NCERT - First Flight
2. Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom
1. A Letter to God
3. Two Stories about Flying
4. From the Diary of Anne Frank
5. The Hundred Dresses - I
6. The Hundred Dresses - II
7. Glimpses of India
8. Mijbil the Otter
9. Madam Rides the Bus
10. The Sermon at Benares
11. The Proposal
Oral Comprehension Check Pg-18
Thinking about the Text
Thinking about Language
1 A1 B234
A Tiger in the Zoo - Thinking about the Poem
Q. 44.3( 280 Votes )
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Class 10thNCERT - First Flight2. Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom
Mandela thanks the international leaders for their support to first anti-racial democratic government in South Africa.
PREVIOUSAt the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions "an extraordinary human disaster." What is the "glorious………human achievement" he speaks of at the end?NEXTWhat ideals does he sent out for the future of South Africa?
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This text repeatedly contrast the past with the present or the future. We can use coordinated clauses to contrast two views, for emphasis or effect.
Given below are sentences carrying one part of the contrast. Find in the text the second part of the contrast, and complete each item.
Identify the words which signal the contrast. This has been done for you in the first item.
1. For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of white supremacy, and now…..
2. Only moments before, the higher generals of the South African defense force and police……saluted me and pledged their loyalty….not so many years before they would not have saluted…..
3. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem….they would soon……………..
4. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil,…………….
5. The Air show was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but…………………..
6. It was this desire for the freedom of my people………that transformed………….into a bold one, that drove………………to become a criminal, that turned……………..into a man without a home.
In groups, discuss the issues suggested in the box below.
Then prepare a speech of about two minutes on the following table.
(First make notes for your speech in writing).
True liberty is freedom from poverty, deprivation and all forms of discrimination.
•Causes of poverty and means of overcoming it.
•Discrimination based on gender, religion, class, etc.
•Constitutionally guaranteed human rights.
Looking at contrasts
Nelson Mandela's writing is marked by balance: Many sentences have two parts in balance.
Use the following phrases to complete the sentences given below:
(i) They can be (ii) I was born free
thought to love
(iii) but the triumph (iv) but he who
Over it. Conquers that
(v) to create such
Heights of character
1. It requires such depths of oppression
2. Courage was not the absence of fear
3. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid ……………………
4. If people can learn to hate…………………
5. I was not born with hunger to be free.
Take a point of view for or against zoos, or even consider both points of view and write a couple of paragraphs or speak about the topic for a couple of minutes in a class.
Using the Definite Article with Names
You know that the definite article 'the' is not normally used before proper nouns. Nor do proper nouns usually occur in the plural. (We do not say: *The Nelson Mandela, or *Nelson Mandelas). But now look at this sentence from the text:
…..the decades of oppression and brutality…… produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus,……….of our our time.
Used in this way with the and/ or in the plural, a proper noun carries a special meaning. For example, what do you think the names above mean?
(a) for example Oliver Tambos, Walter Sisulus,……..
(b) Many other men like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu……/many men of their type or kind, whose names may not be as well known.
Did you choose option (b)? Then you have the right answer.
Here are some more examples of 'the' used with proper names. Try to say what these sentences mean. (You may consult a dictionary if you wish. Look at the entry for 'the').
1. Mr. Singh regularly invites the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans to his parties.
2. Many people think that Madhuri Dixit is the Madhubala of our times.
3. History is not only the story of the Alexanders, the Napoleans and the Hitlers, but of ordinary people as well.
Read the paragraph below. Fill in the blanks with the noun forms of the verbs in brackets.
Martin Luther King's…………….(contribute) to our history as an outstanding leader began when he came to the …………..(assist) of Rosa Parks, a seamstress who refused to give her up seat on a bus to a white passenger. In those days American Blacks were confined to positions of second-class citizenship by restrictive laws and customs. To break these laws would mean…………..(subjugate) and…………(humiliate) by the police and the legal system. Beatings, ……………..(imprison) and sometimes death awaited those who defied the system. Martin Luther King's tactics of protest involved non-violent ……………..(resist) to racial injustice.
Idiomatic Expressions
Match the italicized phrases in column A with the phrase nearest in meaning in column B. (Hint: First look for the sentence in the text in which the phrases in column A occurs).
Expressing your Opinion
Do you think there is a color prejudice in our own country? Discuss this with your friend and write a paragraph of about 100 to 150 words about this. You have the option of making your paragraph a humorous one.
(Read the short verse given below)
When you were born you were pink
When you grew up you became white
When you are in the sun you are red
When you are sick you are yellow
When you are angry you are purple
When you are shocked you are grey
And you have the cheek to call me 'coloured'.
Would you agree that the "depths of oppression" create "heights of character"? How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this argument?
Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text.
The road that leads to your market is broken and full of potholes. Mosquitoes and flies breed there. Write a letter in 100 – 120 words to the editor of a local newspaper drawing attention of the concerned authorities to get the road repaired. You are P.V. Prabhu/Prabha, 112, Aram Nagar, Delhi. 5
English (Lang. & Lit) - Board Papers 5618 views
Write an article in 100 – 120 words on 'A library is good for all — the old and young'. You are P.V. Prabhu/Prabha. Use the following clues:
•best place in the school
•reference books, help books, newspapers, etc.
•don't have to buy expensive ones
•books to relax - novels, plays, etc.
•books - treasure of knowledge
•spend leisure hours
Complete the story in 150 – 200 words which begins as the following:
It was my fifteenth birthday. My parents were very happy. Some of my class-fellows had agreed to come. ..........
Read the passage below.
