rights or independence.