Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom - Extract Based Questions

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EXTRACT BASED COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. 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‘ 

a) Who is the speaker?

The speaker is Nelson Mandela

b) Which is the beautiful land the speaker refers to here?

The beautiful land in South Africa

c) What is the glorious human achievement‘ that the speaker talks about in the extract?

The freedom that people of South Africa have attained freedom after the fight against apartheid‘/the first democratic non-racial government.

2. ‘It is from these comrades in the struggle that I learned the meaning of courage. Time and again, I have seen men and women risk and give their lives for an idea. I have seen men stand up to attacks and torture without breaking, showing a strength and resilience that defies the imagination. I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.‘

i) Who learned the meaning of courage?

Nelson Mandela

ii) What has he seen again and again?

He has seen men and women risk and give their life for the idea of freedom, again and again

iii) What has he noticed (seen) about the people?

He has seen men stand up to attacks and torture showing strength and resilience.

3. 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, -racial government.

(a) What does 'this' refer to in the extract?

'This' refers to the lovely sandstone amphi-theatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

(b) Why had 'this' been the seat of white supremacy for decades?

Tire sandstone amphi-theatre had been the seat of white supremacy for decades because it was used by the whites as a place from where they would pass racist policies to suppress the native blacks.

(c) Why was 'this' now the site of a rainbow gathering?

The sandstone amphitheatre was now the site of a rainbow gathering as it was the venue of the installation of a democratic, non-racial government in SouthAfrica.

(d) What does the term 'rainbow gathering' stand for?

'Rainbow gathering' conveys the presence of people from varied nationalities belonging to different classes, creeds and colours.

4. 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.

(a) Who speaks these words and when?

Nelson Mandela speaks these words on the occasion of the installation of South Africa's first democratic, non-racial government. 

(b) According to the speaker, what is the 'extraordinary human disaster'?

According to Mandela, the 'extraordinary human disaster' is the suffering borne by the blacks of South Africa under their oppressive and racist white rulers.

(c) Why did the 'extraordinary human disaster' last too long?

The sufferings of the blacks of South Africa lasted too long because they had been under the white rule for more than three centuries.

(d) What type of society does the speaker expect to be born out of this 'extraordinary human disaster'?

Mandela expects the birth of a society that would be fair and equal for all regardless of class, colour or creed.

5. 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.

(a) Whom does 'we' refer to in this extract?

'We' refers to the native black population of South Africa.

(b) Why were 'we' considered 'outlaws'?

The natives of South Africa were considered 'outlaws' because the ruling white government did not recognize them as citizens.

(c) What was the 'rare privilege'?

The 'rare privilege' was to welcome people from different countries on the South African soil. These countries had boycotted South Africa so far because of the racist policies of their apartheid government.

(d) Why was the 'rare privilege' given?

The 'rare privilege' was given to show solidarity with the newly elected democratic first non-racial government of South Africa.

6. I was not unmindful of the fact that not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me.

(a) Who is T in this extract?

T in this extract is Nelson Mandela, the first President of a democratic non-racial South Africa.

(b) Whom does 'they' refer to?

'They' refers to the highest generals of the South African defense force and police.

(c) When does T make this observation?

Mandela makes this observation when he is saluted by the senior officials from the former white regime.

(d) Why would 'they' have arrested the speaker not so many years before?

They would have arrested Mandela not so many years before because the racist law that they safeguarded considered Mandela as an 'outlaw' as he was a black

7. On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history.

(a) Who speaks these words?

Nelson Mandela, the first President of the newly formed democratic, non-racial government of South Africa, speaks these words.

(b) When was the day of the inauguration?

Tenth May 1994 was the day of the inauguration.

(c) What was inaugurated on that day?

The newly formed democratic, non-racial government of South Africa was inaugurated on that day.

(d) Why was the speaker overwhelmed with a sense of history?

Mandela was overwhelmed with a sense of history because he recalled the countless sacrifices made by his countrymen.

8. I would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for a second, but it was enough to assure me and keep me going. Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.

(a) Who speaks or writes these words?

Nelson Mandela writes these words in the excerpt from his autobiography.

(b) Which guard does he/she refer to?

Mandela refers to one of the guards in the prison where he had been kept along with his comrades for protesting the racist policy of apartheid.

(c) What would assure him/her and keep him/her going?

The brief glimmer of humanity that Mandela would see in one of the guards even in the grimmest times in prison assured him to keep going for the victory of love.

(d) Why does he/she compare man's goodness to a flame?

Mandela compares man's goodness to a flame because it can never be blown out. It keeps glowing and keeps spreading light of hope.

9. I saw that it was not just my freedom that was curtailed, but the freedom of everyone who looked like I did.

(a) Who is T in this extract?

T here is Nelson Mandela, the symbol of courage, who fought the racist apartheid regime to win freedom for South Africa.

(b) When did the speaker see that freedom was curtailed for him and others?

Mandela saw this when he was a young man in Johannesburg.

(c) Why was freedom curtailed for everyone who looked like the speaker?

Mandela was a black South African and the government in his country was racist that oppressed the black coloured people. So, freedom of all those who had black looks like Mandela was also curtailed.

(d) What did the speaker do after seeing that freedom was curtailed for him and others like him?

After seeing that freedom was curtailed for him and others, Mandela joined the African National Congress to subsequently become part of the freedom struggle of South Africa.

10. A man who takes away another man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred;

(a) Who is the speaker here? When does hg/she make this observation?

Nelson Mandela is the speaker here. He makes this observation when he notices the situations of the oppressor and the oppressed.

(b) Whom does he refer to a prisoner of hatred'?

Mandela refers to the oppressor as a 'prisoner of hatred'.

(c) Whose freedom is taken away and why?

The freedom of the oppressed is taken away because the oppressor has greater power vested in him.

(d) How can hatred imprison anyone?

Hatred is like a wall of a prison that does not allow a person inside it to connect to those on the other side. In this way, a man who allows hatred to control him gets cut off from everyone and is left alone like a prisoner.