1. During our growing up years we as children were taught __ both at home and school __ to worship the photos and idols of the Gods of our respective religions. When we grew a little older, we were to read holy books like the Bhagwad Gita, Bible and Quran; we were told that there are a lot of life lessons to be learnt from these holy books. We were then introduced to stories from our mythologies which taught us about ethics and morality __ what is good and what is bad. I also learnt to be respectful towards my parents who made my life comfortable with their hard work and love and care, and my teachers who guided me to become a good student and a responsible citizen.
2. Much later in life, I realised that though we learn much from our respective holy books, there is a lot to learn from our surroundings. This realisation dawned upon me when I learnt to enquire and explore. Everything around us __ the sun, the moon, the stars, rain, rivers, stones, rocks, birds, plants and animals __ teach us many valuable life lessons.
3. No wonder that besides the scriptures, in many cultures nature is also worshipped. The message that we get is to save our environment and maintain ecological balance. People are taught to live in harmony with nature and recognise that there is God in all aspects of nature.
4. Nature is a great teacher. A river never stops flowing. If it finds an obstacle in its way in the form of a heavy rock, the river water fights to remove it from its path or finds an alternative path to move ahead. This teaches us to be progressive in life, and keep the fighting spirit alive.
5. Snakes are worshipped as they eat insects in the field that can hurt our crops, thus protecting the grains for us. In fact, whatever we worship is our helper and makes our lives easy for us. There are many such examples in nature, but we are not ready to learn a lesson. Overcome with greed, we are destroying nature. As a result, we face natural disasters like droughts, floods and landslides. We don't know that nature is angry with us.
6. However, it is never too late to learn. If we learn to respect nature, the quality of our life will improve.
2.1 Answer briefly the following questions :
A. What are we taught in our childhood and growing up years ?
B. Why should we respect our parents and teachers ?
C. What message do we get when we worship nature ?
D. How does a river face an obstacle that comes in its way ?
2.2 Give the meanings of the words given below, as used in the passage, with the help of the options that follow :
(e) guided (Para 1)
(i) answered
(ii) advised
(iii) fought
(iv) polished
(f) explore (Para 2)
(i) search
(ii) frequent
(iii) describe
(iv) request
(g) valuable (Para 2)
(i) proper
(ii) desirable
(iii) available
(iv) useful
(h) harmony (Para 3)
(i) beauty
(ii) friendship
(iii) discomfort
(iv) honesty
Read the passage given below.
Then all the windows of the grey wooden house (Miss Hilton used to live here. She expired last week), were thrown open, a thing I had never seen before.
At the end of the day a sign was nailed on the mango tree: FOR SALE.
Nobody in the street knew Miss Hilton. While she lived, her front gate was always locked and no one ever saw her leave or saw anybody go in. So, even if you wanted to, you couldn't feel sorry and say that you missed Miss Hilton.
When I think of her house I see just two colours. Grey and green. The green of the mango tree, the grey of the house and the grey of the high iron fence that prevented you from getting at the mangoes.
If your cricket ball fell in Miss Hilton's courtyard you never got it back. It wasn't the mango season when Miss Hilton died. But we got back about ten or twelve of our cricket balls.
The house was sold and we were prepared to dislike the new owners even before they came. I think we were a little worried. Already we had one resident of the street who kept on complaining about us to our parents. He complained that we played cricket on the pavement; and if we were not playing cricket, he complained that we were making too much noise anyway.
One afternoon when I came back from school Pal said, ''Is a man and a woman. She pretty pretty, but he ugly like hell.'' I didn't see much. The front gate was open, but the windows were shut again. I heard a dog barking in an angry way.
One thing was settled pretty quickly. Whoever these people were they would never be the sort of people to complain that we were making noise and disturbing their sleep.
A lot of noise came from the house that night. The radio was going at full volume until midnight when the radio station closed down. The dog was barking and the man was shouting. I didn't hear the woman.
On basis of your understanding of the above passage, complete the statements that follow:
A. Nobody went into Miss Hilton's house because her front _________ .
B. Her house had only two colours, (i) ______, and (ii) _______ .
C. The high iron fence did not let the boys get __________ .
D. They never got it back if their __________ fell into her courtyard.
E. The boys were ready to dislike the ____________ .
F. One resident of the street always ___________ .
G. The new owners of Miss Hilton's house were (i) _______, and (ii) _______ .
H. The man was shouting, the dog was barking, only __________ .
School education turned Bholi from a dumb cow into a bold girl. How did she save her father from a huge expense and become his support in his old age?
Write a story in 150 – 200 words based on the following outline:
A stag, thirsty — a pool of clear water — reflection — saw his horns — proud of them — his thin legs — ashamed — hunter's dogs — ran — horns caught in a tree — dogs very near — pulled his horns free — ran for his life — legs saved him.
Answer the following questions in 30 – 40 words each:
A. What do we learn about the financial condition of the bakers of Goa?
B. In the poem 'Trees', where are the trees? What are their roots, twigs, etc. trying to do?
C. Which book did Ebright's mother get for him? How did it change his life?
D. How did M. Loisel try to make his wife happy?
''Why, you're in evening dress! Well, I never! Are you going to a ball or what? Though I must say you look better ....''
A. Who is speaking and to whom?
B. Why is the person spoken to in an evening dress?
C. What does the word, 'ball' mean here?
Rearrange the following words and phrases to form meaningful sentences:
A. accept / his pupil / Swami / Sethu as / did not /
B. only 14 / very / years old / he was / young /
C. heart / not / but / did / lose / Sethu /
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English - First Flight
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 - Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom