Nelson Mandela guided South Africa from the shackles of apartheid to a multi-racial democracy, as an icon of peace and reconciliation who came to embody the struggle for justice around the world. Imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against white minority rule, Mandela never lost his resolve to fight for his people's emancipation. He was determined to bring down apartheid while avoiding a civil war. His prestige and charisma helped him win the support of the world.
"I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I will fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days," Mandela said in his acceptance speech on becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994, ... "The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come." "We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation." In 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honour he shared with F.W. de Klerk, the white South African leader who had freed him from prison three years earlier and negotiated the end of apartheid. Mandela went on to play a prominent role on the world stage as an advocate of human dignity in the face of challenges ranging from political repression to AIDS.
He formally left public life in June 2004 before his 86th birthday, telling his adoring countrymen: "Don't call me. I'll call you." But he remained one of the world's most revered public figures.
Choose the best answer from alternatives.
(a) 'We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.' What does this statement refer to?
(i) South Africa's territory became larger. (ii) Apartheid rule ended and multiracial democracy began. (iii) Mandela first discovered apartheid's harmful effects. (iv) Mandela expelled the white population.
(b) 'His prestige and charisma helped him win the ― of the world.' The word in the blank space can be ― .
(i) defiance (ii) confrontation (iii) approval (iv) contradiction
(c) 'He formally left public life in June 2004.' What does this mean?
(i) He ended all friendships. (ii) He stopped all private conversations. (iii) He formally retired from public activities. (iv) He left South Africa permanently.
(d) 'The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come.' The word 'chasms' indicates here - .
(i) the disparity in the society (ii) the ending of apartheid (iii) the spiritual oneness of the South African people (iv) the renewal of the country
(e) Mandela wanted to avoid a 'civil war'. The quality of Mandela reflected through this act is -.
(i) his extraordinary status (ii) his desperate tendency (iii) his nonviolent approach (iv) his commanding power
(f) Which statement is true about Mandela?
(i) Mandela was truly biased. (ii) He was compassionate. (iii) He was hardly peace loving. (iv) He was self-seeking in every sense.
(g) The noun form of the word 'intensely' is - .
(i) intensive (ii) intensityness (iii) intention (iv) intensity
(h) "The time for the healing of the wounds has come." Here, the word 'healing' is a/an ― .
(i) adjective (ii) noun (iii) verb (iv) adverb
(i) According to the passage, approximately how long was Mandela imprisoned?
(i) one decade (ii) nearly three decades (iii) almost ten years (iv) fifty years
(j) An opposite word for the word 'advocate' is -
(i) supporter (ii) proponent (iii) antagonist (iv) counselor
(a) (ii) Apartheid rule ended and multiracial democracy began.
(b) (iii) approval
(c) (iii) He formally retired from public activities.
(d) (i) the disparity in the society
(e) (iii) his nonviolent approach
(f) (ii) He was compassionate.
(g) (iv) intensity
(h) (ii) noun
(i) (ii) nearly three decades
(j) (iii) antagonist